Mary Kelly Foy

This Government recognises that grassroots sports clubs are at the beating heart of communities up and down the country. High-quality, inclusive facilities help clubs to get more people active and, by backing these clubs, the Government will support more people to get onto the pitch wherever they live.

To mark the achievements of England’s senior men’s and women’s football teams, and inspire the next generation as we look ahead to hosting UEFA EURO 2028 across the UK and Ireland, we have set out plans to strengthen our support for grassroots clubs. This includes continuing delivery of funding to build and improve pitches and facilities through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme this year, and a commitment to work with the sector to develop a funding package that will support these plans in future years.

Currently in England, the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme is delivered through the Football Foundation. The Foundation is working with local authorities (and local football associations and other partners) to refresh Local Football Facility Plans that identify the specific needs of local areas. These are used to inform the pipeline of projects which will receive funding from the Foundation.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through our arm’s-length body, Sport England – which annually invests over £250 million of National Lottery and government money. Sport England’s newly established Movement Fund offers crowdfunding pledges, grants and resources to improve physical activity opportunities for the people and communities who need it the most.

This government is committed to ensuring there is a thriving further education (FE) sector, which is vital to our missions to break down the barriers to opportunity and deliver economic growth.

At the October 2024 Budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out an additional £300 million for FE revenue funding to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs, as well as £300 million new capital funding to address condition and capacity issues in the FE estate. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.

This investment is on top of around an additional £600 million in FE across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. This includes extending retention payments of up to £6,000 after tax for eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas,

The government does not set pay or conditions within FE. This remains the responsibility of individual providers. However, the department continues to support the sector to recruit and retain expert teachers. We have continued to offer financial incentives for those undertaking teacher training for the FE sector in priority subject areas, worth up to £30,000 each, tax free. Additionally, the department is supporting industry professionals to enter the teaching workforce through the Taking Teaching Further programme.

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of breaking down barriers to opportunity and improving the life chances for every child. For too many children, living in poverty robs them of the opportunity to learn and prosper.

Child poverty has increased by 700,000 since 2010, with over four million children now growing up in a low-income family. This not only harms children’s lives but also damages their future prospects and holds back our society and economy.

With this in mind, the Child Poverty Taskforce will drive forward action across government to reduce child poverty, including considering a range of metrics which can be tracked. These will be published in the government’s Child Poverty Strategy in the spring.

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of breaking down barriers to opportunity and improving the life chances for every child. For too many children, living in poverty robs them of the opportunity to learn and to prosper.

On 17 July 2024, my Right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, announced the appointment of the Secretary of State for Work and Pension and the Secretary of State for Education to be the joint leads of a new ministerial taskforce to begin work on a child poverty strategy.

This urgent work has started and the ministerial taskforce will harness all available levers to drive forward short-term and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty, with a child poverty strategy published in spring next year.

The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver supervised toothbrushing for 3 to 5 year olds in the most deprived communities. These programmes prevent tooth decay and encourage toothbrushing routines at home.

In addition, the period product scheme continues to provide schools and colleges with access to a wide range of period products for their learners. Since its launch in 2020, 99% of secondary schools and 94% of colleges in England have used the scheme.

Furthermore, the government has announced an extension of the Household Support Fund for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. In England, an additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the Fund to support the cost of essentials, plus funding for the devolved governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission inspected local arrangements for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in County Durham in June 2024. The report is due to be published in August 2024.

County Durham is part of the department's Delivering Better Value (DBV) programme. The DBV programme, which was established by the previous government, aims to work with selected authorities to review how services are structured and delivered to achieve better outcomes for children and young people with SEND in a sustainable way. The DBV programme achieves this by helping each of the participating local areas complete a diagnostic to work out the root causes of their challenges and identify local opportunities to sustainably improve the outcomes and experiences of the children and young people with SEND in their care.

On completion of their diagnostic, County Durham created an action plan to address their key local challenges and implement service reforms. Based on this, the department provided grant funding of £1 million to support the delivery of their plans.

This government is committed to providing the necessary support to improve the experiences for children and young people with SEND and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and alternative provision settings, and to ensure that special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

The Government is reviewing the policy. Our ambition, set out in our election manifesto, is for half of all food supplied into the public sector to be from local British producers, or certified to higher environmental standards whilst being in line with World Trade Organisation and domestic procurement obligations.

This Government strongly believes in the importance of farming. For this Government, food security is national security, requiring a sustainable, resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British Farmers.

The Government understands the importance of stability for the sector and so have delivered on our commitment to restore stability by continuing the rollout of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme.

Record numbers of farmers are now in an Environmental Land Management scheme, and the Government wants to maintain the momentum built over recent months. This Government will continue to support farmers by optimising its schemes and grants in an orderly way, ensuring they produce the right outcomes for all farmers while delivering food security and nature recovery in a just and equitable way.

We recognise the pressures that so many farmers are under, including cost pressures. We need to make sure the agricultural transition is fair and will back British farmers in everything we do.

