Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans his Department has to monitor UK export growth arising from agreements made during President Trump's state visit in September 2025.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The US is the UK’s largest single country export market and President Trump’s State Visit was a valuable opportunity to further strengthen our economic relationship with the US. We launched a new technology partnership that will build on the foundations of the economic deal we agreed in May and announced a record breaking £150 billion of new US investment into the UK.

It is too early to detect specific increments, but the Department for Business and Trade continues to monitor the level of exports with all countries, and through our Trade Strategy, Industrial Strategy, and Small Business Plan, we are putting in place the policies, support, and services needed to drive export-led business growth.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department plans to collect to assess the effectiveness of its targeted support to help SMEs offer apprenticeships.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are important to the economy and to apprenticeships. They provide valuable opportunities for younger apprentices and apprentices from disadvantaged areas.

The department collects and publishes data on apprenticeship starts in SMEs. Around 40% of apprenticeship starts are in SMEs and they account for more than 100,000 apprenticeship starts each year.

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 undertake apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers.

For all other apprentices, employers that don’t 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.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how HMRC will measure the potential impact of its digital services on levels of taxpayer compliance.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC has a strategy to become a digital-first organisation with a minimum of 90% of interactions undertaken digitally by 2029 to 2030, as set out in the HMRC Transformation Roadmap. HMRC's Transformation Roadmap - GOV.UK

Annex A of the Roadmap sets out the metrics that will be used to measure progress, including on compliance, and these will be reported in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts

Annex A: HMRC's Transformation Roadmap metrics - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of capital inflows from the United States over the next five years under agreements announced during President Trump's state visit in September 2025.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We have not made any such specific estimate, but the commitments made as part of the state visit will be over the lifetime of this Parliament and beyond.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the document entitled Backing your business, published on 31 July 2025, what steps her Department plans to take to tackle sector-specific labour shortages identified by industry groups through its policies on future-proofing skills, outlined in Chapter 5 of that document.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Skills England aims to understand the nation’s future skills needs and drive growth by mobilising employers and partners to co-create solutions that address national and regional skills priorities. Skills England’s second report, ‘Skills for Growth and Opportunity’, outlines key sector-specific skills needs.

The department is aligning our skills system with priority sectors to tackle labour shortages. This includes funding uplifts for priority 16-19 courses, establishing new Technical Excellence Colleges and introducing short courses funded through the Growth and Skills Levy.

Recognising that not all parts of the skills system work as well for smaller businesses, we have introduced flexible apprenticeship models including flexi-job apprenticeship agencies to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in sectors with short-term, project-based work, such as construction.

Within the construction package announced this year, the Construction Industry Training Board is doubling its new entrant support team programme to help SMEs overcome administrative barriers and better recruit, engage and retain apprentices.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria HMRC will use to prioritise enforcement on high-risk tax areas.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC uses a risk-based approach to identify individuals and businesses for investigation, applying civil and criminal powers to tackle avoidance, evasion, and error. In 2024–25, this approach helped protect an estimated £48 billion in tax revenue.

Its Strategic Picture of Risk combines data analytics and expert insight to assess key compliance risks. This informs HMRC’s planning, resource allocation, and case selection, using data from tax returns and third-party sources (e.g. banks, online platforms, other departments).

Compliance activity is tailored to taxpayer groups such as large businesses, individuals, and suspected tax avoiders or criminals. HMRC prioritises interventions based on their wider impact on tax compliance, economic objectives, and societal harm. HMRC’s compliance approach, Prevent, Promote and Respond, focuses on preventing non-compliance from happening in the first place, and helping customers get their tax right before they submit their return or claim.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what mechanisms his Department has put in place to track the potential impact of UK-Singapore co-operation on digital trade.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (DEA), and associated Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), support cooperation on key themes of digital trade. We monitor impact via regular dialogue with the Singaporean government, as part of the UK-Singapore free trade agreement subcommittee, and through regular engagement with businesses. Recent business engagement resulted in analysis (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/identifying-new-growth-opportunities-within-the-uk-singapore-dea/identifying-new-uk-growth-opportunities-within-the-uk-singapore-dea-and-future-digital-partnerships) showing that stakeholders believe these MoUs support collaboration and lead to tangible benefits as seen, for example, in pilot projects conducted under the Digital Trade Facilitation MoU. For more on the DEA’s impact on reducing non-tariff barriers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer to UIN 44934: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement on trade for small and medium-sized enterprises in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Although the Department for Business and Trade has made no such specific assessment, it continuously monitors the impact of leaving the EU on costs to businesses across the UK through our business surveys, ONS reports, and other intelligence sources, as well as through regular direct engagement with exporters. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement allows UK businesses to access the EU market and the EU-UK summit earlier this year identified areas where this can be enhanced.

