Written questions by Anderson.

What assessment her Department has made of the availability of specialist further education provision for students with special educational needs in Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire.

The department is committed to improving access to educational opportunities for all young people in all parts of the country by ensuring that they can access a quality educational offer that adds value and helps them to achieve their long-term career aspirations and goals.Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure enough suitable education and training provision to meet the reasonable needs of all young people in their area who are over compulsory school age but under 19, or aged 19 or over and for whom an education, health and care plan is maintained. They must therefore ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review, including its sufficiency, working with parents, young people and providers.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of funding structure on the number of apprenticeships available for 16-24-year-olds in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

To support younger people into apprenticeships, the government pays both employers and training providers £1000 when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18 or apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care. This is in recognition of the additional support that younger apprentices may require when entering employment. The government also pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care, when they undertake apprenticeships with non-levy paying employers. Additionally, employers benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 where they earn less than £967 a week, £50,270 a year.The government is reforming the apprenticeship levy into a more flexible growth and skills levy that will include new foundation apprenticeships to give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives. Construction will also be one of the key sectors that will benefit from new foundation apprenticeships backed by an additional £40 million, which will be launching in August 2025. This will inspire more young people into the construction industry and give them the tools they need for a sustained and rewarding career. As part of this new offer, employers will be provided with £2,000 for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain in the construction industry.The availability of apprenticeships in Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire will be determined by employers choosing to offer apprenticeships. The department publishes data on apprenticeships starts by geographical area, including local authority district and parliamentary constituency at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/2325414e-eb99-439f-20ca-08dd18600198.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve the recruitment and retention of staff in further education colleges in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

The department recognises the vital role that further education (FE) staff and providers play in equipping learners with the opportunities and skills that they need to succeed in their education and to drive growth in our economy.The department will be spending over £400 million more on 16 to 19 education in the 2025/26 financial year to ensure enough funding is available to respond to the significant increase in student numbers and other pressures on the system. We are making approximately £50 million of this funding available to colleges for April to July 2025 to respond to current priorities and challenges as they see fit, including workforce recruitment and retention.In addition, the department is providing funding to colleges and schools to support them with increased National Insurance contributions, which will add a further £155 million to funding for post-16 education in the 2025/26 financial year.The department’s Targeted Retention Incentive gives eligible early career teachers working in FE colleges in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and priority technical subjects up to £6,000 after tax annually, in addition to their usual pay. This includes those in eligible FE colleges in the Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire area.The department has also continued to offer financial incentives for those undertaking teacher training for the FE sector in priority subject areas. FE teacher training bursaries will be offered for the 2025/26 academic year, and we have increased the top value of bursaries for STEM subjects to £31,000 each, tax free.The national FE teacher recruitment campaign, Share Your Skills, targets those with industry skills to think about a career in FE teaching. The campaign raises awareness and increases consideration by encouraging industry professionals to think about using their skills to teach in FE.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the condition of roads in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network. Data on the condition of local roads is published annually and is available on gov.uk. Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council are the local highway authorities for their respective areas and are therefore responsible for the condition and maintenance of their local road networks. At Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced an extra £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year. Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council will receive around £20.7 million and £10.7 million respectively from this Department during 2025/26 to help them carry out their local highway maintenance responsibilities. In each case this represents an uplift of over 35% compared to the current financial year. These totals are subject to both councils meeting new reporting requirements that the Government has introduced. Councils that comply with these new requirements will receive their full funding uplifts, helping to deliver the manifesto commitment to fill a million extra potholes a year as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

Media and Sport, how many museums have received funding from Arts Council England in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The Secretary of State announced a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund on 20 February. This will include support to museums, arts and music venues across the country and is a critical step that this Government is taking to help create jobs, boost local economies, and expand access to arts and culture for communities.This is in addition to steps already being taken to support arts and culture via Arts Council England (ACE). In Buckinghamshire, ACE has provided over £19 million of funding between 2021-2025, of which over £11 million has gone to organisations in Milton Keynes.For example, organisations receiving ACE funding include local 2023-2026 ACE National Portfolio Organisations, such as the Milton Keynes islamic Arts Heritage and Culture Organisation (£195,000 per annum), Milton Keynes Arts Centre (£99,803 per annum) and Milton Keynes Gallery (£390,360 per annum).The Museum Estate and Development Fund is also part of the support provided by ACE: Bletchley Park received just under £3m from the fund between 2021-2025 towards building modernisation works.Separately, DCMS has directly supported Discover Bucks Museum through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, awarding grants totalling £260,000 between 2018-2024.

What steps her Department is taking to improve bus services in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England, including in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Buckinghamshire County Council has been allocated over £6.7 million of this funding, with Milton Keynes Council allocated £3.6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support the development of local arts and cultural organisations in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

The Secretary of State announced a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund on 20 February. This will include support to museums, arts and music venues across the country and is a critical step that this Government is taking to help create jobs, boost local economies, and expand access to arts and culture for communities.This is in addition to steps already being taken to support arts and culture via Arts Council England (ACE). In Buckinghamshire, ACE has provided over £19 million of funding between 2021-2025, of which over £11 million has gone to organisations in Milton Keynes.For example, organisations receiving ACE funding include local 2023-2026 ACE National Portfolio Organisations, such as the Milton Keynes islamic Arts Heritage and Culture Organisation (£195,000 per annum), Milton Keynes Arts Centre (£99,803 per annum) and Milton Keynes Gallery (£390,360 per annum).The Museum Estate and Development Fund is also part of the support provided by ACE: Bletchley Park received just under £3m from the fund between 2021-2025 towards building modernisation works.Separately, DCMS has directly supported Discover Bucks Museum through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, awarding grants totalling £260,000 between 2018-2024.

Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to grassroots sports facilities in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes in each of the last five years.

This Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We are committed to protecting time for physical education in school and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.We provide the majority of our funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. In the 2024/25 Financial Year, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes received over £3.9 million from Sport England to enhance sport and physical activity opportunities for local communities.The expansion of Sport England’s Place Partnerships will invest up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding and enhance engagement in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Sport England recently announced Milton Keynes as one of their 53 Place Partnerships.More widely, the Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase participation in youth sport in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

This Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. We are committed to protecting time for physical education in school and supporting the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport.We provide the majority of our funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. In the 2024/25 Financial Year, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes received over £3.9 million from Sport England to enhance sport and physical activity opportunities for local communities.The expansion of Sport England’s Place Partnerships will invest up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding and enhance engagement in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Sport England recently announced Milton Keynes as one of their 53 Place Partnerships.More widely, the Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What recent assessment his Department has made of the capacity to support increased renewable energy generation of the electricity grid in (i) Buckinghamshire and (ii) Milton Keynes.

Electricity network capacity information is available at the website of each Distribution Network Operator that serves Buckinghamshire. For National Grid Electricity Distribution (which covers Milton Keynes) this can be found at: https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/our-network/network-capacity-map/. For UK Power Networks https://ukpowernetworks.opendatasoft.com/pages/network-infrastructure-usage-map/?grid=true. For Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks https://network-maps.ssen.co.uk/. The National Energy System Operator also has information on transmission network capacity at: https://www.neso.energy/industry-information/connections/connections-360.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What funding has been allocated to community safety initiatives in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

Funding of £627.4 million has been allocated to Thames Valley Police in 2025-25, an increase of up to £40.8 million when compared to the 2024-25 funding settlement.It is for locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents, to make decisions on how they use their funding and deploy their resources using their knowledge of local need.

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

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