Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of safeguards to ensure that confidentiality agreements cannot prevent employees and their representatives from participating in statutory consultations, particularly in safety-critical sectors.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
While non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) can lawfully be used to require one or more parties to keep certain information confidential (for example, trade secrets), there are a range of legal limitations on their use. For example, NDAs cannot prevent someone from making a whistleblowing disclosure (known formally as a “protected disclosure”) or a disclosure required by law or override other legal obligations.
Employers remain subject to any statutory consultation requirements that apply to them.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Devon and Cornwall Police implements the improvements required following the PEEL 2025–27 assessment; and what continuing monitoring or scrutiny is taking place.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following the publication of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services’ (HMICFRS) 2025–27 PEEL assessment, https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/publications/peel-assessment-2025-27-devon-and-cornwall/ Devon and Cornwall Police has been placed into Level 3 of the Government’s Policing Performance System https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/news-feed/devon-and-cornwall-police-moved-into-level-three-of-the-policing-performance-system/ This reflects the concerns identified by HMICFRS, including causes of concern relating to investigations and the safeguarding of vulnerable people.
The force is required to deliver improvements against the recommendations made by HMICFRS and is subject to enhanced oversight through the Policing Performance System. The Home Office, working alongside the College of Policing, HMICFRS and policing partners, is providing support to assist the force in addressing the issues identified and delivering sustainable improvement, however this support is in its infancy.
Monitoring of Devon and Cornwall is ongoing through regular performance assessments, engagement with force leadership and local policing governance bodies, and scrutiny of progress against improvement plans. HMICFRS will continue to assess the force’s progress through its established inspection and follow-up arrangements, while the Government will keep the level of oversight and support under review as improvements are delivered.
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, which Government department will take lead responsibility for the new legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons being negotiated by the Intergovernmental Working Group under the auspices of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The responsibility for the issues affecting older people does not fall to any single Government department, and a number of departments have an interest in this work. We are consulting with relevant Government departments on where responsibility will lie for any future legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons.
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, whether her department plans to increase the number of mental health nursing courses.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability based on learner demand and provider capacity.
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, whether her department plans to increase the number of learning disability nursing courses.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Higher education institutions are independent providers and are responsible for making their own decisions about course delivery and viability based on learner demand and provider capacity.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her department plans to publish a visitor economy growth strategy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to publishing a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy which will set out a long-term, place-based plan to increase visitor flows across the UK, boost value, and deliver sustainable growth across regional visitor economies - driving growth and opportunity in every postcode.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to Answer 22328 to the question tabled by the Hon. Member for Torbay, published on 5th October 2026, what legal and regulatory requirements must private adult skills providers which do not receive government funding comply with.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Providers which do not receive government funding are not subject to the department's funding rules or funding agreements.
However, such providers must comply with any relevant legal and regulatory requirements that apply to their activities. Depending on the nature of the provision offered, these may include health and safety legislation, equality legislation, consumer protection law, data protection requirements, safeguarding obligations where they work with children or vulnerable adults, and, where applicable, the requirements of awarding organisations and qualifications regulators.
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 he has made of the potential merits of expanding the Local Apprenticeships Service for areas in England without regional mayors.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is investing £240 million over the current spending review period, to pilot, with Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs), new approaches to better connect young people aged 16-24, including those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), to local apprenticeship opportunities. Funding beyond this is subject to future spending review processes.
Mayors already have substantial powers over skills funding and development in their areas, and this pilot goes further by providing additional funding to test and evaluate how place-based apprenticeship activities can best support young people and employers.
While the government wants young people across England to be able to access high-quality apprenticeship opportunities, the pilot is focused on Mayoral Strategic Authority areas where Mayors can use their convening powers to get local employer buy-in and tailor support to local labour market needs. The evidence and learning generated through the pilot will inform future decisions about the longer-term role and reach of place-based apprenticeship services.
The government has also set out its ambition for every part of England to have, or be in the process of establishing, a strategic authority by the end of 2027, with strategic authorities in place across England by the end of 2028.
More widely, to support our ambition of 50,000 more young people starting apprenticeships, we are fully funding apprenticeship training for all eligible16-24-year-olds, and we have introduced a new hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy payers which take on 16-24 year old apprentices as new employees. This funding support is available to eligible employers across England.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if he will provide an update on when the Commercial Payments Bill will come into effect.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government is delivering the most significant reforms to tackle late payment in over 25 years through the Commercial Payments Bill, which will give the UK the strongest legal framework on late payment in the G7.
Subject to Parliamentary approval, Royal Assent timings and the making of necessary secondary legislation, most measures will come into force in late 2027 or early 2028.
The construction retentions provisions will be commenced separately through Commencement Regulations, with implementation timed to allow industry preparation and the development of appropriate alternative arrangements.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what specific schemes his department has in place to help reduce re-offending in a) South West and b) Torbay.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Through the Sentencing Act and Future Probation Service reforms, probation practitioners have greater flexibility to tailor supervision to individual risks and needs. In the South West, people on probation can access commissioned support with accommodation, debt, substance misuse, emotional wellbeing and employment, alongside mental health treatment, the Offender Personality Disorder Service, a dedicated pathway for women, probation interventions, unpaid work and electronic monitoring where imposed. Work with prisons, health partners and specialist services also supports transition from custody into the community. In Torbay and the wider region, local provision includes the Ilfracombe Health Hub pilot, which brings health and probation support together to address unmet health needs and improve access to treatment.