Alongside this, DBT continues to offer a range of support for SMEs, with our Small Business Plan setting out the most comprehensive package of support for SMEs in a generation. This includes Unlock Europe, a programme from UK Export Academy designed to help businesses build relationships with European customers and increase exporting potential to the EU.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has identified priority sectors for future trade co-operation with India.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK-India Trade Deal will open up new opportunities across a wide range of sectors, including in the high-growth sectors outlined in the Industrial Strategy.

As part of his recent visit to India, the Prime Minister brought over 100 businesses to India to unlock further growth in the mutually agreed priority sectors of construction, infrastructure and clean energy, advanced manufacturing, defence, education, sport, culture, financial and professional business services, science, technology and innovation, consumer goods and food. The Department will continue to support opportunities for trade and investment across these sectors as we integrate the work of the Industrial Strategy with our Trade Strategy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what mechanisms exist for monitoring mutual recognition of professional qualifications between the UK and EU under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement contains provisions which allow the UK and EU to agree recognition of professional qualifications arrangements for specific sectors where this is jointly proposed by UK and EU regulators. The annual Trade Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade oversees the implementation of these provisions.

In the recent UK-EU Common Understanding, the UK and EU committed to setting up dedicated dialogues on the implementation of the recognition of professional qualifications provisions within the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. These dialogues will provide a dedicated space for deeper UK-EU collaboration on the recognition of professional qualifications.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department plans to take to identify UK priority sectors for trade expansion with Brazil.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK’s new Industrial Strategy sets out ambitious plans for eight growth-driving sectors - Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services. I am keen to integrate the Industrial Strategy with the Trade Strategy so as to build export markets for our key growing sectors.

These sectors are also the focus of my department’s work with Brazil. The Department’s new Ricardo Fund – announced in the Trade Strategy – is funding interventions on Offshore Wind and in the Life Sciences sector to help create new opportunities for UK exporters, and I signed agreements on customs and regulatory cooperation aimed at boosting UK exports on my recent visit to Brazil, where I met with several UK businesses who are keen to expand their work in the country.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his Brazilian counterpart on removing non-tariff barriers to UK exports.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

I visited Brazil in September 2025 with the objective of strengthening our two-way trade. I signed agreements on customs, good regulatory practices and export credit aimed at tackling non-tariff barriers. I also progressed discussions on digital trade, mutual recognition arrangements and clean energy cooperation, which are referenced as non-tariff priorities for the UK’s relationship with Brazil in the UK’s new Trade Strategy. I also urged Brazil to ratify the Double Taxation Agreement.

This built on discussions that former DBT Secretary of State, The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP, had with his Brazilian counterpart last year, when they both committed to identifying ways to boost two-way trade by tackling non-tariff barriers.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of proposed UK-Brazil trade measures on small and medium-sized businesses in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is committed to putting small and medium sized businesses at the heart of our Growth Mission. Our recently published plan for small and medium sized businesses sets out a long-term approach for how we will help small and medium sized businesses to grow and realise their export potential.

I recently visited Brazil to strengthen our bilateral trade relationship and sign agreements on customs, regulatory cooperation and export credit. We expect these agreements and future collaboration with Brazil to benefit businesses of all sizes across the UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum’s role in supporting cross-border investment between the UK and EU financial markets.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Financial regulatory dialogues, including the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum, are important in supporting cross-border trade in financial services and managing financial stability in the global financial system. They form a core part of the government’s approach to strengthening international partnerships, as set out in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy published in July.

Dialogues feed into HM Treasury’s development of international financial services policy and joint statements are typically published after meetings.

