Holly Mumby-Croft Portrait

Holly Mumby-Croft

Conservative - Scunthorpe

First elected: 12th December 2019


Powers of Attorney Bill
22nd Feb 2023 - 1st Mar 2023
National Security Bill
29th Jun 2022 - 18th Oct 2022


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Holly Mumby-Croft has voted in 835 divisions, and 10 times against the majority of their Party.

21 Oct 2020 - Free School Meals - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 5 Conservative Aye votes vs 320 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 261 Noes - 322
23 Jun 2020 - Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 45 Conservative Aye votes vs 235 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 243 Noes - 238
3 Nov 2021 - Committee on Standards - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 13 Conservative No votes vs 247 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 250 Noes - 232
22 Nov 2021 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 19 Conservative No votes vs 269 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 272 Noes - 246
14 Dec 2021 - Public Health - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 97 Conservative No votes vs 224 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 369 Noes - 126
14 Dec 2021 - Public Health - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 60 Conservative No votes vs 258 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 385 Noes - 100
30 Mar 2022 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 72 Conservative Aye votes vs 175 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 215 Noes - 188
30 Mar 2022 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 8 Conservative No votes vs 245 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 247 Noes - 150
25 Apr 2022 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 11 Conservative No votes vs 280 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 282 Noes - 183
4 Dec 2023 - Victims and Prisoners Bill - View Vote Context
Holly Mumby-Croft voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 22 Conservative Aye votes vs 238 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 246 Noes - 242
View All Holly Mumby-Croft Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Nusrat Ghani (Conservative)
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
(25 debate interactions)
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
(19 debate interactions)
Matt Hancock (Independent)
(18 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(38 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(36 debate contributions)
Department for Transport
(20 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Powers of Attorney Act 2023
(153 words contributed)
Fisheries Act 2020
(90 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Holly Mumby-Croft's debates

Scunthorpe Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

Ensuring statutory adoption pay is available to a self-employed parent in the same way that maternity allowance is available for self-employed new mums would promote an equal and fair society inclusive of all routes to parenthood.


Latest EDMs signed by Holly Mumby-Croft

6th October 2020
Holly Mumby-Croft signed this EDM as a sponsor on Thursday 8th October 2020

Tackling child food insecurity

Tabled by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
That this House believes no child should go hungry; welcomes Government action to provide Free School Meals over the school summer holidays; recognises that families are still struggling to afford food, that 11 per cent of parents and 6 per cent of children have directly experienced food insecurity in the …
22 signatures
(Most recent: 5 Nov 2020)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 8
Conservative: 5
Scottish National Party: 3
Liberal Democrat: 2
Independent: 2
Alliance: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Holly Mumby-Croft's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Holly Mumby-Croft, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


2 Urgent Questions tabled by Holly Mumby-Croft

Wednesday 8th November 2023
Thursday 2nd February 2023

3 Adjournment Debates led by Holly Mumby-Croft

Thursday 20th July 2023
Wednesday 1st February 2023
Tuesday 14th September 2021

Holly Mumby-Croft has not introduced any legislation before Parliament


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
13th Apr 2021
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps he is taking to encourage (a) local authorities and (b) other organisations to promote and raise awareness of British Sign Language.

Equality legislation means that employers, service providers and public bodies have to provide services in BSL and other formats when it is reasonable to do so. The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies, when carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the needs of a range of protected characteristics, including disability.

Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
19th Apr 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to protect UK infrastructure from cyber attacks.

Ensuring our infrastructure is secure and resilient against cyber attack, in the context of rapidly changing threat and technology, is at the heart of our national approach to cyber security.

Our National Cyber Strategy sets out how we will build a resilient and prosperous digital UK. We are setting clear expectations for operators of critical infrastructures, including ambitious targets for improvement. We have strengthened regulatory frameworks through the Telecoms Security Act, consulted on amendments to the Network and Information Systems Regulations and are considering options to go further.

Through the National Cyber Security Centre we support infrastructure operators with tailored technical advice, guidance, and threat intelligence to build resilience in the national interest. This includes the recent alert on the threat from state-aligned groups following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

13th Dec 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what financial support the Government has made available to veterans to help with the cost of living.

The Government is committed to supporting all households with the current cost of living, through the Help for Households initiative. This includes serving personnel and veterans. Veterans are able to access all the support that the rest of the UK is eligible for, including the Energy Price Guarantee, Cost of Living Payment and the Disability Cost of Living Payment.

Through its Veterans’ Welfare Service, Veterans UK provides one-to-one welfare support and advice to veterans or anyone supporting a veteran, their families and dependants. We are also working with the charitable sector to continue to signpost dedicated support available to veterans.

