Every parliamentary written question tabled by Callum Anderson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 481–500 of 843 · this parliament
Over what timeframe his Department plans to evaluate the outcomes of the Summer Internship Programme for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Our first cohort of interns will be joining in Summer 2026 so we anticipate impacts will begin to be visible on the Autumn 2027 Fast Stream intake as participating students graduate from university and seek to join the programme. We will continue to publish Fast Stream recruitment data on an annual basis.
What steps she is taking to ensure that the Office for Investment: Financial Services engages systematically with (a) devolved Administrations and (b) regional investment bodies.
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.
If his Department will take steps to review international evidence of the impact of pay transparency laws on recruitment and retention.
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 methodology his Department plans to use to quantify the (a) time and (b) cost savings to SMEs from regulatory reform.
The government has committed to cut the administrative costs of regulation to business by 25% by the end of this Parliament. By focusing on reducing administrative costs, we will ensure that regulations achieve their policy objectives in the most efficient way possible with the lowest possible costs to business. My department is working across government to support delivery of this target and make businesses’ lives easier, including SMEs who represent the majority of businesses and are foundational to our economy.
What plans the Department has to publish impact assessments of regulatory changes affecting small businesses.
Impact assessments are generally required for all the Government’s interventions of a regulatory nature that affect the private sector and-or civil society organisation or public services. The Better Regulation Framework requires regulatory provisions with impacts on business of greater than +/-£10 million to be accompanied by a final impact assessment which is laid before Parliament alongside the regulations. These assessments consider the impact on small businesses, explore whether such businesses need to be in scope and identify mitigations for the additional burden.
With reference to p.53 of the document entitled Backing your business, published on 31 July 2025, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the level of SME participation in public procurement.
The Department for Business and Trade monitors the level of SME participation in our procurement through contract award data via a live commercial dashboard which captures supplier type and specifically whether a supplier qualifies as an SME. DBT will publish SME spend data annually (in line with Procurement Policy Note 001). Strategies for high value spend are scrutinised by the department's Commercial Approvals and Assurance Group which challenges teams on whether proposed contracts are sufficiently accessible for SMEs. The commercial team will present bi-annual progress updates against the department's SME spend target to the Minister for Small Businesses.
How many small businesses received Government-backed (a) start-up and (b) improvement grants in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency in the last three years.
The Government has published its Small Business Plan (Backing your Business) in July 2025. We are delivering the most comprehensive package of support for SMEs in a generation. We have also committed to funding for the 41 Growth Hubs across England which help start-up businesses and entrepreneurs to unlock their potential through bespoke support and resources. Buckingham and Bletchley is served by Buckinghamshire Business First and the South Midlands Growth Hubs who issue business support grants to SMEs in their area. The Department for Business and Trade does not hold statistics that cover the full range of Govt-funded business support at constituency level.
What recent comparative assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of VAT differentials on the competitiveness of hospitality businesses in (a) Buckingham and Bletchley constituency and (b) their European counterparts.
The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality and tourism businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. The UK’s VAT rate of 20 per cent is close to the OECD average of 19.3 per cent. The UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD, at £90,000. This keeps the majority of businesses out of the VAT regime altogether.
What steps his Department is taking to support small businesses in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency with increased energy costs.
The Government is committed to engaging with and supporting small businesses across the UK through the transition to net zero. DBT has recently announced the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme which will reduce electricity costs for over 7,000 electricity-intensive businesses and reform the grid connections process. DESNZ will publish its response later this year to the September 2024 consultation on introducing a regulatory regime for the third-party intermediary (TPI) market. TPIs, such as energy brokers, play a prominent role in how SMEs secure contracts for the energy usage.
How many businesses with fewer than 50 employees have accessed government-funded business support grants in the past 12 months in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.
The Government has published its Small Business Plan (Backing your Business) in July 2025. We are delivering the most comprehensive package of support for SMEs in a generation. We have also committed to funding for the 41 Growth Hubs across England which help start-up businesses and entrepreneurs to unlock their potential through bespoke support and resources. Buckingham and Bletchley is served by Buckinghamshire Business First and the South Midlands Growth Hubs who issue business support grants to SMEs in their area. The Department for Business and Trade does not hold statistics that cover the full range of Govt-funded business support at constituency level.
How many regulations affecting SMEs are under review as part of the SME Regulation Review.
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister announced that government will cut administrative costs of regulation to all business, including SMEs, by 25% by the end of this Parliament. We are working across government to deliver this target to make it easier to do business in the UK. The target focuses on reducing the overall burden of regulation rather than the number of regulations. Whilst there is no SME-specific target, we will be considering where regulation has a disproportionate impact upon SMEs and should be removed, supporting the aims of the plan for Small and Medium sized Businesses.
