Steve Darling: My call for interim hospital funding was rejected

The government's decision to delay Torbay Hospital's upgrade and repair program until 2032 has caused widespread concern in Torbay. 

The existing infrastructure is in dire need of maintenance, and the long wait for the rebuild raises serious questions about the hospital's ability to function safely and effectively in the interim. 

I have written to the Health Secretary requesting him to explore interim funding to maintain the hospital's infrastructure until the rebuild begins. 

Unfortunately, the Health Secretary has denied this request. Meanwhile healthcare professionals are scrambling for solutions. 

One consultant has even suggested resorting to buying scaffolding poles on eBay to maintain the hospital's structural integrity. 

This makeshift solution not only diverts vital NHS funds from patient care but also highlights the government's negligence in addressing the hospital's urgent needs. 

This inaction, spanning different governments, has been met with strong condemnation. The hospital's critical condition, coupled with staff shortages and record waiting times, paints a grim picture of the wider NHS crisis. 

Immediate government intervention, including a review of their decision and emergency funding for essential infrastructure repairs, is crucial to prevent further deterioration of Torbay Hospital and ensure patient safety. 

Last Monday marked Holocaust Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for the six million Jews and millions of others murdered by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. It serves as a solemn reminder of the importance of combating hatred and antisemitism, learning from the Holocaust's impact, and taking action to prevent future genocides. 

Earlier this month, I signed the Holocaust Educational Trust (UK)'s Book of Commitment, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and reaffirming my commitment to fighting antisemitism. The theme for UK Holocaust Memorial Day 2025, "For a Better Future," encourages reflection and collective action toward a future where such atrocities never recur. 

The government's decision to increase employers' National Insurance Contributions poses a threat to Torbay's health and social care providers and could significantly harm our seasonal tourism industry. 

Our tourism industry has faced numerous challenges in recent years, and burdening it with this increase is patently unfair. Big seasonal employers like Splashdown and Paignton Zoo will be particularly affected. 

I challenged the government on this issue this week, and their response was deeply disappointing. This government speaks of restoring our economy through growth, but they have failed to deliver thus far. I do not believe that targeting our tourism industry in this way will achieve growth. 

Torbay Council is working with a Devon-based developer on its first Hotels to Homes scheme, an exciting new project to convert former hotels into high-quality social housing for local households. It is part of a strategy to tackle the local housing crisis. 

The first scheme will see the former Brampton Court Hotel on St Luke's Road South in Torquay repurposed into 14 modern, energy-efficient, and sustainable homes of one and two bedrooms, subject to planning permission. 

Given that the tourism industry has changed, and the Bay now has several disused hotels, guesthouses, and bed and breakfasts, Hotel to Homes is designed to redevelop carefully selected buildings of this type into much-needed new housing. 

Repurposing disused brownfield sites in this way stops them from becoming derelict and attracting anti-social behavior. 

It also supports neighborhood regeneration and renewal. I am pleased to see progress on social housing building upon the work that the previous administration had done where we got on with building new social housing such as that at Tweenaway Cross in Paignton. 

Thank you for reading. As ever, If I can help, please get in touch by emailing: steve.darling.mp@parliament.uk 

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