Samantha Niblett

We intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to apply a higher rate from 2026-27 on the most valuable properties - those with a Rateable Value of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but include the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants.

Ahead of these changes being made, we have prevented RHL relief from ending in April 2025 by extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business and frozen the small business multiplier.

We are also working with businesses to understand their barriers to growth and High Streets will be a key pillar of our forthcoming Small Business Strategy.

The Department for Business and Trade works with the private sector led Invest in Women, with the shared ambition to make the UK a great place to be a female business founder. On Monday 25th November, the Taskforce celebrated successfully raising over £250 million for its funding pool for women-led businesses.

The Government is determined to harness the talent and creativity of every woman in the country. The plan to 'Make Work Pay' will transform the lives of working women, including by strengthening rights to equal pay and providing protections from maternity and menopause discrimination and sexual harassment.

Pubs and hospitality businesses, including those in rural areas and South Derbyshire, are at the heart of our communities and are vital for economic growth. That is why the Government is creating a fairer business rate system by introducing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses from 2026-27 and extending the current relief for 1 year at 40%.

The government is also reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products, representing an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year.

We will also transform the apprenticeship levy into a more flexible growth and skills levy to support business, including in the hospitality industry and boost opportunity.

Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

To reach our Clean Power target by 2030 we need to decarbonise the way we heat and cool our homes and workplaces. After many years of stop-start settlements by previous governments, this government has provided an exceptional initial three-year settlement for home upgrades despite this only being a single-year fiscal event. This demonstrates our ambitions to deliver the Warm Homes Plan as effectively as possible.

The new Wave 3 of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) will support low-income homeowners and private tenants and social tenants in England with energy performance upgrades and cleaner heating, with delivery expected in 2025.

Innovate UK are currently running an all-women cohort of their Innovation to commercialisation of university research (ICURe) programme, which will identify and support women researchers to explore commercialisation pathways that can lead to spinouts.

Supporting female tech founders and spin-out companies from our universities are important issues that I and colleagues across government are working on.

I am pleased that over time there are more female-led spin-outs, with 32% of spin-outs in 2022 having a female founder, up from 25% in 2017. However, with 68% still having all-male founders, there is still room for improvement.

Innovate UK are currently running an all-women cohort of their Innovation to commercialisation of university research (ICURe) programme, which will identify and support women researchers to explore commercialisation pathways that can lead to spinouts.

Supporting female tech founders and spin-out companies from our universities are important issues that I and colleagues across government are working on.

I am pleased that over time there are more female-led spin-outs, with 32% of spin-outs in 2022 having a female founder, up from 25% in 2017. However, with 68% still having all-male founders, there is still room for improvement.

The Government recognises the key role that science, technology, and innovation will play in Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction and future economy. The department fosters collaboration between researchers and innovators in both countries to our mutual benefit, working closely with other departments, such as Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department for Business and Trade. For example, providing financial support to the UK-Ukraine Techbridge and supporting Ukrainian researchers through the Researchers at Risk Programme. We are continuing to work with partners to identify areas for future collaboration and support.

Innovative technology solutions are key to improving online safety outcomes and delivering the government’s commitment to halving violence against women and girls in a decade. The Online Safety Act and Ofcom’s codes of practice are designed to keep pace with emerging technologies, with Ofcom continuing to research, review and, if necessary, iterate their codes of practice to adapt to technological developments.

On 20^th November the government published a draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for online safety. This sets out five priorities, including the expectation that services are safe by design to improve the safety of all users and tackle violence against women and girls, as well as the importance of innovation in online safety technologies.

Although I am aware that official reports of mobile coverage often vary substantially from people’s experience on the ground, Ofcom reports that 95% of the pre-boundary change South Derbyshire constituency area has 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile operators, and that basic (non-standalone) 5G is available from at least one mobile operator outside 93% of premises.

This Government wants all areas of the UK to benefit from reliable and good quality mobile coverage. Our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural areas, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030, and to increase 4G coverage to 95% of the UK landmass by the end of 2025 through the Shared Rural Network programme. We are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition.

The Government recognises the value of the grassroots music and arts sectors - they provide the foundation for both industries, fostering creativity, innovation and cultural expression.

The Government response to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's report on grassroots music venues, published 14 November, sets out our commitment to working with the sector to support the sustainability of the entire music ecosystem. In particular, the Government is urging the live music industry to introduce a voluntary levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to help safeguard the future of the grassroots music sector.

Following the Autumn Budget, we are continuing to support Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) successful Supporting Grassroots Music Fund which provides grants to grassroots music venues, recording studios, promoters and festivals across England.

