Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the level of private capital investment required to meet the UK’s defence capability requirements over the next decade.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Government is making a generational investment in defence. The Defence Investment Plan is backed by £298 billion over the next four years and sets out the major investment choices needed to deliver the Strategic Defence Review.

Our ambition is to make the UK the most attractive place in the world to invest in defence, security and resilience. The UK has a strong defence industrial base, a growing pipeline of opportunities, and a leading financial sector that can help support capability, resilience, and growth.

Public investment will remain the foundation of UK defence capability. However, private capital has an important role to play in helping innovative companies scale, strengthening supply chains, supporting infrastructure and accelerating delivery where this offers value for money, meets operational need and is deliverable.

Later this year, the Ministry of Defence will publish a Defence Finance and Investment Strategy, setting out how Government will work with investors to mobilise private capital in support of defence capability, resilience and growth.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to publish a framework for measuring the economic return on defence investment.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Department is committed to ensuring defence is an engine for growth.

Defence guarantees our peace and security, which underpins all UK economic growth. The economic return is significant but not amenable to quantification.

Additional growth is achieved as Defence spending in the UK improves the functioning of the economy. We assess these impacts using the Defence Growth Framework which was published in the Defence Investment Plan.

The five core criteria which are used to analyse investments through the Growth Framework are:

• Research & Development
• Skills / human capital
• Frontier industry
• Place
• Market competition

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve productivity growth among firms operating in UK defence supply chains.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence works closely with other Government Departments, particularly the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), HM Treasury, the Cabinet Office, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to support companies in the Defence supply chain to improve their productivity growth.

The Defence Investment Plan published on 30 June is a key part of giving our industrial base the certainty they need to invest, which in turn can drive productivity improvement.

Defence is developing productivity measures to improve our understanding of performance across the defence sector. This work supports commitments in the Strategic Defence Review and will help inform decisions that improve industrial performance, value for money and military readiness.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce the cost of capital for early-stage defence firms.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence works closely with HM Treasury, the Department for Business and Trade, and the British Business Bank to improve access to finance and reduce the cost of capital for early-stage defence firms. This includes strengthening investor confidence through clear long-term demand signals, co-funding innovation with UK Research and Innovation and UK Defence Innovation, supporting venture and growth finance schemes, and providing export support. The Defence Office for Small Business Growth also helps businesses better understand Defence, attract investment, and grow within the sector.

The Defence Finance and Investment Strategy, due to be published later this year following collaboration with the Financial Conduct Authority, will further support the sector by addressing barriers to finance and investment, helping defence businesses access funding through stronger partnerships with public financial institutions and private capital.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the proportion of defence procurement spending currently awarded to firms less than five years old.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence does not hold the information requested.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the proportion of defence investment expected to come from domestic rather than overseas private capital by 2030.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence has not set a fixed target for the proportion of defence investment expected to come from domestic rather than overseas private capital by 2030.

The Government’s priority is to make the UK the most attractive place in the world to invest in defence, security and resilience, while ensuring investment supports national security, sovereign capability, UK-based defence and dual-use businesses, jobs, readiness and growth.

The Defence Finance and Investment Strategy will set out how Government will work with domestic and international investors, public financial institutions and industry to develop credible investment propositions, while protecting national security and commercially sensitive information.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of waiting times for NHS Talking Therapies in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency since July 2024.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Department monitors waiting times for NHS Talking Therapies through published monthly statistics and information provided by NHS England and local providers.

For Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies, which covers Buckingham, there has been no clear overall trend in waiting times since July 2024. However, performance against key access standards has remained consistently strong. Across this period, at least 94% of patients started treatment within six weeks of referral, and 100% within 18 weeks. The proportion of patients waiting more than 90 days between first and second appointments has remained low, ranging between 1% and 5%. As of 31 March 2026, 18 people with Buckingham postcodes were waiting for their first appointment.

For Milton Keynes Talking Therapies, which covers Bletchley, performance has varied over the period but continues to meet access standards. In March 2026, 78% of patients started treatment within six weeks of referral, with performance fluctuating between 71% and 98% over the period, and 99% within 18 weeks. The proportion of patients waiting more than 90 days between first and second appointments has fluctuated, ranging between 13% and 38% over the period, with a peak of 53% in December 2025. As of 31 March 2026, 467 people were waiting to start treatment.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of whether regulatory barriers remain to increased Australian pension fund investment in the Government's eight growth-driving sectors identified in its industrial strategy.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Australian institutional investors view the UK as an attractive location for long-term capital, and they have already committed £71 billion into the UK economy since 2022. With Australia's superannuation funds projected to reach £4.1 trillion by 2035, there is a significant opportunity to deepen this relationship further. This Government signed an investment MoU with Australia to take advantage of that growth, providing the foundations for Australian pension investment in the UK to double to £99 billion by 2035.

