Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of the total rural population in Wales was within three miles of (a) Local, (b) Local Plus, (c) Main or Crown and (d) mobile outreach Post Office branches in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government protects the Post Office network by setting minimum access criteria to ensure that 99% of the UK population lives within three miles of a post office. These criteria ensure that however the network changes, services remain within local reach of all citizens.
Post Office network coverage data is not available in the detail requested. However, according to the most recent Post Office Annual Network Report, there were 566 rural branches in Wales as of March 2023.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a Post Office access target for outreach mobile services in rural communities.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Post Office operates as a commercial business and the company has the freedom to deliver the branch network within the parameters we set. The Government-set Access Criteria ensures that services remain within local reach of all citizens, including rural communities.
Providing outreach services is a measure that Post Office takes to ensure communities have the access they require to Post Office products and services, particularly in local areas where permanent solutions are not always possible due to lack of premises or retailers. In these communities, outreach branches ensure customers are not left behind and can continue to access the Post Office services on which they rely.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Somerton and Frome)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of legislation on the welfare of (a) pet and (b) wild rodents.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government continues to take positive action to protect the welfare of companion animals - including rabbits and pet rodents such as gerbils, hamsters and guinea pigs. The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 regulations) require anyone who is in the business of selling rodents as pets to obtain a valid licence from their local authority.
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), it is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 amended the 2006 Act to deliver the Government's manifesto commitment to increase the sentences available to our courts for the most serious cases of animal cruelty. Anyone who is cruel to an animal (including domestic rabbits and pet rodents) faces being sent to prison for up to five years, or receiving an unlimited fine, or both. This strengthened measure sends a clear message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated.
Advice is available to educate pet owners on providing for the welfare needs of their pet, including fact sheets produced by the Royal Veterinary College.
We also have legislation in place regarding the welfare of wild rodents. A number of native wild species of rodent such as Hazel Dormouse, Red Squirrel, and Water Vole are afforded full protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which makes it an offence to intentionally: kill, injure or take them. The welfare of all rodents is protected under both the Wild Mammals Act 1996 which makes certain acts of deliberate harm illegal and the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it unlawful for wild rodents to be subject to unnecessary suffering while under human control. Further to this, through the Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022, the Government is banning the use of glue traps in England in all but the most exceptional circumstances.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Penrith and The Border)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to help support community pubs.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government values the important contribution that pubs make to our culture and the UK economy, including fostering a sense of place and community.
Under the new alcohol duty system, Draught Relief provides a 9.2% duty reduction on draught beer and cider products below 8.5% alcohol by volume. This ensures that there will always be a lower duty rate for draught products to recognise the value of our great British pubs. This means that every pint, in every pub across the UK pays less duty than their supermarket equivalent - this is the Government's Brexit Pubs Guarantee.
In addition, at Autumn Statement 2023, the government announced it will extend the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief scheme at 75 per cent, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2024-25. Around 230,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties, including pubs, will be eligible for this relief, a tax cut worth nearly £2.4bn.
The Government is also funding a wide range of community assets, including pubs, through the Community Ownership Fund. To date, the Fund has allocated £71.3m to 257 projects, including many rural pubs.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will launch a consultation on the potential impact of increasing production costs on farmers’ mental health.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government understands the pressures some farmers are facing in light of rising input costs. We are keeping the situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group, which monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade and recent developments. We also continue our engagement with industry to supplement our analysis with real time intelligence.
In addition to this, we are providing expert business support to farmers under the Future Farming Resilience Fund. One of the key required outcomes for the Resilience Fund is that farmers’ mental health and wellbeing are supported, where required. Some delivery providers are offering this support from in-house experts and others are signposting support available from external expert services.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date he plans to bring into force the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations 2023.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government remains committed to introducing a ban on the use of e-collars. We will pursue new regulations to deliver this commitment on a revised timeline. Parliamentary business will be announced in the usual way.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much flooding response funding has been allocated to Tamworth constituency in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In a flood situation local partners will come together to manage the response and support their communities. These will include our blue light services, the local authority and the Environment Agency as well as community members themselves. Their staff, and volunteers, play such an important role in supporting those affected, for which I am sure the hon.Member will agree they should be thanked and congratulated.
Depending on the severity of the flooding, this will usually be coordinated through the Local Resilience Forum. This is where partners will come together to will manage a response to a flood event that may have impacts on homes, infrastructure, transport links and community hubs.
Flooding can be devasting for those at risk impacted, which is why we are investing £5.2 billion in continuing to build defences that will better protect both homes and business, building on the £2.6 billion invested between 2015 and 2021 which provided better protection to 314,000 homes across England.
I am aware that during Storm Henk in January, the Polesworth gauge on the River Anker recorded its highest level, which would have been very worrying for your constituents. But I am delighted to know that investment already made in Tamworth meant that some 2,500 properties in Tamworth were protected, with only some minor surface water flooding behind defences. Many of which I am sure benefitted from the £15 million Lower Tame scheme, competed in 2015.
Following the recent storms the Environment Agency is assessing its existing defences to ensure they can continue to meet current and future needs. I know the Environment Agency is also exploring with partners the feasibility of the Tamworth Left Bank Flood Alleviation Scheme, on which, if it can go ahead, they anticipate beginning construction in late 2026 with completion expected in early 2029.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with the authorities in Northern Ireland on rural banking services.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Treasury engages with a range of different stakeholders to discuss policy matters. We look forward to working with the restored Executive to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.
It is imperative that banks and building societies recognise the needs of all their customers, including those who need to use in-person services.
UK customers can access banking services through a number of different channels. This includes in branches, Post Offices or Banking Hubs, as well as via telephone banking and through digital means such as mobile or online banking.
The Post Office allows personal and business customers to carry out everyday banking services at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK. The Post Office is required by the Department for Business & Trade to ensure that 95% of the total rural population across the UK is within 3 miles of their nearest Post Office.
Moreover, Banking Hubs are an initiative which enable customers of participating banks to access cash and banking services in shared facilities. Over 100 Banking Hubs have been announced so far, and the Government hopes to see these Hubs open as soon as possible across all four nations of the United Kingdom. To date, 5 Hubs have been announced in Northern Ireland, with Kilkeel already open.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had discussions with the Royal Mail on service delivery in (a) rural areas and (b) Leicestershire.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal postal service provider.
I recently met the CEO of Royal Mail’s parent company to raise concerns about Royal Mail’s performance. He recognised that the current level of service is not good enough and has said that improving quality of service is his top priority. I note that to improve performance Royal Mail has recruited an additional 3,000 postmen and is continuing to actively recruit new postal staff. I will continue to raise the issue if service levels do not improve.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations 2023 will come into force on 1 February 2024.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government remains committed to banning the use of electronic training collars controlled by hand-held devices that deliver an electric shock to cats or dogs in England. Parliamentary business will be announced in the usual way.