Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase the number of people signing up for pension credit in South Derbyshire constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our nationwide communications campaign to promote Pension Credit has been running since September. The latest phase of the campaign takes a new approach targeting friends and family - asking them to tell people they know about Pension Credit, encourage them to check their eligibility, as well as help them make a claim. It is running on TV, radio, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, on YouTube and on advertising screens, including on GP and Post Office screens.
The campaign is featured on Greatest Hits Radio East Midlands, Hits Radio East Midlands, and Smooth Radio East Midlands as well as in the Derby Evening Telegraph and across a dozen Post Office and Pharmacy screens in the Derbyshire area.
In order to get the message out through as many channels as possible, we have also engaged with key stakeholders and partners, including other government departments, local councils, housing associations, community groups, local libraries and service providers as well as charities and third sector organisations.
We have also directly targeted 120,000 pensioner households – including over 600 in the Derbyshire area – who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and whom we have identified as being potentially entitled to, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit. We have invited these pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help reduce road traffic incidents in South Derbyshire constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since the general election, the Department has begun work on a new Road Safety Strategy, the first in over a decade. The Department will share more details in due course.
Local government is the main delivery agent of road safety. The responsibility to implement, fund, deliver, promote and enforce local road safety initiatives remains with the Local Authorities under the 1988 Road Traffic Act.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase tourism in rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
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.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of pensioners signed up to receive pension credit in South Derbyshire constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our nationwide communications campaign to promote Pension Credit has been running since September. The latest phase of the campaign takes a new approach targeting friends and family - asking them to tell people they know about Pension Credit, encourage them to check their eligibility, as well as help them make a claim. It is running on TV, radio, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, on YouTube and on advertising screens, including on GP and Post Office screens.
As part of our wider stakeholder outreach campaign and in order to get the message out through as many channels as possible, we have also engaged with key stakeholders and partners, including other government departments, local councils, housing associations, community groups, local libraries and service providers as well as charities and third sector organisations.
We have also directly targeted 120,000 pensioner households – including over 600 in the Derbyshire area – who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and whom we have identified as being potentially entitled to, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit. We have invited these pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) flood risk and (b) storm preparedness in Derbyshire.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
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.