Written questions by Anderson.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the UK-Switzerland Financial Services Mutual Recognition Agreement to cover additional financial services sectors.

The Berne Financial Services Agreement is a ground-breaking mutual recognition agreement which enables financial services firms to provide certain services on a cross-border basis to wholesale and sophisticated clients. It is rooted in the high quality of each country’s regulation.The Agreement will enhance an already thriving financial services trade relationship with Switzerland. Between 2016 and 2023, UK trade in financial and insurance services with Switzerland grew by 85%. The ease of doing business under the agreement combined with the unprecedented new market access it opens will boost client choice and drive efficiencies in the financial sector – delivering growth in the UK economy and bolstering job opportunities in the sector. A document outlining the benefits for the UK can be found on the Berne Financial Services Agreement gov.uk page alongside the text of the Agreement.The Government’s priority is to implement the Agreement as soon as possible, by the end of 2025 at the latest, and enter the Agreement into force shortly thereafterThe Agreement includes a mechanism for the UK and Switzerland to expand in scope, including adding entirely new financial service sectors. The Agreement also commits the UK and Switzerland to enter into negotiations with a view to potentially expanding the Agreement to include sustainable finance at the appropriate time.

What steps her Department has taken to support the establishment of (a) fintech bridges and (b) equivalent co-operation frameworks with India.

India is an important emerging market, and we maintain several collaboration vehicles for discussing regulatory and market access barriers in financial services. Most recently there was a UK-India Financial Markets Dialogue held in GIFT City in December 2024 and we are looking forward to the upcoming UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue in April 2025 which is jointly chaired by the Chancellor and the Indian Finance Minister. Both dialogues are an opportunity for both the UK and India’s finance ministries and regulators to table important FS issues for collaborative working.Boosting trade abroad is essential to delivering growth at home. That is why the UK is committed to negotiating a trade deal with India – one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Officials are continuing to negotiate the UK-India FTA, which includes FS provisions that will not undermine our future relationship and support our continued cooperation. A trade deal could unlock new opportunities for businesses and consumers in all regions and nations of the UK.Fintech is an important sector for both the UK and India, we engage closely with the Indian Finance Ministry through an annual Joint Fintech Working Group. We also welcome advice from industry through the India-UK Financial Partnership (IUKFP), including through their recent 2023 report ‘Harnessing the power of FinTech and data’.We welcome the progress of the UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) led by the City of London Corporation and the National Institute for the Transformation of India (NITI Aayog) in its first year, and we look forward to supporting the second year of the UKIIFB and any new areas of focus.The UK supported the establishment and development of the ISSB as a global standard setter for sustainability reporting at COP26. The government have also supported world-leading work on transition plan disclosures by co-chairing the Transition Plan Taskforce. We will be taking a pro-growth, pragmatic approach to sustainable finance, combining support for international and interoperable standards like ISSB with an openness to feedback about what policies we should be pursuing. The upcoming UK-India EFD will present a renewed opportunity to engage with India on our shared areas of interest in sustainable finance.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-Switzerland Financial Services Mutual Recognition Agreement on cross-border financial services trade.

The Berne Financial Services Agreement is a ground-breaking mutual recognition agreement which enables financial services firms to provide certain services on a cross-border basis to wholesale and sophisticated clients. It is rooted in the high quality of each country’s regulation.The Agreement will enhance an already thriving financial services trade relationship with Switzerland. Between 2016 and 2023, UK trade in financial and insurance services with Switzerland grew by 85%. The ease of doing business under the agreement combined with the unprecedented new market access it opens will boost client choice and drive efficiencies in the financial sector – delivering growth in the UK economy and bolstering job opportunities in the sector. A document outlining the benefits for the UK can be found on the Berne Financial Services Agreement gov.uk page alongside the text of the Agreement.The Government’s priority is to implement the Agreement as soon as possible, by the end of 2025 at the latest, and enter the Agreement into force shortly thereafterThe Agreement includes a mechanism for the UK and Switzerland to expand in scope, including adding entirely new financial service sectors. The Agreement also commits the UK and Switzerland to enter into negotiations with a view to potentially expanding the Agreement to include sustainable finance at the appropriate time.