Johnny Mercer
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
13th Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to improve and clarify the customs process for companies moving products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The UK Government has provided comprehensive guidance on the processes that apply for moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is available on gov.uk. This includes the various means that are in place - whether through the UK Trader Scheme, the de minimis waiver arrangements, or the preferential arrangements available under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement - to ensure goods are able to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland tariff-free. We have also established the Trader Support Service, to which more than 27,000 companies are signed up, to support traders engaging in those processes. It is complemented by the Movement Assistance Scheme which provides assistance for traders moving food or agricultural products for which specific SPS controls apply.

As my Rt Hon Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out in the Commons on 13 January, the UK has operated arrangements since 1 January to ensure relevant UK-origin steel products do not incur tariffs when moving to Northern Ireland from Great Britain. EU origin steel will also not be subject to tariffs when moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 21 January the Government also set out to stakeholders how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world, and we remain in intensive contact with industry as these arrangements are put in place.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
13th Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress he has made in negotiations to raise UK quotas within the EU safeguards to account for the additional steel moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The UK Government has provided comprehensive guidance on the processes that apply for moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is available on gov.uk. This includes the various means that are in place - whether through the UK Trader Scheme, the de minimis waiver arrangements, or the preferential arrangements available under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement - to ensure goods are able to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland tariff-free. We have also established the Trader Support Service, to which more than 27,000 companies are signed up, to support traders engaging in those processes. It is complemented by the Movement Assistance Scheme which provides assistance for traders moving food or agricultural products for which specific SPS controls apply.

As my Rt Hon Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out in the Commons on 13 January, the UK has operated arrangements since 1 January to ensure relevant UK-origin steel products do not incur tariffs when moving to Northern Ireland from Great Britain. EU origin steel will also not be subject to tariffs when moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 21 January the Government also set out to stakeholders how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world, and we remain in intensive contact with industry as these arrangements are put in place.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
30th Dec 2020
To ask the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the (a) effectiveness of Government procurement policy and (b) the potential merits of including (i) environmental and (ii) social factors as future Government procurement priorities.

The Government has been clear that we want to do all we can to support our steel industry. The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement does not affect the Government's ability to procure more UK-made steel. The Agreement incorporates our existing commitments on non-discrimination under the World Trade Organization’s Government Procurement Agreement that does not allow preferential treatment of UK steel producers in public procurement.

Our international obligations do still allow the UK to develop an independent procurement policy to save taxpayers money, drive wider social benefits and strengthen the resilience of domestic supply chains. The publication of indicative pipelines of government steel requirements alongside steel procurement guidance, ensures that UK steel producers have the best possible chances of competing for public sector projects.

We have recently published a Green Paper consultation on radical reform of the UK’s public procurement regulations. Our proposals aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations. New rules will meet national needs, drive improved commercial outcomes, increase innovation and remove complex and unnecessary bureaucracy - all leading to improved value for money.

Alongside the Green Paper, our new social value approach, which came into effect for Government departments on 1 January, will help streamline and standardise the procurement process. It rightly aligns with government’s priorities on:

  • tackling regional inequality with new jobs and skills, including retraining the unemployed in clean growth sectors, and helping communities recover;

  • promoting economic growth and prosperity by supporting SMEs, VCSEs and start-ups to lead or be part of government supply chains; and

  • tackling climate change and supporting our net zero goals.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
17th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to support UK companies in adapting to EU laws on (a) carbon border taxes, (b) plastic waste management, and (c) supply chain monitoring which differ from UK equivalent laws.

The UK Government was appointed an observer of one of the EU’s informal expert group on monitoring, reporting, quantification and verification related to the CBAM implementation, and is engaging with the EU about their draft Implementing Act, which was published last month. As we gain further clarity on the implication of the CBAM, we will continue to engage UK businesses to offer the support that they need. HM Treasury are leading work to consider whether or not the UK will establish its own CBAM.

The Government published a Border Operating Model which provides guidance on the rules exporters must follow to import and export waste, including plastic waste, from the EU.

We have published and shared guidance material to help businesses strengthen their supply chains resilience. A supply chains resilience framework was published in November 2022 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supply-chain-resilience and, Working with the National Protective Security Authority and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, we have developed tools to help businesses improve their understanding of supply chains and manage risks and future shocks. https://www.npsa.gov.uk/supply-chain-resilience.

Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
22nd Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will provide a timetable for her consultation on the British Industry Supercharger.

On 23 February 2023 it was announced that as part of the British Industry Supercharger, the Government will bring forward a consultation on its measures this coming spring. A specific date will be made clear in due course.

Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
17th Jul 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to take steps to ensure that supermarkets reflect falls in wholesale prices in consumer fuel costs.

The Government expects retailers to pass on savings to consumers and strongly believes rigorous competition is the best way of delivering low fuel prices for consumers. The Government has therefore accepted the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) recommendations to create a statutory open data scheme for road fuel prices and an ongoing monitoring function for the UK market, and will consult on this in the autumn.

In the interim, the CMA will create a voluntary scheme, by end of August, encouraging fuel retailers to share accurate, up-to-date fuel prices for publication, and continue to monitor prices using its existing powers.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
22nd Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the availability of affordable laboratory space.