The Government is offering a new deal for farmers giving farmers their future back, including:

• Back British produce and standards and our farmers who produce it. Kickstart rural growth by fostering trading opportunities for British famers.
• We will tackle rising energy costs, by introducing a public sector sustainable energy company - GB Energy.

The Animal Welfare Committee’s updated opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing was published last year. A GB-wide farmed trout joint Government and industry working group is now examining the issues raised in the report to explore the potential options for more detailed welfare at killing requirements. The Scottish Government are also working closely with the salmon industry.

Ofwat will not hesitate to hold water companies to account where they fall short of our expectations. For example, Ofwat recently issued a proposed enforcement order against Northumbrian Water for the management of wastewater treatment works which proposes financial penalties of £17 million (5% of their relevant annual turnover). The consultation period closed on 10th September after which Ofwat will make their final decision. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will also give Ofwat further powers to hold water companies to account where they do not deliver for customers and the environment.

The Government will also soon carry out a review to shape further legislation that will fundamentally transform how our water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good, ensuring that the regulatory framework that underpins our water sector delivers long-term stability, with clear, achievable targets.

This Government is committed to preventing the use of those neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten our vital pollinators. At this stage, officials are currently determining the most effective way to implement this commitment.

Flexible Season Tickets are available across all contracted train operators. They offer most commuters who travel two or three days per week better value compared to both day tickets and other season tickets.

All TOCs offer anytime and off-peak tickets for flexible travel through the day. While LNER have removed off-peak tickets on a small number of trial routes, passengers can still purchase flexibility on these routes with the semi-flexible ticket. This ticket allows passengers to travel 70 minutes either side of the booked journey.

Local authorities are responsible for the management of local roads, within the rules set by Government. It is for the local council to decide what measures may be appropriate in their local areas.

The Safer Roads Fund is an innovative, non-competitive programme that provides funding for the most high risk rural ‘A’ roads in England. To date 99 roads have been funded amounting to £185.8 million - including £2.94 million this year for the A690 in County Durham.

These 99 schemes can include designing new junctions and roundabouts, improving signage and road markings, landscape management, road resurfacing, improved crossings, and cycle lanes. The Safer Roads Fund schemes are estimated to save approximately 2,600 lives and serious injuries throughout their 20-year economic life, as well as reducing congestion, improving journey times, and lowering emissions.

The safety of our roads is an absolute priority for this Government and will support our health mission. We are committed to delivering a new Road Safety Strategy – the first in over a decade. We will set out next steps on this in due course.

Between 2020/21 to 2023/24, almost £4,000,000 of capital funding has been invested in County Durham for new and improved schemes to improve safety and boost walking, wheeling and cycling, including on the National Cycle Network. In addition, the North East Combined Authority has been awarded over £5,600,000 of revenue funding since 2021/22.

Active Travel England has been working closely with the North East Combined Authority and its constituent local authorities to boost officer capability to design schemes that improve safety of cyclists and pedestrians. Durham also receives support through national training and engagement programmes that improve safety, including Bikeability cycle training, Walk to School Outreach and Big Bike Revival.

The Department is committed to pursuing a just, equal and inclusive society, ensuring independence and control for all customers, including all disabled people and those with complex needs. This means we need to ensure that our customers have access to reasonable adjustments or additional support, to enable them to access benefits and our services.

If a customer is unable to manage their own affairs, an appointee may be appropriate. For customers without an appointee, and unable to complete forms through other channels, the DWP Visiting service can conduct home visits to provide support. Some benefits also offer a telephony option.

Universal Credit customers can access the UC Helpline or the Help to Claim Universal Credit service, offered by the Citizens Advice Bureau. Support is also offered within our Jobcentres.

We aim to provide a tailored service, producing forms in alternative formats such as Braille, large print, coloured paper, as well as screen-readable formats such as word and web-accessible PDF. The Department’s forms are designed to be accessible for people who use assistive technology. Our online PDFs are compliant with Work Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 accessible standards and claim form design and standards are regularly tested to ensure they continue to meet user needs.

The State Pension is the foundation of income in retirement. Immediate support for pensioners includes our commitment to the Triple Lock, with over 12 million pensioners set to benefit through the course of this parliament, with the full yearly rate of the new State Pensions forecast to increase by around £1700.

Pension Credit provides financial support to pensioners on a low income. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive a Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.

The Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister wrote to all Local Authorities in late August, asking them to redouble their efforts to reach those pensioners who could benefit from Pension Credit. We will be working closely with charities and Local Authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and apply.

In line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, the Chief Statistician determines the need for new official statistics, and the development of existing statistics. User engagement is at the heart of our considerations for future statistics. These development priorities are regularly updated and published as part of the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

Whilst a full appraisal of the resources needed to enable the development and publication of statistics on the number of children living in households subject to a Universal Credit sanction has not been made, our data on sanctions is for individuals and it is not possible to identify children in the households of individuals receiving a sanction without significant development of the data we hold.

