Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of whether rural broadband and mobile connectivity are sufficient to support the deployment of agricultural robotics in Buckinghamshire.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Availability of digital connectivity underpins the UK’s digital capabilities, including the ability of rural communities to benefit from deployment of agricultural robotics. This is why we are futureproofing the UK’s networks, with a target to deliver gigabit broadband coverage to 99% of premises by 2032 and an ambition for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G coverage by 2030.
Ofcom reports that as of January 2026, 69% of rural premises in Buckinghamshire local authority have access to a gigabit-capable connection and standalone 5G is available across 98% of the rural landmass from at least one mobile network operator.
Through the 5G Innovation Regions programme, the Government has funded projects across the UK to demonstrate how a range of connectivity solutions can support modern farming practices and the use of agricultural technologies such as drones, robotics, cameras and sensors.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential economic impact of improving international intellectual property enforcement for UK creative businesses.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Government recognises that intellectual property (IP) enforcement is essential to supporting growth for UK creators, rights holders and businesses operating internationally to secure returns on investment in innovation and creativity.
While no specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of improving international IP enforcement for UK creative businesses, the OECD has estimated trade in goods infringing UK IP rights was worth £12.1 billion in 2021, with associated sales, jobs and public revenue impacts.
The Intellectual Property Office supports UK businesses protecting their rights overseas by working with international partners, law enforcement and industry to strengthen IP enforcement frameworks.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a national fast-track pathway for people with motor neurone disease on waiting times for social care assessments in (i) Buckinghamshire and (ii) Milton Keynes.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We continue to work with local authorities and other delivery partners to understand the capacity, workforce, and wider support required to deliver a fast-track pathway for people with motor neurone disease as we develop that pathway.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the capacity of local authorities to implement fast-track care pathways for people with motor neurone disease.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We continue to work with local authorities and other delivery partners to understand the capacity, workforce, and wider support required to deliver a fast-track pathway for people with motor neurone disease as we develop that pathway.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of frontline healthcare staff, including a) GPs, b) nurses and c) other clinical professionals, available to provide services to patients in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July to Question 17166.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to reduce the Government’s exposure to volatility in debt interest costs.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Fiscal discipline is the bedrock of economic stability and national security. The Government will meet the fiscal rules, with a buffer against uncertainty.
HM Treasury and the Debt Management Office manage the Government's financing costs in line with the debt management objective, which is to minimise, over the long term, the costs of meeting the Government's financing needs, taking account of risk. As set out in the Debt Management Report 2026-27, in determining the annual financing remit the Government assesses interest-rate, refinancing and inflation risks, and issues an appropriate balance of conventional and index-linked gilts over a range of maturities.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency to meet the new procurement requirements.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government is committed to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises across the country, including in Buckingham and Bletchley. The new measures provide a clearer, simplified approach that will make it easier for businesses of all sizes to bid for government contracts.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new procurement requirements on competition for public contracts.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Simplifying the social value requirements in central government procurement will simplify the procurement process and make it easier for businesses of all sizes to bid for government contracts.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to improve the collection and preservation of evidence relating to serious acts of violence in the West Bank.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement in the Commons on 8 September.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps her Department is taking to increase AI capability across the Civil Service.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government is committed to building AI capability across the Civil Service to deliver better, more efficient public services. We are driving this through targeted training, skills development, and specialist recruitment.
Training: Following the "One Big Thing 2025" campaign where a record 221,000 civil servants took part in foundational AI training, we are launching "One Big Thing 2026: AI in Action" this autumn to equip every civil servant with practical AI skills and boost productivity by driving adoption of AI across the Civil Service.
Skills: The new National School of Government and Public Services, launching this year and scaling over three years, will provide a dedicated curriculum covering AI, data, and digital capability.
Recruitment: To attract top technical talent, 36 organisations have adopted the Government Digital, Data and Cyber Pay Framework. This supports our commitment to double the tech workforce from 5% to 10% of the Civil Service by 2030, reinforced by an expanded Digital Fast Stream featuring new Data Scientist and Software Engineer pathways.