Written questions by Anderson.

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses to transition to clean energy sources in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

In the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government committed £163 million to continue delivery for all existing projects in Phases 1 and 2 and the first Phase 3 competition window of the IETF (Spring 2024) through to completion. Businesses are eligible to claim up to £7,500 towards the cost of a heat pump up to 45 kWth under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. We encourage SMEs to visit the UK Business Climate Hub, which provides information and advice to SMEs on how to reduce energy use and carbon emissions. Ministers are considering opportunities to support UK businesses to decarbonize and reach Net Zero as part of the Spending Review. Further announcements will be made in due course.

What assessment she has made of recent trends in levels of rural crime rates in Buckinghamshire in the last five years.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes estimates, from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), on the proportion of adults who had been a victim of crime. This is broken down by whether the household was located in a rural or urban location. The latest data can be found here:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesannualtrendanddemographictables/currentData is not available for county areas such as Buckinghamshire.This Government is determined to tackle rural crime and is committed to safeguarding rural communities, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing, and stronger laws to prevent farm theft.We are taking a new approach by working closely with the National Police Chief’s Council to develop the next iteration of the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, to ensure the government’s Safer Streets Mission benefits every community no matter where they live, including rural communities.This new financial year the Home Office will be providing the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (£365,000) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (£450,000). This will allow these specialist units to continue their work in tackling rural and wildlife crime which can pose unique challenges for policing given the scale and isolation of rural areas.

Communities and Local Government, how many new homes have been built in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes in each of the last five years.

The Department publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing supply. This includes estimates of new homes built in each local authority, including Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, in each financial year. Statistics to 2023-24 can be found in Live Table 123 on gov.uk here. The Department also publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes estimates of new build starts and completions in England and in each local authority district. Statistics to the quarter ending December 2024 can be found in Table 253a on gov.uk here. This dataset covers new build dwellings only and should be regarded as a leading indicator of overall housing supply.

Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of households on local authority housing waiting lists in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The number of households on social housing registers (waiting lists) in England and for each local authority in England is available each year since 1987 in live table 600 on gov.uk here. The number of households on the housing register (waiting list) is not the same as the number of households waiting. Local authorities periodically review their registers to remove households who no longer require housing, so the total number of households on housing registers may overstate the number of households who still require social housing at any one time. Housing register size may also be affected by other factors. For example, there is the potential for some households to be on the housing register of more than one local authority. The frequency of reviews varies between local authorities.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the level of affordable housing in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.The government has also announced the £450 million third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund, followed by an uplift of £50 million, enabling councils to grow their housing stock.We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts. Having reduced Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels, we have allowed councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales.The government recognise that Registered Providers need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. Between 30 October 2024 and 23 December 2024, the government consulted on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement, to give Registered Providers the certainty they need to invest in new social and affordable housing.The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a number of changes that make the planning system more supportive of affordable housing, in particular Social Rent homes. These include new Golden Rules for development on the Green Belt. Prior to development plan policies for affordable housing being updated in accordance with the revised NPPF, the affordable housing contribution required to satisfy the ‘Golden Rules’ is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement that would otherwise apply to the development, subject to a cap of 50%. We estimate that under this model, the median Green Belt local planning authority affordable housing requirement will be 50%.

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of new housing in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes has been built on brownfield land in each of the last five years.

The Department publishes a release entitled ‘Land use change: new residential addresses’, which includes information on new residential addresses and the previous land use - including previously developed - on which the addresses were created. This is available at England level, as well as each local authority district, including Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Statistics covering 2019-20 to 2021-2022 can be found in Table P302 on gov.uk here. Figures for more recent years are due to be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what funding her Department has provided for local infrastructure improvements related to housing development in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes in each of the last five years.

The table below lists infrastructure projects in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes that have received capital funding through the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), the Land Release Fund (LRF), or the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) to unlock housing developments in the last five years, up to 31 December 2024.FundSchemeLocation20/2121/2222/2323/2424/25TotalHIFAylesbury Garden TownBuckinghamshire£8.6m£30.0m£23.0m£0.1m£10.0m£71.7mHIFPrinces Risborough Expansion AreaBuckinghamshire-£5.1m£0.2m--£5.3mHIFRealignment of Abbey Barn Lane (project since withdrawn)Buckinghamshire£0.8m£0.4m--£0.2m £1.0mHIFMilton Keynes East Sustainable Urban ExpansionMilton Keynes£2.0m£9.1m£2.2m£53.8m£27.4m£94.6mLRF 2Wing LRFBuckinghamshire£0.2m £0.2mBLRF 2.2Old Country OfficesBuckinghamshire £0.7m £0.7m

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) Buckinghamshire Council and (b) Milton Keynes City Council on (i) housing targets and (ii) local plan development.