The most recent Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum was held in Brussels on Wednesday 1 October, where officials discussed bilateral cooperation on financial regulatory issues including capital market reforms, where the government’s long-term vision for the UK’s world-leading markets is to encourage more retail investment to benefit our citizens, support British businesses to grow and position ourselves for the future. Further details of the discussion can be found in the Joint Statement.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of discussions at the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum on UK capital markets reform.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Financial regulatory dialogues, including the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum, are important in supporting cross-border trade in financial services and managing financial stability in the global financial system. They form a core part of the government’s approach to strengthening international partnerships, as set out in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy published in July.

Dialogues feed into HM Treasury’s development of international financial services policy and joint statements are typically published after meetings.

The most recent Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum was held in Brussels on Wednesday 1 October, where officials discussed bilateral cooperation on financial regulatory issues including capital market reforms, where the government’s long-term vision for the UK’s world-leading markets is to encourage more retail investment to benefit our citizens, support British businesses to grow and position ourselves for the future. Further details of the discussion can be found in the Joint Statement.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she plans to to take to monitor the outcomes of the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Financial regulatory dialogues, including the Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum, are important in supporting cross-border trade in financial services and managing financial stability in the global financial system. They form a core part of the government’s approach to strengthening international partnerships, as set out in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy published in July.

Dialogues feed into HM Treasury’s development of international financial services policy and joint statements are typically published after meetings.

The most recent Joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum was held in Brussels on Wednesday 1 October, where officials discussed bilateral cooperation on financial regulatory issues including capital market reforms, where the government’s long-term vision for the UK’s world-leading markets is to encourage more retail investment to benefit our citizens, support British businesses to grow and position ourselves for the future. Further details of the discussion can be found in the Joint Statement.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria his Department applied to define deprived areas for the provision of free dental products in early years settings in the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National supervised toothbrushing programme funding and free dental products are based on the Office for National Statistics’ Indices of Multiple Deprivation mid-2020 population estimates. These were used to identify the number of three to five-year-olds living in the 20% most deprived Lower Super Output Areas of local authorities, including Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes City Council.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many new UK-US regulatory alignment agreements he plans to make in the next 12 months.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Following the landmark economic deal with the US which we signed in May, we are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at addressing specific non-tariff barriers, increasing digital trade, and unlocking new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations.

We cannot comment on the specifics of live negotiations, but we are discussing mutual recognition agreements. We will only make any mutual recognition agreements if we believe they benefit UK businesses.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his Department has provided for supervised tooth brushing in early years settings in the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Funding for 2025/26 has been allocated at upper tier local authority level. For Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes City Council this was £61,842.36 for supervised toothbrushing in early years settings. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-health-grants-to-local-authorities-2025-to-2026

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the potential return on funding for the the supervised brushing scheme in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Supervised toothbrushing is an evidence-based intervention. The most recent assessment suggests that supervised toothbrushing schemes have a five-year return on investment of £3.06 for every £1 spent where the rate of decayed, missing due to decay, and filled teeth is two or greater. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-the-oral-health-of-children-cost-effective-commissioning

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of dematerialisation on retail investor participation in UK capital markets.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

In July, the Digitisation Taskforce published its final report. The Taskforce, chaired by Sir Douglas Flint, assessed how the UK can eliminate the use of paper share certificates for traded companies, which create inefficiencies and costs for companies and investors, and improve the intermediated system of share ownership so that investors are better able to exercise rights associated with shares which intermediaries hold on their behalf.

These are important steps as part of the government’s Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy to make UK capital markets more efficient, resilient and competitive.

The government has recently established the Dematerialisation Market Action Taskforce, led by Mark Austin, to take forward the recommended reforms.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to align dematerialisation reforms with other financial market infrastructure initiatives.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

In July, the Digitisation Taskforce published its final report. The Taskforce, chaired by Sir Douglas Flint, assessed how the UK can eliminate the use of paper share certificates for traded companies, which create inefficiencies and costs for companies and investors, and improve the intermediated system of share ownership so that investors are better able to exercise rights associated with shares which intermediaries hold on their behalf.

These are important steps as part of the government’s Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy to make UK capital markets more efficient, resilient and competitive.

