Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Football: SportsgroundsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46223More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she had made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of 3G football pitches on the environment.
Answer: The Government is aware of the potential impacts which 3G, or Artificial Grass Pitches (AGPs), have on the environment. The most prominent of these impacts relates to the spread of rubber infill (also known as ‘rubber crumb’) - which contains harmful micr...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovia Thameslink RailwayDepartment for TransportTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45214More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35855 on Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards, whether the timetable referred to would reduce the number of services provided on a given line in some cases.
Answer: Currently all train operators are required to plan services and timetables designed to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. In the future Great British Railways (GBR) will be accountable for ...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordLuton Airport: Thameslink LineDepartment for TransportTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Luton Airport expansion on Thameslink services.
Answer: Luton Airport Parkway station is well served with up to eight Thameslink and two East Midlands Railway trains an hour to and from the station. Most passenger demand for the airport is either in the off-peak period or in the contra-peak direction, when tra...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEast West Rail Line: PassengersDepartment for TransportTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45212More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of East West Rail on passenger numbers on Thameslink services (a) from London to Bedford, (b) from Bedford to London, (c) northbound on the East Coast Main L
Answer: East West Rail Co. will be considering abstraction of passengers from other services as part of the Outline Business Case for East West Rail.
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDerelict Land: RegenerationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45211More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 36495 on Derelict Land: Regeneration, how this will be funded.
Answer: The £51.5 million regeneration package announced on 13 February 2025 will be funded through existing departmental budgets for brownfield remediation and regeneration.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFarmers: IncomeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45210More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of what the median income of farmers was in the 2023-24 financial year who will be affected by the changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Prop
Answer: Assessing the impact of the new Inheritance Tax policy, which comes into force from 6 April 2026, relies on a number of factors such as ownership structure and debt levels. The Government is aware that each farm is different, and so we encourage farmers t...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInternal Drainage Boards: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45209More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release £16 million boost to improve flood protection for farmers and rural communities, published on 16 March 2025, what the additional funding will be for
Answer: The Internal Draining Board (IDB) Storm Recovery and Asset Improvement fund was established to help IDBs recover from flooding events over winter 2023/24 and to modernise their infrastructure.On 31 March, the Government announced an additional £16 million...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity Generation: InfrastructureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45208More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 38457 on Electricity Generation: Infrastructure, what steps he has taken to identify suitable locations since July 2024.
Answer: Forestry England have not undertaken a detailed assessment of the potential suitable locations of renewable energy projects across the Public Forest Estate since July 2024. Forestry England will commence detailed assessments following Royal Assent of the ...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: BedfordshireDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45207More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release entitled £740 million allocated for 10,000 new places for pupils with SEND, published on 27 March 2025, how much of the investment into the condition of the scho
Answer: The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.The department has now published allocations for £740 million in Hi...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: BedfordshireDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45206More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release entitled £740 million allocated for 10,000 new places for pupils with SEND, published on 27 March 2025, how many of those places will be in schools in Bedfordshi
Answer: The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.The department has now published allocations for £740 million in Hi...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: Employers' ContributionsDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45205More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of employers’ National Insurance contributions on the availability of apprenticeships in 2025-26.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire to the answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 39407.
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGREAT: Economic GrowthCabinet OfficeTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44717More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the contribution of the GREAT campaign to economic growth.
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 across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGREAT: Economic GrowthCabinet OfficeTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44716More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the GREAT campaign on economic growth.
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 across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTourismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44715More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on the GREAT campaign.
Answer: The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTourismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44714More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential contribution of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland programme to the economy.
Answer: The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTourismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44713More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in funding for the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland programme on her target for international tourism visitors.
Answer: The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTourismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44712More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in funding for the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland programme on the visitor economy.
Answer: The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTourismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44711More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in funding for the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland programme on the Starring GREAT Britain campaign.
Answer: The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordVisitBritainDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44710More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in funding for the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland programme on VisitBritain.
Answer: The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGREAT: FinanceCabinet OfficeTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44709More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason he has cut funding for the GREAT programme by 41%.
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 across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGREAT: FinanceCabinet OfficeTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44708More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has undertaken an impact assessment for the decision to reduce GREAT programme funding.
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 across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: BedfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44314More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 36504 on Mental Health Services: Children, how many of the 8,500 additional mental health workers will be based in Bedfordshire.
Answer: We are working with NHS England to consider options to deliver this commitment alongside the refresh of the Long Term Workforce Plan.
Answered 16 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEndometriosis: Mid BedfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44313More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help support women with endometriosis in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answer: The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health and improving the care received by those suffering from gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.We encourage any woman or girl with symptoms of endometriosis to contact their general pr...
Answered 17 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEndometriosis: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44312More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce times for the diagnosis of endometriosis.
Answer: The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, and we are making progress in ensuring that women with endometriosis receive timely and effective treatment.Clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat conditions. ...
Answered 17 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTourist AttractionsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 4 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44311More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) financial and (b) other support her Department provides to (i) zoos and (ii) aquariums.
Answer: The government acknowledges the significant impact that zoos and aquariums have on the Visitor Economy. Iconic and cultural attractions like Chester zoo, which was the third most visited paid attraction in England in 2023, draw in visitors from across the...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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