The Government has announced nearly £500 million to provide world-class research and innovation infrastructure to help unlock UK researchers’ full potential, as part of our £14.9 billion investment in research & development this financial year.

As part of our work to map the UK’s innovation clusters, we are also looking to identify constraints on their future growth.

This investment and analysis demonstrates the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the UK remains an attractive place for researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to live, work and innovate.

27th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing legal protections for consumers facing excessive call hold times when contacting businesses' customer services.

High quality customer service makes commercial sense and the Government expects all businesses to treat consumers fairly. However, the Government does not seek to intervene in the detail of how businesses conduct their activities, which are essentially commercial matters. For free advice on consumer rights and how to make complaints, consumers may contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/) or Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 (www.consumeradvice.scot) for consumers living in Scotland.

29th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he and the Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency are taking to ensure the UK Emissions Trading System supports the UK’s energy resilience.

Since the UK ETS was launched on 1 January 2021 (replacing the UK’s participation in the EU ETS), a consultation has been launched (on 25 March 2022) fulfilling the Government’s commitment to align the scheme with the UK’s net zero ambitions and consulting on options to introduce the necessary changes to the scheme predictably and smoothly over the coming decade. In doing so, businesses will be given the confidence to invest in the transition to cheap, clean homegrown energy that is significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels and exposure to volatile oil and gas prices on global markets.

Greg Hands
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
29th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure issues relating to Emissions Trading System free allowances do not adversely impact decarbonisation projects.

The UK is committed to protecting industry from carbon leakage as our economy decarbonises. Therefore, a proportion of allowances under the UK ETS, worth several billion pounds a year at current prices, are allocated for free to businesses at risk of carbon leakage.

The Government is conducting a review into free allocation policy. The review will be conducted in two phases. The first is looking at aligning the share of free allocation under the industry cap, with proposed changes to the overall UK ETS cap. Proposals on this are included in the “Developing the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS)” consultation, published on 25 March 2022 which will run until 17 June.

The second phase of the review will focus on better targeting free allocations for those with a greater risk of carbon leakage, whilst also taking into consideration the availability and affordability of decarbonisation technologies.

Greg Hands
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
29th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish the Government's Biomass Strategy.

The Government intends to publish the Biomass Strategy later this year.

Greg Hands
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
29th Mar 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has plans to delay the compliance deadline for the 2021 UK ETS scheme, to allow the proposed consultation on free allowances time to conclude.

UK Emissions Trading Scheme legislation establishes the legal requirement that the annual deadline for surrendering allowances is 30 April. This deadline is not discretionary and will not be delayed. Through both free allocation and auctions, a total of 194m allowances will have been released before the compliance deadline on 30 April, meaning that the UK ETS is well supplied to meet compliance demand.

Greg Hands
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
25th May 2021
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the role of trade remedies in protecting the UK steel industry.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have discussed this on several occasions. Trade remedies are an important mechanism to protect UK industry from unfair international competition and I support her plans to review whether the UK's trade remedies framework should be strengthened.

1st Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of uncompetitive electricity prices on the UK steel sector’s ability to compete internationally.

The Government is committed to minimising energy costs for businesses to ensure our economy remains strong and competitive. The ability for our industries to be able to compete across Europe and globally is a priority for this Government.

The Government has put moving to a cleaner, greener economy at the heart of its Industrial Strategy, especially with our commitment to Net Zero. Our aim is to work with the steel sector and help them to reduce carbon emissions. We will continue to support the steel sector in achieving these aims through the various funds available such as the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund and Clean Steel Fund.

We estimate that reduction in the various renewable costs for eligible energy intensive industries, including steel, will save them around £400m a year in electricity costs. We have also extended the schemes to compensate certain energy intensive industries for indirect emission cost to the end of the next financial year in order to minimise disruption to existing recipients whilst we conduct a review. Between 2013 and 2019, total compensation paid to the steel sector was over £480m.

We welcome the recent report by UK Steel - “Closing the Gap” - regarding electricity prices and will give its recommendations careful consideration.

1st Feb 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on monitoring of the difference in industrial energy prices between the UK and other countries.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on a variety of issues.

The Government is committed to minimising energy costs for businesses to ensure our economy remains strong and competitive. The ability for our industries to be able to compete across Europe and globally is a priority for this Government.

Our aim is to work with the steel sector and help them to reduce carbon emissions. We will continue to support the steel sector in achieving these aims through the various funds available such as the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund and Clean Steel Fund.

We estimate that reduction in the various renewable costs for eligible energy intensive industries, including steel, will save them around £400m a year in electricity costs. We have also extended the schemes to compensate certain energy intensive industries for indirect emission costs to the end of the next financial year in order to minimise disruption to existing recipients whilst we conduct a review. Between 2013 and 2019, total compensation paid to the steel sector was over £480m.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
30th Dec 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to support hospitality businesses in Tier 3 covid-19 lockdown areas.