The government has recently established the Dematerialisation Market Action Taskforce, led by Mark Austin, to take forward the recommended reforms.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK–Switzerland financial dialogue on the UK’s wider financial diplomacy strategy.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Financial regulatory dialogues, including the UK-Switzerland Financial Dialogue, are important to supporting cross-border trade in financial services and managing financial stability in the global financial system. They form a core part of the government’s approach to strengthening international partnerships, as set out in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy published in July. Dialogues feed into HM Treasury’s development of international financial services policy and joint statements are typically published after meetings.

The most recent UK-Switzerland Financial Dialogue was held on Thursday 9 October in Bern, where officials discussed bilateral cooperation on financial regulatory issues. Further details of the discussion can be found in the Joint Statement. Participants also discussed future opportunities to further develop the Berne Financial Services Agreement, noting that Article 12 of the Agreement 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.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the potential value of financial services trade as a result of the UK–Switzerland financial dialogue.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Financial regulatory dialogues, including the UK-Switzerland Financial Dialogue, are important to supporting cross-border trade in financial services and managing financial stability in the global financial system. They form a core part of the government’s approach to strengthening international partnerships, as set out in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy published in July. Dialogues feed into HM Treasury’s development of international financial services policy and joint statements are typically published after meetings.

The most recent UK-Switzerland Financial Dialogue was held on Thursday 9 October in Bern, where officials discussed bilateral cooperation on financial regulatory issues. Further details of the discussion can be found in the Joint Statement. Participants also discussed future opportunities to further develop the Berne Financial Services Agreement, noting that Article 12 of the Agreement 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.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has identified any new areas of regulatory co-operation with Switzerland following the most recent financial dialogue.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Financial regulatory dialogues, including the UK-Switzerland Financial Dialogue, are important to supporting cross-border trade in financial services and managing financial stability in the global financial system. They form a core part of the government’s approach to strengthening international partnerships, as set out in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy published in July. Dialogues feed into HM Treasury’s development of international financial services policy and joint statements are typically published after meetings.

The most recent UK-Switzerland Financial Dialogue was held on Thursday 9 October in Bern, where officials discussed bilateral cooperation on financial regulatory issues. Further details of the discussion can be found in the Joint Statement. Participants also discussed future opportunities to further develop the Berne Financial Services Agreement, noting that Article 12 of the Agreement 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.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the UK–Switzerland financial dialogue on financial services exports.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Financial regulatory dialogues, including the UK-Switzerland Financial Dialogue, are important to supporting cross-border trade in financial services and managing financial stability in the global financial system. They form a core part of the government’s approach to strengthening international partnerships, as set out in the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy published in July. Dialogues feed into HM Treasury’s development of international financial services policy and joint statements are typically published after meetings.

The most recent UK-Switzerland Financial Dialogue was held on Thursday 9 October in Bern, where officials discussed bilateral cooperation on financial regulatory issues. Further details of the discussion can be found in the Joint Statement. Participants also discussed future opportunities to further develop the Berne Financial Services Agreement, noting that Article 12 of the Agreement 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.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for the extension of community water fluoridation (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Water fluoridation at levels recommended in the United Kingdom is a safe and effective intervention to reduce tooth decay and inequalities in dental health.

The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for National Health Service recovery and reform prioritises prevention.

As part of this strategy, the Government is expanding fluoridation schemes in north east England, aiming to reach 1.6 million more people by April 2030. We will assess further rollout in areas where oral health outcomes are worst.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential barriers to UK investment in Singapore.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

UK companies and investors experience relatively few barriers to investment in Singapore. At the end of 2023, the stock of Foreign Direct Investment from the UK in Singapore was £15.9 billion, a 23% increase on the end of 2022.

UK investors can benefit from provisions in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which provides guarantees on market access and treatment they will receive when accessing and operating in Singapore. This includes ensuring that they are not discriminated against relative to domestic investors.

The Government continues to invite business views and feedback regarding any potential barriers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed water-saving measures on water availability in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are consulting on tighter water efficiency standards for new homes in Building Regulations. Within this we have assessed the policy’s impact on home construction and will be considering developer responses to enable a smooth transition. Our assessment considered the policy at a national level and not specifically its impact on Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Industry research found the cost of water efficiency is low for developers in comparison with the cost of development blockages caused by subsequent water scarcity. The cost of retrofitting water efficient devices is around £40-100 and can be offset by the incentives offered to developers by water companies.