What estimate her Department has made of the number of small businesses in (a) the UK and (b) Buckingham and Bletchley constituency that operate below the VAT registration threshold.
a) The total number of businesses in 2024 is estimated at 5.6 million (see Business population estimates 2024 - GOV.UK, detailed table 2). According to HMRC statistics, there were around 1.3 million business registered for VAT with turnover above the threshold in 2023-34 (see Value Added Tax (VAT) annual statistics - GOV.UK, Table T5). Thus the number of businesses with turnover below the threshold would be approximately the remainder of the 5.6 million, or 4.3 million. It should be noted that some businesses with turnover below the threshold are voluntarily registered for VAT; there were around 0.9 million such businesses in 2023-24. b) No estimate has been made of the number of small businesses operating below the VAT registration threshold at the constituency level. Any estimate would be above cost grounds.
What plans she has to measure the effectiveness of the Listings Taskforce in increasing the number of UK and international firms listing on UK markets.
The UK’s capital markets are deep and strong, delivering for firms and investors, and supporting firms to start, scale, list and stay here. At Mansion House, the government published its Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy. This document sets out the government’s ten-year plan for the UK to be the world’s centre of choice for financial services investment now and in 2035, with capital markets as a core pillar of the strategy.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of VAT treatment rules in the digital advertising market for UK-based small businesses.
UK VAT is charged on the domestic and cross-border supply of digital advertising services to UK businesses. The Government keeps the application and adequacy of the UK’s VAT regime under regular review.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Benchmarks Regulation reform on (a) market confidence and (b) cross-border data interoperability.
The UK’s capital markets are deep and strong, delivering for firms and investors, and supporting firms to start, scale, list and stay here. At Mansion House, the government published its Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy. This document sets out the government’s ten-year plan for the UK to be the world’s centre of choice for financial services investment now and in 2035, with capital markets as a core pillar of the strategy.
What assessment she has made of the barriers faced by UK-domiciled high-growth firms seeking to transition from private to public capital markets.
The UK’s capital markets are deep and strong, delivering for firms and investors, and supporting firms to start, scale, list and stay here. At Mansion House, the government published its Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy. This document sets out the government’s ten-year plan for the UK to be the world’s centre of choice for financial services investment now and in 2035, with capital markets as a core pillar of the strategy.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure compliance with employment and tax regulations among cash-based businesses operating on the high street.
HMRC is committed to ensuring that the tax system operates fairly and efficiently and creates a level playing field for all compliant businesses. Most businesses pay what they owe, but a minority fail to register or only declare a portion of their earnings for tax. This minority deprives our vital public services of funding, affects fair competition between businesses and places unfair burdens on everyone else. The Government’s position is that cash is a legitimate means of paying for goods and services and continues to be used by many people across the UK. However, regardless of the type of payments a business receives, it is their responsibility to ensure they meet their tax obligations, including registering for and paying the right taxes. HMRC are making it increasingly difficult for businesses to hide their income by using improved targeting with new data sources and risking technology, greater access to third party data and through focused compliance activity, working with other Government agencies and law enforcement.
How the effectiveness of the Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System will be assessed in supporting firms to raise pre-IPO capital.
The UK’s capital markets are deep and strong, delivering for firms and investors, and supporting firms to start, scale, list and stay here. At Mansion House, the government published its Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy. This document sets out the government’s ten-year plan for the UK to be the world’s centre of choice for financial services investment now and in 2035, with capital markets as a core pillar of the strategy.
What recent estimate her Department has made of the average annual training cost per apprentice borne by small businesses in the personal services sector.
The department does not hold a breakdown of apprenticeships data for the personal services sector.The government offers a range of financial support to support small businesses across all sectors to take on apprentices. The government pays full training costs for young apprentices aged 16-21, and for apprentices aged 22-24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been, or are, in local authority care, when they under-take apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers.For all other apprentices, employers that do not pay the levy are required to co-invest 5% towards apprentice training costs.The government also pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHC plan or have been, or are, in local authority care.
Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding was allocated to local partnerships in Buckinghamshire in the last rural and wildlife crime funding settlement.
Defra does not provide financial allocations to local partnerships for tackling wildlife crime but instead provides funding directly at the national level, to the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), and in 2025/26 is providing £424,000. Home Office, similarly, does not provide financial allocations to local partnerships. Home Office provides funding directly at the national level. In 2025/26 the Home Office has provided the NWCU with £450k and the National Rural Crime Unit with £365k. The NWCU helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threats, and assisting law enforcers with investigations. In 2024-25 the NWCU provided support on wildlife crime cases to every local police force in the UK including Thames Valley Police.