The MoU commits both governments to identifying and reducing obstacles to cross-border investment. This work will be taken forward by both sides, building on existing forums such as the UK-Australia Joint Financial Regulatory Forum. The inaugural Forum took place on 24 September and aims to advance cooperation on financial regulatory matters. Further details of the discussions can be found in the Joint Statement.

The Government is also taking steps to address infrastructure constraints that can affect investment decisions, including through ongoing queue reforms to remove speculative projects and free up capacity for high-value investments. For the most strategically significant projects, the Industrial Strategy launched the Connections Accelerator Service, a joint DESNZ and Office for Investment (OfI) service providing bespoke grid access support, with a pilot launched at the end of 2025.

The Government will continue to work with Australian superannuation funds and other institutional investors to ensure the UK remains an attractive destination for long-term capital.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK-Australia Investment Partnership on levels of foreign direct investment into the UK.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Australian institutional investors view the UK as an attractive location for long-term capital, and they have already committed £71 billion into the UK economy since 2022. With Australia's superannuation funds projected to reach £4.1 trillion by 2035, there is a significant opportunity to deepen this relationship further. This Government signed an investment MoU with Australia to take advantage of that growth, providing the foundations for Australian pension investment in the UK to double to £99 billion by 2035.

The MoU commits both governments to identifying and reducing obstacles to cross-border investment. This work will be taken forward by both sides, building on existing forums such as the UK-Australia Joint Financial Regulatory Forum. The inaugural Forum took place on 24 September and aims to advance cooperation on financial regulatory matters. Further details of the discussions can be found in the Joint Statement.

The Government is also taking steps to address infrastructure constraints that can affect investment decisions, including through ongoing queue reforms to remove speculative projects and free up capacity for high-value investments. For the most strategically significant projects, the Industrial Strategy launched the Connections Accelerator Service, a joint DESNZ and Office for Investment (OfI) service providing bespoke grid access support, with a pilot launched at the end of 2025.

The Government will continue to work with Australian superannuation funds and other institutional investors to ensure the UK remains an attractive destination for long-term capital.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to increase public awareness of unclaimed savings products.

Answered by Rachel Blake

Under the FCA’s Consumer Duty, firms must act to deliver good outcomes for retail customers throughout their relationship with the firm. This includes acting in good faith, avoiding causing foreseeable harm, and enabling and supporting consumers to pursue their financial objectives. As part of this work, the FCA has set out its expectations of firms in relation to gone-away or disengaged consumers. Banks must make best efforts to contact such customers, to ensure that they can continue to access their products, such as savings accounts.

In the event that banks are not able to contact their customers, and they deem that the account has become dormant, they may elect to transfer the proceeds to the Government’s Dormant Assets Scheme, but banks’ first priority is to reunite customers with their assets.

The Government does not hold data on the total value of unclaimed savings held by financial institutions in the UK. However, in 2017, the independent Commission on Dormant Assets estimated there to be £1–2 billion of dormant assets held across eligible financial services sectors, including the banking sector. Since the opening of the Dormant Assets Scheme in 2011, there has been over £2.13bn of dormant funds transferred from participating banks and building societies alone, as of 31^st March 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the total value of unclaimed savings held by financial institutions in the UK.

Answered by Rachel Blake

Under the FCA’s Consumer Duty, firms must act to deliver good outcomes for retail customers throughout their relationship with the firm. This includes acting in good faith, avoiding causing foreseeable harm, and enabling and supporting consumers to pursue their financial objectives. As part of this work, the FCA has set out its expectations of firms in relation to gone-away or disengaged consumers. Banks must make best efforts to contact such customers, to ensure that they can continue to access their products, such as savings accounts.

In the event that banks are not able to contact their customers, and they deem that the account has become dormant, they may elect to transfer the proceeds to the Government’s Dormant Assets Scheme, but banks’ first priority is to reunite customers with their assets.

The Government does not hold data on the total value of unclaimed savings held by financial institutions in the UK. However, in 2017, the independent Commission on Dormant Assets estimated there to be £1–2 billion of dormant assets held across eligible financial services sectors, including the banking sector. Since the opening of the Dormant Assets Scheme in 2011, there has been over £2.13bn of dormant funds transferred from participating banks and building societies alone, as of 31^st March 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the UK’s current pipeline of investable infrastructure projects to meet anticipated demand from long-term institutional investors.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Delivering the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy’s ambitious programme for transforming the UK’s infrastructure will require significant increases in private investment to complement and maximise the value of the extensive public investment underway. To help improve the visibility of infrastructure investment opportunities, government has developed and published the dynamic Infrastructure Pipeline. This has been designed in close collaboration with investor and supply chain stakeholders and includes key investment metrics to support inward investment.

