Every parliamentary written question tabled by Callum Anderson this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 361–380 of 837 · this parliament
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of UK technical assistance to the World Bank’s capacity-building programmes.
The Government is committed to working with a range of multilateral organisations and international institutions to pursue our shared goals across a number of policy objectives, including sustainable development and poverty reduction.
What information his Department holds on the number of reported incidents of winter fuel payment-related scams in each of the past five years.
The Department does not hold a formal record of the number of reported winter fuel payment-related scams over the past five years.
What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that vulnerable pensioners are protected from online benefit scams.
DWP is taking a number of steps to protect our vulnerable customers from online benefit scams. This includes raising public awareness of benefit scam messages on the Gov.uk website. Our most recent press release relating to Winter Fuel Payment warned our customers to be alert to text message scams in advance of next month’s payments and urging them to forward any suspicious texts to 7726. This is free of charge and helps phone providers block the numbers involved. Customers are also encouraged to forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. We are also working together with Action Fraud raising awareness on social media sites including Facebook and X formerly known as Twitter. This is alongside DWP’s continued work with trusted partners and charities such as Independent Age to ensure accurate and timely information is available. DWP has also developed a recorded message for our telephone lines to raise awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams.
What steps he is taking with law enforcement agencies to help (a) identify and (b) prevent winter fuel payment scams.
In partnership with Action Fraud, we are raising awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams across Facebook and Twitter. This is alongside DWP’s continued work with trusted partners and charities such as Independent Age to ensure accurate and timely information is available. DWP has also developed a recorded message for our telephone lines and issued a press release via GOV.UK to raise awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams. To protect customers from fraudulent SMS messages, DWP has registered all official Sender IDs with the Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF). UK mobile networks use this register to block messages claiming to be from DWP that are not sent through approved routes. Scams that are reported to or discovered by the Department that use other channels, such as social media, are managed through existing security processes and referred to Action Fraud where appropriate. Significant trends are also shared with the National Cyber Security Centre.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has identified priority sectors for future UK-backed multilateral development funding following the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund 2025, Development Committee plenary, October 2025.
The Government is committed to working with a range of multilateral organisations and international institutions to pursue our shared goals across a number of policy objectives, including sustainable development and poverty reduction.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international partners since the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund 2025 Annual Meetings on the alignment of development financing with climate adaptation priorities.
The Government is committed to working with a range of multilateral organisations and international institutions to pursue our shared goals across a number of policy objectives, including sustainable development and poverty reduction.
What discussions she has had with the Bank of England on managing potential financial stability risks from increased Gulf investment in UK markets.
Increased investments from the Gulf states represent significant opportunities for the UK, supporting growth and innovation across the economy. The Chancellor’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia promoted the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, advanced Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, advocated for deeper UK-Saudi capital market connectivity, and unveiled a two-way investment package worth £6.4 billion. Regarding potential financial stability risks, the Chancellor and the Governor of the Bank of England regularly discuss the financial stability outlook, including as required under the Bank of England Act 1998. Readouts of their discussions are published on GOV.UK.The Bank’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC), which is responsible for identifying and addressing systemic risks to the financial system as a whole, published its most recent Financial Stability Report in July 2025.
Whether her Department has identified priority regions for investment arising from recent Gulf trade agreements.
The Chancellor is committed to building strong relationships with Gulf countries and Sovereign Wealth Funds, as reflected in her attendance of the Future Investment Initiative Conference in Saudi Arabia. She engaged with key partners to explore opportunities that could benefit regions across the UK and progress negotiations on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council. The visit also helped unlock £6.4bn in two-way trade and investment between the UK and Saudi Arabia, including a £5bn MoU between UK Export Finance and the Saudi Public Investment Fund to support jobs and manufacturing across the UK. Attracting investment into every region of the UK is central to this government’s mission to drive national growth. Partnering with the private sector is essential and is why at the Regional Investment Summit last month the Chancellor announced the creation of the Sterling 20. The new grouping of institutional investors will further support mobilising institutional investment by raising awareness among investors of government-led programmes and initiatives. This will allow members to help shape and co-design investment opportunities, so they are attractive, unlocking capital for UK infrastructure throughout the UK.