We are providing the hospitality sector with a wide package of support. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Government-backed loans, Local Restrictions Support Grants and additional funding provided to Local Authorities to support businesses.

On 5 January when the new National Lockdown began, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a one-off top up grant for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses worth up to £9,000 per property to help businesses through to the spring. A £594 million discretionary fund has also been made available to support other impacted businesses.

3rd Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the legal noise limit for fireworks to below 120 decibels.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published its Fireworks Evidence Base on 29 October 2020.This included reviewing existing data and producing a research paper on fireworks noise levels and impacts on health and the environment. This is intended to provide a baseline of current scientific knowledge.

The Fireworks Evidence Base, including noise data, can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fireworks-evidence-base.

28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his Department has to review the date at which beauticians can perform the full range of treatments; and if he will consider regional covid-19 case levels in that review.

The Government’s approach to business closures and lockdowns has always been guided by the scientific and medical advice.

We will continue to monitor the data on transmission of the virus at regional and local authority level and will take action to reopen all closed businesses once we believe it safe to do so.

28th Aug 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that small businesses whose otherwise viable credit rating has been impacted by the covid-19 outbreak will be eligible to receive funding under the Government's Bounce Back Loan scheme.

Almost all viable UK-based businesses are eligible to apply for a loan under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). You can apply for a loan if your business

- is based in the UK;

- was established before 1 March 2020;

- has been adversely affected by coronavirus.

There are no current plans to change the eligibility data, further details of which can be found on the British Business Bank website.

Decision-making on whether a business is eligible to access the BBLS is fully delegated to the accredited lenders for the scheme, and individual lending decisions remain at the discretion of these accredited lenders.

9th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce statutory (a) pay and (b) leave for parents of babies in neonatal care in the Employment Bill; and what the timeframe is for the introduction of that Bill.

The Government is committed to introducing a new entitlement to Neonatal Leave and Pay for parents of babies who are admitted to neonatal care. In March this year we set out how we will take this forward in our response to a public consultation on the issue. We will legislate to implement this entitlement as part of the Employment Bill, which we will bring it forward in due course.

31st Oct 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing an independent regulator for English football.

The Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022.

I recently met representatives from the Football Supporters’ Association, and from club supporters’ groups to discuss issues with our national game and what the solutions might be. I have also met representatives from the football authorities to discuss reform.

The Government recognises the need for football to be reformed to ensure the game’s sustainability in the long term. Therefore, the government is taking the time to consider the policy and consult the numerous stakeholders, but remains committed to publishing a White Paper setting out our detailed response to the Fan Led Review of Football Governance.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
24th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the long-term financial sustainability of lower-league football clubs.

The Government recognises the need for the long-term financial sustainability of football clubs, particularly those in the lower leagues. That is why we have welcomed the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance and have endorsed in principle the primary recommendation of the review, that football requires a strong, independent regulator to secure the future of our national game.

The Government is working at pace to review the report in full, including detailed consideration of the recommendations made on improving financial stability and the governance of football clubs across the game.

The Government will continue to engage with stakeholders as we work towards issuing a full response to the report in the Spring.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th May 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on developing a strategy to tackle phone call and text message financial scams.

Officials in our departments have been working closely to explore a range of different measures aimed at tackling the criminal abuse of mobile telecommunications across the different crime types, including fraud.

The Government takes fraud very seriously and will continue to work closely with telecommunications providers, regulators, law enforcement agencies and consumer groups to protect the public from these crimes. This includes developing a voluntary charter of actions that the telecoms companies will implement to prevent fraud.

Later this year, the Government will take further action through a Fraud Action Plan, an approach grounded in prevention, education, effective enforcement and regulatory reforms.

11th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the timescale is for the return of fans to football stadiums; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional financial support to lower-league English Football League clubs who have not spent huge sums on transfer fees in 2020.

The Government is committed to getting spectators back into stadiums as soon as it is safe to do so.

We will continue to work closely with a whole range of sporting bodies, including the football authorities, to understand the latest thinking that might allow spectators to return. This includes inviting the new Sports Technology Innovation Working Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this.

I was pleased to see the welcome announcement of an agreement in principle between the Premier League and EFL for a financial support package for League One and Two clubs. It is clear the money exists within the game for it to support itself: I urge the Premier League and EFL to finalise both this deal and one that protects Championship clubs also.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) protect young people from the effects of addiction to loot boxes in computer games and (b) raise awareness among parents of those effects.

The government launched a call for evidence on 23 September 2020 to seek detailed information on the impact of loot boxes on players, particularly children and young people. The call for evidence will run until 22 November 2020 and examines concerns that loot boxes may encourage gambling-like behaviour and lead to problem gambling, as well as considering the size and scale of the loot box market in the UK, and the impact of current voluntary and statutory protections.

The government stands ready to take action should the outcomes of the call for evidence support taking a new approach to ensure users, and particularly young people, are better protected.