The Pipeline currently includes 235 projects and programmes that have indicated confirmed or potential opportunities for private investors over the next 10 years.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current electricity grid capacity to meet projected demand by 2035.

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

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) conducts independent modelling of future electricity demand and supply and strategic planning of the transmission network.

NESO’s Future Energy Scenarios (FES) provide a range of credible pathways for Great Britain's energy system to 2050. This informs strategic electricity network planning by assessing future demand, generation, storage and flexibility requirements.¹

NESO’s Beyond 2030 Update report (published 30^th June), draws on the FES, and sets out the network infrastructure needed through the 2030s.²

NESO’s assessment indicates that demand can be met through timely delivery of recommended network infrastructure to enable generation planned for the 2030s.

1. Future Energy Scenarios (FES) | National Energy System Operator
2. Beyond 2030 - Electricity Transmission Update | National Energy System Operator

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of barriers to community ownership of battery storage infrastructure.

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

The Government recognises that community-owned battery projects can face a range of barriers, including high upfront capital costs, complex grid connection processes, and challenges around onboarding residents.

On 4 June, the Department launched a Call for Evidence on community batteries to gather views on these barriers from a range of stakeholders. This will help inform how Government can best support the scale-up of community-owned battery projects across the UK.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to accelerate private capital investment in grid infrastructure.

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

Ofgem regulates network companies to ensure efficient investment in maintaining and upgrading electricity infrastructure.

The Department works with Ofgem to ensure the regulatory framework supports timely electricity network investment. Ofgem’s RIIO price control framework provides long‑term certainty through funding allowances and incentives that give investors’ confidence to finance major infrastructure.

The latest electricity transmission framework, RIIO‑ET3, combines upfront funding with flexible mechanisms to scale investment as needs evolve, alongside earlier approvals, strengthened delivery incentives and provisions to bring forward funding for critical projects, supporting private investment while protecting consumers. Similar mechanisms are in place for electricity distribution as well.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of community batteries on household electricity bills.

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

The Government recognises that community batteries have the potential to reduce household electricity bills, particularly for lowincome households and those who have not historically benefited from such technologies, by storing cheaper renewable electricity and using it at times of higher demand.

On 4 June, the Department launched a Call for Evidence to gather further evidence on the scale of these potential bill savings and how the benefits can be passed on to participating households.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to reduce grid connection delays for renewable energy projects.

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

Government is working closely with Ofgem, NESO and network companies to reform the connections process to focus on projects that are both ready and needed. Through reform, NESO has already cut the size of the queue by over 300GW, and a clearer, more credible pipeline is now in place for clean power delivery.

In addition, Government is working with Ofgem as it undertakes an end-to-end review of the connection process, including looking at the obligations and incentives on network companies. This is seeking to help ensure timely delivery of connections and high levels of customer service.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce financial incentives for community-led battery storage projects.

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

Community battery projects are already eligible for support through a range of national and devolved schemes, including the Local Power Plan, which is providing up to £1bn of funding over this Spending Review period.

On 4 June, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero launched a Call for Evidence on community batteries, which is seeking views on financial barriers to delivery and the most effective funding routes. This will inform how Government can best support community-led battery storage projects going forward.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the role of pension fund capital in financing the clean energy transition.

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

The Government recognises the important role pension fund capital plays in financing the clean energy transition. Delivering Clean Power by 2030 will require an estimated £40bn of investment annually, and the net zero transition in the UK requires around £145bn of investment annually across low carbon sectors from 2026 to 2050, according to modelling from BloombergNEF. We’ve had £100 billion of clean energy investment since July 2024.

The Government is actively engaging with domestic and international pension funds and other institutional investors to understand barriers to investment and to support greater investment into clean energy industries. We are working to provide the policy certainty, stable market frameworks and public finance interventions needed to crowd in private capital and maintain the UK's position as a leading destination for clean energy investment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the new resident doctor pay and training settlement on rates of doctor emigration.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The new resident doctor pay and training settlement in England (the Deal) is made up of measures which address concerns raised by the British Medical Association’s Resident Doctors Committee on behalf of resident doctors. Under the Deal resident doctors in England will benefit from improved pay scales, better working conditions, and improved career progression opportunities with up to 4,500 additional training places delivered over the next three years. We hope that these changes mean resident doctors feel that the National Health Service remains an attractive place to work and develop their careers in.

No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of the new resident doctor pay and training settlement on rates of doctor emigration on long-term retention rates of doctors within the NHS workforce.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the resident doctors’ pay settlement on long-term retention rates of doctors within the NHS workforce.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The new resident doctor pay and training settlement in England (the Deal) is made up of measures which address concerns raised by the British Medical Association’s Resident Doctors Committee on behalf of resident doctors. Under the Deal resident doctors in England will benefit from improved pay scales, better working conditions, and improved career progression opportunities with up to 4,500 additional training places delivered over the next three years. We hope that these changes mean resident doctors feel that the National Health Service remains an attractive place to work and develop their careers in.