What recent progress her Department has made on financial sector reform to facilitate bilateral investment flows between the UK and India.

India is an important emerging market, and we maintain several collaboration vehicles for discussing regulatory and market access barriers in financial services. Most recently there was a UK-India Financial Markets Dialogue held in GIFT City in December 2024 and we are looking forward to the upcoming UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue in April 2025 which is jointly chaired by the Chancellor and the Indian Finance Minister. Both dialogues are an opportunity for both the UK and India’s finance ministries and regulators to table important FS issues for collaborative working.Boosting trade abroad is essential to delivering growth at home. That is why the UK is committed to negotiating a trade deal with India – one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Officials are continuing to negotiate the UK-India FTA, which includes FS provisions that will not undermine our future relationship and support our continued cooperation. A trade deal could unlock new opportunities for businesses and consumers in all regions and nations of the UK.Fintech is an important sector for both the UK and India, we engage closely with the Indian Finance Ministry through an annual Joint Fintech Working Group. We also welcome advice from industry through the India-UK Financial Partnership (IUKFP), including through their recent 2023 report ‘Harnessing the power of FinTech and data’.We welcome the progress of the UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) led by the City of London Corporation and the National Institute for the Transformation of India (NITI Aayog) in its first year, and we look forward to supporting the second year of the UKIIFB and any new areas of focus.The UK supported the establishment and development of the ISSB as a global standard setter for sustainability reporting at COP26. The government have also supported world-leading work on transition plan disclosures by co-chairing the Transition Plan Taskforce. We will be taking a pro-growth, pragmatic approach to sustainable finance, combining support for international and interoperable standards like ISSB with an openness to feedback about what policies we should be pursuing. The upcoming UK-India EFD will present a renewed opportunity to engage with India on our shared areas of interest in sustainable finance.

What progress her Department has made on UK-India cooperation to improve regulatory frameworks for (a) sustainable finance and (b) climate-related financial disclosures.

India is an important emerging market, and we maintain several collaboration vehicles for discussing regulatory and market access barriers in financial services. Most recently there was a UK-India Financial Markets Dialogue held in GIFT City in December 2024 and we are looking forward to the upcoming UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue in April 2025 which is jointly chaired by the Chancellor and the Indian Finance Minister. Both dialogues are an opportunity for both the UK and India’s finance ministries and regulators to table important FS issues for collaborative working.Boosting trade abroad is essential to delivering growth at home. That is why the UK is committed to negotiating a trade deal with India – one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Officials are continuing to negotiate the UK-India FTA, which includes FS provisions that will not undermine our future relationship and support our continued cooperation. A trade deal could unlock new opportunities for businesses and consumers in all regions and nations of the UK.Fintech is an important sector for both the UK and India, we engage closely with the Indian Finance Ministry through an annual Joint Fintech Working Group. We also welcome advice from industry through the India-UK Financial Partnership (IUKFP), including through their recent 2023 report ‘Harnessing the power of FinTech and data’.We welcome the progress of the UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) led by the City of London Corporation and the National Institute for the Transformation of India (NITI Aayog) in its first year, and we look forward to supporting the second year of the UKIIFB and any new areas of focus.The UK supported the establishment and development of the ISSB as a global standard setter for sustainability reporting at COP26. The government have also supported world-leading work on transition plan disclosures by co-chairing the Transition Plan Taskforce. We will be taking a pro-growth, pragmatic approach to sustainable finance, combining support for international and interoperable standards like ISSB with an openness to feedback about what policies we should be pursuing. The upcoming UK-India EFD will present a renewed opportunity to engage with India on our shared areas of interest in sustainable finance.

