Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to consult with (a) farmers and (b) agricultural stakeholders from Fylde constituency in advance of the implementation of the new Higher Level Stewardship payment rates.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are no live Higher Level Stewardship (HLS agreements in the Fylde constituency.
HLS payment rates have stayed the same for more than 10 years. In that time, they have fallen behind the rates offered through other schemes, including Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). On that basis we have taken the opportunity to reduce the difference by investing £30 million to increase payment rates so farmers in HLS agreements can continue to restore habitats, support rare species, preserve historic features and maintain traditional landscape features in our iconic countryside. We consulted with national stakeholders including the NFU, CLA and TFA in advance of making these changes.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 51543 on Universal Credit: Fylde, how many Universal Credit claimants have been affected by the change in the Fair Repayment Rate implemented from 30 April 2025 in Fylde constituency.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This information is not currently available.
The Fair Repayment Rate was implemented on the 30 April 2025 for Universal Credit claims with assessment periods starting on or after this date. However, the transition to the new policy will not be complete for all Universal Credit households until the end of June 2025. We estimate that once the transition to the Fair Repayment Rate is complete, it will benefit 1.2 million Universal Credit households by putting an average of £420 back into their pockets per year.
The Department regularly publishes data on Universal Credit deductions. The release scheduled for November 2025 will present deductions data up to August 2025, this is the first release that will show the effects of the Fair Repayment Rate.
The latest release of the deductions statistics can be found here:
Universal Credit deductions statistics December 2023 to November 2024 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 55112 on Music Venues: Finance, what steps her Department is taking to ensure equitable access to the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund in (a) Fylde constituency, (b) regions with fewer existing grassroots music venues and (c) all English regions.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Supporting Grassroots Music Fund is open to applications from rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals, and venues for live and electronic music performance, from across the whole of England. Arts Council England supports and encourages applicants from across England including through its network of area-based relationship managers.
The Government and the live music industry are working together to drive progress on an industry-led levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to support grassroots music. We welcome commitments by artists and the wider industry to implement the ticket levy, and steps taken by industry to set up a charitable trust to distribute funds from the levy.
As part of the Spending Review 2025, the Government has announced a significant increase in funding for the Creative Industries. The Government’s industrial strategy is prioritising the creative industries and we will set out actions to drive music sector growth in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Plan.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 55112 on Music Venues: Finance, whether she plans to increase levels of Supporting Grassroots Music Fund funding beyond 2025-26; and whether she has considered creating a multi-year funding stream for grassroots venues.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Supporting Grassroots Music Fund is open to applications from rehearsal and recording studios, promoters, festivals, and venues for live and electronic music performance, from across the whole of England. Arts Council England supports and encourages applicants from across England including through its network of area-based relationship managers.
The Government and the live music industry are working together to drive progress on an industry-led levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to support grassroots music. We welcome commitments by artists and the wider industry to implement the ticket levy, and steps taken by industry to set up a charitable trust to distribute funds from the levy.
As part of the Spending Review 2025, the Government has announced a significant increase in funding for the Creative Industries. The Government’s industrial strategy is prioritising the creative industries and we will set out actions to drive music sector growth in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Plan.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage young people to engage with (a) Scouts, (b) Girlguiding and (c) other youth organisations in Fylde.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government recognises the transformative role that youth services play in young people’s lives, including the important role that Scouts and Girlguiding play in providing young people with opportunities to take part in new activities, make new friends and build skills for life. I have met with both organisations in my capacity as Minister for Youth.
In a written statement on 15 May 2025, the Secretary of State announced DCMS’ commitment to provide over £28 million to increase access to more and better enriching activities for young people. This includes £7.5 million funding to increase access to uniformed youth groups in areas of unmet demand and reach more young people from harder to reach communities, who are underrepresented in these organisations. Over £2.4 million of this funding has been awarded to the Scouts and over £1.4 million to Girlguiding in 2025/2026. It is the organisation's decision on how best to allocate the funding to meet objectives.
We are also co-producing a new National Youth Strategy with young people and the sectors that support them. The strategy will allow us to put young people back in charge of their own destiny, provide them with meaningful choices and chances and rebuild a thriving and sustainable sector. The Strategy will be published in the summer.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to increase the impact of (a) Britain in Bloom and (b) regional in bloom contests on communities.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Britain in Bloom has a huge impact upon our local environments and communities, inspiring thousands to get involved in their community. It is one of many excellent initiatives to create better access to green spaces for all sections of society.
Whilst we are not taking direct steps to increase the scope of Britain in Bloom specifically, the government’s own Green Flag Award sets the standard for green spaces across the UK. In 2024 a record 2,227 Green Flag Awards were awarded. To increase the impact of the green flag award, we have modernised the Award, adjusting its aims and deliverables to focus on community engagement, increased access and usage of parks and to address local health and environmental priorities.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to protect community gardens.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Community gardens make a great contribution to the health, wellbeing and spirit of communities.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that open space should not be built on unless there is clear evidence it is no longer required, or equivalent or better provision is secured in a suitable location, or development of the site is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the benefits of which clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use.
The NPPF also provides for the designation of land as Local Green Space through local and neighbourhood plans, allowing communities to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 51543 on Universal Credit: Fylde, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the impact of the new Fair Repayment Rate for Universal Credit debt deductions on households in Fylde constituency.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department collects detailed data on deductions from Universal Credit households and will be monitoring the effect of the Fair Repayment Rate over the coming months.
We regularly publish official statistics on deductions at the parliamentary constituency level - including the number of Universal Credit households with deductions and average amount deducted. The release scheduled for November 2025 will present deductions data up to August 2025, this is the first release that will show the effects of the Fair Repayment Rate.
The latest release of the deductions statistics can be found here:
Universal Credit deductions statistics December 2023 to November 2024 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54446 on Environmental Land Management Schemes: Lancashire, which (a) stakeholder groups and (b) representative farming organisations his Department has consulted on the development of the future Sustainable Farming Incentive offer.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union, the Country Land and Business Association, the Tenant Farmers Association, the Nature Friendly Farming Network, the Agricultural Industries Confederation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, National Trust and the Green Alliance and a further group of 30 industry stakeholders, to design a future Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced later in the summer.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June to Question 54071 on Swimming: Training, what standard of swimming ability the government expects young people to have achieved by the end of Primary School.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The programme of study for physical education (PE) makes specific reference to swimming and water safety, stating that “all schools must provide swimming instruction in either key stage 1 or 2” and that pupils should be taught to:
Secondary schools are free to shape their PE curriculum, in line with the national curriculum, to suit all their pupils, but there is no statutory requirement to provide swimming lessons. At secondary, pupils should build on and embed the physical development and skills learned in key stages 1 and 2, and become more competent, confident, and expert in their technique. Swimming and water safety lessons are one way of doing this.
Schools can also use their personal, social, health and economic education programme to equip pupils with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge necessary to make safe and informed decisions, which is a vital part of water safety.
The department is currently reviewing the statutory relationships, sex and health education curriculum, including looking at whether additional content on water safety should be added.
The department works closely with sector organisations like Swim England and the Royal Life Saving Society UK, supporting schools to provide swimming and water safety lessons through teacher training and resources. This includes support for pupils with special education needs and disabilities, hosted on Swim England’s online Inclusion Hub.