Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate resources for the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to handle caseloads and help resolve issues.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department maintains a sponsorship relationship with the Ombudsman, through which matters such as finances and casework are regularly discussed. The Ombudsman’s funding is set through the Department’s annual Business Planning processes. The Ombudsman was given a 33% uplift in funding for 2025/26 onwards to account for the increased demand on their complaints service.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Torbay sent on 22 and 27 April, reference SD16253.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
I responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 15 July 2026 (our reference MC2026/11359) and to his further correspondence of 15 July 2026, in relation to the same case, on 12 August 2026 (our reference MC2026/15006).
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, who is the responsible body for ensuring lead testing happens in school buildings.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Responsibility for the safety and maintenance of school buildings, including ensuring the quality of drinking water, rests with the responsible body for the school. For maintained schools this is usually the local authority or governing body, and for academies it is the academy trust.
Responsible bodies are expected to comply with relevant legal requirements and take appropriate action, including testing for lead in drinking water where there is a potential risk. The School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 require schools to have suitable drinking water facilities.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate they have made of the number of children eligible for free school meals who are not registered to receive them.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department only collects data on pupils who are both eligible for and claiming free school meals. Children not claiming free school meals could be eligible or ineligible to claim them. As a result, no recent estimate has been made of the number of children eligible for but not registered to receive free school meals.
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 recent progress his Department has made in the completion of the Universal Credit split payment impact assessment; and whether they plan to use split payments as the default mechanism for all joint claims.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Department is currently considering the policy design specification provided by the Scottish Government for its proposal to make split payments the default option for Universal Credit customers in Scotland.
The Department has no plans to make split payments the default arrangement for all joint Universal Credit claims.
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 review the maximum stakes and prizes limits for Category B3 and C gaming machines in adult gaming centres.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The government has been clear that it will not look to make additional deregulatory changes to the adult gaming sector until further improvements are made on customer protections. Government officials meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and representatives from the sector and will continue to support operators with making progress in this area.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of the adult gaming centre sector on enabling cashless payment systems; and whether she plans to bring forward related regulatory changes.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The government has been clear that it will not look to make additional deregulatory changes to the adult gaming sector until further improvements are made on customer protections. Government officials meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and representatives from the sector and will continue to support operators with making progress in this area.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with the adult gaming centre sector on raising the stakes and prizes cap; and what assessment she has made of the potential economic impact of such a change.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The government has been clear that it will not look to make additional deregulatory changes to the adult gaming sector until further improvements are made on customer protections. Government officials meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and representatives from the sector and will continue to support operators with making progress in this area.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has considered raising the stakes and prizes cap for adult gaming centres.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The government has been clear that it will not look to make additional deregulatory changes to the adult gaming sector until further improvements are made on customer protections. Government officials meet regularly with the Gambling Commission and representatives from the sector and will continue to support operators with making progress in this area.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help facilitate the movement of assistance dogs accompanying their owners travelling from the UK to the EU.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Securing less burdensome arrangements for non-commercial pet travel to the EU, including for assistance dogs, remains a UK Government priority. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper. Instead of getting an Animal Health Certificate each time they travel, assistance dog owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.
We have committed, with the EU, to conclude negotiations before the next UK-EU Summit. Whilst these negotiations are ongoing, we are unable to provide detailed updates on the talks or delivery timelines.