The government also continues to work with industry to encourage the use of parental controls that can disable or limit access and spending on video games devices. We welcomed the launch on 3 November 2020 of the games industry’s Get Set Go campaign, a continuation of the Get Smart about P.L.A.Y. campaign that launched in January 2020 supporting parents to set up parental controls.

15th Jul 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to support speedway operators during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will ensure that (a) guidance and (b) a support package is in place to support the safe resumption of speedway events.

A full suite of guidance currently available to the sport sector is published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation.

We have published guidance specifically on the return of outdoor sport and recreation and organised sport and physical activity; we have published guidance to support the return of elite and professional sport to training and competition behind closed doors; and we are now working to facilitate the return of spectators to elite and professional sport. A multidisciplinary working group, including medical directors from a number of sports, has produced draft guidance around the return of spectators to stadia, under which a number of pilots will operate from the end of July, aiming for a full return of spectators to stadia with social distancing from Oct 1st.

The Government has delivered a comprehensive and sizable package of direct fiscal support for business through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support.

The government is continuing to work closely with the sector to understand the issues they face and discuss how we can support them further.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
11th Feb 2020
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to cultural attractions outside London.

Through the Arts Council England (ACE), we are investing and promoting the arts and culture all around the country and will continue to do so.

There continues to be a shift in the distribution of ACE's National Portfolio funding, with the amount of funding spent outside London increasing from 53.8% in 2012-15 to 60.3% in 2018-22.

As part of this, ACE expects the organisations they fund to ensure that their cultural offer is accessible to as many people as possible

A great example of ACE’s funded national portfolio organisations doing this is the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, which hosts relaxed viewings of it’s performances in order to make them more accessible to those with dementia.

Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
31st Jan 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress her Department has made on implementing the policies in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, CP 800, published on 31 March 2023.

Backed by over £10.5 billion in 2024/25, which is an increase in the high needs budget of 60% over five years, the department’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan will ensure children and young people across England with SEND or in AP get high-quality, early support wherever they live in the country.

The department has a clear plan to ensure children and young people enjoy their childhood and achieve good outcomes. The department is delivering on this plan. The department has completed the following:

  • In this academic year alone, the department has opened 15 new special schools and one AP free school, which creates over 1,500 new places for children and young people. The department has also approved a further 76 special free schools to create additional specialist school places for those with the greatest needs.

  • In September 2023, the department launched a £70 million Change Programme made up of 32 local authorities to test and refine the department’s reforms. The programme is working with local authorities, integrated care boards, school representatives, parent group representatives and professionals to benefit every region in England.
  • In November 2023, the department announced the £13 million ‘Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools’ programme to support up to 1680 primary schools to better meet the needs of neurodiverse children

  • Since May 2022, over 5,000 online training modules have been completed and over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training provided by the Autism Education Trust through the Universal training offer.
  • In January 2024, the department announced a new initial teacher training and early career framework which includes new and updated content on SEND to ensure teachers have the skills and confidence to support all children.
  • The department has registered over 5000 practitioners for early years Special Educational Needs Coordinator training to boost their understanding of SEND in the early years, early identification and collaborative working with parents, carers and other professionals.
  • Through grant funding, the department has supported all local authorities in England to strengthen the quality of their Supported Internship offers to improve the transition into sustained, paid employment for interns. In the Spring Budget 2023, the department announced up to £3 million to pilot extending Supported Internships to young people with learning difficulties and disabilities but without an Education, Health and Care plan until March 2025

  • In August 2023, the department confirmed that it is introducing a leadership level new National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs Coordinators, to replace the existing qualification, from Autumn 2024 and ensure special educational needs coordinators receive consistent high-quality, evidence-based training

  • The department has provided a further £21 million to train 400 more education psychologists across the academic years 2024 and 2025

  • The department has extended the AP Specialist Taskforce programme to March 2025 which has reached over 4000 children to date.
  • The department has introduced a strengthened local authority inspection regime between Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission to drive better outcomes and standards in line with the department’s ambitious programme of reform, with 23 inspection reports published so far.
David Johnston
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
17th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support children with special educational needs and disabilities.

On 2 March 2023, the department published the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan in response to the Green Paper. This outlines our approach to creating a sustainable system that is better for children with SEND and easier for their families to navigate.

The department will establish a single national system that delivers for every child and young person with SEND, so that they enjoy their childhood, achieve good outcomes, and are well prepared for adulthood and employment. We will also give families greater confidence that their child will be able to fulfil their potential through improved mainstream provision in their local setting.

For those children and young people with SEND who do require an Education Health Care (EHC) plans and specialist provision, the department will ensure they get prompt access to the support they need, and that parents do not face an adversarial system to secure this. We will strengthen accountability across the system so that everyone is held to account for supporting children and young people with SEND.

