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, how many applications for additional pharmacies were declined following a pharmaceutical needs assessment that identified a lack of need in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on applications to open a new pharmacy are delegated from NHS England to National Health Service integrated care boards, and the Department does not hold data on how many applications were rejected or the reasons for these rejections. If a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) identifies a lack of need for a new pharmacy in the area, pharmacy contractors can still apply to open a pharmacy to provide benefits to the local communities that were not foreseen in the PNA.
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 assessment, his Department has made of the accuracy of pharmaceutical needs assessments undertaken by local health and wellbeing boards.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on applications to open a new pharmacy are delegated from NHS England to National Health Service integrated care boards, and the Department does not hold data on how many applications were rejected or the reasons for these rejections. If a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) identifies a lack of need for a new pharmacy in the area, pharmacy contractors can still apply to open a pharmacy to provide benefits to the local communities that were not foreseen in the PNA.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to include the Skilled Worker Visa occupation code SOC 5433 under the Temporary Shortage Occupation List.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
On 2 July the Government commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the long term composition of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL).
In future, as the Immigration White Paper sets out, for occupations with a skills requirement of RQF 3-5 (below degree level) where there have been long term shortages, we will only permit use of the Points-Based immigration system on a time limited basis where the MAC has advised it is justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place, and where employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce. Sectors will only be potentially added to the Temporary Shortage list if they are key to the industrial strategy or delivering critical infrastructure and following advice from the MAC.
I would encourage you to write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on workforce matters for the fishing sector.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to include the Skilled Worker Visa occupation code SOC 9119 under the Temporary Shortage Occupation List.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
On 2 July the Government commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the long term composition of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL).
In future, as the Immigration White Paper sets out, for occupations with a skills requirement of RQF 3-5 (below degree level) where there have been long term shortages, we will only permit use of the Points-Based immigration system on a time limited basis where the MAC has advised it is justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place, and where employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce. Sectors will only be potentially added to the Temporary Shortage list if they are key to the industrial strategy or delivering critical infrastructure and following advice from the MAC.
I would encourage you to write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on workforce matters for the fishing sector.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working paper: Reforming Site Thresholds, published on 28 May 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Medium site threshold category's requirement for (a) an area of between 0.5 and 1 hectares and (b) between 10-49 dwellings on developers.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 28 May 2025, the government published the Planning Reform Working Paper: Reforming Site Thresholds which can be found on gov.uk here. We are currently considering the responses received and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of abolishing fixed-term assured tenancies in England on the housing market.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government published an Impact Assessment for the Renters' Rights Bill on 22 November 2024. It received a 'Green' rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee, indicating that it is 'fit for purpose'.
My Department has also engaged with a wide range of stakeholders during the development and passage of the Bill, and will continue to do so, as it is implemented.
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 assessment his Department has made of the rates of re-use or recycling of crutches, frames and other walking aids issued by NHS Trusts in England.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department for Health and Social Care does not hold this data centrally. However, NHS England has confirmed that its data from 2025 show that 85% of Trusts who issue walking aids report having a walking aid refurbishment and reuse scheme in place, up from 77% in March 2024. Information on rates of re-use or recycling may be held locally by NHS trusts.
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 assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Compassionate Clinical Care Kits distributed by the Dignity Care Network.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made of the potential implications of the Compassionate Clinical Care Kits.
One of the 20 recommendations taken forward by the Government in response to the Pregnancy Loss Review of 2023 recommended that the NHS, in partnership with the Pregnancy Loss Review leads, should develop and deliver an appropriate and sensitive receptacle to collect baby loss remains when a person miscarries.
We recognise that an appropriate receptacle for baby loss remains is a basic requirement. The Department of Health and Social Care chaired a working group which created a draft product specification for a bespoke receptacle to ensure foetal remains can be collected and stored with dignity. The Department is currently exploring next steps for implementing this recommendation with NHS England.
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 his Department is taking to regulate levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra continues to work closely with other Government departments, regulators and devolved administrations to assess PFAS levels, sources and risks to inform future policy and regulatory approaches. Action has already been taken to ban or restrict specific PFAS domestically and internationally. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has provided PFAS guidance to water companies since 2007, with the latest update in August 2024 and a consolidated version in March 2025. Defra and the DWI are considering regulatory updates, including making this guidance statutory.
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 discussions he has had with the National Energy System Operator on the proposed publication date for the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The methodology for the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) was formally approved in May 2025 by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, together with Ofgem. It establishes a publication timeframe of Q4 2026 for the SSEP.