Written questions by Anderson.

Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of support for reducing trade barriers relates to non-tariff barriers.

Our global network of 16 agrifood and drink attachés are breaking down market access barriers and creating new export opportunities, delivering benefits to businesses in Buckinghamshire and across the UK. So far this year we have pulled down 41 trade barriers, estimated by industry to be worth nearly £100 million to the British food and drink sector. We work closely with industry to identify and resolve barriers, taking into account value and sectoral priorities. Barriers are identified and prioritised at national level but importance to local economies is taken into account. Our attaches focus on removing regulatory barriers for the agri-food and drink sector, including access for animal and plant products, as well as addressing issues such as labelling and other technical barriers to trade which can hinder exports. Together with market access secured through Free Trade Agreements, such as the recent agreement with India, this opens the door to British businesses to capitalise on strong global demand for British produce. Businesses in Buckinghamshire can report a barrier directly through the online report a barrier service or via their trade association to Defra market access groups for each commodity category. There are a range of SME targeted tools and support available through the Business Growth Service via business.gov.uk to help businesses sell abroad and find the best country for their product. Additional support can be accessed through the UK Export Academy, which is a free training programme for UK businesses looking to grow their international sales.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press notice entitled Nation to benefit from two new national forests backed by £1 billion investment in tree planting, published on 5 November 2025, what her planned timetable is for planting trees.

We intend to announce further details on the planned timetable for the OxCam corridor national forest in due course. Details of the competition for the third new national forest will also be published in due course.

What discussions his Department has had with NHS England on integrated occupational-health pathways.

The Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate routinely works across Departments and health systems to develop cross cutting initiatives such as Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, the Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care programme and WorkWell. The Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies (England), embeds Employment Advisors within the Talking Therapies service, enabling the provision of integrated therapeutic treatment and employment support to patients regardless of their work or benefit status. The Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care programme (IPSPC), is a Supported Employment model aimed at supporting disabled people and those with health conditions. IPSPC supports people who are out of work and those needing support with their health issues to stay in work. The WorkWell pilot is a new way to deliver integrated work and health support that is designed by Integrated Care Boards in partnership with local government, Jobcentre Plus and community groups. These partnerships have had flexibility to design their WorkWell service according to their local needs, building on existing assets and resources, creating opportunities to integrate provision and pathways across places. Sites went live from October 2024 in 15 areas in England and provide low intensity holistic support for health-related barriers to employment, and a single joined up gateway to existing local work and health service provision. Multidisciplinary teams provide support to participants that can include employer liaison, work and health coaching, physiotherapy, and mental health services.

What steps his Department is taking to assess supply chain readiness for increased export activity.

The government recognises that robust supply chains are fundamental to enabling businesses to capitalise on export opportunities and drive sustainable growth. As outlined in the UK’s Trade Strategy, we are committed to working with businesses of all sizes to strengthen their capacity to compete in global markets.

What estimate he has made of the resources allocated to improve export advisory capacity within UK business support services.

The Department for Business and Trade is putting in place the policies and support needed to drive export-led business growth.DBT has integrated its support for SMEs in a single, accessible place – the Business Growth Service – designed to help businesses across the UK start, scale, and succeed globally. From tailored market advice to free training through the Export Academy, we are making it easier for businesses to navigate global markets, seize opportunities, and build resilience.Our Export Champions are also sharing their experience and encouraging and inspiring new and fledgling exporters.

What discussions his Department has had with (a) local authorities and (b) regional growth bodies on export-capability development.

Working with local delivery bodies is a central part of our Plan for Small Businesses and Business Growth Service. A core principle of the Business Growth Service is local partnership working, including working with Growth Hubs and Mayoral Strategic Authorities.Our Plan for Small Businesses, published in July, sets out the ways in which we will work with local authorities to deliver our ambitions of supporting businesses to grow.

Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria she uses to prioritise businesses in accessing support for reducing trade barriers.

Our global network of 16 agrifood and drink attachés are breaking down market access barriers and creating new export opportunities, delivering benefits to businesses in Buckinghamshire and across the UK. So far this year we have pulled down 41 trade barriers, estimated by industry to be worth nearly £100 million to the British food and drink sector. We work closely with industry to identify and resolve barriers, taking into account value and sectoral priorities. Barriers are identified and prioritised at national level but importance to local economies is taken into account. Our attaches focus on removing regulatory barriers for the agri-food and drink sector, including access for animal and plant products, as well as addressing issues such as labelling and other technical barriers to trade which can hinder exports. Together with market access secured through Free Trade Agreements, such as the recent agreement with India, this opens the door to British businesses to capitalise on strong global demand for British produce. Businesses in Buckinghamshire can report a barrier directly through the online report a barrier service or via their trade association to Defra market access groups for each commodity category. There are a range of SME targeted tools and support available through the Business Growth Service via business.gov.uk to help businesses sell abroad and find the best country for their product. Additional support can be accessed through the UK Export Academy, which is a free training programme for UK businesses looking to grow their international sales.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure smaller food and drink producers in Buckinghamshire can access government support for reducing trade barriers.

