Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68534 on Members: Correspondence, when the hon. Member will receive a reply to the correspondence with reference MW07790.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
A response was sent to the Honourable Member on 25 September 2025. I apologise for the delay.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered introducing a ring-fenced national funding stream to support the expansion of GP surgeries in (a) high-growth and (b) underserved areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to ensure that the National Health Service estate is fit for purpose, in order to meet the needs of the local population.
General practices (GPs) are independent contractors, which, alongside ICBs, are responsible for ensuring their premises are up to standard. Most practice premises are privately owned or leased.
The Department and NHS England requested that ICBs develop estates infrastructure strategies. These have been developed to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs. These strategies must take existing and future GP and primary care estate into account when considering how best to deliver local services. To support them in doing this, we provide an annual capital allocation, operational capital, which ICBs are free to use as they see fit, working with healthcare providers in their area including GPs, to deliver their estates and infrastructure priorities.
At a national level, we continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure all new and existing developments have an adequate level of healthcare infrastructure for the community.
In Autumn 2024, the Government announced the Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund, a nationally controlled fund which will deliver upgrades this financial year to GP surgeries across England. These schemes will create additional clinical space within existing building footprints to enable practices to see more patients, boost productivity, and improve patient care. ICBs were invited to submit funding proposals that align with local integrated care system infrastructure strategies and the Primary Care Network Estates Toolkit, prioritising high-quality, fit-for-purpose estates over poorly maintained assets.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department is working with integrated care boards to help tackle potential barriers for GP partnerships when seeking funding for (a) new premises and (b) expansion under the capital funding structure.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to ensure that the National Health Service estate is fit for purpose, in order to meet the needs of the local population.
General practices (GPs) are independent contractors, which, alongside ICBs, are responsible for ensuring their premises are up to standard. Most practice premises are privately owned or leased.
The Department and NHS England requested that ICBs develop estates infrastructure strategies. These have been developed to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs. These strategies must take existing and future GP and primary care estate into account when considering how best to deliver local services. To support them in doing this, we provide an annual capital allocation, operational capital, which ICBs are free to use as they see fit, working with healthcare providers in their area including GPs, to deliver their estates and infrastructure priorities.
At a national level, we continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure all new and existing developments have an adequate level of healthcare infrastructure for the community.
In Autumn 2024, the Government announced the Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund, a nationally controlled fund which will deliver upgrades this financial year to GP surgeries across England. These schemes will create additional clinical space within existing building footprints to enable practices to see more patients, boost productivity, and improve patient care. ICBs were invited to submit funding proposals that align with local integrated care system infrastructure strategies and the Primary Care Network Estates Toolkit, prioritising high-quality, fit-for-purpose estates over poorly maintained assets.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the funding model administered by integrated care boards supports (a) long-term infrastructure planning for primary care and (b) the timely development of new GP practices.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to ensure that the National Health Service estate is fit for purpose, in order to meet the needs of the local population.
General practices (GPs) are independent contractors, which, alongside ICBs, are responsible for ensuring their premises are up to standard. Most practice premises are privately owned or leased.
The Department and NHS England requested that ICBs develop estates infrastructure strategies. These have been developed to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs. These strategies must take existing and future GP and primary care estate into account when considering how best to deliver local services. To support them in doing this, we provide an annual capital allocation, operational capital, which ICBs are free to use as they see fit, working with healthcare providers in their area including GPs, to deliver their estates and infrastructure priorities.
At a national level, we continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure all new and existing developments have an adequate level of healthcare infrastructure for the community.
In Autumn 2024, the Government announced the Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund, a nationally controlled fund which will deliver upgrades this financial year to GP surgeries across England. These schemes will create additional clinical space within existing building footprints to enable practices to see more patients, boost productivity, and improve patient care. ICBs were invited to submit funding proposals that align with local integrated care system infrastructure strategies and the Primary Care Network Estates Toolkit, prioritising high-quality, fit-for-purpose estates over poorly maintained assets.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with business representatives on ensuring that elderly people are not prevented from using businesses that choose to move to digital-only services.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government does not generally intervene in how businesses choose to conduct their activities or offer their products and services. However, the Government expects all businesses to treat all consumers fairly.
Having said that, everyone has a role to play in realising a shared vision for a digitally inclusive UK to ensure everyone, including the elderly, can participate in our modern digital society. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February, which sets out the first actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of bottom trawling on coastlines in Teignmouth.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority assesses the impacts of fishing in its district. It has byelaws in place to restrict damaging fishing activity in Marine Protected Areas. As a result of these byelaws, over 40% of the South Devon coast is closed to bottom-towed fishing gear.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish a consultation on (a) reducing and (b) abolishing the 10% commission charge on the sale of park homes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 69040 on 24 July 2025.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a 10% commission charge on the sale of park homes on park home owners.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 69040 on 24 July 2025.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot, dated 2 July 2025, on behalf of his constituent L Coombes.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department places significant importance on providing timely responses to correspondence. We sincerely apologise for the delay in this instance and assure the Member that a full response will be provided as soon as possible.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the email from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot sent on 24 July 2025.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member by the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, on behalf of the Secretary of State, on 17 September 2025.