Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 5 December 2024 from the hon. Member for South Shropshire, inviting him to meet farmers in his constituency.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Thank you for your invitation. Ministers regularly engage and visit farmers across England and have met with farming organisations and representatives nearly every week since coming into Government, and I hope to visit farmers in your constituency soon.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve the quality of bathing water sites in (a) Shropshire and (b) the West Midlands.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Bathing waters are a vital public amenity, and we are continually working to improve and modernise our bathing waters system. As such, the government announced planned reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 on 12 March following a public consultation. Changes to the Regulations will prioritise public safety and water quality so more people can enjoy our rivers, lakes and seas in the first shake up since 2013.

We know that local communities want to have a clearer picture of water quality at popular bathing spots, which is why the three designated bathing sites in Shropshire have been monitored during the bathing season since their designation in 2024.

On the River Teme in Ludlow the Environment Agency is involved in a project where innovative automatic water quality sampling technology has been installed to improve the understanding of water quality and to inform the public of daily E. coli concentrations. This advanced innovation project has recently been extended to the Shrewsbury bathing water site for the 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to healthcare facilities in rural areas.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Since June 2022, the 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) across England have been responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services which meet the needs of their respective populations, reflecting the diversity of need within these. The local ICB is therefore responsible for ensuring that NHS services are accessible in their area.

NHS England is responsible for funding allocations to ICBs. This process is independent of the Government, and NHS England takes advice on the underlying formula from the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA).

The ACRA endorsed the introduction of a new community services formula, that they believe will better recognise needs for much older populations with higher needs for certain community services which on average tend to be in some rural, coastal, and remote areas.

Work is also underway across the Department and with NHS England and the regional directors of public health to develop approaches to address regional health inequalities. In line with the Government’s Health Mission, the Department’s goal is to create a more equitable healthcare system that leaves no person or community behind.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the operating costs are for Mayoral Combined Authorities for (a) the 2025-26 and (b) each of the next five financial years.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The costs for operating Mayoral Combined Authorities can vary depending on their size, the responsibilities they exercise, and local political and financial decisions. Mayoral Combined Authorities are best placed to make assessments of the allocation of funding towards these costs. The government does not hold estimates of future operating costs. Mayoral Combined Authorities’ financial information can be found in their published, annual budgets.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support vulnerable households with energy costs in off-grid communities.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government believes the only way to protect billpayers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy. The creation of Great British Energy will help us harness clean energy, reduce our reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets, and enable us to meet our target to be a clean energy superpower by 2030.

We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power. This is why we delivered the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households last winter. We have recently consulted on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households on a qualifying means-tested benefit into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The consultation closed on 24 March and DESNZ is considering the responses received.

The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock, including those off gas grid, into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including (a) air conditioning systems, (b) solar panels and (c) other energy-efficient installations within the scope of Improvement Relief in the context of encouraging (i) business investment and (ii) energy efficiency upgrades.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At the Autumn Budget, the government published the Transforming Business Rates Discussion Paper, which set out priority areas for reform. This paper invited industry to help co-design a fairer business rates system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century.

This paper sought views on the efficacy of Improvement Relief, which was introduced in April 2024 and provides 12 months of relief for qualifying improvements to a property where this increases a property’s RV, including air conditioning systems.

In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Autumn Budget 2025.

Eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable energy generation and storage, such as rooftop solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage, are exempt from business rates from 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2035.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the number of businesses that will no longer be eligible for Small Business Rate Relief as a result of rateable value increases at the 2026 revaluation.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value (RV). Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000.

The upcoming 2026 revaluation will update RVs to reflect their estimated market value at the 1 April 2024 valuation date. The VOA will publish the draft list of all RVs in the Autumn.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support is available for community sports organisations to help modernise (a) running tracks and (b) other facilities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises that sports clubs and facilities are important to communities up and down the country. High-quality, inclusive facilities help people get active. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, should have access to them and opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity.

Grassroots sport is also funded through the Government’s Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, who invest over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year.

Sport England’s Movement Fund also offers crowdfunding pledges, grants and resources to improve physical activity opportunities for the people and communities who need it the most. The Movement Fund can be used for the refurbishment or upgrading facilities to improve or create spaces that can provide opportunities to get more people active.

Alongside funding Sport England also provides extensive guidance to organisations looking to develop and modernise facilities. This guidance is available here.

The Government is also committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities. £100 million will be invested into grassroots sport facilities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Investment into individual projects is still to be determined for 2025-26.

Future funding of sports facilities beyond 2025/26 will be considered following the Spending Review.

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Found: Anderson Dr Andrew Murrison Paulette Hamilton Rachael Maskell Mr Angus MacDonald Neil O'Brien Stuart Anderson

Found: Gregory Campbell Rebecca Paul Lee Anderson Rachael Maskell Mr Angus MacDonald Neil O'Brien Stuart Anderson

Found: Rosindell Mr Gregory Campbell Rebecca Paul Rachael Maskell Mr Angus MacDonald Neil O'Brien Stuart Anderson

Found: McMurdock Andrew Rosindell Mr Gregory Campbell Rachael Maskell Mr Angus MacDonald Neil O'Brien Stuart Anderson