Our global network of 16 agrifood and drink attachés are breaking down market access barriers and creating new export opportunities, delivering benefits to businesses in Buckinghamshire and across the UK. So far this year we have pulled down 41 trade barriers, estimated by industry to be worth nearly £100 million to the British food and drink sector. We work closely with industry to identify and resolve barriers, taking into account value and sectoral priorities. Barriers are identified and prioritised at national level but importance to local economies is taken into account. Our attaches focus on removing regulatory barriers for the agri-food and drink sector, including access for animal and plant products, as well as addressing issues such as labelling and other technical barriers to trade which can hinder exports. Together with market access secured through Free Trade Agreements, such as the recent agreement with India, this opens the door to British businesses to capitalise on strong global demand for British produce. Businesses in Buckinghamshire can report a barrier directly through the online report a barrier service or via their trade association to Defra market access groups for each commodity category. There are a range of SME targeted tools and support available through the Business Growth Service via business.gov.uk to help businesses sell abroad and find the best country for their product. Additional support can be accessed through the UK Export Academy, which is a free training programme for UK businesses looking to grow their international sales.

What estimate he has made of the skills support required to help UK firms expand into new export markets.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to providing businesses with the support, advice and skills they need to export across the globe.Businesses can access DBT’s wealth of export support via business.gov.uk. This includes support via the UK Export Academy, a free, comprehensive learning and development programme that boosts British businesses’ global trading capability.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Nation to benefit from two new national forests backed by £1 billion investment in tree planting, published on 5 November 2025, what proportion of trees planted will be native species.

The design of the new forests will be led by delivery partners on the ground, so exact species mix is not known at this time.  The woodlands created will be designed for multiple functions including recreation, flood management, timber production and wildlife habitat – the species will be selected to reflect these functions will differ from site to site.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of home-based NHS care on hospital admissions.

Whilst no comprehensive quantitative assessment has been made, we recognise that home and community-based National Health Services play a crucial role in preventing admissions for people with conditions that can be safely managed in the community, thereby helping to manage demand pressures on accident and emergency departments, and improving patient experience.Key features of home and community based services include: anticipating and preventing exacerbations using personalised care plans delivered through neighbourhood health teams for people with long-term conditions and frailty; directing people to the most appropriate service at first contact using clearly established routes for clinical advice supported by digital tools and neighbourhood teams; and delivering integrated community based services including Urgent Community Response, Hospital at Home, and therapy-led intermediate care.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Delivery Plan, published in June 2025, commits to increasing the number of patients receiving urgent care in the community by expanding these services.

What workforce planning measures he has implemented to support the delivery of home-based NHS care in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

This Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.The NHS is increasingly using virtual wards, also known as hospital at home, to support people at the place they call home, and enable the shift from hospital to community care. Virtual wards allow patients to get the care they need at home safely and conveniently, rather than being in hospital.

What assessment his Department has made of potential factors limiting Pension Credit take-up among eligible low-income pensioners in rural areas.

Research suggests that there are a range of reasons why some pensioners don’t claim Pension Credit. These include lack of awareness, uncertainty about eligibility and stigma around claiming benefits more generally. Some pensioners assume that they will not be entitled because they own their own home or have modest savings or other retirement income. Some may be put off by the claim processor be hesitant to provide personal or financial information. Pensioners in rural areas may face added barriers such as having limited access to local support services, social isolation or poor digital connectivity. The Government is committed to ensuring that all pensioners, no matter where they live, receive the financial support they are entitled to. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit taken-up campaign across the whole of Great Britain, promoting Pension Credit to eligible pensioners and their family and friends through adverts on television and radio; on social media and on digital screens in GP surgeries and Post Offices, as well as in the press. And Pension Credit can be claimed over the telephone, by post or online. Pensioners claiming by telephone can be supported and guided through the claim process by an agent while the online service is available 24/7 every day of the year and can be completed by a friend or relative.

What data his Department holds on local authority engagement with Pension Credit take-up campaigns.

The Department regularly engages with all councils in Great Britain through the Local Authority Welfare Direct e-bulletins on GOV.UK, email communications to our local authority contact list, and through wider outreach work through partnership managers covering national Jobcentre Plus districts. DWP Communications keeps a log of the extensive support for the campaign offered by Local Authorities across Great Britain, which helps the Department to focus promotional efforts. Following our calls for support for the annual Pension Credit Week of Action in 2024, and in October this year, at least 200 councils across Great Britain have actively supported our awareness campaign through social media promotion and/or in-person/on-site distribution of our promotional materials, including posters and leaflets.

