Written questions by Anderson.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the economic contribution of the solar supply chain including (a) manufacturers and (b) installers in Buckinghamshire.

No such estimate has been made by the Department. We recognise that manufacturers and installers will contribute significantly to our clean power ambitions. The Solar Roadmap sets out actions for Government and industry aimed at maximising the opportunities arising from further commercialisation of solar technologies and components and delivering a resilient, highly skilled, well-paid solar workforce throughout the UK.

What criteria her Department plans to use for determining the future scalability of the Digital Gilt Instrument issuance model beyond the pilot phase.

At Mansion House the government set out an update on the DIGIT pilot, outlining a range of ambitious design features the government intends to take forward and encourage as a part of the DIGIT pilot. These design features include testing on-chain settlement, supporting interoperability, delivering greater transparency, and working with the sector to encourage the future development of secondary markets and solutions to enable collateral mobility. These features reflect feedback from stakeholders, including across the financial services sector, received as part of the government’s market engagement exercise that closed in April 2025. The government is committed to ongoing work with the sector to ensure the success of the DIGIT pilot both in terms of the issuance itself and its wider impact. The priority at this stage is delivering the pilot and no decisions have been made on further issuances. As the government has set out previously, the pilot DIGIT issuance will be separate from our standard debt issuance programme.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of non-domestic rooftops with solar installation potential under the revised national solar deployment targets in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

No assessment has been made. However, the Government is aware of the significant potential that commercial rooftops have to play in our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower. The recently published Solar Roadmap sets out actions for government and industry to unlock this potential including developing guidance for landlords and tenants to navigate the complex lease agreements that often hold back rooftop solar deployment.

What estimate her Department has made of the proportion of early years settings in (i) Buckinghamshire and (ii) Milton Keynes currently employing at least one early years teacher.

The early years census workforce data provides responses from private, voluntary and independent early years providers delivering funded entitlements to children aged 2 to 4 years of age. Staff holding Early Years Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status and Qualified Teacher Status are amalgamated as accredited graduate staff members in this dataset. The department does not hold data on the proportion of early years teachers in these areas in other types of early years settings such as school-based nurseries and childminders.In 2024, 109 providers in Buckinghamshire (29%) and 7 providers in Milton Keynes (4%), delivering 15-hour entitlement, employed at least one accredited graduate staff member.In 2024, 97 providers in Buckinghamshire (28%) and 6 providers in Milton Keynes (4%), delivering 30-hour entitlement, employed at least one accredited graduate staff member.

What steps his Department has taken to track the proportion of solar developments in Buckinghamshire that incorporate biodiversity net gain requirements.

Biodiversity net gain is a legal requirement under the Environment Act 2021. This means that, to acquire planning permission, biodiversity must increase by 10% compared to previous levels. This is currently only the case for projects being decided in the local planning system. Defra is consulting on mandatory biodiversity net gain for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and any changes in policy will be reflected in future updates to the National Policy Statements.

What steps his Department is taking to provide up-to-date guidance on cumulative impact assessment for solar infrastructure to Buckinghamshire Council.

Planning guidance already sets out how decision-makers should consider cumulative impacts where a number of solar projects are deployed in close proximity, and is clear that projects are designed to avoid, mitigate and where necessary compensate for this. Solar farms can usually be easily screened by hedges and other vegetation, and visual impact is carefully considered during the planning process.

Whether her Department has set a timetable for evaluating the compatibility of digital gilt infrastructure with international bond trading platforms.

At Mansion House the government set out an update on the DIGIT pilot, outlining a range of ambitious design features the government intends to take forward and encourage as a part of the DIGIT pilot. These design features include testing on-chain settlement, supporting interoperability, delivering greater transparency, and working with the sector to encourage the future development of secondary markets and solutions to enable collateral mobility. These features reflect feedback from stakeholders, including across the financial services sector, received as part of the government’s market engagement exercise that closed in April 2025. The government is committed to ongoing work with the sector to ensure the success of the DIGIT pilot both in terms of the issuance itself and its wider impact. The priority at this stage is delivering the pilot and no decisions have been made on further issuances. As the government has set out previously, the pilot DIGIT issuance will be separate from our standard debt issuance programme.