What steps her Department is taking to support further education colleges to secure industry-standard vocational training facilities in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced an additional £625 million of funding to support construction skills training, with the detail set out in Spring Statement 2025. This is expected to deliver up to 60,000 additional skilled construction workers this Parliament. The funding includes capital investment through the establishment of Technical Excellence Colleges and the creation of an employer match funding pot worth £80 million.Furthermore, on 5 March 2025 we gave details of 16 to 19 funding that means the department will be spending over £400 million more on 16 to 19 education in the 2025/26 financial year. All national funding rates for students on 16 to 19 study programmes and T Levels will increase by 3.78% in the 2025/26 academic year. This means a full-time study programme student will attract a rate of £5,026, with T Level students attracting higher rates due to these being larger programmes.On 1 April 2025, the department provided £302 million to further education (FE) colleges to support them to maintain, improve and ensure suitability of their estates. This new allocation for FE colleges in 2025/26 will help address the maintenance backlog and ensure a great environment for learning.Under the FE college condition allocation, Milton Keynes College will receive £1.47 million and Buckinghamshire College Group will receive £1.3 million. The full list of FE college condition allocations can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-college-condition-allocation-2025-to-2026.

What steps she is taking to support further education colleges to provide post-16 literacy and numeracy education in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

The department considers level 2 English and mathematics to be essential for enabling students to develop the skills they need to seize opportunities in life, learning and work. That is why we have the mathematics and English condition of funding, which enables all students on 16 to 19 study programmes or T Levels, who have not yet attained grade 4+ GCSE, or equivalent, in English and mathematics, to access support that leads to the best outcomes for them.The department is strengthening the support offered to students under the mathematics and English condition of funding. This includes requiring providers to offer planned minimum hours of in-person, whole class, stand-alone teaching in English and mathematics, and for more students to be offered this.The department also supports adults aged 19+ to participate in mathematics and English provision through our ‘essential skills entitlements’ which fully-fund adults who do not have essential literacy and numeracy skills up to and including level 2. This allows learners who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 or higher or equivalent, or who are assessed as having below level 2 skills to undertake a range of courses fully-funded through the Adult Skills Fund including GCSEs, Functional Skills and other relevant qualifications from entry level to level 2.

What assessment her Department has made of the availability of T Level industry placements in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

The department works closely with education providers and employers to ensure the availability and quality of T Level industry placements across the country.We do not hold industry placement data at regional level, but our latest national results data shows that 97.5% of T Level students from the 2022 cohort (those who finished their T Level in 2024) completed their industry placement.Whilst it is the overall responsibility of T Level providers to source industry placements for their students, the department has a range of support in place to help ensure the availability and quality of placements. This includes online guidance, workshops, and practical tools to help providers identify, plan and design placements, and a 900+ strong ambassador network to raise the profile of T Levels across different industries, including representatives across Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire. In January 2025 we also updated our industry placement delivery approaches to enable students to access a wider range of placement opportunities. This can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/678a7a302080f65f988bd3a1/T_Level_industry_placement_delivery_guidance.pdf.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of stroke care provision within the (a) Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire Integrated Care Board and (b) Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board areas.

The Integrated Stroke Delivery Network (ISDN) in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West aims to improve stroke care through collaborative service improvement across the stroke pathway, addressing the approximately 2,200 annual stroke admissions in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West, which cost £38.6 million in 2023/24. The ISDN's 2025/26 plan prioritises reducing stroke incidence and disability through acute care, rehabilitation, and prevention workstreams. Key achievements include artificial intelligence implementation, to reduce treatment times, and increased mechanical thrombectomy rates, particularly due to the 24/7 service at Oxford University Hospital and an agreed referral protocol, with Wycombe Hospital achieving the highest national referral rate for an acute stroke centre. Rehabilitation efforts focus on improving consistency, with projects in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire demonstrating positive outcomes, such as increased access to support and improved patient wellbeing. Building on these positive outcomes will require sustained funding in Oxfordshire’s community rehabilitation services, alongside ongoing efforts to enhance the integration of services and patient engagement across the region.NHS England leads the quarterly joint North and South East of England ISDN meeting, which reviews stroke provision across the region. The Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Integrated Care Board (ICB) and representatives from provider trusts attend these meetings to provide assurance. The ICB still has contract monitoring in place with trusts, and trusts have their own internal quality assurance processes. The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme is the main data source for monitoring, which all the above forums use. The last Getting It Right First Time review of stroke services, which included BLMK, was in 2022.

