Blake Stephenson MP: written questions 2025
1235 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Winter Fuel PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74255More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will conduct a lessons learned review from the initial period of the decision to withdraw universal Winter Fuel Payments.
Answer: The Government linked eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments to receipt of Pension Credit or certain other benefits for winter 2024/25 to help address immediate fiscal pressures, and to focus them on those with the lowest incomes. From this winter (2025/26)...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support employment in the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels.
Answer: This government recognises the importance of the clean energy sector to economic growth. The Department works closely with DfT to help people on benefits find employment with employers in the transport sector. Government support for low carbon fuel produc...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the pension credit threshold.
Answer: The rates of Pension Credit are reviewed annually as part of the Secretary of State’s statutory review of State pension and benefit rates. Following the last review in Autumn 2024, the Standard Minimum Guarantee in Pension Credit increased by 4.1% in line...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordTaxation: DomicilTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74252More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the report entitled Impact of changes to the UK non-domiciled regime, published by the Centre for Econo
Answer: The Government’s priority is improving the UK’s competitiveness internationally and securing economic growth. The non-dom reforms have been specifically designed to make the UK competitive with a modern, simple tax regime that is also fair. The reforms es...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74251More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to Agricultural and Business Property Relief on the economy of the East of England.
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advant...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74250More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the report entitled Taxing Futures: The economic and fiscal implications of changes to BPR & APR for UK
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advant...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLondon Stock ExchangeTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74249More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the impact of her Budget in 2024 on the performance of AIM shares.
Answer: The UK’s capital markets play a key role in delivering on the government’s growth mission. We have already delivered an ambitious set of reforms to make it easier for firms to start, scale, list and stay on UK markets, and capital markets are a core pilla...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Passenger DutyTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74248More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 49823 on Air Passenger Duty: Economic Growth, if she will estimate the potential impact of higher rates of Air Passenger Duty on the number of flights taken.
Answer: As set out in the March 2025 OBR forecast, passenger numbers are expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in the coming year, and are expected to be around 10% higher than 2024-25 once the new APD rates are implemented in 2026-27. The expected passenger gro...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNatural England: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74247More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing funding for Natural England's programme to (a) designate and (b) expand National Landscapes on economic growth.
Answer: Given the pressures on public finances, Defra has had to make difficult decisions about funding. It was not affordable to continue Defra funding to Natural England to continue the new National Landscapes designations programme in 25/26. As such, Natural E...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Beer and Public HousesTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74246More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans reforms to encourage (a) investment and (b) growth in the (i) beer and (ii) pub sector.
Answer: The Government recognises the vital role that pubs play in supporting communities and local economies such as in Mid Bedfordshire. That’s why we are streamlining licensing via a new National Licensing Policy Framework to be more modern, proportionate, and...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Beer and Public HousesTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74245More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the long-term economic benefits of permanently reducing the business rates multiplier for the (a) beer and (b) pub sectors.
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 recordBusiness Rates: Coastal Areas and Rural AreasTreasuryTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74244More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that business rates reform supports regional economic growth in (a) rural and (b) coastal areas.
Answer: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. To ensure that key amenities are available, and that community assets are protected in rural areas, Rural Rates R...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRailwaysDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73787More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of open access rail operators on (a) connectivity, (b) passenger choice and (c) service quality.
Answer: In the right circumstances, Open Access can provide benefits such as improved connectivity and choice for passengers but can also increase costs to taxpayers and create additional performance pressures on an already constrained network. We are clear that ...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73786More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the potential cost to (a) the public purse and (b) private developers of constructing 12 new towns.
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 recordPlanning Authorities: StaffMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73785More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the number of qualified planners in local government.
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 recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73784More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26699 on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to all
Answer: The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 10 July 2025, amends provisions in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 concerning t...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIntegrated Care Boards: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73783More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her proposals for English devolution could require the further re-organisation of (a) NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board and (b) other integr
Answer: The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), alongside NHS England, continue to work closely on any proposals to reorganise integrated care boards (ICBs). In areas where Strategic A...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigrationHome OfficeTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73782More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who breached the terms of their visa were subsequently granted indefinite leave to remain since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office as well as the manual checking of records and, therefore, could only be obtained at disprop...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFire and Rescue Services: BedfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73781More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of funding for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Answer: On 3 February, the Ministry published the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) which sets out funding allocations for all local authorities including fire and rescue to support their operational and capital needs.These allocations, which inc...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented Migrants: English ChannelHome OfficeTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73780More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her French counterpart on intercepting small boats in shallow waters.
Answer: We continue to work closely with the French Government as they review their Maritime Doctrine so they can intervene successfully at sea and increase preventions. We are engaging extensively across the French system to ensure the earliest possible deployme...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: GraduatesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73779More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number and proportion of medical students who graduated at the end of the 2024-25 academic year who will begin work in the NHS in the 2025-26 academic year.
Answer: The Department does not hold the information requested.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, published 3 July 2025, we will work across the Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training. We will also prioritise UK medi...
Answered 18 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: GraduatesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73778More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of medical students who graduated in each of the past five years were working in the NHS on 1 September 2025.
Answer: The Department does not hold the information requested.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, published 3 July 2025, we will work across the Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training. We will also prioritise UK medi...
Answered 18 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMedicine: Higher EducationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73777More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medical students started university in each of the past five years.
Answer: The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publish the number of United Kingdom-wide acceptances to medicine and dentistry jointly, but not to English providers for medicine alone. The latest number for UK medicine and dentistry acceptances, ...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMedicine: Higher EducationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73776More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of medical students starting university in autumn 2025.
Answer: The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publish the number of United Kingdom-wide acceptances to medicine and dentistry jointly, but not to English providers for medicine alone. The latest number for UK medicine and dentistry acceptances, ...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: Mid BedfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73775More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to help improve access to life-extending (a) treatments and (b) medicines for patients with incurable secondary breast cancer in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answer: The Department remains committed to reducing waiting times for cancer treatment and to improving access to treatment across England, including for patients with incurable secondary breast cancer in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency.We have now exceeded ou...
Answered 30 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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