Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Aggregates Levy: Marine EnvironmentTreasuryTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43751More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Aggregates levy on the marine environment.
Answer: Aggregates Levy is an environmental tax which aims to encourage the more efficient extraction and use of all aggregates. There are no current plans to undertake a specific assessment of its impact on the marine environment, but the government keeps all ta...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Passenger DutyTreasuryTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43750More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made a recent assessment of the international competitiveness of Air Passenger Duty rates.
Answer: Air Passenger Duty (APD) applies to airlines and is the principal tax on the aviation sector. It is expected to raise £4.2 billion in 2024-25. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced APD rates for 2026-27, including a partial adjustment to help c...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Solar PowerDepartment for EducationTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43285More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how schools in Bedfordshire can apply to the Great British Energy Solar project.
Answer: The department and Great British Energy have launched an £80 million partnership to provide rooftop solar panels across 200 schools and colleges.This investment will cut school energy bills, support our transition to clean energy and create new opportunit...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: BroadbandDepartment for EducationTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43284More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release entitled No child left behind in plans to narrow the digital divide in education, published on 21 March 2025, whether schools in areas without full fibre broadba
Answer: The government is investing £45 million to boost school infrastructure, including £20 million to upgrade fibre connections to a further 343 schools this year in areas without full fibre broadband, helping get schools online and boosting standards where it...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFinancial Services: Primary EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending financial education to primary school children.
Answer: Financial education currently forms a compulsory part of the national curriculum for mathematics, at key stages 1 to 4, and citizenship, at key stages 3 and 4. The primary mathematics curriculum includes arithmetic knowledge that supports pupils’ ability ...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCrime and Policing BillHome OfficeTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43282More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Regulatory Policy Committee's press release entitled Crime and Policing Bill: late publication of Home Office impact assessments, published on 10 March, for what reason those imp
Answer: The Government has published four Economic Notes and two Economic Impact Assessments covering measures in the Crime and Policing Bill, which can be found here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3938/publications.Two further Economic Impact Assessments, re...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood PolicingHome OfficeTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's news story entitled New powers for police to tackle neighbourhood crime, published on 25 February 2025, where the 13,000 new officers will be deployed by county.
Answer: The Government has committed to restoring neighbourhood policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This includes putting thousands more police personnel on the beat in neighbourhood policing roles up and down the country. Every part of the cou...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEmergencies: Departmental ResponsibilitiesCabinet OfficeTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43279More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to appoint a dedicated Minister for Resilience.
Answer: The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has overall responsibility for resilience policy across government. He is supported by a number of ministerial colleagues with resilience responsibilities in their departments. The full List of Ministerial Responsi...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStellantis: LutonDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43278More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 35851 on Stellantis: Luton, if he will publish details of the package of measures to support all workers facing redundancy.
Answer: The full package of support for workers facing redundancy was agreed directly between Stellantis and Unite the Union as the recognised trade union; as such Government cannot publish these details as it was not party to the negotiations.In addition to the ...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: BedfordshireMinistry of DefenceTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the potential economic impact on Bedfordshire of increased defence spending.
Answer: We are ensuring UK defence is on the cutting-edge of technology and innovation, with Defence spending meeting our military needs, supporting 434,000 jobs across the breadth of the UK and increasing the productive capacity of the UK economy to drive sustai...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: Social MobilityDepartment for EducationTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of Level 7 Apprenticeships on social mobility.
Answer: The government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth supported by a strong skills system.This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioriti...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: EndometriosisDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of endometriosis on women in the workplace.
Answer: Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. We announced in the recent Pathways to W...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBanking HubsTreasuryTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42693More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government has taken to achieve the target of 350 banking hubs since 5 July 2024.
Answer: The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups or face challenges using alternative payment methods. The Government is committed to maintaining the viability of...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Wealth Fund: BedfordshireTreasuryTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42692More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the expected contribution of the National Wealth Fund to economic growth in Bedfordshire between 4 July 2024 and 4 July 2029.
Answer: Growth is the government’s number one mission, and the National Wealth Fund is a key lever for helping to deliver the investment underpinning this. The National Wealth Fund is committed to supporting the Government's growth and clean energy missions. Impo...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFilm: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42691More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36218 on Film: Business Rates, if she will make an estimate of how many film studios have a rateable value of less than £500,000.
Answer: This data is published on gov.uk as at 31 March 2024. In the 2024 stock of properties publication, the following zip file contains counts (rounded to the nearest 10) for each special category code, including film and tv studios, broken down by rateable va...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: PlanningDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42690More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Questions (a) 36880, (b) 36881, (c) 36882, (d) 36883 and (e) 36884, when he plans to conclude this work; and if he will publish the results.
Answer: To develop recommendations to address the reports’ findings, we have met with a range of stakeholders, including environmental NGOs, forestry industry representatives and local planning directors. We have also met with relevant government bodies, such as ...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: PlanningDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Questions (a) 36880, (b) 36881, (c) 36882, (d) 36883 and (e) 36884, which stakeholders have been consulted.
Answer: To develop recommendations to address the reports’ findings, we have met with a range of stakeholders, including environmental NGOs, forestry industry representatives and local planning directors. We have also met with relevant government bodies, such as ...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRights of Way: RiversDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 35439 on Forests and Rivers: Access, what the options under consideration are for the East of England’s National River Walk.
Answer: The Government continues to be committed to enhancing access to nature. We are still in the process of considering locations for the National River Walks and further information will be announced in due course.
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRights of Way: RiversDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 35439 on Forests and Rivers: Access, when he expects to confirm the National River Walk for the East of England.
Answer: The Government continues to be committed to enhancing access to nature. We are still in the process of considering locations for the National River Walks and further information will be announced in due course.
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInland Waterways: East of EnglandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Water investment to unlock growth in East of England, published on 13 March 2025, if he will make an assessment of the potenti
Answer: The Government recognises the wide range of benefits brought by our inland waterways and is supportive in general of projects to restore and develop them, including where they form part of wider growth plans.
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFloods: InsuranceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42682More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with (a) insurance companies and (b) the Association of British Insurers on the sharing of data on surface water flood claims with the Environment Agency.
Answer: The Floods Resilience Taskforce was formed by this Government to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedness and improve policy delivery and implementation. Bringing together key stakeholders in order to ensure that we are co...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42681More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36228 on Housing: Construction, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing (a) a housing supply fore
Answer: The government publishes quarterly data on planning applications and housing starts and completions. The latest data on planning application statistics can be found on gov.uk here. Data on housing starts and completions can be found on gov.uk here. The ma...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNew TownsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36225 on New Towns: Mid Bedfordshire, if she will make it her policy to inform Rt hon. and hon. Members of a new town proposal
Answer: The New Towns Taskforce will submit its final report this summer. As there may be political or commercial sensitivities to information submitted regarding prospective developments, the New Towns Taskforce will not be sharing information about the evidence...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36221 on Housing: construction, whether she plans to issue guidance to local authorities on density.
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework is supportive of development that makes efficient use of land and makes clear that local development plans should include the use of minimum density standards to that ends. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the an...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36223 on Housing: Construction, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits for policy-making of collecting that inf
Answer: The government will keep the matter under review.
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →