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 she has made of the likelihood of Corridor Care in Torbay Hospital this winter following recent changes to service provision announced on 26 October 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment has been made by the Department. In Torbay, and across the rest of England, we are working to reduce pressures in emergency departments and end the unacceptable practice of corridor care and I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I provided on 16 July to Question 17438.
NHS England is now publishing corridor care data for the first time to identify where pressures are greatest and deploying expert teams to the most challenged trusts to support improvements in performance. We are also investing in urgent and emergency care capacity, while recognising that there is much more work to do, particularly ahead of winter.
NHS England’s winter planning guidance for 2026/27 requires trusts to implement the Model Emergency Department, Model Acute Pathway and Model Discharge Pathway, with eliminating corridor care treated as a patient safety priority. Trusts must prepare clinically led winter plans based on demand and capacity, with arrangements tested against periods of exceptional pressure.
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, if he will provide a date for when his department will publish the Timms review.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Timms review will report its final recommendations in November 2026.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the use of UK-manufactured machinery in the establishment of illegal Israeli settlements; and whether such exports will fall within the scope of the Government’s restrictions on trade with those settlements.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 8 September, the Foreign Secretary announced measures to ensure that UK economic activity does not support illegal Israeli settlements. The new regime will allow us to target specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing, or real estate for settlement expansion. We don't speculate on future designations, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis. UK businesses are already advised against conducting economic and financial activity in relation to illegal settlements. The Government will provide clear guidance on the scope of the new measures in due course.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the expertise within schools and wider education services to support adopted and kinship children who have experienced early adversity, trauma, abuse, neglect or loss; and what steps she is taking to strengthen that expertise.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department’s report, ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’, sets out plans for an inclusive, high-standard education system in England.
Virtual School Heads (VSHs) promote the educational achievement of previously looked-after children, including those who left care through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements orders. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act extends this role to eligible children in kinship care.
Schools must appoint a designated teacher for previously looked-after children, who attract £2,690 annually in Pupil Premium Plus. We are updating statutory guidance for VSHs and designated teachers, and schools can now record children in kinship care through the school census.
The department is considering responses received from ‘Adoption Support that Works for All’, which consulted on support at key life stages and integration of social care, health and education. The department is also piloting support for children entering secondary school and Families First Partnership multi-disciplinary teams will help families receive support from the right professionals at the right time.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve coordination between schools, health and mental health services, local authorities and adoption and kinship services so that children and families receive coordinated support when their needs cross service boundaries.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department’s report, ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’, sets out plans for an inclusive, high-standard education system in England.
Virtual School Heads (VSHs) promote the educational achievement of previously looked-after children, including those who left care through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements orders. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act extends this role to eligible children in kinship care.
Schools must appoint a designated teacher for previously looked-after children, who attract £2,690 annually in Pupil Premium Plus. We are updating statutory guidance for VSHs and designated teachers, and schools can now record children in kinship care through the school census.
The department is considering responses received from ‘Adoption Support that Works for All’, which consulted on support at key life stages and integration of social care, health and education. The department is also piloting support for children entering secondary school and Families First Partnership multi-disciplinary teams will help families receive support from the right professionals at the right time.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of Estyn's recent report in Wales, which found that adopted, previously looked-after and kinship children are less consistently identified and supported in education than children who are currently looked after.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department’s report, ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’, sets out plans for an inclusive, high-standard education system in England.
Virtual School Heads (VSHs) promote the educational achievement of previously looked-after children, including those who left care through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements orders. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act extends this role to eligible children in kinship care.
Schools must appoint a designated teacher for previously looked-after children, who attract £2,690 annually in Pupil Premium Plus. We are updating statutory guidance for VSHs and designated teachers, and schools can now record children in kinship care through the school census.
The department is considering responses received from ‘Adoption Support that Works for All’, which consulted on support at key life stages and integration of social care, health and education. The department is also piloting support for children entering secondary school and Families First Partnership multi-disciplinary teams will help families receive support from the right professionals at the right time.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of whether adopted and kinship children receive timely support when difficulties emerge at key educational transition points, including starting school, moving to secondary school and entering further education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department’s report, ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’, sets out plans for an inclusive, high-standard education system in England.
Virtual School Heads (VSHs) promote the educational achievement of previously looked-after children, including those who left care through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements orders. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act extends this role to eligible children in kinship care.
Schools must appoint a designated teacher for previously looked-after children, who attract £2,690 annually in Pupil Premium Plus. We are updating statutory guidance for VSHs and designated teachers, and schools can now record children in kinship care through the school census.
The department is considering responses received from ‘Adoption Support that Works for All’, which consulted on support at key life stages and integration of social care, health and education. The department is also piloting support for children entering secondary school and Families First Partnership multi-disciplinary teams will help families receive support from the right professionals at the right time.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his department plans to release details on the proposed Overnight Visitor Levy.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Local leaders will decide whether a levy is the right choice for their area on the basis of a local consultation. Strategic authorities will have the option to exempt certain types of accommodation in their areas, such as camping pitches. This approach gives local leaders the tools to respond to local challenges and opportunities, including the ability to exempt some accommodation types that are often used for residential trips by youth groups.
On 10 September, the Government published a response to the consultation on the Visitor Levy which provides more detail on the policy design, drawing on feedback from the accommodation sector, local government, and members of the public.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to exempt youth provisions, such as Scout Camps, from the Overnight Visitor Levy.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Local leaders will decide whether a levy is the right choice for their area on the basis of a local consultation. Strategic authorities will have the option to exempt certain types of accommodation in their areas, such as camping pitches. This approach gives local leaders the tools to respond to local challenges and opportunities, including the ability to exempt some accommodation types that are often used for residential trips by youth groups.
On 10 September, the Government published a response to the consultation on the Visitor Levy which provides more detail on the policy design, drawing on feedback from the accommodation sector, local government, and members of the public.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2026 to Question 36245 on Tourism, when she plans to publish the Visitor Economy Growth Strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government is committed to supporting the Visitor Economy and recognises the crucial role it plays in attracting investment, generating jobs, and showcasing the UK’s cultural and natural assets on a global stage. By enhancing our tourism offer, supporting businesses, and strengthening regional economies, we can ensure the UK remains a world-leading destination and a key driver of national prosperity. This government has also set an ambitious target of welcoming 50 million visitors a year by 2030, with a clear focus on spreading that economic footprint across our regional and coastal heartlands.
Our forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will set out an ambitious long term, place-based plan to deliver sustainable growth across regional visitor economies.
We are continuing to work with industry and the strategy will be published when that work has concluded.