Steve Darling MP: written questions
244 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Workplace PensionsTreasuryTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112690More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what modelling (a) she and (b) the OBR has carried out on the distributional impact of measures on salary sacrifice for pensions in the Autumn Budget 2025.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to pensions salary sacrifice. Almost all – 95% - of those earning £30,000 or less who use salary sacrifice will be entirely unaffected by ...
Answered 26 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work ProgrammeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111914More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason Access to Work advisers no longer accept supporting evidence by email for new and renewal applications; what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that change on processing t
Answer: As has been the case for many years under successive administrations, DWP does not generally allow evidence for health and disability benefits to be submitted via email. This is because this evidence often contains sensitive personal data, which must be s...
Answered 31 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work ProgrammeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111913More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applicants for (a) new Access to Work awards and (b) the renewal of existing awards who undertook holistic workplace assessments received support in line with the recommendations of those asses
Answer: The Department does not hold data on how many applicants for (a) new Access to Work awards and (b) the renewal of existing awards who undertook holistic workplace assessments received support in line with the recommendations of those assessments in each o...
Answered 16 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPlastics: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111912More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of plastic recycling provision in supermarkets including where products are sold in packaging which needs to be recycled in-store.
Answer: Simpler Recycling came into force on 31 March 2025 requiring all workplaces in England with more than 10 full-time employees to separate their waste before collection, including any waste produced by employees, customers and visitors. This includes dry re...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFamily Courts: ChildrenMinistry of JusticeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111911More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to reform the family court system to ensure children's best interests are prioritised.
Answer: The Children Act 1989 states that the welfare of the child is the court’s paramount consideration when making decisions in relation to a child's upbringing. This Government is committed to reform of the family court to improve the experience and outcomes ...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDental Services: Chronic Illnesses and VeteransDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111910More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to dentistry services for (a) veterans and (b) people suffering with long-term illnesses.
Answer: We are aware of the challenges faced by many in accessing a National Health Service dentist, including people suffering with long-term illnesses, and valued members of the Armed Forces community, such as our respected veterans who have spent their careers...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDental Services: Chronic Illnesses and VeteransDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111909More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of dental care given to (a) veterans and (b) those suffering with long-term illnesses.
Answer: We are aware of the challenges faced by many in accessing a National Health Service dentist, including people suffering with long-term illnesses, and valued members of the Armed Forces community, such as our respected veterans who have spent their careers...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordConditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110507More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to hold the consultation on proposed changes to NDAs under the Employment Rights Bill; and what is the planned timeline for implementation.
Answer: The Employment Rights Act 2025 will address the misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) by employers who want to silence workers about harassment and discrimination in the workplace.The Government will consult on the conditions under which NDAs can sti...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDemocracy and Disinformation: Social MediaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109647More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report by Resilience and Reconstruction entitled Disinformation, UK Democracy, and At
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January to Question 105450. As concerns the algorithms of social media platforms, the Online Safety Act gives Ofcom the power to request information on their design, including as this relates to allegati...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCitizenship and Media: EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109646More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies on media literacy and citizenship education of the findings of the report by Resilience and Reconstruction entitled Disinformation,
Answer: Improved media literacy builds resilience to misinformation and disinformation and fosters critical thinking. The government is improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work, including funding innovative community-based interventions ...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109295More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish the outcome of its consultation on the Bathing Water Regulations.
Answer: Defra, jointly with the Welsh Government, ran a consultation on a package of reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 that was open between November – December 2024. In March 2025 the Government published its response to this consultation, setting ou...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: Sexual OffencesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109294More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of sexual misconduct policies implemented by NHS integrated care boards for protecting NHS staff from sexual misconduct by other staff members.
Answer: Sexual misconduct of any kind has no place in the National Health Service. NHS England is actively working to ensure that the NHS is a safe environment for employees, patients, and visitors.NHS England published the Sexual Safety Charter in 2023, setting ...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCourts: StandardsMinistry of JusticeTabled 15 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106170More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to (a) remove the cap on the number of days courts can sit, (b) help ensure prisoners are transported to court on time, (c) hold discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service on the removal
Answer: The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard and too many victims waiting years for justice.In the Crown Court for this financial year (2025/26), we are fun...
Answered 23 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSecond Homes: Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105803More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department takes account of exceptional circumstances in previous years when calculating Council Tax base growth, including reviews of single person discounts and the
Answer: At the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-27 to 2028-29 on 17 December 2025, we set out the funding available to councils through the longstanding Core Spending Power measure, which was calculated in line with the approach used at previo...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work ProgrammeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 101896More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, from January 2023 to December 2025, what information his Department holds on the number of instances where waiting times for Access to Work have resulted in claimants losing their job or having their wo
Answer: Access to Work is only available to people who are in work or about to start work, and the number of hours worked does not affect eligibility, so this type of data is not recorded.
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordYouth Services: TorbayDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 101895More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate funding for Time for Young People in Torbay; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of early support provision.
Answer: We recognise the importance of high-quality, community-based early support for children and young people’s mental health, including innovative local services such as Time for Young People in Torbay. These services play a key role in offering early, access...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCarers: FinanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99555More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help ensure that local carer services are able to provide Income Maximisation services and crisis support to unpaid carers.
Answer: Overall Government responsibility for support for unpaid carers in England sits with the Department for Health and Social Care. DWP can provide financial support to qualifying unpaid carers through Carer’s Allowance, the Carer Element in Universal Credit ...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCrisis and Resilience Fund: CarersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99554More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether unpaid carers will be classified as a financially vulnerable group eligible for the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Answer: My Department has engaged with stakeholders on the design of the Fund through a structured co-design process, including eligibility requirements. We are considering feedback received through this process, and we plan to publish guidance in January 2026.
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCarer's Allowance: OverpaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99553More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carers have been convicted of fraud since 2015 due to Carer’s Allowance overpayments.
Answer: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has prosecuted cases of benefit fraud since 2012. DWP will refer cases where there is evidence that a claimant has deliberately claimed benefits they are not entitled to or provided false information. The decision to pr...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: RegulationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 906996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to regulate artificial intelligence.
Answer: AI is already regulated in the UK. A range of existing rules already apply to AI systems, such as data protection, competition, equality legislation and other forms of sector regulation. The Government will act where these laws are not enough to ensure sa...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOphthalmic Services: Community Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99306More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expand the use of community optometry services.
Answer: Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optic...
Answered 30 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOphthalmic ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99304More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to create capacity in hospital eye services by expanding the use of optometry-led diagnostic and treatment pathways.
Answer: Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optic...
Answered 30 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOphthalmic ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the October 2024 report entitled Key Interventions to Transform Eye Care & Eye Health; and what estimate hi
Answer: Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optic...
Answered 30 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOphthalmic ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99302More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) eye care services provision and (b) steps taken by Integrated Care Boards to ensure equality of access to eye care services in each re
Answer: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet local need. NHS sight tests are widely available across the country. The decision to commission enhanced eye care services will be determined b...
Answered 30 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOphthalmic ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99300More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the efficacy of the (a) Minor Eye Conditions Service and (b) Community Urgent Eyecare Service.
Answer: Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population and commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. This can include the commissioning of enhanced eye care services from high street optic...
Answered 30 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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