What recent discussions she has had with further education colleges on the impact of post-16 assessment methods on student outcomes in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

The department knows the importance of ensuring that we have the right balance of assessment methods for students studying post-16 qualifications, so that we can best capture the strengths of every young person, while maintaining the important role of examinations. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has had no specific recent discussions with further education (FE) colleges in Milton Keynes and/or Buckinghamshire but is working on improving both curriculum and assessment for student outcomes, considering young people across the country.That is why last year we launched the independent expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review will consider the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system, and pathways for learners in 16 to 19 education. As part of the first phase of the Review, a call for evidence was undertaken. This included a wide range of educational institutions, including FE colleges. The Panel’s Interim Report was published on 18 March and the department will consider the Review’s final recommendations around assessments methods when the final report is published.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of funding structure on the number of apprenticeships available for 16-24-year-olds in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

To support younger people into apprenticeships, the government pays both employers and training providers £1000 when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18 or apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care. This is in recognition of the additional support that younger apprentices may require when entering employment. The government also pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care, when they undertake apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers. Additionally, employers benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 where they earn less than £967 a week, £50,270 a year.The government is reforming the apprenticeship levy into a more flexible growth and skills levy that will include new foundation apprenticeships to give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives. Construction will also be one of the key sectors that will benefit from new foundation apprenticeships backed by an additional £40 million, which will be launching in August 2025. This will inspire more young people into the construction industry and give them the tools they need for a sustained and rewarding career. As part of this new offer, employers will be provided with £2,000 for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain in the construction industry.The availability of apprenticeships in Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire will be determined by employers choosing to offer apprenticeships. The department publishes data on apprenticeships starts by geographical area, including local authority district and parliamentary constituency at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/2325414e-eb99-439f-20ca-08dd18600198.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve the recruitment and retention of staff in further education colleges in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

The department recognises the vital role that further education (FE) staff and providers play in equipping learners with the opportunities and skills that they need to succeed in their education and to drive growth in our economy.The department will be spending over £400 million more on 16 to 19 education in the 2025/26 financial year to ensure enough funding is available to respond to the significant increase in student numbers and other pressures on the system. We are making approximately £50 million of this funding available to colleges for April to July 2025 to respond to current priorities and challenges as they see fit, including workforce recruitment and retention.In addition, the department is providing funding to colleges and schools to support them with increased National Insurance contributions, which will add a further £155 million to funding for post-16 education in the 2025/26 financial year.The department’s Targeted Retention Incentive gives eligible early career teachers working in FE colleges in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and priority technical subjects up to £6,000 after tax annually, in addition to their usual pay. This includes those in eligible FE colleges in the Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire area.The department has also continued to offer financial incentives for those undertaking teacher training for the FE sector in priority subject areas. FE teacher training bursaries will be offered for the 2025/26 academic year, and we have increased the top value of bursaries for STEM subjects to £31,000 each, tax free.The national FE teacher recruitment campaign, Share Your Skills, targets those with industry skills to think about a career in FE teaching. The campaign raises awareness and increases consideration by encouraging industry professionals to think about using their skills to teach in FE.

What assessment her Department has made of the availability of specialist further education provision for students with special educational needs in Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire.

The department is committed to improving access to educational opportunities for all young people in all parts of the country by ensuring that they can access a quality educational offer that adds value and helps them to achieve their long-term career aspirations and goals.Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure enough suitable education and training provision to meet the reasonable needs of all young people in their area who are over compulsory school age but under 19, or aged 19 or over and for whom an education, health and care plan is maintained. They must therefore ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review, including its sufficiency, working with parents, young people and providers.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of funding arrangements on the ability for further education colleges to expand existing provision in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

