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, which bodies are responsible for (a) monitoring (i) shortages and (ii) unavailability of NHS prescription medicines, (b) overseeing the manufacturing locations of brands licensed for use in the UK and (c) assessing potential supply risks where multiple brands are produced by the same third-party manufacturer.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has overall policy, strategic, and operational responsibility for ensuring the continuity of the supply of medicines to the National Health Service in England. The Department works closely with NHS England, which has delegated responsibility for managing the continuity of supply for medicines procured on Medicines Procurement and Supply Chain Team frameworks. Manufacturers have a legal requirement to inform the Department of any supply issues. We work closely with industry, the NHS, manufacturers, and other partners across the supply chain to make sure patients across the United Kingdom can access the medicines they need.
The supply of medicines, including procurement, storage, allocation, and distribution is a devolved matter. However, we regularly engage with the devolved administrations to discuss potential supply issues.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regulates medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion in the UK. The Home Office issues controlled drug licences for companies that possess, manufacture, produce, or supply controlled drugs in England, Wales, or Scotland, and Department of Health (Northern Ireland) for Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of funding for the National Park Authorities.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The government is providing £45.2 million of core funding to the 10 National Park Authorities, with a capital uplift of up to £15 million to support their contribution to protecting 30% of land by 2030. In challenging financial circumstances, this uplift in capital investment is recognition of the vital importance of national parks to government priorities. We have also extended programmes such as Farming In Protected Landscapes, providing £30 million to support projects in our National Parks and Protected Landscapes, until March 2026.
In addition to investing in these important landscapes we are also working with Protected Landscapes organisations to identify additional sources of funding and foster innovation to ensure their future for generations to come.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what notifications of changes to revenue grants for financial year 2025-6 have been sent to National Park Authorities (a) on and (b) since 2 April 2025.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Letters were issued to all National Park Authorities (including the Broads Authority) in early April confirming Defra’s intent to continue grant funding for the financial year 2025/26. The letters also set out the provisional revenue and capital grant allocation for each authority.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the processes put in place for armed forces personnel to apply for (a) statutory maternity pay and (b) maternity allowance.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Armed Forces' policy and process for maternity leave and pay, known as the Armed Forces' Occupational Maternity Scheme (AFOMS), is set out in JSP 760, Tri-Service Regulations for Leave and Other Types of Absence.
Chapter 24 of JSP 760 sets out entitlement to pay, options on length of leave, and the actions required by pregnant Service women and their commanding officers following confirmation of pregnancy.
JSP 760, along with all related electronic application forms, is reviewed and updated frequently, with the latest version always internally accessible to all Service personnel on DefNet, the Ministry of Defence intranet. The latest review was published on DefNet in February 2025 under JSP 760, version 39.5. All updates and revisions are documented in the JSP's version history and record of amendments included with each publication.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator supports (a) profitability and (b) resilience in the (i) food and (ii) farming sector.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to implement reforms for rights of way included in the Deregulation Act 2015 to provide (a) clarity and (b) certainty for land managers.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are reviewing the rights of way reform programme alongside our policies for delivering improved access to nature for all users.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will publish the Rural Crime Strategy.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling rural crime, safeguarding rural areas through tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and action to prevent fly-tipping.
That is why we are working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to deliver the next iteration of their Rural and Wildlife Crime strategy.
The strategy will set out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, as well as ensuring Government priorities under our Safer Streets Mission are reflected.
In addition, we are providing funding of £800,000 in the current financial year to the National Rural and National Wildlife Crime Units. This will ensure these specialist units continue to help police forces tackle rural and wildlife crime, including helping to combat organised theft and disrupt the activities of serious and organised crime groups.
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 assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the rate of clawback on Universal Credit on people employed with (a) irregular and (b) low incomes.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to a sustainable, long-term approach to drive up opportunity and drive down poverty across the UK. As announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget, a new Fair Repayment Rate has now been introduced from 30 April 2025, reducing the Universal Credit (UC) overall deductions cap from 25% to 15% of a customer’s UC standard allowance. This measure will help approximately 1.2 million of the poorest households benefit by an average of £420 a year.
The Department has also committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty.
A key part of UC’s core design is that it supports customers with their finances. As part of our work to review UC, we are working with expert stakeholders to understand the impacts and causes as well as considering the ways in which we can better support customers who experience irregular or fluctuating household income.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help develop manufacturing capacity in the offshore renewables sector.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Last week, the Prime Minister announced an initial £300 million investment through Great British Energy to accelerate domestic offshore wind supply chains to boost domestic jobs, mobilise private investment, and secure manufacturing facilities for critical clean energy supply chains.
The Government’s Clean Industry Bonus rewards fixed and floating offshore wind developers who choose to invest in the UK’s poorest communities, or in cleaner manufacturing.
The Government will be publishing its Industrial Strategy in spring and will set out its approach to driving investment and growth in the highest potential sectors, including Clean Energy Industries, creating good jobs.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the recruitment of the new Armed Forces Commissioner; and when he expects they will begin in post.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Recruitment for the Armed Forces Commissioner is progressing with the role expected to be advertised by June 2025. The recruitment process will be through fair and open competition and subject to a full public appointment process regulated and overseen by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. It is anticipated that the Armed Forces Commissioner will be in post in early 2026, following the pre-appointment scrutiny process.