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 her Department is taking to ensure imported meat does not adversely impact disease prevention in farming and animal disease prevention zones.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Meat import controls include measures to prevent spread of animal disease such as veterinary health certification and border control post checks.
On farm biosecurity plays a key role in protecting farms from exotic diseases and can mitigate the risk of spread of such diseases in the event of an outbreak. Defra is working closely with the devolved governments, the livestock industry and veterinary bodies to improve the UK’s response and raise awareness of the risks of introduction of exotic disease.
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 support her Department is giving to existing leaseholders affected by high or escalating ground rents, particularly where such terms impact mortgage availability and the ability to sell their homes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to answer given to Question UIN 102566 on 12 January 2026.
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 his Department has made of the potential impact of removing Sport England as a statutory consultee from the planning system on the provision of community sports facilities.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether all eggs served by Houses of Parliament Catering services are farmed in the United Kingdom, and whether these adhere to any independently verified standards for animal welfare.
Answered by Nick Smith
Eggs supplied to House of Commons catering services are class A free range and from a UK Farm which is RSPCA Assured.
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 estimate his Department has made of the average cost to holiday let owners of securing and maintaining an Energy Performance Certificate rating of C; and what steps he is taking to mitigate adverse impacts on small, rural and tourism-dependent businesses.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The recent consultation on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector sought views on whether short-term lets should be included in the scope of our proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030, to help ensure a consistent standard across all private rented properties.
No final decisions have been made and a Government response will be published in due course. The Government has proposed to maintain a range of exemptions available to landlords to ensure that the required investment is fair and proportionate. We remain committed to taking an evidence-based approach and ensuring that we deliver our net zero commitments whilst supporting small, rural and tourism-dependant businesses to thrive.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of police training relating to the care of vulnerable young people held in police custody.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is the responsibility of the College of Policing for setting standards for police training and development, including the national policing curriculum, leadership standards and accreditations for those who work in high risk or specialist roles. It is then the responsibility of individual police forces for local delivery of training and ongoing development for all officers and staff with support from the College.
The College’s core learning standards includes the initial training for officers under the Police Constable entry programme and incorporates content on autism, learning disabilities, mental health and other vulnerabilities. Officers are taught to assess vulnerability and adapt their approach accordingly, and guidance for Custody Sergeants covers additional legal responsibilities and safe detention, including fitness for detention and safeguarding.
To support both the recognition and response to mental health needs, the College promotes frameworks for consistent identification of vulnerability and appropriate safeguarding action. Liaison and Diversion schemes commissioned by NHS England operate in custody suites to identify and refer individuals with mental health needs or other vulnerabilities to specialist support services. These schemes also provide advice to custody staff on how best to support people with these needs.
When a death occurs in custody, the College’s Authorised Professional Practice sets out procedures for forces to follow. These include reporting deaths to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, investigating and analysing incidents, and implementing lessons learned.
Policing is operationally independent, and chief constables decide on any additional training locally. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services regularly inspects police forces, including on how they protect vulnerable people.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional (a) guidance and (b) training her Department provides to police forces following incidents in which a person has died following a period in police custody.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is the responsibility of the College of Policing for setting standards for police training and development, including the national policing curriculum, leadership standards and accreditations for those who work in high risk or specialist roles. It is then the responsibility of individual police forces for local delivery of training and ongoing development for all officers and staff with support from the College.
The College’s core learning standards includes the initial training for officers under the Police Constable entry programme and incorporates content on autism, learning disabilities, mental health and other vulnerabilities. Officers are taught to assess vulnerability and adapt their approach accordingly, and guidance for Custody Sergeants covers additional legal responsibilities and safe detention, including fitness for detention and safeguarding.
To support both the recognition and response to mental health needs, the College promotes frameworks for consistent identification of vulnerability and appropriate safeguarding action. Liaison and Diversion schemes commissioned by NHS England operate in custody suites to identify and refer individuals with mental health needs or other vulnerabilities to specialist support services. These schemes also provide advice to custody staff on how best to support people with these needs.
When a death occurs in custody, the College’s Authorised Professional Practice sets out procedures for forces to follow. These include reporting deaths to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, investigating and analysing incidents, and implementing lessons learned.
Policing is operationally independent, and chief constables decide on any additional training locally. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services regularly inspects police forces, including on how they protect vulnerable people.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure police officers are trained to (a) recognise and (b) respond to the mental health needs of young people held in police custody.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is the responsibility of the College of Policing for setting standards for police training and development, including the national policing curriculum, leadership standards and accreditations for those who work in high risk or specialist roles. It is then the responsibility of individual police forces for local delivery of training and ongoing development for all officers and staff with support from the College.
The College’s core learning standards includes the initial training for officers under the Police Constable entry programme and incorporates content on autism, learning disabilities, mental health and other vulnerabilities. Officers are taught to assess vulnerability and adapt their approach accordingly, and guidance for Custody Sergeants covers additional legal responsibilities and safe detention, including fitness for detention and safeguarding.
To support both the recognition and response to mental health needs, the College promotes frameworks for consistent identification of vulnerability and appropriate safeguarding action. Liaison and Diversion schemes commissioned by NHS England operate in custody suites to identify and refer individuals with mental health needs or other vulnerabilities to specialist support services. These schemes also provide advice to custody staff on how best to support people with these needs.
When a death occurs in custody, the College’s Authorised Professional Practice sets out procedures for forces to follow. These include reporting deaths to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, investigating and analysing incidents, and implementing lessons learned.
Policing is operationally independent, and chief constables decide on any additional training locally. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services regularly inspects police forces, including on how they protect vulnerable people.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Public Order Act and the proposed designation of “life sciences” as key national infrastructure, what evidence was used to conclude that existing police powers are inadequate to address disruptive protest activity affecting life sciences sites, including animal research and testing facilities.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
On Thursday 27 November 2025, the Home Office laid an affirmative Statutory Instrument in Parliament to amend Section 7 and Section 8 of the Public Order Act 2023. This will amend the list of key national infrastructure within Section 7 of the Public Order Act 2023, to add the Life Sciences sector and define the Life Sciences sector in Section 8 of the Act.
To ensure these powers are workable and proportionate, the Home Office undertook targeted engagement with the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Office for Life Sciences as the relevant government unit between the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and authorities with executive responsibility in their respective fields. This engagement provided a broad and comprehensive understanding of the challenges being managed by the Life Sciences Sector.
The government remains committed to safeguarding the right to peaceful protest while ensuring that public order and safety are maintained. The amendments to the Public Order Act 2023 reflect the balance between these priorities, responding directly to the evidence gathered from those responsible for maintaining public safety and order.
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 planned measures in chapter 3 of Part 1 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on preventing rental discrimination of people in receipt of welfare benefits, whether his Department has had discussions with (a) insurance companies and (b) the Financial Conduct Authority on the (i) availability and (ii) price of (A) landlord, (B) buildings and (C) contents insurance policies for properties rented to people claiming welfare benefits; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the home insurance market on the ability of people in receipt of welfare benefits to rent property in accordance with that Act.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question 44561 on 22 April 2025.