Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Business: Mid BedfordshireCabinet OfficeTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50641More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the number of businesses that have ceased trading in Mid-Bedfordshire constituency since the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 7th May is attached.
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordImport Duties: USATreasuryTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50640More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of a 10% tariff on UK exports to the US on her Department's fiscal headroom.
Answer: On 8 May 2025, the government concluded a landmark economic deal with the United States. The Economic Prosperity Deal will reduce tariffs for UK exporters in critical sectors, will protect thousands of jobs in key British industries, and help drive econom...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Wealth FundTreasuryTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50639More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what individual investments have been made by the National Wealth Fund since July 2024; and how many jobs each investment is expected to support.
Answer: The National Wealth Fund and its predecessor the UK Infrastructure Bank have announced 19 deals since July 2024, committing nearly £3bn, and estimate creating or supporting over 12,400 jobs. The National Wealth Fund sets out details of the investments whi...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50638More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions on the British vehicle manufacturing industry.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on indi...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal Studios: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will have discussions with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on an infrastructure strategy for the Universal Studios project in Bedfordshire.
Answer: Officials from my Department continue to work closely with their counterparts across government, including HM Treasury and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to consider the infrastructure required around the site and in the local area to support...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal United Kingdom Resort: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the planning system in Bedfordshire to manage planning applications for (a) accommodation, (b) hospitality and leisure and (c) o
Answer: On 9 April 2025, the Prime Minister announced that a multi-billion-pound investment in a major new Universal theme park and resort in Bedford had been agreed between Universal Studios, the UK Government, and Bedford Borough Council. The Secretary of State...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFloods: Mental HealthDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's case study entitled Mental health costs of flooding, published on 4 April 2025, whether the prices used are for 2025.
Answer: The Mental health costs of flooding and erosion case study found the mental health losses per adult per flood event to be £1,878 per adult per flood for shallow floods (less than 30cm of water in a home). This increases to £4,136 per adult per flood for d...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFloods: Mental HealthDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's case study entitled Mental health costs of flooding, published on 4 April 2025, whether his Department plans to commission further research on that t
Answer: The Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme and Mental health costs of flooding case study builds on previous mental health and flooding work. New research into the mental health impacts for those ...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBatteries: ChinaDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the renewables industry on its reliance on imports of batteries from China.
Answer: Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: BroadbandDepartment for EducationTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question 43284 on Schools: Broadband, whether any of the 343 schools are in Bedfordshire.
Answer: Pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2025, five of the 343 schools due to receive a funded upgrade to fibre this year are in Bedfordshire. One of these schools has already been upgraded, with the school benefitting from the new high-speed connection.
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Solar PowerDepartment for EducationTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question 43285 on Schools: Solar Power, whether any schools in Bedfordshire are on the long list.
Answer: Pursuant to my answer of 10 April 2025, work is still progressing on finalising the long and short lists of projects in the East of England region to participate in this first year of the Great British Energy Solar Partnership programme. The department ...
Answered 30 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal Studios: BedfordshireDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50630More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps with local leaders to establish a Local Visitor Economy Partnership in Bedfordshire in the context of the proposed Universal theme park.
Answer: Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) are a vital part of the Government’s strategy to support a more sustainable and resilient visitor economy across England. The LVEP programme, in partnership with VisitEngland, provides a clear framework for colla...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal Studios: BedfordshireDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50629More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps with local authorities in Bedfordshire to plan for increased guest accommodation in the context of the proposed Universal theme park in Bedfordshire.
Answer: DCMS is committed to supporting the sustainable growth of the visitor economy across the country, including in Bedfordshire. Responsibility for local planning and accommodation provision rests with local authorities, but of course DCMS works closely with ...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: PlanningDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50628More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 42689 on Environment Protection: Planning, if he will publish the stakeholders with which his Department has consulted.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 31 March 2025, UIN 42689. We have no plans to publish the recommendations or stakeholders engaged.
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRoads: Judicial ReviewDepartment for TransportTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of judicial reviews in relation to road infrastructure projects in the East of England in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answer: The total cost to the public purse (National Highways and Department for Transport) of judicial reviews in relation to road infrastructure projects on the strategic road network in the East of England during the 2023-24 financial year is estimated to be a...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented Migrants: English ChannelHome OfficeTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50282More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her Department’s policies on organised immigration crime on trends in the number of migrants that have arrived in small boats since 1 Jan
Answer: The Border Security Command (BSC) continues to focus on tackling the organised immigration crime gangs that are facilitating small boat crossings, working with domestic partners such as the National Crime Agency, and overseas counterparts in a range of co...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: HamasForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help encourage the resumption of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Answer: We urge all parties to return urgently to talks, implement the ceasefire agreement in full and work towards a permanent peace. More bloodshed is in no-one's interest. Our priority is urging all parties to return urgently to dialogue and to ensuring a ceas...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTrappingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50280More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to make businesses aware of the ban on unlicensed use of glue traps in the Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022.
Answer: The Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022 bans glue trap use in England in all but the most exceptional, licensable circumstances. It came into force in 2024. Nothing in the law prevents sale of glue traps in England. However, only pest controllers with a licenc...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBeesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50279More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of honeybees in April (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: There is currently no compulsory registration system for bees and beekeeping in the UK, so it is difficult to provide exact figures for honey bee populations. Beekeepers are however encouraged to voluntarily register on the Animal and Plant Health Agency’...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCoking Coal: ImportsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50278More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of importing coking coal on the environment.
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Basildon and Billericay on 22 October 2024 to Question UIN 9066.
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordHeat Pumps: MarketingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50277More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's marketing campaign on heat pumps; and what the total cost was of (a) that campaign and (b) the associated photo shoot at M
Answer: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero intends to publish information on campaign spend within the DESNZ annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025, which is expected to be published later this year on GOV.UK. We will conduct a full evaluation of th...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: Mid BedfordshireDepartment for EducationTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools to meet the change in the level of demand for SEND provision in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answer: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department is providing an increase of £1 ...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChinook HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the ordered H-47(ER) helicopters to be delivered.
Answer: Construction of the first two Chinook H-47 (Extended Range) aircraft has commenced in Philadelphia, with the first aircraft due to be delivered in 2027.
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChallenger TanksMinistry of DefenceTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the MoD to source replacement Challenger 2 tanks.
Answer: There are no current plans to source replacement Challenger 2 tanks. Through the Armour Main Battle Tank (Armour MBT) programme, the Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank will upgrade and replace 148 Challenger 2 platforms from 2027.
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsMinistry of DefenceTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of how much of his Department's budget will be spent on installing electric vehicle chargers on MoD sites in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answer: Information on the amount spent on installing electric vehicle chargers on Ministry of Defence sites is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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