Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she is providing for the rehabilitation of injured police officers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government greatly values the service and sacrifices made by our police officers and it is vital that they receive the right support when injured in the line of duty.
The Government is committed to supporting the mental and physical health and wellbeing of those who work in policing through the Police Covenant and has provided ongoing funding for the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS). The NPWS ensures police officers and staff have access to the health and wellbeing support they need. This includes measures to ensure that all forces meet national standards for occupational health provision and that they continually develop and improve upon those standards. The wellbeing service has also developed an evidenced-based trauma support model which is now available to forces.
It is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers to effectively manage their workforce, ensuring the appropriate health and wellbeing provisions are in place for their officers and staff.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings Ministers in her Department have had with the Police Federation since 4 July 2024; and when she plans to meet the Police Federation.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Home Office Ministers have regular meetings as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
As part of Government transparency they are published on a quarterly basis on gov.uk
The Police Act 1996 establishes the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) as the representative body for police officers in the federated ranks in England and Wales.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of harmonising betting duty rates on (a) the number of jobs in the economy, (b) the tax revenue raised and (c) the rural economy.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Autumn Budget 2025.
If any changes are made to gambling duties at a future Budget following the consultation, they will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with (a) the Betting and Gaming Council, (b) the British Horseracing Authority and (c) the Jockey Club on proposals to equalise betting duty.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As part of the consultation process, the Government engaged with a wide range of stakeholders. We are working with representatives of the horseracing industry to identify any potential unintended consequences for the sector, and how they might be mitigated.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations she has received from Cabinet colleagues on her proposals to harmonise betting duty rates.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor discusses a variety of issues with Ministers from other government departments throughout the year, including the run up to Budget.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that (a) children, (b) young people and (c) vulnerable adults are safeguarded while participating in (i) regulated and (ii) unregulated (A) grassroots sports, (B) civil society groups and (C) religious groups.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone is vitally important. In sport, National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm, including through adherence to statutory safeguarding guidance. Our Arm’s Length Body Sport England funds the Child Protection in Sport Unit and Ann Craft Trust to provide guidance and support for the sector regarding safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
For civil society groups, The Charity Commission provides clear guidance on the safeguarding responsibilities of registered charities, and the Government works in partnership with charities and regulators to raise awareness about safeguarding.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) also provides guidance to all voluntary organisations, including religious groups, on their legal safeguarding responsibilities when working with children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the differences are between the (a) Women’s Sport Taskforce, announced in 2025 and (b) the National Physical Activity Taskforce, established in 2023.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Women’s Sport Taskforce convenes a group of industry experts which aim to understand opportunities and break down barriers to deliver equal access, best in class facilities, ongoing professionalisation of women’s sport, visible role models to inspire future generations of girls and a strong pipeline of UK hosted major events by the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The National Physical Activity Taskforce (NPAT) was established in 2023 under a previous government to monitor the delivery of the sport strategy Get Active, which went beyond women’s sport in its focus. This group has now closed.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Independent Football Regulator on (a) the regulation of away ticket prices and (b) the potential impacts of regulating away ticket pricing.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Football ticket price limits are commercial decisions and a matter for football clubs.
The Independent Football Regulator will consider the pertinent factors to club sustainability as part of its first State of the Game report. This report must be completed within 18 months of the Secretary of State laying secondary legislation specificing the competitions in scope of the regime.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ticket price limits on the sustainability of football in England.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Football ticket price limits are commercial decisions and a matter for football clubs.
The Independent Football Regulator will consider the pertinent factors to club sustainability as part of its first State of the Game report. This report must be completed within 18 months of the Secretary of State laying secondary legislation specificing the competitions in scope of the regime.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to continue the Future of Cricket Fund.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to support the growth of cricket through its recent announcement of funding for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB, the national governing body for cricket) to build two new indoor cricket domes in Farington (near Preston) and Luton. The Future of Cricket ‘Fund’ was an announcement made by the previous Government, which was entirely unfunded.
This funding for cricket centres is in addition the £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the nation which was announced following the Spending Review.
We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans. I met with the ECB, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.
The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding.
This includes long term investment to the ECB which receives up to £11.6 million for five years to invest in community cricket initiatives.