As the hon. Member will know, the government published a revised National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024 which included a revised standard method designed to direct residential development to where it is most needed and least affordable.The government expects each local planning authority to use the revised standard method to assess local housing needs as a starting point to inform plan-making. Once an assessment has been made, local authorities should take into account land availability, environmental constraints, such as National Landscapes, and other relevant matters, to determine how much of the assessed housing need can be met.The government is clear all local planning authorities should continue work on their local plans and get them in place as soon as possible.

How many additional police officers have been recruited under the Police Uplift Programme in Thames Valley Police.

Table U2 of the data tables accompanying the final ‘Police Officer Uplift’ release, covering the position as at 31 March 2023, provides a breakdown of additional officers recruited through the Police Uplift Programme by month since October 2019. These data can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64b6d5d30ea2cb000d15e560/police-officer-uplift-final-position-as-at-march-2023-tables-260723.ods. Data are provided on a headcount basis and broken down by Police Force Area.During the Police Uplift Programme, Thames Valley recruited 784 additional police officers attributable to the Police Uplift Programme. This was against an allocation to recruit 609 additional police officers for the three-year programme.Reporting on the size and composition of the police workforce continues on a bi-annual basis in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the demand for housing in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes in each of the next ten years.

As the hon. Member will know, the government published a revised National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024 which included a revised standard method designed to direct residential development to where it is most needed and least affordable.The government expects each local planning authority to use the revised standard method to assess local housing needs as a starting point to inform plan-making. Once an assessment has been made, local authorities should take into account land availability, environmental constraints, such as National Landscapes, and other relevant matters, to determine how much of the assessed housing need can be met.The government is clear all local planning authorities should continue work on their local plans and get them in place as soon as possible.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many cases of illegal waste dumping have been recorded in Buckinghamshire in each of the last five years.

Local authorities are required to report fly-tipping incidents and enforcement actions to Defra, which the department has published annually since 2012 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env24-fly-tipping-incidents-and-actions-taken-in-england. This data excludes the majority of private-land incidents. This data shows that Buckinghamshire Council has reported the following fly-tipping incidents since it was established in 2020/21. Prior to this, incidents were reported by the relevant district councils. 2023/24 - 42722022/23 - 32932021/22 - 31402020/21 - 3954

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes to deliver infrastructure alongside new housing developments.

The table below lists infrastructure projects in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes that have received capital funding through the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), the Land Release Fund (LRF), or the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) to unlock housing developments in the last five years, up to 31 December 2024.FundSchemeLocation20/2121/2222/2323/2424/25TotalHIFAylesbury Garden TownBuckinghamshire£8.6m£30.0m£23.0m£0.1m£10.0m£71.7mHIFPrinces Risborough Expansion AreaBuckinghamshire-£5.1m£0.2m--£5.3mHIFRealignment of Abbey Barn Lane (project since withdrawn)Buckinghamshire£0.8m£0.4m--£0.2m £1.0mHIFMilton Keynes East Sustainable Urban ExpansionMilton Keynes£2.0m£9.1m£2.2m£53.8m£27.4m£94.6mLRF 2Wing LRFBuckinghamshire£0.2m £0.2mBLRF 2.2Old Country OfficesBuckinghamshire £0.7m £0.7m

What steps his Department is taking to expand UK-based production of critical components for defence equipment.

This Government is committed to supporting UK based manufacturers, including producers of the vital components used within our defence programmes, and will bring forward a new Defence Industrial Strategy later this year to align the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy. The Government has been clear that it will use the additional investment in defence announced by the Prime Minister on 25 February 2025 to maximise jobs, growth, skills and innovation in the UK. This investment in defence will protect UK citizens from threats and also create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number one mission to deliver economic growth.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) apprenticeships and (b) skills development in the defence manufacturing sector.

