Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
1633 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Winter Fuel PaymentTreasuryTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32505More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of Winter Fuel Payments that fed into consumer spending in 2023-24.
Answer: HM Treasury does not hold this information. It is not possible to attribute changes in consumer spending to any changes to Winter Fuel Payments. It is not possible to disentangle these from other much larger factors that could affect consumption.
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVisitor Levy: EdinburghScotland OfficeTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Edinburgh City Council on the visitor levy.
Answer: Tourism is a key industry for Scotland, and I am promoting the country around the world as part of my Brand Scotland work. However, visitor levies are becoming increasingly common around Europe. Tourism is a devolved area and in this case a matter for Edi...
Answered 28 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordElectronic Travel Authorisations: Economic SituationHome OfficeTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 902858More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of Electronic Travel Authorisations on the economy.
Answer: The introduction of our ETA scheme is in line with the approach international partners, like the USA and Australia have already taken to border security. ETAs enhance our ability to pre-screen travellers and prevent the travel of those who pose a threat.T...
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordListed Places of Worship Grant SchemeDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31117More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of putting the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on a permanent footing.
Answer: As was the case with previous Governments, spending commitments are a matter for the Spending Review.
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration and Nationality (Fees) Order (Amendment) 2025Department for Culture, Media and SportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31116More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 26152, what discussions her Department has had with the Treasury on the up to £734.7m impact on the UK economy described at Paragraph 63 of t
Answer: The government is committed to the tourism sector maintaining its competitiveness. VisitBritain launched its latest ‘Starring Great Britain’ campaign in January, which will harness the powerful draw of Film and TV to drive inbound tourism from the UK’s la...
Answered 28 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTourismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31115More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies on tourism of the loss of over 100,000 visitors per year highlighted in the Impact Assessment of the Immigration and Na
Answer: The government is committed to the tourism sector maintaining its competitiveness. VisitBritain launched its latest ‘Starring Great Britain’ campaign in January, which will harness the powerful draw of Film and TV to drive inbound tourism from the UK’s la...
Answered 28 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordStellantis: LutonDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with Stellantis on the closure of their Luton plant.
Answer: Ministers have engaged closely with Stellantis on the future of its operations in the UK, with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade most recently meeting the Chair of the Stellantis board on 1 February to discuss how the Luton plant could be kept...
Answered 25 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: Internal Drainage BoardsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26373, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring balancing ponds owned by National Highways to Internal Drainage Boards.
Answer: The ownership and management of National Highways’ assets, at this level, fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. The Department does not plan to make an assessment on the future ownership of balancing ponds owned by National Highways.
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Highways: Flood ControlDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26374, if she will make a specific assessment on the effectiveness of the standards for maintaining SRN balancing ponds.
Answer: The GM701 standard (as referenced in the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26374) covers the asset maintenance requirements of the Strategic Road Network. National Highways determines the maintenance works to be undertaken on all assets based on the G...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Highways: Flood ControlDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31110More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375, if she will ask National Highways to make an estimate of the amount spent on maintaining balancing ponds in Bedfordshire in each of the last five fin
Answer: National Highways’ financial systems do not categorise spending to this granularity, however, National Highways estimate approximately £380,000 has been spent on balancing ponds in Bedfordshire since October 2019. Spend on balancing ponds includes general...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Highways: Flood ControlDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31109More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of maintainin
Answer: The Department does not plan to make an assessment of the potential impact of maintaining balancing ponds owned by National Highways on the climate resilience of the transport network; National Highways already follow prescribed maintenance regimes so the...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Highways: Flood ControlDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31108More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, whether she has had discussions with National Highways on the amount
Answer: Decisions regarding categorisation of spending at this level fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. There have been no discussions with National Highways on its spending on the maintenance of balancing ponds and there are no plans to ask Nati...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Highways: Flood ControlDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31107More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, whether she plans to ask National Highways to increase the granularity of their spending record-keeping to allow
Answer: Decisions regarding categorisation of spending at this level fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. There have been no discussions with National Highways on its spending on the maintenance of balancing ponds and there are no plans to ask Nati...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Highways: Flood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30745More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring the ownership of balancing ponds owned by National Highways to Internal Drainage Boards, in the context of flood p
Answer: The Government recognises the important work Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) undertake to support farmers and rural communities. IDBs are local independent public bodies and they have permissive powers for managing water levels and reducing flood risk in ...
Answered 25 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30743More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she expects to publish the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 24890 on 29 January 2025.
Answered 20 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAdministration of Justice: Infrastructure and PlanningMinistry of JusticeTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30741More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many judicial reviews of (a) major infrastructure projects and (b) planning applications and (c) other issues have taken place in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes data on judicial review cases in England and Wales as part of the Civil Justice statistics quarterly bulletin (Civil justice statistics quarterly - GOV.UK). The consolidated figures for all judicial review cases...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: Business Rates and VATDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) business rates on private schools and (b) VAT on school fees on economic growth.
Answer: Economic impacts of the policy to apply VAT to private school fees are covered in the tax information and impact note (TIIN) that the government has published on GOV.UK. The publication can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-...
Answered 19 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: BedfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer to Question 26150 General Practitioners: Bedfordshire, if he will make an estimate of the size of the healthcare workforce in Bedfordshire in July 2029.
Answer: The Department has made no estimate of the size of the healthcare workforce in Bedfordshire in July 2029. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts ...
Answered 17 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: BedfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer to Written Question 26150 on General Practitioners: Bedfordshire, what assessment he has made of the impact of rurality on on a GPs workload.
Answer: We acknowledge the urgent challenge of ensuring rural areas, including Bedfordshire, have the resources to continue serving their patients. We are committed to training thousands more GPs across the country, including in rural areas. We have also committe...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAstraZeneca: MerseysideDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has conducted a lessons learned review over negotiations with AstraZeneca on proposed investment in Merseyside.
Answer: AstraZeneca’s decision not to invest in Speke is deeply disappointing. The Government regularly reviews it’s grant process and routinely seeks applicant feedback. The Government also continues to engage positively with AstraZeneca, including on the new In...
Answered 19 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Employers' ContributionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30736More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25793 on Local Government: Employers' Contribution, what methodology her Department used to determine that £515 million of a
Answer: Additional funding for employer NICs has been determined based on a national assessment of the costs for directly employed staff. The grant distribution methodology has been published in an explanatory note on the government website: https://www.gov.uk/go...
Answered 19 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30735More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she expects her reforms to local government to abolish the office of the elected Mayor of Bedford.
Answer: On the 5 February I invited unitary proposals from all two-tier councils and neighbouring unitaries and while Bedford Borough Council have not received this invitation, the White Paper is clear that Government will also facilitate reorganisation for those...
Answered 19 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30734More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her proposed changes to the NPPF on (a) Bedford Borough and (b) other councils that have a Local Plan at examination.
Answer: Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December are set out in Annex 1 of it.
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordFarmers: IncomeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30413More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of median income for farmers in the 2024-25 financial year.
Answer: Data for the 2024/25 financial year is not yet available.
Answered 17 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSick Leave: ProductivityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of workplace sickness on productivity.
Answer: The Department has not assessed the potential impact of levels of workplace sickness on productivity. The Department published an estimate of the overall cost to the economy due to sickness absence in 2016 Work, Health and Disability Green Paper. The anal...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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