Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
1633 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Emergencies: Departmental ResponsibilitiesCabinet OfficeTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43279More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to appoint a dedicated Minister for Resilience.
Answer: The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has overall responsibility for resilience policy across government. He is supported by a number of ministerial colleagues with resilience responsibilities in their departments. The full List of Ministerial Responsi...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStellantis: LutonDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43278More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 35851 on Stellantis: Luton, if he will publish details of the package of measures to support all workers facing redundancy.
Answer: The full package of support for workers facing redundancy was agreed directly between Stellantis and Unite the Union as the recognised trade union; as such Government cannot publish these details as it was not party to the negotiations.In addition to the ...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: BedfordshireMinistry of DefenceTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the potential economic impact on Bedfordshire of increased defence spending.
Answer: We are ensuring UK defence is on the cutting-edge of technology and innovation, with Defence spending meeting our military needs, supporting 434,000 jobs across the breadth of the UK and increasing the productive capacity of the UK economy to drive sustai...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: Social MobilityDepartment for EducationTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of Level 7 Apprenticeships on social mobility.
Answer: The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth supported by a strong skills system.This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioriti...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: EndometriosisDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of endometriosis on women in the workplace.
Answer: Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. We announced in the recent Pathways to W...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBanking HubsTreasuryTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42693More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government has taken to achieve the target of 350 banking hubs since 5 July 2024.
Answer: The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups or face challenges using alternative payment methods. The Government is committed to maintaining the viability of...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Wealth Fund: BedfordshireTreasuryTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42692More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the expected contribution of the National Wealth Fund to economic growth in Bedfordshire between 4 July 2024 and 4 July 2029.
Answer: Growth is the government’s number one mission, and the National Wealth Fund is a key lever for helping to deliver the investment underpinning this. The National Wealth Fund is committed to supporting the Government's growth and clean energy missions. Impo...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFilm: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42691More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36218 on Film: Business Rates, if she will make an estimate of how many film studios have a rateable value of less than £500,000.
Answer: This data is published on gov.uk as at 31 March 2024. In the 2024 stock of properties publication, the following zip file contains counts (rounded to the nearest 10) for each special category code, including film and tv studios, broken down by rateable va...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: PlanningDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42690More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Questions (a) 36880, (b) 36881, (c) 36882, (d) 36883 and (e) 36884, when he plans to conclude this work; and if he will publish the results.
Answer: To develop recommendations to address the reports’ findings, we have met with a range of stakeholders, including environmental NGOs, forestry industry representatives and local planning directors. We have also met with relevant government bodies, such as ...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: PlanningDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Questions (a) 36880, (b) 36881, (c) 36882, (d) 36883 and (e) 36884, which stakeholders have been consulted.
Answer: To develop recommendations to address the reports’ findings, we have met with a range of stakeholders, including environmental NGOs, forestry industry representatives and local planning directors. We have also met with relevant government bodies, such as ...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRights of Way: RiversDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 35439 on Forests and Rivers: Access, what the options under consideration are for the East of England’s National River Walk.
Answer: The Government continues to be committed to enhancing access to nature. We are still in the process of considering locations for the National River Walks and further information will be announced in due course.
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRights of Way: RiversDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 35439 on Forests and Rivers: Access, when he expects to confirm the National River Walk for the East of England.
Answer: The Government continues to be committed to enhancing access to nature. We are still in the process of considering locations for the National River Walks and further information will be announced in due course.
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInland Waterways: East of EnglandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Water investment to unlock growth in East of England, published on 13 March 2025, if he will make an assessment of the potenti
Answer: The Government recognises the wide range of benefits brought by our inland waterways and is supportive in general of projects to restore and develop them, including where they form part of wider growth plans.
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFloods: InsuranceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42682More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with (a) insurance companies and (b) the Association of British Insurers on the sharing of data on surface water flood claims with the Environment Agency.
Answer: The Floods Resilience Taskforce was formed by this Government to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedness and improve policy delivery and implementation. Bringing together key stakeholders in order to ensure that we are co...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42681More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36228 on Housing: Construction, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing (a) a housing supply fore
Answer: The government publishes quarterly data on planning applications and housing starts and completions. The latest data on planning application statistics can be found on gov.uk here. Data on housing starts and completions can be found on gov.uk here. The ma...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNew TownsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36225 on New Towns: Mid Bedfordshire, if she will make it her policy to inform Rt hon. and hon. Members of a new town proposal
Answer: The New Towns Taskforce will submit its final report this summer. As there may be political or commercial sensitivities to information submitted regarding prospective developments, the New Towns Taskforce will not be sharing information about the evidence...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36221 on Housing: construction, whether she plans to issue guidance to local authorities on density.
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework is supportive of development that makes efficient use of land and makes clear that local development plans should include the use of minimum density standards to that ends. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the an...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36223 on Housing: Construction, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits for policy-making of collecting that inf
Answer: The government will keep the matter under review.
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: Mid BedfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36227 on New Towns, whether any sites submitted as part of the call for evidence are in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answer: The New Towns Taskforce will submit its final report this summer. As there may be political or commercial sensitivities to information submitted regarding prospective developments, the New Towns Taskforce will not be sharing information about the evidence...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Public RecordsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 35438 on Tree Preservation Orders: Bedfordshire, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that locally held records l
Answer: The implementation of local government reorganisation will be a matter for local authorities to consider as they develop their proposals for reorganisation and establish new unitary authorities. It is essential that councils continue to deliver their busi...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record5G: InfrastructureDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42672More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Net Neutrality Regulations in England on the rate at which new (a) 5G and (b) 5GSA infrastructure is rolled out.
Answer: The Government’s ambition is for the UK to have nationwide coverage of high-quality standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030. From 2023 onwards, operators began deploying standalone 5G in locations across all four nations and are continuing to upgrade...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record5G: InfrastructureDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42671More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken for decisions on planning applications to be made on the rollout of new (a) 5G and (b) 5GSA infrastructure.
Answer: The Government’s ambition is to deliver nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030. Most wireless infrastructure, including ground-based masts and rooftop antennas, benefit from permitted development rights. This means that mobile...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Public RecordsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42670More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for local record centres.
Answer: Biodiversity data is essential for informed planning decisions, with Local Environmental Records Centres (LERCs) and national platforms like the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) providing key species data. However, access to, and use of, Biodiversity d...
Answered 16 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Information SharingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42669More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase levels of data sharing between developers and local authorities.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) runs a Digital Planning Programme which aims to enable a modern and efficient planning system in England. Core objectives of the Programme include providing better access to planning data, i...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: Business RatesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41519More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Impact Note on removal of eligibility of private schools for business rates charitable relief, published on 30 October 2024, for what reasons the Government
Answer: Policies and legislation concerning tax and tax administration fall outside the meaning of regulatory provisions and, therefore, are not required to be accompanied by an Impact Assessment. Nevertheless, the government has conducted detailed analysis of th...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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