Fire and Rescue Authorities are responsible for assessing and planning for wildfire risk locally through their Community Risk Management Plans and work with other responders to ensure appropriate preparedness.

However, to strengthen resilience more broadly, MHCLG and Defra have established joint governance arrangements with partners across government and the resilience sector to drive coordinated action on prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. This work is helping to inform the development of a cross-government Wildfire Action Plan to improve resilience over the short, medium and long term.

Supporting British farmers and boosting the nation’s food security are key priorities for the government. As set out in the Farming Roadmap, food security and restoring nature are not competing aims. They are, over the long term, inseparable. The most resilient farms are profitable precisely because they work with the environment, which is why Government is backing a shift towards lower input, more sustainable farming systems.

There are now 4,165 live SFI agreements and 658 live CS agreements within the West Dorset constituency. This uptake by farm businesses and land managers in the constituency is supporting them to build nature‑friendly farming systems that can sustain or enhance production while strengthening resilience and reducing input dependency.

Defra recognises the significant challenges posed by bluetongue and drought, including for farmers in West Dorset, alongside other pressures facing farmers and veterinary professionals. On 15 August, Defra announced a £65 million package to support farmers and strengthen long-term resilience. This includes an additional £50 million for the Sustainable Farming Incentive, up to £15 million through the Water Management Grant, and temporary adjustments to Environmental Land Management agreements. Farmers can access support through GOV.UK bluetongue guidance, the Rural Services Helpline and Farming Help. Keepers can access the animal health and welfare pathway, including an annual funded visit by a veterinarian.

The Government recognises how hard this summer has been for farmers, including with regard to drought and bluetongue.

As announced in August 2026, the Government is supporting farmers through a range of measures. These include temporary Environmental Land Management flexibilities and up to £15m in funding million for on-farm reservoirs.

Defra has announced an extra £50 million for Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 Window 2, which opens later this month. This takes SFI26’s total budget to £290 million and helps more farmers access support.

The Environment Agency is prioritising short-term abstraction licence variations, and the Government is committed to continue working with the farming sector to improve resilience of on-farm water supply to ensure farmers can invest with confidence.

Defra continues to monitor the effects of the disease through surveillance, including information on fallen stock, and ongoing engagement with farmers, veterinary professionals and industry representatives. Defra is also monitoring impacts of dry conditions which vary by farm type, geography and access to water.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is delivering a Modernisation Programme to improve customer access, efficiency and transparency. This includes integrated online application services, the My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC) service, which provides customers with online access to case information and payment schedules, and Customer Connect, which enables secure online communication between parents and caseworkers. Telephone and assisted digital support remain available for customers who need additional assistance.

The programme has also introduced improved digital communications, enhanced data sharing to support faster and more accurate maintenance calculations, and predictive analytics to help identify cases at risk of non-compliance, which allows us to review the cases more swiftly and take action to ensure compliance is maintained

The Department continually monitors the effectiveness of the CMS through published statistics and operational performance measures. CMS services are delivered nationally and the Department does not routinely assess effectiveness or performance at parliamentary constituency level.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is delivering a Modernisation Programme to improve customer access, efficiency and transparency. This includes integrated online application services, the My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC) service, which provides customers with online access to case information and payment schedules, and Customer Connect, which enables secure online communication between parents and caseworkers. Telephone and assisted digital support remain available for customers who need additional assistance.

The programme has also introduced improved digital communications, enhanced data sharing to support faster and more accurate maintenance calculations, and predictive analytics to help identify cases at risk of non-compliance, which allows us to review the cases more swiftly and take action to ensure compliance is maintained

The Department continually monitors the effectiveness of the CMS through published statistics and operational performance measures. CMS services are delivered nationally and the Department does not routinely assess effectiveness or performance at parliamentary constituency level.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Rushcliffe on 3 July 2026 to Question 13254.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Rushcliffe on 3 July 2026 to Question 13254.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Rushcliffe on 3 July 2026 to Question 13254.

Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, it is an offence for any dog to be dangerously out of control in any place. Crown Prosecution Service guidance indicates that attacks on other animals, including cats, may amount to a dog being dangerously out of control, particularly where a person is injured or may be injured. Owners may face imprisonment for up to 14 years and be banned from owning a dog. Enforcement following dog attacks is a matter for the police.