What assessment his Department has made of the total area of low-grade agricultural land suitable for ground-mounted solar deployment in Buckinghamshire.

The Department currently monitors the geographical location of solar developments through the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD). While we currently do not hold data on the type of land used in different counties, there are plans to broaden the scope of this database to provide information on the area and types of agricultural land used by existing solar projects and those in the planning pipeline.

What analysis her Department has conducted on the interoperability of the UK’s digital sovereign debt framework with digital securities infrastructure developed by other G7 countries.

At Mansion House the government set out an update on the DIGIT pilot, outlining a range of ambitious design features the government intends to take forward and encourage as a part of the DIGIT pilot. These design features include testing on-chain settlement, supporting interoperability, delivering greater transparency, and working with the sector to encourage the future development of secondary markets and solutions to enable collateral mobility. These features reflect feedback from stakeholders, including across the financial services sector, received as part of the government’s market engagement exercise that closed in April 2025. The government is committed to ongoing work with the sector to ensure the success of the DIGIT pilot both in terms of the issuance itself and its wider impact. The priority at this stage is delivering the pilot and no decisions have been made on further issuances. As the government has set out previously, the pilot DIGIT issuance will be separate from our standard debt issuance programme.

What estimate his Department has made of the proportion of community solar project applications in Buckinghamshire that have progressed to commissioning since 2022.

Solar is at the heart of the Government's mission to make the United Kingdom a clean energy superpower. In 2025/26, we have set up £5 million in grant funding through the Great British Energy Community Fund (GBE:CF), which is available to community energy groups to help communities develop their own clean energy projects, including solar-powered generation. Since 2022, the department has funded a hydro project in the Buckinghamshire region through the Community Energy Fund. No solar projects have been funded to date. However, the Greater Southeast Hub is currently reviewing applications from the window that closed on the 7th July.

What discussions her Department has had with institutional investors on (a) settlement risk and (b) custodianship models for digital sovereign debt instruments.

At Mansion House the government set out an update on the DIGIT pilot, outlining a range of ambitious design features the government intends to take forward and encourage as a part of the DIGIT pilot. These design features include testing on-chain settlement, supporting interoperability, delivering greater transparency, and working with the sector to encourage the future development of secondary markets and solutions to enable collateral mobility. These features reflect feedback from stakeholders, including across the financial services sector, received as part of the government’s market engagement exercise that closed in April 2025. The government is committed to ongoing work with the sector to ensure the success of the DIGIT pilot both in terms of the issuance itself and its wider impact. The priority at this stage is delivering the pilot and no decisions have been made on further issuances. As the government has set out previously, the pilot DIGIT issuance will be separate from our standard debt issuance programme.

What steps his Department is taking with distribution network operators to help reduce grid connection delays for solar projects proposed in Buckinghamshire.

We are working closely with Ofgem and the network companies to develop and deliver fundamental reform of the grid connections process. National Energy System Operator’s proposals for connections reform were approved by Ofgem on 15 April. These reforms will release up to 500GW of capacity from the oversubscribed connections queue. This will enable accelerated connections, including for solar projects in Buckinghamshire connecting at both transmission and distribution level, where they are ready and aligned with our strategic needs, as set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to monitor the effectiveness of local authority engagement strategies with residents during the planning of solar developments in Buckinghamshire.

The Government does not set out or monitor how individual local authorities, including Buckinghamshire, engage residents in the planning of solar developments, in recognition of their autonomy and flexibility to deliver net zero according to each local area’s varying needs and opportunities. Nationally, Government engages with the public on solar and other low carbon technologies in the Public Attitudes Tracker, a triannual household survey tracking public awareness and attitudes relating to the Department’s policy areas. The Government is working with GBE to develop the Local Power Plan, to turbocharge the UK’s local and community energy sector. Charles Warren Academy in Milton Keynes was one of the first schools to receive solar panels funded by GBE alongside the Department for Education.

