Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Local Visitor Economy PartnershipsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50272More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the press release entitled Cuts to red tape to make great British staycations cheaper published on 7 April 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential role of Local Visi
Answer: Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) have an important role to play in supporting the development of local tourism products and packages that meet the needs of visitors and benefit local communities. As business-led and strategically coordinated par...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: BedfordshireDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50271More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Cuts to red tape to make great British staycations cheaper published on 7 April 2025, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of
Answer: The domestic tourism sector is of great value to the UK. It provides meaningful employment and supports holiday makers to explore and enjoy the UK’s diverse and plentiful attractions.By removing obstacles and red tape that unnecessarily hinder businesses,...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordIron and Steel: Manufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support growth in the UK steel industry.
Answer: Steel is one of the Government’s top priorities. We are continuing to develop our upcoming steel strategy which will articulate what is needed to create a competitive business environment in the UK with the aim of attracting new private investment.We rema...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: Manufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate on automotive manufacturers in the context of Stellantis closing its Luton plant.
Answer: Stellantis’ decision to close its diesel van plant in Luton was a commercial decision taken as part of its response to wider challenges. Regrettably, despite active engagement from Government, we were unable to reverse the company’s decision. My Departmen...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: Manufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to increase (a) support for and (b) resilience of the vehicle manufacturing industry.
Answer: The Budget committed over £2 billion of funding support to 2030 to unlock capital investment in zero emission vehicle manufacturing and supply chains. This funding will ensure the resilience of the sector and boost competitiveness. We’ve also listened to ...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: AppealsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49985More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether councils can account for costs of planning appeals when calculating the level of planning fees in the context of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Answer: The Planning and Infrastructure Bill contains a measure which would allow local planning authorities to set their own planning fees. The process for setting these fees will be set out in regulations. We will also publish guidance on the costs that may be ...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordImports: USATreasuryTabled 1 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49824More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VAT on US firms exporting to the UK.
Answer: In line with international guidelines, VAT is charged equally on goods and services consumed in the UK whether they are produced domestically or imported. VAT is ultimately paid by the final consumer, similar to US sales taxes. Businesses in the supply ch...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAir 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 record
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