No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of the new resident doctor pay and training settlement on rates of doctor emigration on long-term retention rates of doctors within the NHS workforce.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential for defence investment to increase private sector research intensity in the UK economy.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Defence investment in science and technology has the potential to increase private sector research intensity by providing clear demand signals, co-funding opportunities and technology roadmaps that encourage defence industry to undertake additional research and development activity. Evidence from a MOD sponsored UK industry study in 2025 indicated that defence S&T investment supports industry co-investment, attracts venture capital and inward investment, stimulates R&D expenditure, develops intellectual property and skills, and creates opportunities for commercialisation and export.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the planned expansion of resident doctor training places is matched by adequate (i) clinical supervision capacity and (ii) training infrastructure across NHS trusts.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 29 June 2026, the British Medical Association’s Resident Doctors Committee announced that their membership had voted to accept an offer from the Government to resolve their dispute on pay and jobs.

The deal for resident doctors includes the introduction of up to 4,500 specialty training places over the next three years. Trusts will be asked to create these roles with funding partially coming from repurposing spending on medical locums, agency work, and some locally employed doctor roles coming to an end.

NHS England will work with trusts to ensure that the appropriate clinical supervision capacity and training infrastructure is in place to deliver these changes.

The Government is committed to ensuring the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. That is why NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that the expansion of places is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increased resident doctor training places on regional workforce levels, including in underserved and rural areas.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

On 29 June 2026, the British Medical Association’s Resident Doctors Committee announced that their membership had voted to accept an offer from the Government to resolve their dispute on pay and jobs.

The deal for resident doctors includes the introduction of up to 4,500 specialty training places over the next three years. Trusts will be asked to create these roles with funding partially coming from repurposing spending on medical locums, agency work, and some locally employed doctor roles coming to an end.

NHS England will work with trusts to ensure that the appropriate clinical supervision capacity and training infrastructure is in place to deliver these changes.

The Government is committed to ensuring the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. That is why NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that the expansion of places is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on the potential impact of the resident doctors’ settlement on staffing in accident and emergency departments.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, regularly discusses a range of matters with NHS England.

No specific discussions on the impact of the resident doctors’ settlement in England on staffing in accident and emergency departments have taken place. However, discussions have taken place on the impact that a resolution of the resident doctor dispute on pay and jobs in England has on the resident doctor workforce, other National Health Service staff, and the running of the NHS. The absence of further strikes by resident doctors will allow NHS services in England to run normally. The details of the expansion of training places are now being developed.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage public participation in nature in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Answered by Mary Creagh

This Government is committed to giving everyone in the country the opportunity to engage with nature. As set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 there are a range of actions being taken at the national level to improve access to nature including the creation of nine new National River Walks, three new National Forests and the publication of an Access to Nature Green Paper to explore further opportunities to enhance and expand access to green and blue spaces. This Government has announced that the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor, which runs directly through the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency, will host the second of three new national forests. The forest will deliver economic, environmental and social benefits, supporting economic development and improving outcomes for local communities. The competition to identify a delivery partner has recently closed and applications are being reviewed.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to restore peatlands.

Answered by Mary Creagh

This Government is committed to peatland restoration. We have announced that we will invest £85 million between 2026 and 2030 to improve and restore our peatlands. This includes extending the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme by an additional year, until March 2027. This scheme has already delivered the restoration of approximately 28,000 hectares of peatland, and this extension will enable thousands more hectares to be restored.

Once the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme comes to an end, peatland restoration will be supported through Environmental Land Management schemes such as Landscape Recovery and Countryside Stewardship. We are ensuring these schemes provide strong support for peatland outcomes.

We have also recently launched the Peatland Restoration Sector Capacity Grant Scheme, a new £1.15m scheme designed to support skills, training, apprenticeships and equipment needed to increase the capacity of the peatland restoration sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to tackle wildlife crime in Buckinghamshire.

Answered by Mary Creagh

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protect all wild birds and some wild animals in England. There are strict penalties in place for offences under this and other wildlife legislation.

Defra supports the valuable work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and is providing £530,000 to it in 2026-27. The NWCU helps prevent and detect wildlife crime, assists law enforcers with investigations – supporting Thames Valley Police with 25 wildlife crime cases since 2024 - and provides training on wildlife crime. Ninety-six wildlife crime training modules were completed by Thames Valley Police staff in the year up to February 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the international competitiveness of UK defence manufacturing costs.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence assesses that UK defence manufacturing remains internationally competitive despite global supply chain pressures and rising costs, with ongoing efforts in innovation, efficiency, and collaboration to sustain its strong global position.