This government inherited a challenging fiscal context which means tough decisions are needed across the public sector. However, the department invested over £7.5 billion in 16-19 programme funding during the 2024/25 academic year to help to ensure that all young people have access to high-quality education and training that meets their needs and provides them with opportunities to thrive.On 5 March 2025 the department gave details of 16-19 funding that means we will be spending over £400 million more on 16-19 education in the 2025/26 financial year (over £100 million more than the £300 million announced at the Autumn Budget 2024) to ensure enough funding is available given the very significant increase in student numbers and other pressures on the system. In addition, we are providing funding to compensate colleges and schools for increased employer National Insurance Contributions, which will add a further £155 million to funding for post-16 education in the 2025/26 financial year.We are spending around £87 million in the 2024/25 academic year to support In Year Growth costs, acknowledging the very large increase in students this year. The amount represents more In Year Growth Payment than in any previous year, despite amending the rules on how the department calculates in-year growth to ensure the affordability of payments for the exceptionally high growth in the 2024/25 academic year.All the national funding rates for students on 16-19 study programmes and T Levels will increase by 3.78% in the 2025/26 academic year. This means a full-time study programme student will attract a rate of £5,026, with T Level students attracting higher rates due to these being larger programmes. The department will consider future needs as part of the spending review.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the condition of roads in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network. Data on the condition of local roads is published annually and is available on gov.uk. Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council are the local highway authorities for their respective areas and are therefore responsible for the condition and maintenance of their local road networks. At Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced an extra £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year. Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council will receive around £20.7 million and £10.7 million respectively from this Department during 2025/26 to help them carry out their local highway maintenance responsibilities. In each case this represents an uplift of over 35% compared to the current financial year. These totals are subject to both councils meeting new reporting requirements that the Government has introduced. Councils that comply with these new requirements will receive their full funding uplifts, helping to deliver the manifesto commitment to fill a million extra potholes a year as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support the development of local arts and cultural organisations in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The Secretary of State announced a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund on 20 February. This will include support to museums, arts and music venues across the country and is a critical step that this Government is taking to help create jobs, boost local economies, and expand access to arts and culture for communities.This is in addition to steps already being taken to support arts and culture via Arts Council England (ACE). In Buckinghamshire, ACE has provided over £19 million of funding between 2021-2025, of which over £11 million has gone to organisations in Milton Keynes.For example, organisations receiving ACE funding include local 2023-2026 ACE National Portfolio Organisations, such as the Milton Keynes islamic Arts Heritage and Culture Organisation (£195,000 per annum), Milton Keynes Arts Centre (£99,803 per annum) and Milton Keynes Gallery (£390,360 per annum).The Museum Estate and Development Fund is also part of the support provided by ACE: Bletchley Park received just under £3m from the fund between 2021-2025 towards building modernisation works.Separately, DCMS has directly supported Discover Bucks Museum through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, awarding grants totalling £260,000 between 2018-2024.

Media and Sport, how many museums have received funding from Arts Council England in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The Secretary of State announced a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund on 20 February. This will include support to museums, arts and music venues across the country and is a critical step that this Government is taking to help create jobs, boost local economies, and expand access to arts and culture for communities.This is in addition to steps already being taken to support arts and culture via Arts Council England (ACE). In Buckinghamshire, ACE has provided over £19 million of funding between 2021-2025, of which over £11 million has gone to organisations in Milton Keynes.For example, organisations receiving ACE funding include local 2023-2026 ACE National Portfolio Organisations, such as the Milton Keynes islamic Arts Heritage and Culture Organisation (£195,000 per annum), Milton Keynes Arts Centre (£99,803 per annum) and Milton Keynes Gallery (£390,360 per annum).The Museum Estate and Development Fund is also part of the support provided by ACE: Bletchley Park received just under £3m from the fund between 2021-2025 towards building modernisation works.Separately, DCMS has directly supported Discover Bucks Museum through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, awarding grants totalling £260,000 between 2018-2024.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase participation in youth sport in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

This Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We are committed to protecting time for physical education in school and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.We provide the majority of our funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. In the 2024/25 Financial Year, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes received over £3.9 million from Sport England to enhance sport and physical activity opportunities for local communities.The expansion of Sport England’s Place Partnerships will invest up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding and enhance engagement in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Sport England recently announced Milton Keynes as one of their 53 Place Partnerships.More widely, the Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.

What steps her Department is taking to improve bus services in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England, including in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Buckinghamshire County Council has been allocated over £6.7 million of this funding, with Milton Keynes Council allocated £3.6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to grassroots sports facilities in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes in each of the last five years.

This Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We are committed to protecting time for physical education in school and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.We provide the majority of our funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. In the 2024/25 Financial Year, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes received over £3.9 million from Sport England to enhance sport and physical activity opportunities for local communities.The expansion of Sport England’s Place Partnerships will invest up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding and enhance engagement in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Sport England recently announced Milton Keynes as one of their 53 Place Partnerships.More widely, the Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.