With reference to his letter to the joint chief executives of Skills England entitled Skills England priorities for 2025 to 2026, dated 27 October 2025, what estimate he has made of the number of learners who will enter (a) level 4 and (b) level 5 education or training by age 25 in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency in the next three years.
On 20 October, we published the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, which outlines our reforms to develop a world-class skills system that supports young people into education and training, meets learner and employer needs, and drives innovation and economic growth. This includes our bold new target of two-thirds of young people participating in higher-level learning - whether academic, technical or an apprenticeship - by age 25. This includes a sub-target of 10% of young people participating in higher technical education or training - at levels 4 or 5 - by age 25, by 2040. We do not hold forecasts of the numbers of learners who will enter level 4 or level 5 study by age 25. The number of entrants that entered level 4 and level 5 study in previous academic years, broken down by local authority level, can be found in the Higher Level Learners publication here: Higher Level Learners.
Food and Rural Affairs, what monitoring arrangements will her Department put in place to ensure that environmental protections in Buckinghamshire are maintained following the introduction of the new permitting exemptions.
Proposed changes to environmental permitting will make controls more proportionate for certain low-risk preparatory work associated with house building and other developments. The Environment Agency (EA) will be able to create new exemptions from environmental permitting subject to consulting on exemption conditions and providing a risk assessment. The EA will monitor use of the new exemptions and have power to amend or revoke new or current exemptions, with consultation, where necessary to protect the environment. We anticipate that housing developments and similar projects will benefit from streamlined processes for low-risk construction activities, including certain earthworks (e.g. creating bunds and landscaping to shield the building site) and placement of materials near to watercourses. However, the EA will only be permitted to introduce new exemptions where robust safeguards are in place to maintain essential protections for the environment and local communities. Local authorities will have the opportunity to engage in consultations on specific proposals when the EA exercises its new powers. Officials at Defra have worked closely with the EA to develop these proposals and will continue to collaborate to support effective implementation.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to measure the environmental impact delivered by extended Countryside Stewardship agreements in Buckinghamshire.
The targeted, time-limited extension of Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier is being offered to ensure farmers have the support they need to continue their vital activities to restore nature and produce food sustainably. This includes environmental work such as planting wildflower margins that boost pollinators and managing hedgerows to create vital habitats for birds and small mammals, alongside sustainable food production.
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with (i) Buckinghamshire Council and (ii) the Environment Agency regarding the implementation of the proposed common-sense approach to environmental regulation.
Proposed changes to environmental permitting will make controls more proportionate for certain low-risk preparatory work associated with house building and other developments. The Environment Agency (EA) will be able to create new exemptions from environmental permitting subject to consulting on exemption conditions and providing a risk assessment. The EA will monitor use of the new exemptions and have power to amend or revoke new or current exemptions, with consultation, where necessary to protect the environment. We anticipate that housing developments and similar projects will benefit from streamlined processes for low-risk construction activities, including certain earthworks (e.g. creating bunds and landscaping to shield the building site) and placement of materials near to watercourses. However, the EA will only be permitted to introduce new exemptions where robust safeguards are in place to maintain essential protections for the environment and local communities. Local authorities will have the opportunity to engage in consultations on specific proposals when the EA exercises its new powers. Officials at Defra have worked closely with the EA to develop these proposals and will continue to collaborate to support effective implementation.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to environmental permitting on the delivery of new homes in Buckinghamshire.
Proposed changes to environmental permitting will make controls more proportionate for certain low-risk preparatory work associated with house building and other developments. The Environment Agency (EA) will be able to create new exemptions from environmental permitting subject to consulting on exemption conditions and providing a risk assessment. The EA will monitor use of the new exemptions and have power to amend or revoke new or current exemptions, with consultation, where necessary to protect the environment. We anticipate that housing developments and similar projects will benefit from streamlined processes for low-risk construction activities, including certain earthworks (e.g. creating bunds and landscaping to shield the building site) and placement of materials near to watercourses. However, the EA will only be permitted to introduce new exemptions where robust safeguards are in place to maintain essential protections for the environment and local communities. Local authorities will have the opportunity to engage in consultations on specific proposals when the EA exercises its new powers. Officials at Defra have worked closely with the EA to develop these proposals and will continue to collaborate to support effective implementation.
Food and Rural Affairs, how many housing developments in Buckinghamshire are expected to benefit from reduced permitting times as a result of the new exempt-low-risk-activity provisions.
