Steve Darling MP: written questions 2024
137 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Home EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13839More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure local authorities have the necessary (a) resources and (b) training to effectively safeguard children receiving elective home education.
Answer: The department has collected termly data from local authorities concerning their cohorts of home-educated children since autumn 2022.The most recent published data shows an estimated 92,000 children in home education in October 2023, a rise of around 12,0...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of PIP to support disabled people with the extra cost of disability.
Answer: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides a contribution to the extra costs that may arise from a disability or health condition. There is no objective way of deciding what an adequate level of PIP should be, as everyone has different requirements refl...
Answered 15 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: Torbay HospitalDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve accident and emergency services at Torbay Hospital.
Answer: The Government has committed to supporting the National Health Service to improve performance across the country, including in Torbay. This includes returning to the standard set out in the NHS Constitution, that 95% of patients attending accident and eme...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: British Nationals AbroadDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support British pensioners residing overseas.
Answer: UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, based on a person’s National Insurance record, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAbsent Voting: Visual ImpairmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13038More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will review the postal voting system to help improve accessibility for blind and partially sighted people.
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 10319 on 29 October 2024.
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDisabilityWomen and EqualitiesTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13037More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Equality Act 2010 in improving services for people with disabilities.
Answer: It is crucial that we ensure everyone is treated fairly when accessing services, so that they can thrive and reach their full potential, including people with disabilities.We believe that the Equality Act 2010 is effective in ensuring service providers ma...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCarlauren Group: InsolvencyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13036More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to recover costs incurred by local authorities in maintaining the safety, security and environmental integrity of the property portfolio or
Answer: Local authorities have flexibility over the money they receive, enabling them to work with their residents to decide how best to spend it on local priorities. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are responsible for commissioning a diverse range of ...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordVoluntary WorkDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13035More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department plans to take support community-based volunteering opportunities.
Answer: Volunteering is critical to a vibrant and resilient civil society; it benefits volunteers and the organisations involving them and has transformational impacts on local communities. Government undertakes a range of policy work to enable as many people to ...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: Care LeaversDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12806More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she an estimate of the cost of providing all care leavers in England with the over 25 rate of Universal Credit.
Answer: No such estimate has been made.
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordYouth Guarantee: Care LeaversDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will include bespoke support for unemployed care leavers in the Youth Guarantee.
Answer: We recognise the challenges care leavers face as they move out of the care system and are working closely with Department for Education to ensure care leavers can access the right skills, opportunities, and wider support, to move towards sustained employm...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCare Leavers: FinanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of an enhanced financial support package for care leavers aged 18 to 25.
Answer: We understand the challenges care leavers face and that is why the department continues to provide additional dedicated support through a series of safeguards and easements aimed at simplifying their interaction with the benefit system. This includes supp...
Answered 15 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLong-term Plan for TownsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12743More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when her Department plans to publish the prospectus on the Long-Term Plan for Towns.
Answer: The Chancellor confirmed at the Budget on 30 October that the Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed as part of a new regeneration programme.A revised prospectus for the programme will be published in due course, confirming the associated ...
Answered 13 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordParental LeaveDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12607More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will review support for parents who will not be entitled to Neonatal Care Leave and Pay because they (a) are self-employed and (b) have another ineligible employment status.
Answer: The Government recognises the challenges and worry facing parents whose babies are admitted to neonatal care; we will set out more information on our plans in this area shortly.The Government is committed to reviewing the parental leave system so that it ...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRare Diseases: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with NICE on reducing the time taken for patients to access treatment for very rare diseases in cases when there is uncertainty on the (a) incidence a
Answer: The Department has regular discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) about a range of issues, including in relation to timelines for appraisals. The NICE aims to issue draft guidance on new medicines, including for rare...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: DisqualificationDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 31 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of benefits sanctions on children in the households of those sanctioned.
Answer: Our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is a key priority for this Government. The Child Poverty Taskforce has already started urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025 and will continue to explore all available levers to d...
Answered 7 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordFisheries: Wind PowerDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12012More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of compensating commercial fishermen who are displaced from fishing grounds by offshore wind development projects.
Answer: Impacts of proposed offshore wind developments on affected stakeholders, including fishers, is considered during the development consent process. The Government encourages offshore wind developers and the fishing industry to discuss potential impacts at a...
Answered 7 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSchools: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12010More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding per (a) primary and (b) secondary school student is provided In (i) Cornwall, (ii) Plymouth, (iii) Torbay, (iv) Devon and (v) in the five local authorities with the highest level of education a
Answer: Mainstream schools receive the majority of their core school funding through the schools block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG). DSG has funding data for Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and Devon. It does not include funding in respect of the ‘local author...
Answered 7 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHomelessness: Care LeaversMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11453More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that care leavers below the age of 26 are given priority need status for homelessness support.
Answer: The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high and this can have a devastating impact on those affected, including young people and care leavers. We will look at these issues carefully and will consider youth and care leaver homelessn...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: Care LeaversDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11452More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the over-25 rate of universal credit to care leavers.
Answer: The Government supports care leavers by offering a series of safeguards and easements aimed at simplifying and improving their interaction with the benefit system. This includes single care leavers qualifying for the more generous one-bedroom Local Housin...
Answered 1 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPension WiseDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the impact of the stronger nudge to pensions guidance on Pension Wise guidance usage by pension savers.
Answer: The Stronger Nudge to pension guidance regulations were introduced in June 2022. In the year following this (June 2022 to May 2023) around 124,000 Pension Wise appointments were attended, and in the subsequent year (June 2023 to May 2024) around 119,000 a...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCharles Bonnet Syndrome: Diagnosis and Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11196More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase the number of healthcare professionals trained to (a) diagnose and (b) treat Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
Answer: Patients who experience Charles Bonnet symptoms who are already under hospital eye services can access support services via an Eye Care Liaison Officer within the hospital. Otherwise, a patient should contact their general practice (GP). The GP will make ...
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCharles Bonnet Syndrome: Diagnosis and Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to establish a formal pathway for the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
Answer: Patients who experience Charles Bonnet symptoms who are already under hospital eye services can access support services via an Eye Care Liaison Officer within the hospital. Otherwise, a patient should contact their general practice (GP). The GP will make ...
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordWritten question 900983TreasuryTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 900983More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on reforms to business rates.
Answer: The government will create a fairer business rates system that protects the high-street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. Autumn Budget 2024 announced the first steps including an intention to introduce permanently lower multipliers f...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: AgeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10919More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has undertaken financial modelling for a potential compensation scheme for issues raised in the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: o
Answer: As part of our work on the Ombudsman’s investigation and report, we have been considering the costs of setting up a compensation scheme. The Ombudsman used DWP’s broad estimates in their report published 21 March 2024, stating that “Compensating all women...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: AgeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10917More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time civil servants are working on the response to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated
Answer: Work is ongoing by civil servants across grades who work both full and part-time. The Ombudsman’s report is detailed and complex. It took around 6 years to complete and the issues it considers span a period of some 30 years. It is not possible to determin...
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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