The proposed measures will unlock stalled developments in areas of water scarcity and could unlock 1,000 homes for every 5,250 built, while saving households over £100 a year on bills.

The Government response to the consultation will outline how we propose to monitor and evaluate the final policy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department plans to evaluate the long-term impact of proposed water-saving measures on water consumption.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are consulting on tighter water efficiency standards for new homes in Building Regulations. Within this we have assessed the policy’s impact on home construction and will be considering developer responses to enable a smooth transition. Our assessment considered the policy at a national level and not specifically its impact on Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Industry research found the cost of water efficiency is low for developers in comparison with the cost of development blockages caused by subsequent water scarcity. The cost of retrofitting water efficient devices is around £40-100 and can be offset by the incentives offered to developers by water companies.

The proposed measures will unlock stalled developments in areas of water scarcity and could unlock 1,000 homes for every 5,250 built, while saving households over £100 a year on bills.

The Government response to the consultation will outline how we propose to monitor and evaluate the final policy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what metrics her Department will use to assess the effectiveness of water-saving measures in new homes.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are consulting on tighter water efficiency standards for new homes in Building Regulations. Within this we have assessed the policy’s impact on home construction and will be considering developer responses to enable a smooth transition. Our assessment considered the policy at a national level and not specifically its impact on Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Industry research found the cost of water efficiency is low for developers in comparison with the cost of development blockages caused by subsequent water scarcity. The cost of retrofitting water efficient devices is around £40-100 and can be offset by the incentives offered to developers by water companies.

The proposed measures will unlock stalled developments in areas of water scarcity and could unlock 1,000 homes for every 5,250 built, while saving households over £100 a year on bills.

The Government response to the consultation will outline how we propose to monitor and evaluate the final policy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support her Department plans to provide to developers to implement proposed water efficiency standards.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are consulting on tighter water efficiency standards for new homes in Building Regulations. Within this we have assessed the policy’s impact on home construction and will be considering developer responses to enable a smooth transition. Our assessment considered the policy at a national level and not specifically its impact on Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Industry research found the cost of water efficiency is low for developers in comparison with the cost of development blockages caused by subsequent water scarcity. The cost of retrofitting water efficient devices is around £40-100 and can be offset by the incentives offered to developers by water companies.

The proposed measures will unlock stalled developments in areas of water scarcity and could unlock 1,000 homes for every 5,250 built, while saving households over £100 a year on bills.

The Government response to the consultation will outline how we propose to monitor and evaluate the final policy.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what metrics her Department will use to measure the success of HMRC’s transformation programme.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC will use the metrics published in Annex A of HMRC’s Transformation Roadmap to measure the success of HMRC’s transformation programme. This is available online here: Annex A: HMRC's Transformation Roadmap metrics - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed water efficiency standards on new home construction costs.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are consulting on tighter water efficiency standards for new homes in Building Regulations. Within this we have assessed the policy’s impact on home construction and will be considering developer responses to enable a smooth transition. Our assessment considered the policy at a national level and not specifically its impact on Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Industry research found the cost of water efficiency is low for developers in comparison with the cost of development blockages caused by subsequent water scarcity. The cost of retrofitting water efficient devices is around £40-100 and can be offset by the incentives offered to developers by water companies.

The proposed measures will unlock stalled developments in areas of water scarcity and could unlock 1,000 homes for every 5,250 built, while saving households over £100 a year on bills.

The Government response to the consultation will outline how we propose to monitor and evaluate the final policy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how she plans to monitor compliance with proposed water efficiency standards.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are consulting on tighter water efficiency standards for new homes in Building Regulations. Within this we have assessed the policy’s impact on home construction and will be considering developer responses to enable a smooth transition. Our assessment considered the policy at a national level and not specifically its impact on Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Industry research found the cost of water efficiency is low for developers in comparison with the cost of development blockages caused by subsequent water scarcity. The cost of retrofitting water efficient devices is around £40-100 and can be offset by the incentives offered to developers by water companies.

