Calum Miller

In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.

In line with the practice of successive administrations, detailed minutes of ministerial meetings - even those that are declared publicly - are not normally disclosed.

The UK government is committed to monitoring US policies and considering what action is best to promote and safeguard UK business interests.

Between January 2017 and January 2021, we engaged the US administration extensively on a range of US policies, including in the context of UK-US FTA negotiations. Beyond 2021, we have continued engaging with the US to improve access to the US market for UK exporters, including by securing the removal of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products.

The UK government is committed to monitoring US policies and considering what action is best to promote and safeguard UK business interests.

Between January 2017 and January 2021, we engaged the US administration extensively on a range of US policies, including in the context of UK-US FTA negotiations. Beyond 2021, we have continued engaging with the US to improve access to the US market for UK exporters, including by securing the removal of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products.

The UK government is committed to monitoring US policies and considering what action is best to promote and safeguard UK business interests.

Between January 2017 and January 2021, we engaged the US administration extensively on a range of US policies, including in the context of UK-US FTA negotiations. Beyond 2021, we have continued engaging with the US to improve access to the US market for UK exporters, including by securing the removal of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products.

We will publish updated community benefits guidance for onshore wind in England in spring 2025, to clearly set out our expectations on what effective community benefits for communities that host new onshore wind projects should look like.

Solar Energy UK plans to publish its community benefits guidance for solar PV later this year. It will apply on a voluntary basis and provide a benchmark for the solar energy sector.

We have announced bill discounts for new transmission infrastructure projects because many communities will live close to this infrastructure without enjoying the direct, tangible benefits coming from other technologies, such as local jobs and investment.

However, in the Clean Power Action Plan, we made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, we will ensure they benefit from it. There are many options in this area including community funds and shared ownership, which we are exploring.

In the interim, we intend to publish guidance for onshore wind in England and Solar Energy UK has also committed to publishing guidance.

BEIS has, and DESNZ continues to, assess the implications of international policy on the UK. The Department works on the basis of its legislative commitment to combating climate change and meeting the UK's Carbon Budgets

This Government believes that we can only ensure climate security for further generations in the UK if we lead globally. Secretary of State has had a range of engagements with European counterparts on international climate commitments, including at COP29.

There is currently no legal obligation for developers in the UK to provide community benefits However, in the Clean Power Action Plan, we have made clear that in the future where communities host clean energy infrastructure, we will ensure they benefit from it. There are many options in this area including community funds and direct support for households, and we are exploring all options to ensure communities can benefit from our clean power mission. We hope to have more to say on this in due course.

We recognise and value the US as a key partner in R&D and look forward to continuing our collaboration on shared priorities to drive economic growth and technological advancement. Both the UK and US are committed to facilitating the exchange of talent and students to enhance R&D capabilities.

The department engages regularly with representatives from the higher education sector on a range of international issues, working to support universities to maximise the opportunities of international collaboration whilst managing related risks. However, it would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of any discussions with individual universities on sensitive diplomatic or national security matters.

If we are made aware of concerns from universities regarding undue foreign pressure, we can and would take appropriate action to support universities, alongside other partners, to maintain their independence and autonomy. In England, providers have a regulatory requirement to ensure that their decisions are taken, without direction, coercion or covert influence. The Office for Students’ freedom of speech advice, published in June 2025, shows how providers should protect academic freedom from foreign interference, and the department has announced further work to improve international due diligence and awareness of foreign interference risks.

The department engages regularly with representatives from the higher education sector on a range of international issues, working to support universities to maximise the opportunities of international collaboration whilst managing related risks. However, it would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of any discussions with individual universities on sensitive diplomatic or national security matters.

If we are made aware of concerns from universities regarding undue foreign pressure, we can and would take appropriate action to support universities, alongside other partners, to maintain their independence and autonomy. In England, providers have a regulatory requirement to ensure that their decisions are taken, without direction, coercion or covert influence. The Office for Students’ freedom of speech advice, published in June 2025, shows how providers should protect academic freedom from foreign interference, and the department has announced further work to improve international due diligence and awareness of foreign interference risks.

The department has published allocations for £740 million high needs capital funding in 2025/26 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision.

Of this funding, Oxfordshire Council has been allocated just under £8 million.

