Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department will review the results of funding given to local authorities for road repairs under the Plan for Change.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
For the 2025/26 financial year, the Government is providing nearly £1.6 billion for highway maintenance, an increase of £500 million compared to 2024/25. It is the responsibility of individual highway authorities to maintain and improve their networks, based upon their local knowledge, circumstances, and priorities. Funding is not ringfenced, and it is a matter for local authorities to determine how the money is best spent.
As of Monday 24 March, the Department has written to all local highway authorities advising them that 25% of their uplift in maintenance funding is contingent on them demonstrating to Government that they are complying with certain criteria aimed at driving best practice and continual improvement in highways maintenance practice. All authorities will have to publish information online by the end of June, and share further information with the Department by the end of October. This will allow local people to hold their councils to account for their performance in maintaining their highway networks. The Department will also review the information provided by local highway authorities when it is submitted and will say more on this in due course.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his oral contribution in response to the Question from the hon. Member for North Devon on 20 January 2025, Official Report, column 769, when he will visit North Devon District Hospital.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I remain committed to visiting North Devon District Hospital. Ministers regularly consider visits across the country to see the impact of their policy areas. Any plans to visit specific locations will be notified to the relevant Members of Parliament in advance.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her planned timetable is for restarting mandatory reassessments of incapacity benefits.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We will turn on WCA reassessments at scale as we build up capacity to do so.
We will initially prioritise reassessments for people who are most likely to have had a change in their circumstances including those who have short-term prognoses, for which we can reasonably anticipate a change in health condition has occurred (e.g., those with risks from pregnancy complications or those who have recovered following cancer treatment).
Over time, we will then prioritise available reassessment capacity for other cohorts who are likely to change award.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the detailed results of each hospital's funding bid scoring against the Multi Factorial Review of the New Hospital Programme.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, set out a credible and deliverable plan for the new hospital schemes in the New Hospital Programme (NHP) on 20 January 2025, following the conclusion of the review of the NHP. The Plan for Implementation was laid in the House Library and is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome
Estimated costs for each scheme are set out in the publication. However, these are estimates and the exact funding for schemes will be determined through the review and agreement of a Full Business Case, as is usual for large infrastructure projects.
Funding has been agreed with HM Treasury to cover 2025/26. Funding beyond this will be agreed in the Spending Review in spring 2025.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that equipment used by the armed forces is interoperable with that of NATO allies.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence takes a number of steps to ensure our equipment is interoperable with NATO allies. These include leading on the development, ratification, and implementation of NATO standards; participation in joint exercises and training such as Formidable Shield; and promoting and encouraging allies to jointly procure and integrate capabilities, including through the UK-led NATO Multinational Procurement Initiatives and DIAMOND. We are also working with allies and industry to ensure the implementation of NATO’s Defence Production Action Plan, which places strong emphasis on the need to ensure the interoperability of existing and future military capabilities.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of corporate insolvencies.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government aims to boost all businesses, across key policy areas to build business capabilities, and a strong business environment. The Government works closely with the British Business Bank to enhance small business's access to finance through targeted interventions. Under the umbrella of the Export Academy, UK Export Finance and the newly announced Business Growth Service, businesses can access support, information, training, events, and expert support from business and International Trade advisors to overcome trading and export barriers.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure improved access to NHS dentistry for people in rural areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist particularly in rural areas. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.
The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.
The additional 700,000 appointments will be available across the country, with specific targets for each region. These targets are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed the most. Further information is available at the following link:
ICBs have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.