This Government recognises the critical importance of supporting the defence sector in order to benefit from the skilled workforce needed to sustain a vibrant, innovative and competitive defence industrial base.Defence supports Defence Industry apprenticeships and graduate opportunities, including national apprenticeship awards, National Apprenticeship Week, the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, and university careers fairs.There is also ongoing engagement between defence and industry to address sector-wide issues, including recruitment and retention challenges. A dedicated joint MOD-industry working group is collaborating to identify and address skills gaps, including around UK defence sector STEM challenges.

What steps his Department is taking to support the growth of UK-base defence (a) start-ups and (b) small businesses.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), including start-ups, make a vital contribution to economic growth and are a valuable source of technical innovation in defence. This is recognised in the Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent, as well as the Department’s Social Value policies. We work with our largest suppliers through a network of their SME Champions, trade associations and SME representatives to ensure that SMEs have fair access to opportunities in our supply chain and that our prime contractors are adopting policies, such as fair payment practices, that support small businesses working in defence. We have announced the launch of a new hub to provide SMEs with better access to the defence supply chain and have committed to set direct SME spending targets for the Ministry of Defence by June this year, ensuring that thousands of small businesses in the UK will benefit from the decision to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP. This is a chance for small, often family-owned, firms to bring their innovations, agility and their expert workforce to the task of strengthening Britain’s defences.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of skilled workers for the defence manufacturing sector.

This Government recognises the critical importance of supporting the defence sector in order to benefit from the skilled workforce needed to sustain a vibrant, innovative and competitive defence industrial base.Defence supports Defence Industry apprenticeships and graduate opportunities, including national apprenticeship awards, National Apprenticeship Week, the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, and university careers fairs.There is also ongoing engagement between defence and industry to address sector-wide issues, including recruitment and retention challenges. A dedicated joint MOD-industry working group is collaborating to identify and address skills gaps, including around UK defence sector STEM challenges.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the levels of UK-produced components in defence procurement programmes.

This Government is committed to supporting UK based manufacturers, including producers of the vital components used within our defence programmes, and will bring forward a new Defence Industrial Strategy later this year to align the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy. The Government has been clear that it will use the additional investment in defence announced by the Prime Minister on 25 February 2025 to maximise jobs, growth, skills and innovation in the UK. This investment in defence will protect UK citizens from threats and also create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number one mission to deliver economic growth.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of domestic industrial capacity to support defence supply chains.

This Government is bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy that will ensure a strong Defence sector and resilient supply chains across the whole of the UK. The Statement of Intent for the Defence Industrial Strategy, published in December 2024, set out a commitment to prioritising UK businesses for investment and boosting sovereign capacity. Through the Defence Industrial Strategy and the Strategic Defence Review, the Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking a review and reconfirmation of sovereign capabilities required onshore. The Department is also actively improving the capabilities of the UK’s Defence sector through initiatives such as the Defence Supplier Capability Development Programme and the new support hub for small and medium enterprises that the Prime Minister announced on 3 March 2025.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of foreign investment on the UK defence industrial base.

The UK’s defence industry plays a vital role not only in our national security but also to the economic prosperity and growth of the UK. We want to boost investment in our defence industry, including from overseas, and the Defence Industrial Strategy will align our security and economic priorities to boost the prosperity of our people across the country, provide resilience for the UK, and ensure the credibility of our deterrence. The investment in defence announced by the Prime Minister on 25 February 2025 will protect UK citizens from threats and create a secure and stable environment in which businesses of all sizes can thrive. Alongside this, the Defence Industrial Strategy will consider how best to create the conditions needed for the private sector to invest more. We will maximise opportunities of dual-use technology and sectors to bring in investment that supports the broader industrial strategy as well as benefiting Defence. Equally this Government recognises that foreign investment can bring threats and risks as well as opportunity. The National Security and Investment Act is part of a robust system for scrutinising and where necessary intervening to protect national security, while providing businesses and investors with the certainty and transparency they need to do business in the UK.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of expanding UK-based (a) maintenance and (b) upgrading facilities for defence assets.

No recent assessments have been conducted on expanding UK based maintenance for Ministry of Defence (MOD) built assets. The MOD is investing in upgraded facilities to improve living, working and training environments in UK sites.