Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of mechanisms in place to co-ordinate financial inclusion delivery across (a) central government and (b) regulators.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that action on financial inclusion requires a joined-up approach and will work collaboratively across local, central, and devolved governments, as well as regulators, industry, and civil society to deliver the recently published Financial Inclusion Strategy.
The Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to improve financial inclusion and resilience for underserved groups across the UK. It outlines action to address a range of barriers individuals face in accessing financial products, with a key focus on access to banking services and recognition of the important links with the National Payments Vision and the opportunities this presents to embed and support financial inclusion
To deliver the Strategy effectively, the Government will monitor levels of financial inclusion. There are a number of useful resources which were used in the development of the Strategy and which the Government will continue to monitor as the Strategy is delivered, including the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Financial Lives Survey and research carried out by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
The Strategy’s implementation will be reviewed in two years’ time to provide an update on progress and relevant outcomes-based metrics, which will reflect on the progress made across the sector.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to establish benchmarks for improving access to affordable financial services among vulnerable consumers.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that action on financial inclusion requires a joined-up approach and will work collaboratively across local, central, and devolved governments, as well as regulators, industry, and civil society to deliver the recently published Financial Inclusion Strategy.
The Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to improve financial inclusion and resilience for underserved groups across the UK. It outlines action to address a range of barriers individuals face in accessing financial products, with a key focus on access to banking services and recognition of the important links with the National Payments Vision and the opportunities this presents to embed and support financial inclusion
To deliver the Strategy effectively, the Government will monitor levels of financial inclusion. There are a number of useful resources which were used in the development of the Strategy and which the Government will continue to monitor as the Strategy is delivered, including the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Financial Lives Survey and research carried out by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
The Strategy’s implementation will be reviewed in two years’ time to provide an update on progress and relevant outcomes-based metrics, which will reflect on the progress made across the sector.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with local authorities on identifying areas of financial exclusion for targeted support.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that action on financial inclusion requires a joined-up approach and will work collaboratively across local, central, and devolved governments, as well as regulators, industry, and civil society to deliver the recently published Financial Inclusion Strategy.
The Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to improve financial inclusion and resilience for underserved groups across the UK. It outlines action to address a range of barriers individuals face in accessing financial products, with a key focus on access to banking services and recognition of the important links with the National Payments Vision and the opportunities this presents to embed and support financial inclusion
To deliver the Strategy effectively, the Government will monitor levels of financial inclusion. There are a number of useful resources which were used in the development of the Strategy and which the Government will continue to monitor as the Strategy is delivered, including the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Financial Lives Survey and research carried out by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
The Strategy’s implementation will be reviewed in two years’ time to provide an update on progress and relevant outcomes-based metrics, which will reflect on the progress made across the sector.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that financial inclusion initiatives remain aligned with developments in (i) digital payments and (ii) banking.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that action on financial inclusion requires a joined-up approach and will work collaboratively across local, central, and devolved governments, as well as regulators, industry, and civil society to deliver the recently published Financial Inclusion Strategy.
The Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to improve financial inclusion and resilience for underserved groups across the UK. It outlines action to address a range of barriers individuals face in accessing financial products, with a key focus on access to banking services and recognition of the important links with the National Payments Vision and the opportunities this presents to embed and support financial inclusion
To deliver the Strategy effectively, the Government will monitor levels of financial inclusion. There are a number of useful resources which were used in the development of the Strategy and which the Government will continue to monitor as the Strategy is delivered, including the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Financial Lives Survey and research carried out by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
The Strategy’s implementation will be reviewed in two years’ time to provide an update on progress and relevant outcomes-based metrics, which will reflect on the progress made across the sector.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the resources allocated for data collection to support financial inclusion monitoring.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that action on financial inclusion requires a joined-up approach and will work collaboratively across local, central, and devolved governments, as well as regulators, industry, and civil society to deliver the recently published Financial Inclusion Strategy.
The Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to improve financial inclusion and resilience for underserved groups across the UK. It outlines action to address a range of barriers individuals face in accessing financial products, with a key focus on access to banking services and recognition of the important links with the National Payments Vision and the opportunities this presents to embed and support financial inclusion
To deliver the Strategy effectively, the Government will monitor levels of financial inclusion. There are a number of useful resources which were used in the development of the Strategy and which the Government will continue to monitor as the Strategy is delivered, including the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Financial Lives Survey and research carried out by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
The Strategy’s implementation will be reviewed in two years’ time to provide an update on progress and relevant outcomes-based metrics, which will reflect on the progress made across the sector.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has established indicators for employer participation in health-and-work initiatives in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has no specific indicators for employer participation in health-and-work initiatives specifically in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department plans to take to measure the effectiveness of early-intervention employment support for people at risk of leaving work due to ill health.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Evaluation is a key driver in delivering DWP’s priority outcomes and ensuring alignment with the Government’s Plan for Change. As set out in the DWP Evidence and Evaluation Strategy, ongoing evaluation of new and existing initiatives assesses whether they are achieving intended results and informs future policy design.
All early intervention employment and health programmes are accompanied by robust evaluation strategies as per HM Treasury guidance. For example, for the WorkWell pilots there is a published feasibility study that outlines approaches to estimating the impact of the programme.
On completion of the evaluation, externally commissioned evaluation reports are published. For example, the evaluation of the Work Choice programme - a voluntary scheme supporting disabled people facing employment barriers or at risk of job loss showed - published in April 2025 found that, eight years after referral, participants had a payrolled employment rate 11 percentage points higher than the comparison group. This meant the programme delivered strong value for money, returning £1.67 to the Exchequer for every £1 spent.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of employer-partnership programmes on labour market participation in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions continually monitors and evaluates the impact of its programmes on labour market participation across Great Britain, including in Buckingham and Bletchley.
Employer-partnership initiatives such as the Restart Scheme, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), and Skills Bootcamps are subject to independent evaluation, which informs future policy and contractual decisions. For example, the Restart evaluation by the Learning & Work Institute and Ipsos UK, and the Skills Bootcamp evaluation by CFE Research, are publicly available on GOV.UK.
Locally, Jobcentres in Aylesbury and Milton Keynes deliver a range of employer-led programmes to help people move into sustainable employment. These include tailored support through Restart, mentoring circles with NHS and other employers, and SWAPs in sectors such as construction, logistics, retail, and health and social care.
The Department’s wider reforms will create a new service across Great Britain, enabling people to access support to find good, meaningful work and progress in employment, while working with employers to overcome recruitment barriers and meet skills needs.
Through these measures, the Department aims to improve labour market participation and ensure inclusive employment opportunities in Buckingham, Bletchley, and beyond.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes have received home-based NHS care in each of the last three years.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England does not hold data on the number of patients in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes who have received home-based National Health Service care in each of the last three years.
The NHS provides a range of services in peoples’ homes such as community health services, virtual wards, community mental health support, and palliative care.
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service.
The Neighbourhood Health Service will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, digitally by default, in a person’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
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 assess progress towards establishing the proposed UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary zone under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This autumn we expect to start the detailed negotiations on the SPS agreement, as well as the other commitments from our summit in May
Defra has established a programme to deliver the work required to implement a UK-EU SPS agreement. This is already part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio, with regular progress reporting into the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.