The proposed measures will unlock stalled developments in areas of water scarcity and could unlock 1,000 homes for every 5,250 built, while saving households over £100 a year on bills.

The Government response to the consultation will outline how we propose to monitor and evaluate the final policy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what mechanisms his Department plans to use to monitor the implementation of (a) funding and (b) job commitments announced following the Prime Minister’s visit to India in October 2025.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

All companies involved in the announcements have a dedicated account manager from the Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Investment. Account managers actively engage with these companies on a regular basis to seek updates on the announced investments, assist with any challenges they face in their investment and discuss further expansion plans.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans his Department has to expand the UK’s investment promotion activities targeted at sovereign wealth funds.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As part of the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, the government announced the creation of the Strategic Investment Opportunities Unit to shape and unlock investment opportunities for strategic investment. This includes originating new investment opportunities that can leverage private capital, including Sovereign Wealth Funds, and deliver government objectives, including to meet the UK’s infrastructure needs, and deliver our Industrial Strategy across the UK. This follows the OfI’s expansion last year, to strengthen our footing globally with the deepest pools of capital.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the number jobs which will be created by US investment pledges made during President Trump's state visit in September 2025.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The commitments made as part of the state visit are expected to create over 15,000 jobs here in the United Kingdom (based on 7,600 jobs announced 17 September 2025 plus 8,250 jobs announced 16 September 2025).

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of 3-5 year olds who will join the supervised toothbrushing scheme in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency in each of the next five years.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The requested information is held at upper tier local authority rather than at constituency level. The national supervised toothbrushing programme targets 1,830 people aged between three- and five- years old living in the 20% most deprived Lower Super Output Areas of Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes City Council (ONS Indices of Multiple Deprivation mid-2020 population estimates). The final number of children participating in schemes will be determined by rates of local participation at individual settings.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the potential share of Great British Energy’s portfolio to be allocated to early-stage clean energy technologies by 2030.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Great British Energy will begin investing in projects this year – kickstarting its work in the development of nascent, clean energy technologies and helping to deliver a secure, clean homegrown energy supply for the UK that will support skilled jobs and supply chains across the country.

The Statement of Strategic Priorities requires Great British Energy to look across the clean energy technology spectrum, including in established technologies and nascent technologies (Technology Readiness Levels 6-9). The government expects GBE to work towards building a portfolio that balances the UK’s short- and long-term clean energy needs, which also provides social value and generates a return.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what financial targets his Department has set to ensure that Great British Energy is self-sustaining by 2030.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The government has set a target for Great British Energy to start generating a portfolio-level return from its commercial activities by 2030, in support of its longer-term goal to be profitable and its wider policy objectives. The government has also tasked GBE with having a plan for becoming self-financing in place by 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how he monitors EU implementation of Trade and Co-operation Agreement provisions on energy market access.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government monitors EU implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, including provisions within the Energy Title, through the Agreement's established governance structures, in this case the Specialised Committee on Energy, the Trade Partnership Committee and the Specialised Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade as applicable.

The Partnership Council, which oversees the attainment of the objectives of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, provides strategic direction to this governance framework.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how he plans to (a) evaluate and (b) report on the linking of UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government will provide updates on negotiations where appropriate. Once any agreement is made to link the UK and EU ETS, the Government will consider the process to evaluate and report on the link consistent with the agreement reached, as well as with other reset priorities under UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The Government aims for negotiations to link the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) and EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to begin as soon as possible.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the resources required to support the new Tenant Farmers Commissioner.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has assessed the resources required to support the Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector based on other similar industry roles and insights from industry stakeholders on likely demand for the Commissioner’s services. This will be under continuous review to ensure the Commissioner’s services are delivered efficiently and effectively.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to measure the effectiveness of the Tenant Farmers Commissioner’s work.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Commissioner for the Tenant farming sector will report to the joint Defra and industry Farm Tenancy Forum on delivery of the Commissioner’s services, including on insights from engagement with the sector and the number and type of informal and formal complaints the Commissioner has received (unattributed and redacted). This will enable ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of and demand for the Commissioners services.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what criteria will be used to determine community access to Great British Energy (a) capacity-building and (b) financial support.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Great British Energy is an operationally independent company and will make its own decisions on how it supports the community energy sector.