The department will test the key reforms by creating up to nine Regional Expert Partnerships through our £70 million Change Programme. Oversight of reform will be driven by a new national SEND and AP Implementation Board, jointly chaired by myself and my hon. Friend, the Minister for Mental Health and Women’s Health Strategy.

The department recognises that these reforms will take time to implement and continue to support the system in the immediate term to support children with SEND, which is why we are investing £2.6 billion between now and 2025 to fund new SEND and AP places and improve existing provision.

High needs revenue funding for children and young people with complex needs will be rising to £10.1 billion in this financial year 2023/24, which is an increase of over 50% from the 2019/20 allocations. This extra funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with SEND.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
30th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department are taking to reduce incidences of bullying in schools.

The government has sent a clear message to schools that bullying, including cyberbullying, for whatever reason, is unacceptable. It can have a devastating effect on children, harm their education, and have serious and lasting consequences for their mental health.

All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines measures to encourage good behaviour and prevent all forms of bullying amongst pupils. The policy should set out the behaviour expected of pupils, the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour, and recognition for good behaviour. This should be communicated to all pupils, school staff, and parents. The department issues guidance to schools on how to prevent and respond to bullying as part of their overall behaviour policy. This was last updated in July 2017 and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.

The department is providing over £2 million of funding between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024 to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. This includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups, such as those who are victims of hate related bullying.

The department is also ensuring that all children in England will learn about respectful relationships, in person and online, as part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). The curriculum has a strong focus on equality, respect, the harmful impact of stereotyping, as well as the importance of valuing difference. Guidance on teaching RSHE is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
7th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he is taking steps to help increase the number of work experience opportunities targeted at people with a disability.

The government is committed to ensuring that all learners, including learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), have access to a world-class education that sets them up for life and to develop the skills needed to get good jobs.

The department knows that with the right preparation and support, the overwhelming majority of young people with SEND are capable of sustained, paid employment. All professionals working with them should share that presumption and should provide the career advice and support that help young people to develop the skills and experience, and achieve the qualifications, that they need to succeed in their careers.

The government is committed to supporting pathways to employment for learners with SEND, including strengthening the Supported Internship programme, which is a structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND, who have an education, health, and care plan. The core aim of the programme is a substantial work placement, facilitated by the support of an expert job coach. To support this, the department is investing up to £18 million over the next three years, aiming to double the capacity of the programme.

The careers statutory guidance makes it clear that schools should offer work placements, work experience, and other employer-based activities as part of their careers strategy for year 8-13 pupils and that secondary schools should offer every young person at least seven encounters with employers during their education.

All schools and colleges are expected to work towards the Gatsby Benchmarks of good careers guidance. This includes experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience and ensuring opportunities for advice and support are tailored to the needs of each pupil.

The Careers & Enterprise Company is supporting schools and colleges to make links with employers and increase the opportunities for all young people to engage with the world of work.

The department have also introduced T Levels, high-quality technical qualifications for 16–19-year-olds that include a meaningful 9-week industry placement. We have introduced flexibilities to help as many SEND students as possible to access T Level industry placements, including allowing up to 105 hours of their placement to take place on the provider’s site, for example, an on-site restaurant. This will enable students to prepare for their placement with an external employer, alongside pastoral support.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
1st Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 1 April 2022 to Question 148351 on Schools: Agency Workers, if he will publish the (a) terms of reference and (b) timescale for the review of the teaching agency supply deal.

The department is currently undergoing a re-procurement process in conjunction with Crown Commercial Services for the agency supply deal which is due to expire in August 2022. The re-procurement process will establish a list of suppliers for the next version of the agency supply deal. The review of the teaching agency supply deal will be released in due course. Once released, the expected initial duration of the framework will be three years with the option to extend for up to one year.

Further information about the framework, including the contract and timescale for the review of the teaching agency supply deal can be found here:

https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6238.

26th Jan 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to reduce (a) pupil and (b) staff absences in special needs schools.

Our priority is to maintain high quality face-to-face education for all children and young people, including those in specialist settings. We recognise that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has caused challenges for all schools. Whilst Plan B was in place, we took steps to make sure that children and young people in special schools continued to receive the support they needed to engage in education. Our operational guidance for special schools and other specialist providers made clear that specialists, therapists and other health professionals who support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) should provide interventions as usual.

All schools, including special schools, benefit from the full range of measures the government has put in place to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission, minimise disruption to education and limit absences. These include regular testing and continuing the booster rollout for adults and vaccinations for secondary age pupils. Special schools were also able to apply for our funded air cleaning units earlier than other settings, with the first 1,000 units reserved for SEND and alternative provision (AP) settings, enabling them to reduce airborne contaminants in poorly ventilated spaces where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible.

