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 her Department is taking to help tackle the shortage of gynaecologists and obstetricians in the NHS.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We have a record number of midwives working in the National Health Service this year, with over 600 more than a year ago. We are also investing £10.6 million in an additional 1,000 temporary roles to help newly qualified midwives join the NHS. The Government has invested over £16 million in additional funding for obstetricians in England since 2023/24. As of June 2026, there were 100 more obstetrics and gynaecology consultants than a year earlier. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how the NHS will have the right people, in the right places and with the right skills to care for patients when they need it.
We will publish a single national action plan by the end of the year to drive systemic and sustained improvement across maternity and neonatal care. Ensuring that services have the right workforce to deliver safe care for all women and babies is central to this work.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the answer of 4 March 2026 to question 115513, what progress his Department has made on expanding communications to better reach those with unclaimed and deferred armed forces pensions.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has continued its approach to identifying and contacting individuals with unclaimed and deferred Armed Forces pensions.
As part of an ongoing contractual requirement, regular tracing activity is undertaken for deferred pension members whose pensions have become payable but remain unclaimed. New cases are reviewed each month and, where updated contact details are identified, individuals are contacted and invited to claim their pension entitlement.
These activities form part of the Department's wider efforts to ensure members receive the pension benefits to which they are entitled. As a result of tracing and claims activity, 11,201 previously unclaimed Armed Forces pensions have been brought into payment, with a total value of £29,446,443.
The MOD also continues to support the development of the Pensions Dashboard programme, which is intended to make it easier for individuals to identify pension entitlements they may have across multiple pension schemes.
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 help UK small businesses comply with EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation 2026/40 (PPWR) and the requirement for each UK company to contract an authorised representative for waste reporting when selling goods to customers in each EU member state.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is aware of issues regarding PPWR compliance among UK small businesses and has published a joint FAQ document with DAERA and the Food Standards Authority to support small businesses. Defra has raised concerns around the need to appoint multiple authorised representatives through engagement with the European Commission and will continue to engage on this issue.
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 potential impact of the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on the defence industry.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is led by HM Treasury and administered by HM Revenue and Customs. While the Ministry of Defence has not made a formal assessment, we have engaged with defence industry partners who have raised the potential impact of CBAM on the defence sector, including compliance costs and the administrative burden on suppliers. The Department continues to work with HM Treasury, HMRC and industry to ensure these effects are understood as CBAM is implemented.
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 her Department has made of the potential impact EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation 2026/40 (PPWR) on UK small and micro-businesses trading with customers in EU member states.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is aware of concerns among UK small and micro-businesses on the potential impact of PPWR compliance. Defra has raised concerns around the potentially disproportionate impact of compliance on these businesses, particularly regarding the need to appoint multiple authorised representatives, through engagement with the European Commission, and will continue to engage on this issue.
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 adequacy of the clarity of the division of responsibilities between the Royal Navy, Royal Navy Police and civilian police forces for responding to suspected hostile activity by foreign military vessels within UK territorial waters.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Royal Navy works with the Home Office, civilian police and partners across government to protect UK territorial waters, and respond to threats.
Responsibilities and authorisations depend on the circumstances and proposed action. Defence may support civilian authorities through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities arrangements, while any exercise of maritime law-enforcement powers require a legal basis and must be undertaken by authorised personnel.
Royal Navy Police may exercise specified maritime enforcement powers in defined circumstances. Any review or change must reflect operational needs, applicable law and the UK's different jurisdictions. As the threat picture changes, the MOD supports HMG efforts to ensure the continued security of the UK and our territorial waters, including primary legislation as necessary.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the six-month review of the Maritime Enforcement Powers (Specification of the Royal Navy Police) Regulations 2020, announced on 17 December 2020, was completed.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Royal Navy works with the Home Office, civilian police and partners across government to protect UK territorial waters, and respond to threats.
Responsibilities and authorisations depend on the circumstances and proposed action. Defence may support civilian authorities through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities arrangements, while any exercise of maritime law-enforcement powers require a legal basis and must be undertaken by authorised personnel.
Royal Navy Police may exercise specified maritime enforcement powers in defined circumstances. Any review or change must reflect operational needs, applicable law and the UK's different jurisdictions. As the threat picture changes, the MOD supports HMG efforts to ensure the continued security of the UK and our territorial waters, including primary legislation as necessary.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will (a) review the requirement for Royal Navy Police to exercise maritime enforcement powers only at the request of civilian police forces and (b) consider enabling suitably trained Royal Navy Police officers to exercise those powers independently where necessary to (i) protect life, (ii) prevent serious crime and (iii) respond to an immediate maritime security incident.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Royal Navy works with the Home Office, civilian police and partners across government to protect UK territorial waters, and respond to threats.
Responsibilities and authorisations depend on the circumstances and proposed action. Defence may support civilian authorities through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities arrangements, while any exercise of maritime law-enforcement powers require a legal basis and must be undertaken by authorised personnel.
Royal Navy Police may exercise specified maritime enforcement powers in defined circumstances. Any review or change must reflect operational needs, applicable law and the UK's different jurisdictions. As the threat picture changes, the MOD supports HMG efforts to ensure the continued security of the UK and our territorial waters, including primary legislation as necessary.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Navy is required to obtain the (a) agreement and (b) authorisation of a civilian police force before (i) intercepting and (ii) challenging a foreign military vessel suspected of posing a threat to national security within the United Kingdom’s territorial sea; and what legal and operational guidance governs the responsibilities of the Royal Navy and civilian police in such circumstances.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Royal Navy works with the Home Office, civilian police and partners across government to protect UK territorial waters, and respond to threats.
Responsibilities and authorisations depend on the circumstances and proposed action. Defence may support civilian authorities through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities arrangements, while any exercise of maritime law-enforcement powers require a legal basis and must be undertaken by authorised personnel.
Royal Navy Police may exercise specified maritime enforcement powers in defined circumstances. Any review or change must reflect operational needs, applicable law and the UK's different jurisdictions. As the threat picture changes, the MOD supports HMG efforts to ensure the continued security of the UK and our territorial waters, including primary legislation as necessary.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of legislative changes to provide Royal Navy Police with consistent maritime law-enforcement powers throughout the territorial waters of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, subject to legal jurisdictions and devolution settlements.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Royal Navy works with the Home Office, civilian police and partners across government to protect UK territorial waters, and respond to threats.
Responsibilities and authorisations depend on the circumstances and proposed action. Defence may support civilian authorities through established Military Aid to the Civil Authorities arrangements, while any exercise of maritime law-enforcement powers require a legal basis and must be undertaken by authorised personnel.
Royal Navy Police may exercise specified maritime enforcement powers in defined circumstances. Any review or change must reflect operational needs, applicable law and the UK's different jurisdictions. As the threat picture changes, the MOD supports HMG efforts to ensure the continued security of the UK and our territorial waters, including primary legislation as necessary.