What support her Department is providing to help ensure early years providers are included in the Stronger Practice Hubs expansion programme in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

As part of the ‘Giving every child the best start in life’ strategy, the department is doubling the number of Stronger Practice Hubs from 18 to 36, securing their future for a further three years, and funding partnerships between nurseries and schools to share evidence-based practice and strengthen links across settings, helping more children have a smooth transition into reception. Nearly 10,000 settings are part of Hub networks as of March 2025, including 72 settings in Buckinghamshire and 13 in Milton Keynes. Support for this region is provided by the Thames Valley and South Central Early Years Stronger Practice Hub based at Blagdon Nursery School, Reading. Contextual information based on geography, provider type and deprivation ranking were considered to ensure an even spread of Stronger Practice Hubs across the country of different provider types and location. We anticipate similar factors to be considered in the expansion of the Stronger Practice Hub programme across all regions, including the South East region, which Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes sit within.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Digital Gilt Instrument issuance on the operational framework of the UK Debt Management Office.

At Mansion House the government set out an update on the DIGIT pilot, outlining a range of ambitious design features the government intends to take forward and encourage as a part of the DIGIT pilot. These design features include testing on-chain settlement, supporting interoperability, delivering greater transparency, and working with the sector to encourage the future development of secondary markets and solutions to enable collateral mobility. These features reflect feedback from stakeholders, including across the financial services sector, received as part of the government’s market engagement exercise that closed in April 2025. The government is committed to ongoing work with the sector to ensure the success of the DIGIT pilot both in terms of the issuance itself and its wider impact. The priority at this stage is delivering the pilot and no decisions have been made on further issuances. As the government has set out previously, the pilot DIGIT issuance will be separate from our standard debt issuance programme.

How many and what proportion of families are unable to access family support services in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

The department does not currently hold data to determine the proportion of families who are unable to access family support services at constituency level. However, a 2024 survey by UNICEF UK and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children found that one in four families with children under five cannot access local children’s centres or Family Hubs, rising to one in three low-income families.On 7 July 2025, the government published ‘Giving every child the Best Start in Life’. This outlines our commitment to deliver a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority. Local authorities not currently receiving funding for the programme this year will receive a development grant to support their preparations, ahead of national rollout of Best Start Family Hubs from April 2026.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential long-term tariff revenue impact of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme.

The Department has not undertaken a quantitative assessment of the future long-term tariff revenue impact of the DCTS. Before launching the DCTS, the Department estimated based on historical trade patterns, annual tariff savings of up to £770 million to UK imports, benefitting UK businesses and consumers.  The Scheme's primary objective is to support trade-led growth and poverty reduction in developing countries. Any long-term impact on UK tariff revenue is expected to be modest and proportionate to the development benefits it delivers.

What role the Developing Countries Trading Scheme plays in the Department’s strategy for strengthening UK trading relationships in sub-Saharan Africa.

We are committed to our trading relationships across the continent of Africa, founded on partnerships and respect, to deliver mutual long-term benefit. Recent UK-Africa consultations demonstrated that African partners want increased trade with countries like the UK, and within the continent. Trade has the potential to drive growth. The UK provides duty-free, or virtually duty-free, market access for goods from 48 countries in Africa through our Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) and network of Economic Partnership Agreements. The UK also continues to support African partners to boost intra-African trade and prosperity through the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

With reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Industrial strategy partnership: joint statement between the UK and France, published on 11 July 2025, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the implementation of bilateral investment projects.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) tracks UK investment in various ways, including through its global network and central platform, DataHub, which monitors all Office for Investment (OfI) projects. This includes investments announced on 11 July during the UK-France Summit and the UK-France Industrial Strategy Partnership.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Taiwan offshore wind export credit agreement on the UK energy supply chain.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) support is conditional on the inclusion of UK content. This should usually be at least 20% of the portion of the support provided by UKEF. In this instance, UKEF has issued a guarantee to commercial lenders to help secure new export opportunities for the UK, which in turn support jobs across the UK, both in those businesses with which the project contracts directly, and in their supply chains. While there will be significant UK content, above the 20% threshold, we cannot comment on individual contracts for reasons of commercial sensitivity.UKEF support is based on confirmed contracts for the provision of specialised services and components to support the construction project. UKEF is aware of several UK sub-contractors who are bidding for roles within the various construction contracts , but such selection is an ongoing process throughout the build phase.