We know that special schools and AP settings are often more impacted by staff absences, and less able to manage these absences using their existing staff and resource. The department has set a lower threshold for these settings to access the COVID-19 workforce fund, which provides financial support to eligible schools and colleges where needed. This fund has been extended until spring half term to cover the cost of term-time staff absences experienced between 22 November 2021 and 18 February 2022. The fund can be used by schools to employ supply staff to manage absences, increase the hours of part-time teaching or education support staff, or make amendments to support staff terms and conditions so they can take on additional responsibilities. Any changes should be discussed with the employee first, and schools should consider workload and wellbeing.

Finally, the department has a developed a comprehensive attendance strategy that has been implemented since the beginning of this academic year. The department has also recently appointed a team of expert attendance advisers who will work closely with local authorities and multi-academy trusts to improve their attendance levels and reduce persistent absence.

18th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what resources are available for education institutions to engage with local businesses and employers in their community.

We want to create quality interactions between schools, colleges, and businesses. The Careers and Enterprise Company supports schools and colleges to make links with local employers. Over 3,500 volunteer business professionals are now working with schools and colleges through the Enterprise Adviser Network to help open young people’s eyes to a range of different career possibilities, challenge stereotypes and help prepare them for the workplace. We also have over 300 major employers, known as cornerstone employers, driving the delivery of encounters for young people in opportunity areas and careers hubs across England.

As part of the Skills for Jobs white paper, a £65 million Strategic Development Fund is being piloted in several areas across the country to test a new collaborative approach to skills planning and delivery. Some of the pilots are establishing college business centres to work with local employers to develop a joint understanding of the skills and technology needed to drive innovation and productivity, and to develop a more targeted response.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
18th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy on additional incentives for employers to take on school leavers with Education, Health and Care plans.

The ministerial team and officials from the Department for Education regularly engage with their counterparts across government to ensure that there is a joined-up approach in championing support for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. This includes working with businesses to encourage them to see the positive impact of employing and developing the skills of disabled people through programmes such as supported internships, traineeships and apprenticeships.

In July the government published the National Disability Strategy which confirmed our vision to transform the everyday lives of disabled people. As the Department for Education, we have committed to do more to support children and young people to receive an education that pushes and supports them to reach their full potential, including preparation for employment.

We will continue to work with other government departments to deliver the commitments in the strategy.

18th Oct 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a form of formal certification to recognise the skills gained from practical work that Business and Enterprise Colleges and other specialist schools provide.

There are no plans for introducing any new accreditations for the practical work undertaken by Business and Enterprise Colleges. However, many schools, including University Technical Colleges (UTCs) and some mainstream schools, already specialise in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and vocational subjects, with a focus on practice and skills-based education. Schools with a strong specialism, especially where backed with strong employer support, can provide effective pathways for the skills needed in the labour market. The Engineering UTC Northern Lincolnshire in Scunthorpe is an excellent example of how strong UTCs can equip young people with important knowledge and skills. This school is rated Good by Ofsted and the latest destinations data from the 2019/20 academic year indicates that 86% of pupils from this school moved into sustained education, employment, or an apprenticeship after Key Stage 4.

Ofsted’s inspection framework recognises the unique curriculum approach of different schools, whether knowledge or skills-based, and provides a fair judgment of their effectiveness.

11th Jan 2021
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional support for university students who have caring responsibilities for children and who are engaged in university studies alongside home tutoring.

We realise that this is an incredibly difficult time for students and are aware of the disproportionate impact that the COVID-19 outbreak will have on some students.

It is for higher education (HE) providers as autonomous bodies to identify and address the needs of their student body and many providers have boosted their existing welfare services to ensure students are able to access the support they need.

I have written to Vice Chancellors at every opportunity, outlining that student welfare should remain a priority and convened a working group of representatives from the higher education and health sectors to specifically address the current and pressing issues that students are facing during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Going forward, HE providers should continue to be innovative in how they identify issues and support their students

The department has also worked closely with the Office for Students (OfS) to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding to increase hardship funds and support disadvantaged students impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Providers are able to use OfS Student Premium funding worth around £256 million for this academic year towards student hardship funds.

As announced last month, we are also making available up to £20 million of additional hardship funding to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students.

Guidance from the National Association of Student Money Advisers includes students with children as a priority group for hardship support.

Students will normally qualify for Child Benefit if they are responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training). Full-time students with children can also apply for Childcare Grant and Parents' Learning Allowance. Full-time students who are single parents or student couples, one or both of whom are responsible for a child, and part-time students responsible for a child can apply for Universal Credit.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
26th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of adjusting the curriculum to be covered by students for exams in 2021 to better reflect the academic potential of students rather than the extent of the curriculum they have been able to cover in that year.

Examinations and assessments are the best and fairest way of judging students’ performance. Next year’s GCSE, AS level and A level examination series will go ahead with a number of measures in place to ensure that all students have a fair chance to show what they know and can do.

The Department’s priority is that there is a consistent approach to what is taught and will be assessed across schools. Schools will be making every effort, including in areas where there is high prevalence of COVID-19, to deliver high quality teaching, including through remote education. In recognition of the disruption which many students are experiencing because of COVID-19, Ofqual will work with exam boards to provide students with advance notice of some exam topic areas and exam support materials. These will be published by the end of January and will reduce the pressure for students, helping them to focus revision.

