Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Statutory Sick PayDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Chapter 9 of the final stage impact assessment entitled Improve access to Statutory Sick Pay by removing the Lower Earnings Limit and removing the waiting period, if she will make it h
Answer: The Government intends to conduct a post-implementation review (PIR) of the Employment Rights Bill within five years of implementation. The impact of the measures to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay will be monitored, including how Statutory Sick Pay is used...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48239More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with local leaders in Bedfordshire on the adequacy of bus capacity in the context of increased visitors to the Universal Bedfordshire project.
Answer: The Department for Transport will work with local authorities and bus operators to ensure that bus services reflect the needs of the local communities that rely on them. We believe local leaders know their areas best and so are best placed to make decisio...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordParking: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48238More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with local leaders in Bedfordshire on the effectiveness of (a) rules relating to on-street parking and (b) the enforcement of those rules near train stations on the (a) Thameslink l
Answer: Responsibility for implementing parking restrictions rests with the appropriate local authority, as they are best placed to consider how to balance the needs of residents, emergency services, local business and those who work in and visit the area. Centra...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordJudicial Review: CostsMinistry of JusticeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48237More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of judicial reviews in (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22, (c) 2022-23, (d) 2023-24 and (e) 2024-25.
Answer: A judicial review challenge may be made against a wide range of public bodies, including Government Separtments, local authorities, police, NHS trusts, regulatory bodies, and certain courts and tribunals.There is no centrally held data on the total cost o...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: East West Rail LineMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48236More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled Chancellor vows to go further and faster to kickstart economic growth, published on 29 January 2025, what her Department's timetable i
Answer: The New Towns Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployers' ContributionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48235More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the total cost of employers’ National Insurance contributions in (a) London boroughs, (b) Metropolitan districts, (c) County councils, (d
Answer: In the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced funding to help public sector organisations cover the additional costs associated with employer National Insurance Contributions. This funding has been allocated to departments and other public sector em...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48234More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will implement the powers provided under section 113 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 23874 on 22 January 2025.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFossil FuelsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48233More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the total value of fossil fuels in the UK which have not yet been extracted.
Answer: The volumes, commercial recoverability and ultimate value of unextracted fossil fuels in the UK are all influenced by several factors and as such, a single figure of total value has not been calculated by the Department.
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNatural Gas: Rural AreasDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48232More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support his Department plans to provide to rural communities that are off the grid to connect to mains Gas Distribution Networks.
Answer: Any new gas mains connections to rural communities are a commercial decision between the relevant gas distribution network and the connecting property or properties. There are currently no plans to introduce new government support schemes for new gas conn...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordHolidays: Academic YearDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48231More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the cost of tourism in school holidays.
Answer: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education regularly engages with ministers from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, including through the government’s Opportunity Mission, where improving school attendance is a key focus. The cos...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Wealth Fund: InvestmentTreasuryTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47930More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the expected return on investment for investments in the National Wealth Fund.
Answer: The National Wealth Fund will seek to make positive returns for the Exchequer across its whole portfolio, covering at least the government’s cost of borrowing and institutional overheads, in line with its Financial Framework.This will take time to achieve...
Answered 2 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of people in receipt of a pension in the (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27, (c) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29 financial years.
Answer: The estimated total number of people in receipt of State Pension in the 2025-26 to 2028-29 financial years is available in the following table. This is from the latest Benefit Expenditure and Caseload tables published following Spring Statement 2025. This...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFinancial Services: EducationTreasuryTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47928More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of (a) trends in the level of financial literacy in the UK and (b) the potential impact of improving young people's financial literacy on economic growth.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that individuals have the financial capability to manage their money well. While the Government does not hold specific data quantifying the economic benefits of this, we recognise the importance of financial literac...
Answered 2 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47927More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding available to Highways England for the maintenance of flood resilience infrastructure.
Answer: National Highways undertakes flood resilience work on England’s motorways and trunk A roads through a combination of ongoing maintenance and renewals activity that extends the life of, or replaces, existing roads and structures. The Department has set the...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: Luton Airport and Wixams StationDepartment for TransportTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47926More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of Great British Railways providing direct shuttle services for Universal Studios visitors between Luton Airport and Wixams station.
Answer: The service pattern for the Midland Main Line will be decided by Great British Railways in advance of the Universal Studios theme park opening in 2031. The Department for Transport will additionally ask Network Rail to analyse the capacity and performance...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRoads: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47925More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to provide additional funding to Bedfordshire’s road network to manage increased traffic from the planned Universal Studios theme park.
Answer: As part of the Plan for Change, the government is working towards delivering a major investment in infrastructure around the site to support the delivery of the project and ensure it is well connected and easily accessible. The details of negotiations bet...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEast West Rail Line and Thameslink Rail: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47924More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the planned Universal Studios theme park on passenger numbers on (a) East-West Rail and (b) Thameslink services.
Answer: Expected demand for the Universal Studios theme park is being analysed by East West Rail Co. and Network Rail as part of the Outline Business Case for East West Rail, to ensure the right infrastructure is delivered. East West Rail Co. and Network Rail wil...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47923More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what capital funding will be made available to (a) Network Rail and (b) Great British Railways for Access for All schemes in each of the next five years.
Answer: In December, the Chancellor launched the second stage of the Spending Review. This is a zero-based Spending Review, to ensure every line of spending – including the Access for All programme and wider transport infrastructure portfolio – delivers the Plan ...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47922More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of her Department's funding for bus service improvements will be spent in Bedfordshire.
Answer: The Department for Transport has allocated £670 million to local transport authorities in 25/26 to support the delivery of Bus Service Improvement Plans as part of a more than £1 billion investment in buses confirmed at the Budget. Local transport authori...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: CybersecurityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47921More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help protect Ministers' (a) social media and (b) personal email accounts from cybersecurity threats.
Answer: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the UK government’s national technical authority for cyber security, works with colleagues across government to provide Ministers and others with regular security briefings, guidance and advice, including advice ...
Answered 2 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMayors: TaxationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47409More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what local taxes she intends for Mayors to be able to levy.
Answer: The English Devolution White Paper sets out an enhanced Devolution Framework. This will be available by default rather than by deal, to both existing and new strategic authorities, creating a consistent, systematic approach and providing Mayor’s with the ...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS EnglandDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47408More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2025 to Written Question 43758 on NHS England, how any short-term upfront costs incurred will be funded.
Answer: Detailed plans are being formulated by a joint Department and NHS England programme team. The remit of work includes formulation of the relevant costs and securing the required funding. Funding conversations between the Department of Health and Social Car...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47407More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Over 1,500 extra GPs recruited to fix front door of the NHS, published on 8 April 2025, how many of those GPs will be deployed in (a) Mid B
Answer: As at 31 March 2025, 26 GPs had been recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme in NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB. The number of full time equivalent ARRS GPs working in the ICB was 13.5 as at 28 February 2025.Data on the n...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Flood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47406More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make a comparative assessment of the number of houses built on functional floodplains in (a) the UK and (b) the G7 in the last decade.
Answer: The Government has committed to ensure we are building more high-quality, well-designed and sustainable homes and creating places that increase climate resilience and promote nature recovery. Flood risk is an important consideration in the planning system...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTrees: MapsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47405More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled England’s non-woodland trees freely mapped for first time, published on 5 April 2025, whether his Department plans to use this
Answer: The Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme’s Trees outside Woodlands (ToW) map identifies the location, distribution and cover of trees, small groups of trees and small woodlands (less than 0.5 hectares) in England, and enables citizens, commu...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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