Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
1633 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Air Passenger Duty: Economic GrowthTreasuryTabled 1 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49823More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of future rates of Air Passenger Duty on levels of economic growth.
Answer: The Government published Tax Impact and Information Notes (TIINs) assessing the impacts of the 2025/26 and 2026/27 APD rates, which can be found at GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-air-passenger-duty-rates-from-1-april-2025/ai...
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Labour TurnoverMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49573More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of his Department's (a) recruitment and (b) retention of armed forces personnel.
Answer: The current Government inherited a crisis in recruitment and retention from the last administration, and we are committed to addressing this through a range of targets, initiatives and measures. Although Armed Forces outflow currently remains greater than...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: InnovationMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49572More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Government to turbocharge defence innovation, published on 3 March 2025, which defence firms he met with at RAF Waddington.
Answer: The following companies attended the Defence Industrial Strategy and Growth Roundtable at RAF Waddington on 28 February 2025: BAE SystemsBabcockRolls-RoyceQinetiQ GroupLeonardo UKMBDA UKLockheed Martin UKRheinmetall UKRTX UKPearsons EngineeringAtlas Elek...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRugby: Public ParticipationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49571More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support increased participation in grassroots rugby.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTourism: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49570More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the press release entitled Major investment to boost growth and cement Britain’s place as cultural powerhouse, published on 20 February 2025, whether this funding is additional
Answer: The £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund is made up of multiple funds including the £85 million Creative Foundations Fund and the £20 million Museum Renewal Fund. Full details of these funds can be found on the UK Parliament website here.The Autumn Budget 20...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArms Length BodiesCabinet OfficeTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49569More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled Hundreds of quangos to be examined for potential closure as Government takes back control, published on 7 April 2025, whether this review will consider future Arm's L
Answer: The review will cover all arm’s-length bodies (ALBs), including proposals for new ALBs.
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Steel: ScunthorpeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether it is his policy to not allow another Chinese partner for the Scunthorpe steel plant.
Answer: Our unique and unprecedented action was related to an individual company no longer acting in good faith. No decisions have yet been made about British Steel's long-term future - that will come at a later date.More broadly, the UK remains open to Chinese i...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInfrastructure: ChinaCabinet OfficeTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49567More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of excluding Chinese firms from critical national infrastructure.
Answer: The UK will not compromise on economic security and will continue to prioritise national security and resilience. We will continue to cooperate with China on trade and investment, recognising there will also be areas where we need to challenge non-market ...
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Steel: ScunthorpeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much and what proportion of the funding for steel through the National Wealth Fund will be used to maintain steel production in Scunthorpe.
Answer: The funding required to maintain iron and steel production at Scunthorpe will be drawn from the £2.5bn funding for steel, which is available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. The National Wealth Fund is operationally independent, and fina...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordVans: Manufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support van manufacturers in the context of US tariffs.
Answer: A landmark economic deal with the US, announced on 8 May, protects jobs in key sectors including automotive, directly supporting over 320,000 jobs across the UK. The Government also continues to support van manufacturing through the Automotive Transformat...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordImport Duties: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the UK leaving the EU on the level of tariffs applied to the UK by the US.
Answer: The UK has a strong and balanced trading relationship with the US worth £315 billion. Investment supports around 2.5 million jobs across both countries. Trade is second only to the EU where our trading relationship is worth £813 billion. The level of tari...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordStansted Airport: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of expanding London Stansted Airport on the economy in (a) the East of England and (b) Bedfordshire.
Answer: We have been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding climate change commitments and meet strict environmental requirements on air qualit...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordThameslink Line: PassengersDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of passenger numbers on Thameslink services in (a) 2030 and (b) 2040.
Answer: In line with our published guidance, the Department has developed a number of possible rail demand scenarios in both the medium and long term. The Department considers a wide range of evidence for our project appraisals and policy decisions and seeks to u...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUrinary Tract Infections: Health ServicesWomen and EqualitiesTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49561More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on improving (a) awareness and (b) treatment of chronic and recurring urinary tract infections.
Answer: The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published guidelines for referral for patients who present with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/urinary-tract-infection-lower-women/management/recurrent-uti...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Income: ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49560More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 36886 on Personal Income: Expenditure, if she will publish the assessment of behavioural changes referenced in that Answer.
Answer: The Office for Budget Responsibility reports on the impact of the government’s policy announcements, including behavioural impacts where relevant. The impact of policies announced at Autumn Budget 2024 can be found in its published document Economic and F...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRough Sleeping: BedfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49559More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department has provided to (a) Bedford Borough and (b) Central Bedfordshire Councils to tackle rough sleeping in each financial year since 2022-23.
Answer: Between 2022/23 and 2024/25, Bedford Borough Council were allocated funding to tackle rough sleeping through the Rough Sleeping Initiative, Accommodation for Ex-Offenders, Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatmen...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDelivery Services: SafetyHome OfficeTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure the safety of retail workers who deliver to people's homes.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to UIN 48505 on the 6th May 2025.
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTourist Attractions: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer to Question 43757 on Aquariums and Zoos: Tourism, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to GREAT programme funding on Visit Britain’s work to prom
Answer: The GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign remains an effective tool in driving economic growth and we will continue to work closely with partners to optimise the campaign’s resources to deliver growth right across the UK. DCMS recognises the impor...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordStatutory Sick PayDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Chapter 9 of the final stage impact assessment entitled Improve access to Statutory Sick Pay by removing the Lower Earnings Limit and removing the waiting period, if she will make it h
Answer: The Government intends to conduct a post-implementation review (PIR) of the Employment Rights Bill within five years of implementation. The impact of the measures to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay will be monitored, including how Statutory Sick Pay is used...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48239More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with local leaders in Bedfordshire on the adequacy of bus capacity in the context of increased visitors to the Universal Bedfordshire project.
Answer: The Department for Transport will work with local authorities and bus operators to ensure that bus services reflect the needs of the local communities that rely on them. We believe local leaders know their areas best and so are best placed to make decisio...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordParking: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48238More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with local leaders in Bedfordshire on the effectiveness of (a) rules relating to on-street parking and (b) the enforcement of those rules near train stations on the (a) Thameslink l
Answer: Responsibility for implementing parking restrictions rests with the appropriate local authority, as they are best placed to consider how to balance the needs of residents, emergency services, local business and those who work in and visit the area. Centra...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordJudicial Review: CostsMinistry of JusticeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48237More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of judicial reviews in (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22, (c) 2022-23, (d) 2023-24 and (e) 2024-25.
Answer: A judicial review challenge may be made against a wide range of public bodies, including Government Separtments, local authorities, police, NHS trusts, regulatory bodies, and certain courts and tribunals.There is no centrally held data on the total cost o...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: East West Rail LineMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48236More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled Chancellor vows to go further and faster to kickstart economic growth, published on 29 January 2025, what her Department's timetable i
Answer: The New Towns Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployers' ContributionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48235More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the total cost of employers’ National Insurance contributions in (a) London boroughs, (b) Metropolitan districts, (c) County councils, (d
Answer: In the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced funding to help public sector organisations cover the additional costs associated with employer National Insurance Contributions. This funding has been allocated to departments and other public sector em...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48234More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will implement the powers provided under section 113 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 23874 on 22 January 2025.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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