Written questions by Anderson.

What steps he is taking to ensure that training curricula for the new Defence Technical Excellence Colleges align with capability requirements identified in the Strategic Defence Review.

Defence Technical Excellence Colleges will be recognised for their high-quality provision, including in training curricula, for skills important to the defence sector, including those identified through the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy. We will work closely with industry to identify their skills needs, including through the newly established Defence Industrial Joint Council.

What estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the Defence Industrial Strategy on (a) regional and (b) sectoral employment figures in (i) cyber-security, (ii) submarine engineering, (iii) aerospace and space systems and (iv) other technical sub-sectors.

The Ministry of Defence has not released specific public estimates regarding the regional and sectoral employment impacts of the Defence Industrial Strategy. However, the Defence Industrial Strategy focuses on creating high-skilled jobs and fostering growth in key technical sub-sectors such as cyber-security, submarine engineering, aerospace, other technical sub-sectors and space systems, with the aim of bolstering the UK’s defence industrial base and supporting regional economic development.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the partnership with the United Arab Emirates on tackling illicit finance is aligned with the objectives set out in the UK’s Economic Crime Plan, 2023 to 2026.

The UK-UAE Illicit Finance Partnership incorporates objectives from the Economic Crime Plan 2 (ECP2), which sets the UK’s whole-system response to economic crime. Strong progress was made against ECP2 objectives during the UK-UAE Illicit Finance Dialogue in September 2025, when the UAE visited London to advance talks on cooperation in areas such as asset recovery and fraud. As a global financial centres, the UK and UAE have joint responsibility to tackle illicit finance through our partnership, while achieving strategic outcomes set out in the Economic Crime Plan 2.

How much he plans to spend annually on research and development associated with the (a) Future Combat Air System and (b) Global Combat Air Programme in the next five years.

The forthcoming ten-year Defence Investment Plan will outline the Department’s spending plans in line with the Strategic Defence Review and Spending Review outcomes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the total number of households in the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency that remain without access to central government-supported flood resilience measures.

Flood Resilience Measures include Natural Flood Management, Property Flood Resilience (PFR), and Sustainable Drainage Systems. These can be effective at reducing the impacts of flooding but are always considered against a range of flood risk management options. The National Flood Risk Assessment identifies 196 properties at high or medium risk from fluvial flooding within this constituency. The Environment Agency are undertaking a new 'Initial Assessment' for Buckingham which will look at flood risk data and create a high-level evaluation of potential mitigation measures. A further 2629 properties are identified at high or medium risk from surface water flooding. Surface water flood management is the responsibility of the Lead Local Flood Authority. The FCRM Investment Programme includes the following projects to reduce risk from surface water: Leckhampsted Natural Flood ManagementTingewick Flood Alleviation SchemeBuckingham Natural Flood ManagementBuckingham Property Flood Resilience Study

What proportion of GP practices had signed up to the Advice and Guidance scheme by 30 April 2025 in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

The specific information requested is not held centrally by the Department as it is held at individual integrated care board (ICB) level. Buckingham and Bletchley constituency is served by two different ICBs, namely Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & West Berkshire ICB and Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB.

What processes are in place to review the effectiveness of the new co-operation with the United Arab Emirates in disrupting cross-border money laundering and terrorist financing activities.

The UK-UAE Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows is long-standing. Engagement to strengthen international cooperation on illicit finance is a Government-wide approach, and cooperation between the UK and UAE includes cross-Department Ministerial oversight. The UAE’s and UK’s next mutual evaluations by the Financial Action Task Force will be in 2026 and 2027 respectively, which will provide an independent assessment of the effectiveness of our respective anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing regimes, including international cooperation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what role UK diplomatic posts in the Gulf region will play in monitoring and supporting implementation of the enhanced partnership with the United Arab Emirates on illicit finance.

The UK-UAE Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows, chaired by the Home Office, is a cross-governmental effort to strengthen operational cooperation and disrupt financial crime. A senior UAE delegation visited the UK on 2 and 3 September to advance this work. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) sets and evaluates countries against global standards, which is a separate and technical process. Our bilateral engagement complements implementation of the FATF standards and supports international financial integrity.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of how the UK-UAE partnership on illicit finance will interact with multilateral initiatives such as the Financial Action Task Force.