DWP has a close working relationship with the police and other law enforcement agencies to enable the Department to investigate fraud. This joint working allows full exchange of information from the police to DWP and the DWP to police, under data sharing legislation.

Under the previous administration, no assessment was made of the mental health impacts of benefits sanctions. The new government will reform labour market policy and operations with the aim of increasing employment and integrating work and health support.

Sanctions are not applied to those with a severe medical health condition or disability where they have been found to have Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity following their Work Capability Assessment (WCA), or where they have a specified condition or are undergoing certain treatments ahead of their WCA.

Those subject to work-related requirements will only be sanctioned if they fail to meet the labour market requirements that they’ve agreed to with their work coach without demonstrating good reason for doing so. To ensure these requirements are realistic and achievable, they are discussed and agreed with the claimant and based on their individual capabilities and household circumstances, including any health issues, caring responsibilities, earnings, and ongoing work or volunteering.

We acknowledge that there will be times when a claimant’s circumstances are such that there their ability to carry out their labour market requirements is disrupted due to their personal circumstances. In these cases, an easement can be applied to lift these requirements completely for an agreed period of time.

To support those who demonstrates that they cannot meet their most immediate and essential needs as a result of receiving a sanction, we have a system of recoverable hardship payments. These needs can include heating, food, and hygiene.

The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill was introduced into Parliament on 5 November, and will be the single biggest public health intervention since the banning of smoking in indoor public spaces.

This bill goes further than ever before. It will create the first smoke-free generation, gradually phasing out the sale of tobacco products across the country, enable the Government to strengthen the existing ban on smoking in public places to reduce the harms of passive smoking in certain outdoor settings, ban vapes and nicotine products from being promoted and advertised to children, and introduce tougher enforcement measures, including through providing powers to introduce a retail licensing scheme for tobacco and vapes.

This bill will help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free United Kingdom, and forms part of our Health Mission to shift the health system from treatment to prevention.

Working with universities we are committed to training the staff we need to get patients seen on time, including more nurses, and will work closely with National Health Service trusts and their local education providers to do so and ensure nursing remains an attractive career choice.

Working with universities we are committed to training the staff we need to get patients seen on time, including more nurses, and will work closely with National Health Service trusts and their local education providers to do so and ensure nursing remains an attractive career choice.

Targeted retention work for nurses and midwives is being undertaken by NHS England and led by the Chief Nursing Officer. This includes the introduction of a nursing and midwifery retention self-assessment tool which shares evidence on retention interventions and allows employers to assess their local plans and actions; a national preceptorship framework which provides early career support for nurses and midwives as they transition from education to employment; mentoring schemes; strengthened advice and support on pensions and flexible retirement options; and the publication of menopause policies and guidance.

The Healthy Start scheme is kept under review. There have been no discussions with my Rt Hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on introducing auto-enrolment for Healthy Start.

The Healthy Start scheme was introduced in 2006 to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old, from very low-income households. It can be used to buy, or put towards the cost of, fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries have access to free Healthy Start Vitamins for pregnant women and children aged under four years old. Healthy Start now supports over 355,000 beneficiaries. This figure is higher than the previous paper voucher scheme.

The NHS Business Services Authority operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. All applicants to the Healthy Start scheme, where they meet the eligibility criteria, must accept the terms and conditions of the prepaid card at the point of application. As the prepaid card is a financial product and cannot be issued without the applicant accepting these terms, the NHS Business Services Authority is not able to automatically provide eligible families with a prepaid card. However, we remain open to all viable routes to improve uptake.

Under our Health Mission we will move from a model of sickness to one of prevention, reducing health inequalities and closing the gap in healthy life expectancy, as well as delivering on our commitment to raise the healthiest generation ever. As part of this we are working with civil society, industry, and the public to address some of the biggest drivers of ill-health and health inequalities, including tackling obesity and poor diet, as obesity prevalence for children in deprived areas is double that of non-deprived areas.

To this end, we are rolling out free breakfast clubs in every primary school, with an early adopter scheme launching in April 2025, so children start the day ready to learn, helping to break down barriers to opportunity and confront child poverty. All children in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England’s state-funded schools are already entitled to universal infant free school meals, and disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools, as well as 16 to 18-year-old students in further education, receive free meals on the basis of low income.

In addition, our Healthy Food Schemes already provide support for those who need it the most. The Healthy Start scheme aims to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households. It can be used to buy, or put towards the cost of, fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk, and infant formula, with beneficiaries also having access to free Healthy Start Vitamins.

We have also committed to banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under the age of 16 years old, where we know average intakes of these drinks is highest among children from more deprived areas. Additionally, we are on track to ban junk food advertising to children from next year.

The UK is fully committed to promoting and protecting the rights of all people, including older people. Building stronger legal frameworks at the domestic and international level is key. We were an active participant in the work of the UN's Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing, and we welcomed the consensus adoption by the General Assembly in September of its recommendations. The UK seeks to play a constructive role on these issues, and we are open to considering further standard-setting, including the possibility of a multilateral instrument, to help further address the issues faced by older people.