Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to update the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 in line with current dietary advice.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
We are committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and we are consulting on proposed updates to the School Food Standards, closing on 12 June. The changes we propose to make are related to increasing fibre, reducing sugar and further restricting foods higher in fat, sugar and salt, in line with the latest nutritional advice set by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.
As part of our public consultation, we are asking schools what support they need to comply with updated School Food Standards. With the planned implementation approach, we are giving schools more than two terms’ notice, which will help them prepare effectively.
We are also working with the sector, including caterers and governing bodies, to develop guidance and identify and share best practice. We will also signpost to useful resources available externally.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools to provide nutritious school meals.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
We are committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and we are consulting on proposed updates to the School Food Standards, closing on 12 June. The changes we propose to make are related to increasing fibre, reducing sugar and further restricting foods higher in fat, sugar and salt, in line with the latest nutritional advice set by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.
As part of our public consultation, we are asking schools what support they need to comply with updated School Food Standards. With the planned implementation approach, we are giving schools more than two terms’ notice, which will help them prepare effectively.
We are also working with the sector, including caterers and governing bodies, to develop guidance and identify and share best practice. We will also signpost to useful resources available externally.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has prepared contingency plans against any significant reduction in the number of personnel available to support the Coastguard Rescue Service.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Public safety remains our priority. Contingency plans are in place to enable the continuation of maritime and coastal search and rescue.
Alongside the Coastguard Rescue Service, HM Coastguard will continue to draw upon the full UK Search and Rescue system, including HM Coastguard aviation assets, RNLI and independent lifeboats, independent rescue teams, lifeguards and other emergency services as they do today.
HM Coastguard full time officers provide a maritime coordination function from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre responding to distress and urgency alerts across the UK Search and Rescue Region. They undertake the tasking and coordinating of responding assets such as SAR aircraft, lifeboats, other services and the Coastguard Rescue Service. HM Coastguard full time coastal staff provide training, support, welfare to our Coastguard Rescue Officers and act as a national network, providing oversight and tactical support.
Coastguard Rescue Officers undertake cliff, mud, search, and water rescue around the coast and may interact with other SAR responding services such as the RNLI, Lowland and Mountain Rescue, Police, Fire and Rescue and ambulance services. The Coastguard Rescue Service is one of a number of ‘declared services’ to the HM Coastguard maritime function that HM Coastguard can call upon 24/7 as an ‘asset’ in a rescue.
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 review safety checks carried out on Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 and Mk4 helicopters.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
A full investigation is being conducted into the cause of the crash involving a Royal Navy Merlin helicopter on 3 June 2026. All military flying operates under robust Military Aviation Authority regulations, with Royal Navy aircraft subject to rigorous and continuous safety assurance and maintenance regimes, which are kept under continual review.
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, whether the size of the Public Health Grant provided to local authorities is proportional to the population of each local authority.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Public Health Grant allocations have been confirmed for the next three years to enable local authorities to plan and make the best use of the funding available. The majority of funding which makes up the Public Health Grant will continue to be distributed as in previous years with an equal percentage uplift, ensuring that the most deprived local authorities continue to receive on average more than twice as much funding per person as the least deprived. During this period, we are also using bespoke methods, which consider deprivation and service need, to distribute the previously separate funding components for smoking and addiction services which have now been consolidated into the Public Health Grant.