We expect initial plans to be published as part of the Local Power Plan, which will be published in due course.

The Local Power Plan is a joint DESNZ and GBE strategy which will drive the long-term growth of the UK’s local and community energy sector over this Parliament.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of the value of research and development projects to be launched under the Tech Prosperity Deal in the next 12 months.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

During the unveiling of the UK-US Technology Prosperity Deal in September 2025, over £31 billion worth of investments and partnerships into the UK were unveiled. These will focus on building new data centres and growing AI start-ups, cutting edge tech as well as developing advanced quantum computers.

In the accompanying MoU, the UK and US committed to collaborate on further initiatives across AI, quantum and nuclear technologies. We are still in the process of scoping out these collaborations with US counterparts; it is too early to comment on their value.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to monitor delivery of partnerships under the Tech Prosperity Deal.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As set out in the UK-US Tech Prosperity Deal’s public MoU, the UK and US intend to establish and convene a Ministerial-Level Working Group within six months of the MoU becoming operative, which will serve as a strategic forum to guide bilateral cooperation, set priorities and oversee the implementation of joint initiatives agreed. The UK and US will then meet annually to continue to assess progress and determine the scope and future of collaborative programmes.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) visa, (b) work-permit, (c) transport and (d) administrative costs under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on UK touring artists.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

This government recognises that touring in Europe has become more difficult for UK artists. We closely monitor the impact of current arrangements on the ability of UK performers and their crews to work and tour in Europe, including the additional time, cost and complexity involved in securing visas and permits and transporting equipment and goods between the UK and EU. These barriers make it harder for UK performers to plan and deliver tours, particularly for smaller and emerging artists for whom European tours present a crucial stepping stone to forge professional connections and establish careers.

The UK and EU share a strong interest in ensuring that artists and audiences on both sides continue to benefit from cultural exchange. European audiences gain from the access to British artists, and venues, festivals and business across Europe benefit from the talent, local economic activity and cultural benefits that touring generates.

As agreed at the inaugural UK-EU Summit, we are committed to deepening UK-EU cultural exchange, including the activities of touring artists. We are carefully considering the most effective ways to do this, and continue to engage with the European Commission, European Member States, and the arts and creative sectors.

Addressing the challenges faced by our sectors is a key part of our broader strategy to strengthen and grow the UK’s creative industries, as set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how her Department will allocate the £1 billion additional funding for HMRC across tax gap initiatives.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC will allocate the additional funding at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025 to close the tax gap predominately to frontline staff and digital services, including:

• 5,500 additional frontline compliance officers
• 2,400 additional debt management staff
• investment in debt case management systems
• placing additional tax debts with private debt collection agencies
• delivering Making Tax Digital for income tax self-assessment
• digitalising the Inheritance Tax service to provide a modern, easy-to-use system, that makes submitting returns and paying tax simpler and quicker

As well as these investments, we introduced measures to:

• Increase the interest rate on unpaid tax
• Change the tax rules on liquidations of Limited Liability Partnerships
• Prevent non-compliance from the transfer overseas of UK tax-relieved pension funds
• Modernise and mandate registration of tax practitioners interacting with HMRC

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the role Great British Energy will be in energy (a) planning and (b) consenting when acting as a co-developer.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Great British Energy (GBE) will invest in, own, and develop clean energy projects throughout all stages of their life cycle, from early development through to successful operation. This will include leading on developing projects itself, as well as being an engaged and proactive co-developer with the private sector, public landowners, devolved and local government, community energy groups, and wider public finance institutions and bodies.

Projects that GBE develops will be taken forward through the planning and consenting system in the same way as any other commercial project.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Tenant Farmers Commissioner on agricultural productivity in Buckinghamshire.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector in England has been appointed by the Government to strengthen relationships and collaboration between tenant farmers, landlords and advisers in all parts of England including Buckinghamshire. Tenant farmers, landlords and advisors working in the tenanted sector in Buckinghamshire can contact the Commissioner to raise an issue or enquiry relating to tenancy matters through the Commissioner’s webpages at Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector: role and services - GOV.UK. The Government is committed to keeping the effectiveness of this approach under review.