The UK-UAE Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows, chaired by the Home Office, is a cross-governmental effort to strengthen operational cooperation and disrupt financial crime. A senior UAE delegation visited the UK on 2 and 3 September to advance this work. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) sets and evaluates countries against global standards, which is a separate and technical process. Our bilateral engagement complements implementation of the FATF standards and supports international financial integrity.

What resources his Department has provided to facilitate the participation by GP practices in the Advice and Guidance scheme in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency since 1 April 2025.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) were instructed to invite all general practices to participate in the enhanced service specification for General Practice Requests for Advice and Guidance (A&G) 2025/26, which sees practices entitled to claim a £20 fee per request for pre-referral advice and guidance, no later than 13 May 2025. The Government has made £80 million available to fund up to four million A&G requests so general practitioners (GPs) can access advice ahead of making a referral, recognising the importance of their role in ensuring patient care takes place in the most appropriate setting.NHS England has developed supporting resources to aid continued use of A&G, including a toolkit with guidance for GPs as well as for commissioners and secondary care clinical teams, and an operational delivery framework which sets a roadmap for ICBs to expand and improve their use of A&G across seven themes and with a set of minimum standards for best practice.

With reference to the document entitled Backing your business, published on 31 July 2025, what steps his Department plans to take to support SMEs to access skills funding in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

The Government is supporting SMEs across the country, including in Buckingham and Bletchley, by investing £1.2 billion annually in skills by 2028-29 as set out in the Spring Budget. Through Skills England and the new Growth and Skills levy, we are making it easier for SMEs to access training, tackle barriers to engagement, and benefit from employer incentives. Our reforms to apprenticeships and technical qualifications, including foundation apprenticeships and employer incentive payments, will further support SMEs to recruit, train, and develop the skilled workforce they need.

What criteria her Department plans to use to identify young people at risk of falling out of (a) education, (b) employment and (c) training for enrolment in the Youth Guarantee scheme.

As part of our plan to Get Britain Working, we will launch a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. To identify young people at risk of falling out of education, employment or training the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education are working closely with the eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England, delivering the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers. These authorities began mobilising the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in April 2025 and are now testing a range of approaches to reach and support those at risk of becoming NEET. These include using available local data to identify disengaged or at risk young people, working with partner organisations already supporting vulnerable groups and drawing on the Department for Education’s non-statutory guidance on the ‘Risk of NEET indicators’ guidance available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/identifying-and-supporting-young-people-at-risk-of-neet

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing statutory pay transparency requirements for employers.

While there is no immediate plan to introduce statutory pay transparency requirements for employers, we are currently considering responses to a Call for Evidence on equality law which included questions on this theme. We recognise that reforms introduced in other jurisdictions are prompting constructive debate around how best to include transparency in recruitment and pay systems. We are considering the full range of evidence and remain committed to identifying solutions that balance meaningful progress with the need to minimise unnecessary burdens on employers.

What steps her Department is taking to align the implementation of Overseas Recognition Regimes with the UK's financial services trade objectives in Asia-Pacific markets.

At Mansion House, HM Treasury published revised guidance on the UK’s approach to the unilateral recognition of overseas jurisdictions’ regulation of financial services, known as Overseas Recognition Regimes (ORRs). ORRs will replace the ‘equivalence’ regimes inherited from the EU after EU exit, which were repealed by FSMA 2023. As the government progresses its programme of work to replace the existing equivalence regimes with ORRs, it is the intention to maintain all the existing decisions, including decisions in Asia-Pacific markets.As set out in the guidance document, the government’s approach to new ORR designations will be aligned with the UK’s wider objectives. Consideration of an overseas jurisdiction for a new designation under an ORR is initiated by HM Treasury, although overseas jurisdictions are welcome to indicate an interest to HM Treasury in being assessed, and these will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

What assessment her Department has made of the barriers to expanding the financial services provisions within existing Economic Partnership Agreements.

