Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
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 effectiveness of (a) the Get Set Progress scheme and (b) paid internship programmes for disabled people; and what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues to (i) increase internships for disabled people and (ii) diversify the sources from which departments recruit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Ministers have been encouraged by the briefing they have received on the ‘Get Set Progress’ scheme, but no assessment has been carried out by this department.
Employers are crucial in enhancing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and those with health conditions to thrive in the workforce. All employers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace where a disabled person would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues. All government departments and employers must consider the Equality Act when providing internships.
Civil Service internships are a matter for Government Skills, part of the Cabinet Office and supported internships are a matter for the Department for Education.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to replace the Hawk T1 fleet used by the Red Arrows.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Strategic Defence Review recommended that the Hawk T1 and T2 be replaced with a cost-effective advanced jet trainer. The future platform of the Royal Air Force aerobatic team is being considered at the same time, and a programme team is being established to deliver that capability.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 2 June from the hon. Member for Torbay.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have received the Hon. Member’s correspondence of 2 June and we will respond shortly.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
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 potential merits of establishing a national glaucoma pathway, in the context of similar models in (a) Wales and (b) Scotland.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In England, integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye cares services to meet identified local needs. This can include commissioning enhanced services in the community such as glaucoma referral refinement and glaucoma monitoring services.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding his Department has allocated to (a) the Red Arrows and (b) other military display teams in the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Spending Review has set the Ministry of Defence's Departmental Expenditure Limits until Financial Year 2028-29 for Resource and until 2029-30 for Capital. These are at high-level and do not specify all spend across the Department.
Funding for individual activities, such as display teams, will be decided on an annual basis as usual.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs are exempt under the XL bully exemption scheme.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As of 17 June 2025, 56,346 XL Bully dogs are registered with a Certificate of Exemption.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of rehoming banned breeds which have passed behavioural assessments.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In England and Wales, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 prohibits the ownership of five types of dog; the Pit Bull terrier, the Dogo Argentino, the Fila Brasileiro, the Japanese Tosa, and the XL Bully. It is a criminal offence to sell, abandon, give away or breed any of these breed types. This is an important measure to protect public safety by reducing the number of these dogs in circulation over time.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been allocated to animal welfare in the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.
The allocations for projects and programmes will be set now following the Spending Review. This will build on the support already available through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which includes access to testing for priority diseases and advice to continually improve the health, welfare and productivity of farmed animals through funded vet visits.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the dangerous dogs control scheme in Calgary, Canada.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership Taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. As part of this work, the taskforce may look at international models of dog control. We look forward to receiving its findings and recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many full time equivalent civil servants are working on animal welfare policy.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are many civil servants across Defra that are responsible for multiple animal welfare policies, working flexibly according to business need. Civil Servants work across animal welfare, transforming farm animal health and welfare, wildlife and rural teams, with some responsibilities sitting across other teams.