Blake Stephenson MP: written questions 2025
1235 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Apprentices: Environmental HealthDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74973More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of apprenticeships on increasing the environmental health workforce.
Answer: Employers operating in environmental health have developed the environmental health practitioner level 6 degree apprenticeship to help them develop their workforces. Further detail about the apprenticeship can be found on the Skills England website at: ht...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: BedfordshireDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74972More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press release entitled Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs, published on 30 May 2025, whether any schools in Bedfordshire will be included.
Answer: This government has increased investment for improving school buildings to £2.1 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, almost £300 million more than last year. As part of that, close to £470 million has been made available to eligible schools and sixth-f...
Answered 3 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74971More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on reducing funding for Level 7 apprenticeships.
Answer: This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity.From January 2026, the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22. This will ena...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74950More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commission an (a) independent and (b) peer reviewed study of the accuracy of AI in healthcare settings.
Answer: The National Health Service operates within a comprehensive regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI), underpinned by rigorous standards established by numerous bodies including the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, National...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74695More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential cyber security implications of his policy to make the NHS the most artificial intelligence enabled care system in the world, as set out in the 10 Year
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan commit the Government to making the National Health Service become the most artificial intelligence (AI)-ready healthcare system in the world.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will review r...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordEurostar: BedfordDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74694More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending Eurostar services to Bedford in the context of the Universal UK theme park.
Answer: The Government fully supports the growth and expansion of international rail services given the benefits they provide, including more sustainable connections to Europe. Whilst it is a commercial decision for operators, the Government stands ready to engag...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74693More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on sourcing black bin waste from councils for use in the production of sustainable aviation fuels.
Answer: The Government is clear on the merits of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and that increasing its use is a key measure to decarbonising aviation. We want the UK to capture its share of the global SAF market and are helping businesses in the UK play a leadi...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74692More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on increasing sustainable aviation fuel production in the UK.
Answer: The Government is clear on the merits of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and that increasing its use is a key measure to decarbonising aviation. We want the UK to capture its share of the global SAF market and are helping businesses in the UK play a leadi...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74691More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates on pub closures.
Answer: To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that RHL businesses benefit fro...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordInvestment ReturnsTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74690More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that savers have access to high return investment options.
Answer: The Government wants to see more people benefit from the higher returns and long-term financial resilience that investing can provide. That is why the Chancellor’s Leeds Reforms included bold actions to boost retail investment.In particular, the Treasury ...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNatWest Group: Government ShareholdingTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74689More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Government completes exit from NatWest, published on 30 May 2025, if she will publish Departmental analysis of the (a) chosen and (b) retail model of sale.
Answer: On 30 May 2025, the government sold its remaining shares in NatWest Group, bringing to an end the public ownership of banks resulting from the 2007-2009 global financial crisis. The government focused on ensuring sales of NatWest shares were delivered in ...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: IndiaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has conducted an impact assessment for the UK-India trade deal.
Answer: I refer the member for Mid Bedfordshire to the answer my predecessor gave to UIN 73978 on 5 September 2025.
Answered 22 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIncome TaxTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74687More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her planned thresholds are for income tax in 2029-30.
Answer: The Government is committed to keeping taxes for working people as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so, at our first Budget, we decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds.
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordImport Duties: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74686More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the sectoral economic impact of US tariffs.
Answer: My department has been assessing the impact of US tariffs on the economy. This includes sector-by-sector impact assessments and scenario modelling. We are constantly engaging directly with businesses from across all sectors to gather real time intelligenc...
Answered 22 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordImport Duties: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74685More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of US tariffs on economic growth.
Answer: My department has been assessing the impact of US tariffs on the UK economy, in a rapidly changing global trading environment. We are constantly engaging directly with businesses from across all sectors to gather real time intelligence on the impact of ta...
Answered 22 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to introduce incentives for British businesses that produce Sustainable Aviation Fuels.
Answer: The Government is clear on the merits of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and that increasing its use is a key measure to decarbonising aviation. We want the UK to capture its share of the global SAF market and are helping businesses in the UK play a leadi...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74683More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing Sustainable Aviation Fuel production in the UK.
Answer: The Government is clear on the merits of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and that increasing its use is a key measure to decarbonising aviation. We want the UK to capture its share of the global SAF market and are helping businesses in the UK play a leadi...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBusinessTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74682More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of recent trends in the level of business confidence.
Answer: The Government monitors a wide range of indicators to assess the UK’s economic performance, including measures of business confidence. Many of these are volatile and can move materially from month to month. Official economic forecasts and assessments of p...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the press release entitled Government protects thousands of miles of bus services from being scrapped, published on 3 June 2025, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to l
Answer: Repealing the ban on establishing new local authority bus companies (LABCos) will give local leaders the freedom and flexibility to establish a bus company that matches the needs of their passengers, their aims and ambitions for the network, and the avail...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning ObligationsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the national distribution of the length of time between the date on which developers and local authorities agree funding under section 106 of th
Answer: Planning practice guidance on planning obligations, which can be found on gov.uk here, states that the terms of commuted contributions should form part of the discussions between a developer and a local planning authority and be reflected in any planning ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Authorities: ApprenticesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74260More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reforms to Level 7 apprenticeships on the Pathways to Planning programme.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 67508 on 21 July 2025 and Question UIN 54911 on 10 June 2025.
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBedfordshire: Combined AuthoritiesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74259More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement on Local Government Reorganisation of 3 June 2025, HCWS676, for what reason Bedfordshire has not received funding to support development
Answer: Local government reorganisation and the establishment of mayoral combined authorities through devolution are separate processes. While funding was made available for the 21 two-tier areas developing proposals for new unitary authorities as part of local g...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74258More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 19 of the report entitled New Towns for England, published by WPI Strategy in May 2025, which funding model the Government is considering.
Answer: The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce ...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74257More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 3 of the report entitled New Towns for England, published by WPI Strategy in May 2025, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of modula
Answer: The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce ...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74256More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 2 of the the report entitled New Towns for England, published by WPI Strategy in May 2025, whether her Department has made an assessment of the accuracy of
Answer: The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce ...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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