The Government published its Trade Strategy on 26 June, setting out its plan to stimulate economic growth in a rapidly changing global landscape. The Strategy sets out that the Government will consult with governments and businesses on expanding our Economic Partnership Agreements to include services. Any decision to expand the financial services provisions within EPAs will be guided by dialogue with partner countries and aligned with UK growth and development objectives. Financial services is one of the eight growth-driving sectors identified in the Trade Strategy. The UK’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, launched by the Chancellor on 15 July, sets out the Government’s commitment to ensuring the UK remains an open and connected financial centre, and to upholding its commitment to international regulatory standards. Strengthened partnerships with international financial centres around the world and a trade strategy that prioritises financial services and market access are essential for sustaining the UK’s leadership as a global financial hub and fostering economic growth.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with (a) Buckinghamshire Council and (b) Thames Valley Police to help reduce incidents of fly-tipping.

Local authorities are usually best placed to respond to fly-tipping problems in their area. Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), through which we work with a wide range of interested parties, including local authorities and National Police Chiefs Council, to share good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping. The NFTPG has developed various practical tools including a guide on how councils and others can set up and run effective local partnerships to tackle fly-tipping. These are available at: https://nftpg.com/. We also encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers. We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise their existing powers. We have also announced a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool.

Whether her Department has established metrics for evaluating the impact of the concierge service on foreign direct investment into UK financial services.

The Office for Investment: Financial Services is a public-private partnership between HM Treasury, the Office for Investment, the financial services regulators, and the City of London Corporation, working together to attract the world’s best financial services businesses to the UK. It was announced as part of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, published at Mansion House in July 2025. The government is committed to effective monitoring and evaluation of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy - including the Office for Investment: Financial Services - with clear indicators laid out in the Strategy focused on how growing the financial sector will support growth and investment across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority are required by legislation to coordinate on a number of matters, for example to consult each other where there are matters of common regulatory interest where the other regulator may be expected to have relevant information or relevant expertise. The financial services regulators therefore have a close working relationship which will support the operations of the Office for Investment: Financial Services. The Office for Investment: Financial Services will proactively promote all UK nations and regions as investment destinations for the world’s most innovative, fast-growing and highest quality financial institutions. To achieve this, it will work closely with the devolved administrations and regional investment bodies.

What criteria his Department plans to use to identify regulatory reporting requirements suitable for (a) simplification and (b) removal.

The Department for Business and Trade is undertaking a review to simplify and streamline the UK’s non-financial reporting framework. When considering what reporting can be simplified and removed whether the disclosure leads to decision-useful information for investors and other stakeholders will be key. It will also be important that the reformed framework places a proportionate burden on business. We will consult on reforms in due course.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the regulatory co-ordination mechanisms in place between the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority to support the operations of the Office for Investment: Financial Services.

The Office for Investment: Financial Services is a public-private partnership between HM Treasury, the Office for Investment, the financial services regulators, and the City of London Corporation, working together to attract the world’s best financial services businesses to the UK. It was announced as part of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, published at Mansion House in July 2025. The government is committed to effective monitoring and evaluation of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy - including the Office for Investment: Financial Services - with clear indicators laid out in the Strategy focused on how growing the financial sector will support growth and investment across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority are required by legislation to coordinate on a number of matters, for example to consult each other where there are matters of common regulatory interest where the other regulator may be expected to have relevant information or relevant expertise. The financial services regulators therefore have a close working relationship which will support the operations of the Office for Investment: Financial Services. The Office for Investment: Financial Services will proactively promote all UK nations and regions as investment destinations for the world’s most innovative, fast-growing and highest quality financial institutions. To achieve this, it will work closely with the devolved administrations and regional investment bodies.

What criteria his Department plans to use to assess eligibility for the Summer Internship Programme for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The refocused Fast Stream Summer Internship scheme will give talented undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to see what a career in the Civil Service is like. We will assess eligibility for the summer internship scheme based on parental occupation at the age of 14. The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) identifies this as the most accurate measure of socio-economic background.