Proposed changes to environmental permitting will make controls more proportionate for certain low-risk preparatory work associated with house building and other developments. The Environment Agency (EA) will be able to create new exemptions from environmental permitting subject to consulting on exemption conditions and providing a risk assessment. The EA will monitor use of the new exemptions and have power to amend or revoke new or current exemptions, with consultation, where necessary to protect the environment. We anticipate that housing developments and similar projects will benefit from streamlined processes for low-risk construction activities, including certain earthworks (e.g. creating bunds and landscaping to shield the building site) and placement of materials near to watercourses. However, the EA will only be permitted to introduce new exemptions where robust safeguards are in place to maintain essential protections for the environment and local communities. Local authorities will have the opportunity to engage in consultations on specific proposals when the EA exercises its new powers. Officials at Defra have worked closely with the EA to develop these proposals and will continue to collaborate to support effective implementation.
Food and Rural Affairs, what engagement her Department has had with (a) farming and (b) land management representatives in Buckinghamshire on the future of (i) Countryside Stewardship and (ii) related environmental land management schemes.
This Government actively engages with representatives from the farming industry through regular meetings and discussions, ensuring we listen to their views, understand their concerns, and take their feedback into account.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that farmers in Buckinghamshire can transition smoothly from Countryside Stewardship to the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.
On the 15 October 2025 we announced a one-year extension to more than 5,000 farmers with Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements expiring on 31 December this year. This targeted, time-limited extension is being offered whilst we develop the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive for 2026, refresh the Environmental Improvement Plan and administer the new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier. We will publish the 2026 information on the Sustainable Farming Incentive in due course.
What performance metrics she has set for the Scale-up Unit in relation to regulatory case resolution times for supported firms.
The Scale-up Unit is a joint initiative by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to enhance engagement with fast-growing, innovative firms. It builds on existing regulatory support for early-stage innovative firms, including through the joint PRA and FCA New Bank and Insurer Start-up Units, to support firms as they seek to scale-up. The FCA and PRA will conduct further industry-wide engagement to gather input which will help shape the future direction of the Unit. Sir Ron Kalifa, in his 2021 Review of Fintech, identified a UK Fintech scale-up funding gap of £2 billion. The Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy set out measures to tackle this gap, including the launch of this Scale-Up Unit, and work led by the City of London Corporation and British Business Bank to facilitate greater access to finance and commercial opportunities for fast-growing Fintech firms.
How many innovative financial services firms are expected to access support from the Scale-up Unit in its first year of operation.
The Scale-up Unit is a joint initiative by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to enhance engagement with fast-growing, innovative firms. It builds on existing regulatory support for early-stage innovative firms, including through the joint PRA and FCA New Bank and Insurer Start-up Units, to support firms as they seek to scale-up. The FCA and PRA will conduct further industry-wide engagement to gather input which will help shape the future direction of the Unit. Sir Ron Kalifa, in his 2021 Review of Fintech, identified a UK Fintech scale-up funding gap of £2 billion. The Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy set out measures to tackle this gap, including the launch of this Scale-Up Unit, and work led by the City of London Corporation and British Business Bank to facilitate greater access to finance and commercial opportunities for fast-growing Fintech firms.
What estimate her Department has made of the size of the UK FinTech scale-up funding gap.
The Scale-up Unit is a joint initiative by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to enhance engagement with fast-growing, innovative firms. It builds on existing regulatory support for early-stage innovative firms, including through the joint PRA and FCA New Bank and Insurer Start-up Units, to support firms as they seek to scale-up. The FCA and PRA will conduct further industry-wide engagement to gather input which will help shape the future direction of the Unit. Sir Ron Kalifa, in his 2021 Review of Fintech, identified a UK Fintech scale-up funding gap of £2 billion. The Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy set out measures to tackle this gap, including the launch of this Scale-Up Unit, and work led by the City of London Corporation and British Business Bank to facilitate greater access to finance and commercial opportunities for fast-growing Fintech firms.
Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the additional hectares of farmland in Buckinghamshire that will remain under agri-environment schemes as a result of the extension to Countryside Stewardship.
There are 6474 hectares of farmland in Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements in Buckinghamshire which are due to expire on 31 December 2025. The majority of these will be offered a one-year extension.