This funding is intended to support local authorities to adapt or create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs, and to create high quality special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places including for pupils with SEND, sits with local authorities. It is ultimately up to local authorities to determine how to best prioritise their high needs capital funding to address local priorities.

The department has published allocations for £740 million high needs capital funding in 2025/26 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision.

Of this funding, Oxfordshire Council has been allocated just under £8 million.

This funding is intended to support local authorities to adapt or create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs, and to create high quality special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places including for pupils with SEND, sits with local authorities. It is ultimately up to local authorities to determine how to best prioritise their high needs capital funding to address local priorities.

The department, through Skills England, is actively engaged in the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor. This engagement is supported by local skills improvement plans (LSIPs), which cover all the areas within the Oxford-Cambridge corridor. LSIPs are overseen by Skills England, helping to ensure all parties play their part.

Skills England works closely with employer representative bodies who develop LSIPs to ensure that local technical skills priorities support employers, empower learners and enable regions to respond to future workforce needs.

Employers have consistently engaged with and contributed to the development of LSIPs to articulate skills needs, outline issues faced and establish solutions to tackle these.

This Government will invest £7.9 billion over the next ten years in the largest ever flood programme.

This will boost resilience and benefit 840,000 properties by 2035–36.

The programme will launch in April 2026 and I encourage all local areas to work with the Environment Agency to explore options for future flood schemes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 28 January 2025 to the hon Member for West Dorset, PQ 25127.

The Government plans to publish a 12-week consultation on land use shortly. The consultation will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later in the year.

The number of fatalities and serious injuries at level crossings in Great Britain in each of the last five years is set out in the table below. This covers each reporting year and available data from April 2020 to March 2025.

The Secretary of State sets out her considerations in her decision letters for each Development Consent Order. This will take into account relevant legislation, national policy statements and other relevant policy as well as national carbon budget commitments. She also follows public law considerations relating to good decision making and procedural fairness to ensure that interested parties have the opportunity to be heard. The Secretary of State takes account of the evidence before her, only considering relevant matters, and provides appropriate reasoning to support her decision making. Information about the Development Consent Order process and its requirements are available on gov.uk: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/decision-making-process-guide.

The lighting of road vehicles is regulated by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 as amended (RVLR). It is illegal to sell unapproved LED light sources for use in modern car, truck and bus headlamps. Changes were made to the MOT manual to align with the requirements of the RVLR to ensure that modern vehicles fitted with unapproved light sources fitted will fail the MOT.

Furthermore, the Government recognises the increased public concern around headlamp glare and has commissioned independent research to understand the causes.

Careful consideration will be given to that work when it reports later this year to determine what future actions may be appropriate to ensure the safety of all road users.

The Department for Transport takes the impact of excessive noise on health, wellbeing and the natural environment seriously. Strict noise regulations for cars and motorcycles are harmonised at an international level and require vehicles to demonstrate compliance before being placed on the market. Replacement silencers that are to be used on the road must also meet strict noise limits that are aligned with those of the original vehicle.

The Department published the results of roadside trials of noise camera technology last year and continues to keep a keen interest in this technology. However, it is ultimately for local authorities and the police to consider what the most appropriate enforcement routes may be within their area, based on their knowledge of the issue locally. The Department has limited means for influencing local decision making on enforcement priorities.

The police have powers to deal with noisy vehicles on an ongoing basis. Under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 they can take action if they suspect a vehicle is being driven in a manner that makes excessive noise which is avoidable through reasonable driver care. In the same Regulations, exhausts and silencers are required to be maintained in good working order and not modified so as to increase noise.

The regions currently experiencing the longest driving test waiting times are London and the South East of England.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work to attract and recruit more driving examiners (DE) in the London and South East areas.

For recruitment campaigns, DVSA continues to use additional measures when advertising in these areas, such as local managers attending and running recruitment events, and working in local communities, building and fostering relationships to showcase the DE roles.

DVSA has seen success in its recent campaigns for these regions. From these campaigns, 36 candidates have completed DE training successfully and have been placed to their test centre, and a further 19 candidates are currently undertaking training.

From the most recent campaigns, DVSA has a further 26 potential candidates booked for upcoming training courses, with a further 48 currently undergoing pre-employment checks.