Lord Watson of Wyre Forest

After 14 years of indifference and cultural vandalism, this government is committed to making sure that arts and cultural activities will no longer be the preserve of a privileged few.

The Department for Culture and Media and Sport, via its Arms Length body, Arts Council England (ACE) plays an important role in promoting poetry, primarily through its grants and support for arts institutions, festivals, and individual practitioners.

For example, ACE supports the Poetry Society who promote poetry through innovative education and commissioning programmes, performances, readings and competitions for all ages across the country. The Ledbury Poetry festival, also supported by ACE, brings together world leading poets to read, debate and share their work during its main programme over two weeks in the summer, and continues throughout the year with projects that involve local schools and hundreds of local people through its community projects.

Additionally, as the national development agency for libraries in England, ACE also supports public libraries through funding, advocacy and collaboration. Public libraries promote poetry by encouraging reader development and helping to inspire, educate, support and entertain people of all ages and backgrounds.

There are no plans to make any further provision of public lavatories as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme inherited from the previous Government. Public lavatories will be replaced where the programme modifies or removes public lavatories at stations to facilitate works.

This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. As part of the Minister for Veterans and People’s role, he will regularly meet and engage with veterans including UK nuclear test veterans, to learn about their experiences and understand how the Government can provide the right support to them.

The Minister for Veterans and People has engagements planned in the coming weeks to discuss specific concerns raised by nuclear test veterans.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that Local Authorities should assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, and reflect this in Local Plan policies. Each Local Plan is subject to a public examination in front of an independent inspector, who plays an important role in examining plans to ensure they are consistent with national policy, supported by evidence and take the views of local people into account. The overall housing targets set by central government do not specify the proportion or type of dwelling that should be provided.