What plans his Department has to enhance digital access support for Pension Credit applications for older people.

The Department is committed to making Pension Credit applications as accessible as possible for older people. We have invested in the Apply for Pension Credit online service (AfPC), which is designed to simply gather the information needed to make a claim, while ensuring that non-digital routes remain available for those who prefer or require them. Assisted digital support is embedded into the service, including telephone and paper-based options for digitally excluded customers. To further enhance digital access support, we plan to introduce “save and return” to make online applications easier for those who need more time or assistance.

Whether his Department has undertaken analysis of productivity variation across integrated care systems.

The Department recognises the importance of understanding productivity variation across integrated care systems (ICSs) to support improvement and to ensure value for money. NHS England routinely collects and analyses data on performance outcomes across ICSs, which is used to provide insight into relative performance at a trust level.For acute providers, this is included in the NHS Oversight Framework and trusts are segmented based on the latest estimates of a range of metrics, including productivity performance, and ranked in the NHS league tables, which are available at the following link:https://data.england.nhs.uk/dashboard/nofacute

Whether his Department plans to introduce mandatory reporting on productivity improvements linked to capital investment.

The Department is committed to ensuring that capital investment in the National Health Service delivers measurable improvements in productivity and patient outcomes. While there is currently no mandatory reporting framework specifically linking capital investment to productivity gains, NHS organisations are expected to demonstrate value for money and the impact through business case processes and post-project evaluations. The Department is exploring options to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of capital investments, including how productivity gains can be more systematically captured and reported in future.More broadly, the NHS plans to begin regularly publishing assessments of productivity performance against the 2% year-on-year improvement target we set in our 10-Year Health Plan. Data published in September 2025 showed an estimated 2.7% year-on-year improvement in acute productivity in the NHS over the 2024/25 financial year, with further information available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/patients-treated-more-quickly-as-nhs-productivity-rises-over-yearEarly data for the first quarter of 2025/26 suggests this trend is continuing with a further 2.4% improvement in acute productivity, with further information available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-recovery-continues-with-above-target-productivity-growth

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reduced electricity costs for employers in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency on employment growth in energy-intensive sectors.

This Government is well aware of the pressures facing our energy intensive industries (EIIs), across the nation, including high electricity prices. Our recent announcement of the uplift of relief offered by the Network Charging Compensation Scheme from 60% to 90% highlights our intent to support UK EIIs in their decarbonisation transition. This support will deliver much needed financial relief allowing businesses, such as those in Buckingham and Bletchley, more financial headroom and the possibility to grow.

Whether his Department has assessed the potential effectiveness of digital scheduling tools in improving outpatient capacity.

As set out in the Elective Reform Plan, the Department is committed to ensuring that outpatient capacity is planned and used effectively, and that processes are streamlined to free up capacity where possible. This includes ensuring that all appointments are necessary and reducing missed appointments.Digital scheduling tools like the NHS e-Referral Service (NHS e-RS), the NHS App, and the Manage Your Referral service are key enablers of this. The NHS e-RS is a digital platform used for referring patients from primary care into elective services. Manage Your Referral is the patient facing side of the NHS e-RS, allowing a patient to book, check, change, or cancel their first outpatient appointment online through its website or through the NHS App.The 10-Year Health Plan builds on this vision. It introduces tools like My NHS GP, My Choices, and My Specialist for personalised scheduling. By 2028, the NHS App will become the primary gateway for patients to book appointments and manage their appointments. The Medium Term Planning Framework, published in October 2025, sets out the initial phase of this work starting this year, to bring forward a roadmap for the delivery of the NHS App’s functions as described in the 10-Year Health Plan. This will help deliver a technology-enabled model of planned care which gives patients one place to manage all their appointments, referrals, and interactions, while bringing efficiencies that reduce referral-to-treatment times.

What steps his Department is taking to support NHS trusts to increase same-day elective procedure capability.

Same-day elective procedures, or day surgeries, allow patients to be treated and discharged on the same day, helping to reduce waiting times, minimising cancellations due to bed pressures, and supporting patients to recover more quickly, in the comfort of their own home.To expand same-day capability, we are investing in dedicated elective surgical hubs focused on high-volume, low-complexity procedures. These hubs improve productivity and support more patients to return home the same day, in line with the Right Procedure, Right Place principles.There are currently 124 operational hubs in England, 23 of which have opened since the Government took office. Over the next three years, we are committed to increasing the number of hubs to boost surgical capacity and deliver faster access to common procedures.NHS England also continues to run the Getting It Right First Time programme, as part of which trusts are supported to maximise hub productivity and increase the proportion of inpatient procedures completed as day surgeries.