Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what action is being taken to support the hospitality sector in South Shropshire.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is taking decisive action to support pubs and the wider hospitality sector. Following the Budget, we announced an additional 15% cut for pubs in England alongside a two‑year real‑terms freeze, building on wider reforms to business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties.
We recognise that 2026 revaluation has increased bills for some businesses, which is why we are providing £4.3 billion over three years in transitional relief to support ratepayers facing higher bills at revaluation and protect businesses from sharp increases. We are also launching a review of how pubs are valued for business rates, with changes intended to take effect from the next revaluation.
Alongside this, we have expanded licencing responsibilities, doubled the Hospitality Support Fund to £10 million, and will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy later this year to help reinvigorate local communities.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure the competitiveness of British egg producers in the context of the proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In preparation for the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, the Government carried out an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to laying hen welfare policy on UK egg producers and, as part of the consultation, sought views on that assessment. The Government is now analysing the consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.
As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at its disposal to protect the UK’s most sensitive sectors.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken to help improve the availability of domestic abuse services in rural areas.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
In the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse’, we committed to developing a new cross-government statement on the commissioning of VAWG services. This will update the National Statement of Expectation, refresh the VAWG Commissioning Toolkit, and will improve the quality of commissioning. For England, the Safe Accommodation Duty for victims of domestic abuse, and the upcoming Duty to Collaborate for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and serious violence, will ensure local areas are able to tailor their provision to their local community and duty holders should consider the needs of rural victims as part of this.
This financial year (2025/26) the Home Office has invested £6m into specialist helplines to support victims in their greatest time of need. The VAWG Helplines are established to be accessible wherever you are across England and Wales. They provide advice and support to victims and assist in signposting and referrals to appropriate local services.
Last year, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) commenced a call for evidence across a network of rural stakeholders to inform understanding of the availability of support services and delivery methodologies that might be effective in rural areas. Defra will work to understand the findings of this evidence to help to confront the disparities in the provision of support so that every victim, whether in a city or a rural village, can access the help they need.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is in place for those facing increases to the price of heating oil.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is closely monitoring heating oil supply and price in light of instability in the Middle East. We recognise that wholesale oil price volatility is placing pressure on domestic heating oil costs.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing. Ministers have also spoken with the Competition and Markets Authority, who are considering their options available if there is evidence of unfair practices or anti-competitive behaviour.
We are keeping under review whether any further support or action is needed to protect consumers.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps her Department is taking to help increase productivity.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Since the General Election, productivity has risen by more than twice as much as it did in the whole of the last Parliament. The Government has increased capital spending by an additional £120 billion - the highest level in four decades – delivering major new investment in transport, housing, energy and R&D. Departments are set to deliver nearly £14 billion of efficiency savings by 2028-29.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
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 NHS dentistry in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population. For the South Shropshire constituency, this is the NHS Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin ICB.
The Government is committed to ensuring people can access urgent dental care when they need it. Over the past year, ICBs have been commissioning additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. 1.8 million additional courses of NHS dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April 2024 to October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to the general election.
We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December, we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on quality and payment reforms to the NHS dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. More information is available at the following link:
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help support hairdressing businesses.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The hair and beauty sector play an important role in supporting jobs, high streets and local economies. We’ve introduced permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties and have provided £4.3bn to shield ratepayers from bill increases.
We continue to back employers who take on apprentices, by providing £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged 16-19; employers are not required to pay National Insurance Contributions for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year). Additionally, the government pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care, when their employer has fewer than 50 employees.
I will continue to engage closely with the sector, including through the Personal Care Roundtables, to ensure the industry’s long-term growth. This includes working with hair and beauty businesses as we bring forward a new High Streets Strategy later this year.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase reading for fun in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change, during 2026 and beyond. It includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings throughout the year.
We are raising awareness of the National Year of Reading through a range of methods, such as via departmental communication channels, the National Year of Reading mailing list and social media, communications from the National Literacy Trust, and promotion via the English Hubs network.
The Reading Agency are also providing public libraries with resources, toolkits and print and digital materials to activate the National Year of Reading. Schools and Early Years settings in South Shropshire and across the UK can access a range of engaging online webinars, resources and activities throughout the year. More information can be found at: https://goallin.org.uk/get-involved/schools/.
This government is also providing £5 million of funding for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading for pleasure, as well as committing over £10 million in funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this Parliament.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to reduce barriers to cross-border travel without physical checks for thoroughbred horses.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As announced at the UK-EU Leaders Summit on May 19 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone to reduce delays and paperwork at the border. Negotiations with the EU on the SPS agreement are underway. While those discussions are ongoing, we cannot provide a running commentary.
Compliance with the existing Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) controls for equines entering the UK from the EU must continue until further notice, because the UK’s biosecurity and public health must continue to be protected.
Please note that there are no plans to remove the border checks that currently apply to equines entering the UK from the Rest of the World (ROW). These checks remain a vital part of our commitment to safeguarding animal health and maintaining biosecurity.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support farmers impacted by flooding in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is funding Environmental Land Management schemes, which include measures to support farmers with managing flood risks or investing in natural flood management.
The Environment Agency is working in partnership with Shropshire Council, the Severn Rivers Trust and Shropshire Wildlife Trust to deliver natural flood management projects in South Shropshire. Working closely with farmers and landowners, these projects will reduce the impacts of flooding across sub-catchments of the River Teme, benefitting both land and communities.
One such project is the River Corve project, which is now well established. Further projects are progressing in the Ledwyche Brook, Brimfield Brook, and River Onny areas.