More generally, ACE plays an important role in supporting grassroots community arts venues through the National Portfolio and other funding schemes such as Creative People and Places and National Lottery Project Grants. ACE also has a national dialogue with rural stakeholders from across England, and uses this to inform their policy and work. ACE is committed to responding to the specific needs of rural areas, supporting artists working in rural areas, improving access for rural audiences and building partnerships for growth.

The Government recognises the importance of tourism to rural constituencies, including its contribution to economic growth and pride in place of an area, and an integral part of the UK’s tourism offering. Britain’s coastline is a particular attraction to international visitors with 10% of all visits to the UK including the coast or a beach, rising to 34% amongst those visiting Wales.

DCMS continues to work with VisitBritain/VisitEngland to champion visits to the British countryside to a worldwide audience. Promoting rural areas, with a dedicated webpage on its consumer site which highlights rural areas to visit across the nations and regions of Britain that celebrate the UK’s diverse attractions. This is part of our commitment to spreading tourism’s benefits and creating an inclusive, regional growth model. DCMS, through VisitEngland, has also accredited 35 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships so far; which aims to drive investment and spend across the regions - including in rural areas.

The North East Destination Development Partnership (DDP) is in its third year of delivery and interim evaluation results have found that it has supported over 1,000 businesses, saw a 14% increase in the value of the visitor economy, a 5% increase in visitor numbers, as well as building a pipeline of £125 million of investment, and building the case for a new ferry route to Norway.

VisitBritain’s new GREAT-funded international marketing campaign will launch in early 2025. ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ will use the hook of Britain’s rich film and television history to encourage more international visitors to explore across Britain, including many rural destinations.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport regularly engages with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on a range of issues.

Sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities in safe environments including open spaces such as parks and streets.

The Government is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in sport at all levels. We will continue to work with the sport sector to help it be inclusive and welcoming to its spectators, participants and workforce. Coaches play a hugely important role in facilitating sporting activity and acting as a source of inspiration and encouragement for people to remain active.

Sport England’s ten year strategy, Uniting the Movement, reinforces their commitment to tackling inequalities faced in sport by underrepresented groups. Sport England is investing £120 million to increase participation in sport and boost diversity at the grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.

Additionally, the updated Code for Sports Governance requires sports that receive substantial public funding from either UK Sport or Sport England to have detailed and ambitious diversity and inclusion action plans in place, which are published and updated annually.

This Government recognises the importance of community arts and literary festivals in bringing local communities together, providing them with high-quality culture, and stimulating local growth.

Data collection plays an integral role in how the Department for Culture, Media and Sport assesses the economic contribution of its sectors to the UK economy. DCMS publishes official statistics (DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates) including data on Gross Value Added, employment and business demographics, which are available at national and regional levels.These data can be found on the DCMS website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dcms-sectors-economic-estimates

DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates does not, however, provide data specific to community arts and literary festivals.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for South Derbyshire, to the answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 27930.

Since 2022, Derbyshire has received over £27.6 million in high needs capital funding, which it can use to create new places in special schools and support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in a mainstream setting.

The department has now announced £740 million of capital for high needs funding in the 2025/26 financial year. This can be used to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings. It can also be used to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.

We understand that local authorities will want certainty about the allocation of the high needs provision capital funding for the 2025/26 financial year as soon as possible in order to develop their approach to supporting children and young people with SEND, or who require alternative provisions in their area. We will confirm allocations for the £740 million funding later in the spring.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. We want to ensure people of all ages and backgrounds can undertake activities which provide them with the skills and learning they need to support them into work and offer excellent career development and progression opportunities.

The department wants to ensure that, where required, education, health and care (EHC) plan assessments are progressed promptly and, if needed, plans are issued as quickly as possible so that children and young people can access the support they need.

Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to assess whether children and young people have special educational needs that require an EHC plan. EHC plans must be issued within 20 weeks of the needs assessment commencing so that children and young people can access the support they need. In 2023, there were 138,200 initial requests for an EHC plan and 90,500 assessments took place. 50.3% of new EHC plans in 2023 were issued within 20 weeks.

The department knows that local authorities have seen an increase in the number of assessment requests and that more needs to be done to ensure that local areas deliver effective and timely services. This includes better communication with schools and families.

A joint local area SEND inspection in Derbyshire was undertaken by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September 2024 under the new Area SEND Inspection framework. Ofsted/CQC found widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND which the local area partnership must address urgently. The report, published on 14 November, included six areas for priority action (APAs).

As a result of this inspection, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector requires the local area partnership to prepare and submit a priority action plan (area SEND) to address the identified APAs.