This Government keeps dog control legislation under review and works with the police, local authorities and animal welfare organisations to promote responsible ownership, support enforcement, improve public education and strengthen data on dog attacks.

Buses in England outside London were deregulated by the Transport Act 1985 and are largely operated on a commercial basis, with bus operators responsible for decisions about routes and service levels. Consequently, local networks were often determined by commercial viability, and the Department does not hold data on local routes loss.

The Government is committed to delivering better buses nationwide through the Bus Services Act 2025 which put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England. Giving local leaders the powers to choose the model that works best for their area, whether it be bus franchising, strengthened Enhanced Partnerships or local authority bus companies, Government is working to ensure services reflect local community’s needs.

The Act includes a socially necessary local services measure. This requires local authorities to identify those services they consider are socially necessary. If withdrawal or substantial variation of these services is considered, the local authority and operator must work together to consider all possible options before making any significant changes. This layer of transparency ensures that the needs of the passenger remain at the centre of any decision-making process.

Dorset Council will receive £12.2 million under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) from 2026/27 until 2028/29, in addition to the £3.8 million already received in 2025/26. Local authorities have the flexibility to use this grant to deliver the best outcomes for passengers in their area, whether through lower fares, more frequent services, or enhanced rural bus provision.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is an independent body, accountable to Parliament. The work and performance of the PHSO is scrutinised by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Where complainants in West Dorset, as well as all regions of the country, are dissatisfied with decisions made by the PHSO they are entitled to understand how those decisions were reached. The PHSO’s Service Charter includes the commitment to explain its decisions and recommendations and how it reached them.

The Government continues to support effective roads policing and road safety enforcement as part of wider efforts to reduce casualties and tackle criminality on the road network. The Department for Transport’s Road Safety Strategy, published in January 2026, sets out a comprehensive plan to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 65% by 2035. Roads policing is recognised as a national policing capability and forces are expected to maintain appropriate capabilities to help prevent harm, save lives and support road safety.

In 2026-27, Dorset Police will receive up to £204.5 million in funding, an increase of up to £8.7 million compared with 2025-26. The deployment of police officers and allocation of roads policing resources, including on the A35 and other roads in West Dorset, are operational matters for the Chief Constable of Dorset Police, who is best placed to assess local threats, risks and demands. The Home Office does not assess roads policing coverage on specific roads or in individual localities and has made no specific assessment of the impact of roads policing levels on the number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions in West Dorset. It is the responsibility for Police and Crime Commissioners to set local policing priorities and to hold Chief Constables to account.

Fire and rescue services have been responding to an exceptionally challenging period of wildfire activity, with multiple significant incidents being managed simultaneously across England and Wales. The Government has taken action to reduce the risk of wildfires igniting, such as the temporary ban on disposable BBQs.

This year, we have made available almost £1.95 billion to standalone fire and rescue authorities in England (excluding York & North Yorkshire and Greater Manchester) through the Local Government Finance Settlement. It is for each fire and rescue authority to decide how best to use that funding, based on local risk.

Defra funding schemes will continue to support land managers to adapt to increasing wildfire risk. This includes practical measures to reduce fire spread and severity, improve access and preparedness for firefighting, and strengthen resilience while also supporting nature and climate objectives. It also includes support for landscape-scale action to reduce wildfire risk and increase resilience.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has recently announced a £97 million investment to upgrade National Resilience assets and equipment. Part of this funding includes a pilot for a national wildfire response capability with specialist firefighters, equipment and training.

Fire and rescue services have been responding to an exceptionally challenging period of wildfire activity, with multiple significant incidents being managed simultaneously across England and Wales. The Government has taken action to reduce the risk of wildfires igniting, such as the temporary ban on disposable BBQs.

This year, we have made available almost £1.95 billion to standalone fire and rescue authorities in England (excluding York & North Yorkshire and Greater Manchester) through the Local Government Finance Settlement. It is for each fire and rescue authority to decide how best to use that funding, based on local risk.

Defra funding schemes will continue to support land managers to adapt to increasing wildfire risk. This includes practical measures to reduce fire spread and severity, improve access and preparedness for firefighting, and strengthen resilience while also supporting nature and climate objectives. It also includes support for landscape-scale action to reduce wildfire risk and increase resilience.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has recently announced a £97 million investment to upgrade National Resilience assets and equipment. Part of this funding includes a pilot for a national wildfire response capability with specialist firefighters, equipment and training.