Combined with our £1 billion catch-up package, including a catch-up premium worth a total of £650 million, these changes give young people the best chance of being ready for their exams without undermining the value of the qualifications they receive.

9th Nov 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support clinically extremely vulnerable children learning from home.

The Department published expectations of the quality of remote education for schools on 2 July 2020 as part of the schools guidance for full opening, and for Further Education (FE) providers in August 2020 as part of the autumn term guidance. Additional information on these publications can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision/what-fe-colleges-and-providers-will-need-to-do-from-the-start-of-the-2020-autumn-term.

Where a pupil is unable to attend school because they are complying with clinical or public health advice, we expect schools to be able to immediately offer them access to remote education. This should be done in line with previous guidance and the Temporary Continuity Direction, which has been in effect since 22 October 2020.

On 1st October 2020, the Department announced a further remote education support package to help schools and FE colleges meet the remote education expectations set out in guidance and Direction. Many elements of the support package are already in place and more will be available over the coming months to schools and FE colleges. These can be accessed through the remote education service, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

The support package includes access to the right technology to deliver remote education, peer to peer training on how to use this effectively, and practical tools, good practice guidance and school-led webinars. This adds to existing support including the resources available from Oak National Academy, which provides video lessons across a broad range of subjects for every year group from Reception to Year 11. Oak National Academy will remain a free optional resource for the 2020-21 academic year, with further information available at: https://www.thenational.academy/.

As part of over £195 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care, the Department is making over 340,000 laptops and tablets available during the 2020 Autumn term to support disadvantaged children whose face-to-face education may be disrupted. Schools can order devices for critically extremely vulnerable children while they are not attending school by contacting covid.technology@education.gov.uk.

30th Oct 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on mental health support for people in student accommodation.

Protecting the mental health of students continues to be a priority for this government. These are difficult times and it is important that students can still access the mental health support that they need. We recognise that many students are facing additional mental health challenges due to the disruption and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has overall policy responsibility for young people’s mental health. We continue to work closely with them to take steps to develop mental health and wellbeing support. I work closely with my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Patient Safety, on student mental health, and officials at the department continue to work with DHSC officials in this vital area.

In October, I convened a working group of representatives from the higher education and health sectors, including DHSC officials, to specifically address the current and pressing issues that students are facing during the COVID-19 outbreak. I also wrote to Vice Chancellors, outlining that student welfare should remain a priority, including for students self-isolating in university accommodation.

Since August, Student Space has been available to provide support for students in England and Wales, providing students with a trusted place to access direct one-to-one support, access psychoeducation resources, and a directory to explore what support is available to them locally at their place of study. Funded with up to £3 million by the Office for Students (OfS) and led by Student Minds, it is designed to work alongside existing mental health services. Student Space has now been extended to cover the 2020-21 academic year. Ensuring students have access to quality mental health support is my top priority, which is why I asked the OfS to look at extending the platform.

Michelle Donelan
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
29th Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that the summer 2021 exam series will go ahead; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of teacher assessments as a contingency in the event that those exams cannot go ahead as planned.

The Department knows that exams and assessments are the best and fairest way of judging students’ performance, and it is expected that next year’s exams will go ahead. The Government is committed to working closely with Ofqual to ensure that students taking exams next summer receive the qualifications they deserve.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has set out that a further announcement on 2021 exams will be made in October.

29th Sep 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that GCSE, AS and A-Level exams will take place in summer 2021; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of using teacher assessments as a contingency in the event that those exams do not take place as planned.

The Department knows that exams and assessments are the best and fairest way of judging students’ performance, and it is expected that next year’s exams will go ahead. The Government is committed to working closely with Ofqual to ensure that students taking exams next summer receive the qualifications they deserve.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has set out that a further announcement on 2021 exams will be made in October.

7th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on plans to (a) regulate and (b) maintain hedgerow protection.

The Hedgerows Regulations 1997 set legal protections for hedgerows in England and Wales. These existing regulations prohibit the removal of most countryside hedgerows (or parts of them) without first seeking approval from the local planning authority.

In June 2023, the Government launched a consultation on how hedgerows should be further protected in England. The responses to the consultation supported bringing hedgerow management rules into regulation and this is what the Government will do as soon as parliamentary time allows. The regulations will require a 2-metre buffer strip, measured from the centre of the hedge, where no cultivation or application of pesticides or fertilisers must take place, and will ban the cutting of hedges between 1 March and 31 August. The regulations will support other Government actions and incentives, including over 90,000 km of hedgerows being managed through 16,000 agreements in the Government’s Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes.

Defra is also working with stakeholders and other Government departments to understand how to support the creation and maintenance of hedgerows in non-agricultural contexts, to maximise the benefits they provide.

Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)