The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the APAs found by inspectors and the progress made by children and young people with SEND. The department has appointed a SEND Adviser to work collaboratively with an NHS England Adviser to challenge, support and work alongside Derbyshire County Council and the local area partnership.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. We want more children and young people to receive the support they need to thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. This is why we are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs.

Local authorities must ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEND. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review (including its sufficiency), working with parents, young people and providers.

The department has announced an additional £740 million of capital funding in the 2025/26 financial year to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This new funding can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND and create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs, alongside continuing to provide places to support pupils in special schools with the most complex needs.

In addition, the department is providing local authorities’ an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion.

A joint local area SEND inspection in Derbyshire was undertaken by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September 2024 under the new Area SEND Inspection framework. Ofsted and the CQC found widespread and / or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND which the local area partnership must address urgently. The report, published on 14 November, included six areas for priority action (APAs).

As a result of this inspection, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector requires the local area partnership to prepare and submit a priority action plan (area SEND) to address the identified APAs.

The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the APAs found by inspectors and the progress made by children and young people with SEND. The department has appointed a SEND Adviser to work collaboratively with an NHS England Adviser to challenge, support and work alongside Derbyshire County Council and the local area partnership.

The department collects a range of data on children being educated in contexts other than school. This includes data on children and young people with education, health and care (EHC) plans who, as part of their education, are receiving ‘Special educational provision otherwise than in schools, post-16 institutions’ under section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014. The latest figure for those receiving such support is 8,640, as at January 2024. More information can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.

Provision set out in an EHC plan is funded by the relevant local authority. The department does not collect funding data from local authorities in enough detail for us to be able to identify funding at an individual level for those whose EHC plan contains provision made under section 61 of the 2014 Act.

We are committed to supporting all farming sectors to increase levels of productivity whilst increasing their sustainability and resilience. We are looking carefully at how to position further investment and support to enable the delivery of this Government's objectives, including on water security.

We plan to simplify and rationalise our grant funding, ensuring that grants deliver the most benefit for food security and nature. We will confirm any future grant rounds in due course.

When building flood defences there is a legal requirement that any development cannot increase the flood risk to communities either upstream or downstream, and if an increase in risk is identified, it must be mitigated.

Rights to appeal planning decisions are unaffected by the Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note and accompanying statement.

The accompanying statement set out that Government will only back new Energy from Waste projects that meet strict conditions. Proposals for new facilities will have to demonstrate a clearly defined domestic residual waste treatment capacity need to facilitate the diversion of residual waste away from landfill, or enable the replacement of older, less-efficient facilities. Additionally, new facilities will have to maximise efficiency and support the delivery of economic growth, net zero and the move to a circular economy.

We would expect any new local and environmental conditions to carry weight in any planning appeal.

Defra does not produce estimates of the economic contribution of farming by farm size. Total income from farming in the UK in 2023 was £7.2 billion.

Regional estimates are produced at international territorial levels (ITL) 1, 2 and 3, with ITL3 being the most granular geographical breakdown. In 2023, total income from farming for the three Derbyshire ITL3 regions was £0.13 million for Derby, £11.84 million for East Derbyshire and £36.69 million for South and West Derbyshire.

Full details are available here: Total income from farming in the UK - GOV.UK

Total income from farming for the regions of England - GOV.UK.

Communities in Derbyshire are at risk of flooding from a variety of sources including main rivers, ordinary watercourses, and surface water. During last winter, over 1,600 properties were sadly flooded internally throughout Derbyshire.

The Environment Agency (EA) are responsible for main rivers and maintain a range of flood defences throughout Derbyshire. These protected over 14,000 properties across the county during last winter's storms. Following the floods, defences have been inspected and routine operational checks and maintenance activities have been carried out.

The EA continue to work with Derbyshire County Council, as the Lead Local Flood Authority, to reduce flood risk and identify future opportunities for investment in flood defences.

The EA monitors river levels, issuing flood warnings 24/7, 365 days a year when required to inform the public and businesses of flood risk. They work closely with Local Resilience Forum partners to plan for, respond to, and recover from flood incidents.

The government knows that a modern public transport network is vital to providing access to services and keeping communities connected. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. East Midlands Combined County Authority have been allocated £40.5 million of this funding, helping to improve bus services across the area, including South Derbyshire. In total, Local Transport Authorities across the East Midlands have been allocated £81 million of this funding.

The government also launched its plan to develop an Integrated National Transport Strategy which will set the long-term vision for transport in England to better serve all people who use it, including those in South Derbyshire and across the East Midlands.