Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will provide adequate (a) funding and (b) resources to carry out year round testing for designated bathing water areas in the Newton Abbot constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 12 November, we launched a public consultation on proposed reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. A core proposal of this consultation is to move the fixed dates of the bathing season from the Regulations into guidance. This would provide the flexibility to amend bathing season dates based on local context, and for the Environment Agency to monitor outside the current fixed dates of the Bathing Season. Following analysis of responses, the Government response to the consultation will set out the next steps of this work, including any amendments.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with local authorities on the level of funding for care homes.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department works closely with local government and other government departments to understand specific demand and cost pressures facing local government on an ongoing basis. This involves looking at a range of cost and demand data, as well as regular engagement with local authorities.
These engagements have informed the 2025-2026 Settlement, where the Government is providing over £10 billion in 2025-26 Settlement funding for social care through the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund (MSIF), Better Care Fund (including discharge funding), Social Care Grant, Children’s Social Care Prevention Grant and Children and Families Grant.
Local authorities are responsible for deciding how they use available funding to fulfil their duties under the Care Act (2014). The Department recognises the significant pressures that councils are facing and will ensure that councils are able to continue to deliver the services their communities rely on.
We will set out allocations at the provisional Settlement in December, on which we will consult, and we will continue to work closely with local government to review specific demand and cost pressures to ensure councils are supported in delivering essential services.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department allocated to spending on defence research and development in the last 12 months.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department's spend on research and development for financial year (FY) 2023-24 was £2.6 billion. Spend for the period in FY 2024-25 will be published in the Departmental Annual Report and Accounts after the end of this financial year.