Blake Stephenson MP: written questions 2025
1235 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Cheetahs: HuntingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63770More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 50987 on Cheetahs: Hunting, how species of conservation concern will be determined.
Answer: Species of conservation concern is determined in the criteria set out under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). CITES lists species in its Appendices according to the level of threat international trade has on their conser...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPeatlands: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63769More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of peatland recovery on the level of flood risk in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answer: The improvement of peatlands brings multiple benefits for biodiversity, reduction in carbon emissions and also flood-risk management. In the Mid Bedfordshire constituency, Defra is currently funding a Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot projec...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPeatlands: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63768More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help restore peatland in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of England’s peatlands, and in our manifesto, we committed to expanding nature-rich habitats such as wetlands and peat bogs. This will contribute to ensuring nature’s recovery, one of Defra’s five priorities. We ha...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBiodiversity: National LandscapesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63767More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of National Landscape status on biodiversity.
Answer: Natural England has the statutory responsibility for identifying areas for new or extended National Landscape designations. National Landscapes have a statutory purpose to conserve and enhance natural beauty, and biodiversity is a key consideration within...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63766More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of producing Sustainable Aviation Fuels on (a) UK energy security and (b) carbon emissions.
Answer: Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is one of the key ways to decarbonise air travel. We have a comprehensive plan in place for SAF. We have set ambitious targets in the SAF Mandate, are providing grant funding to support investment in a UK SAF industry and a...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63765More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of using black bin waste in (a) the production of sustainable aviation fuels and (b) the waste-to-energy process.
Answer: Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is one of the key ways to decarbonise air travel. We have a comprehensive plan in place for SAF. We have set ambitious targets in the SAF Mandate, are providing grant funding to support investment in a UK SAF industry and a...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63764More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the use of sustainable aviation fuels on carbon emissions.
Answer: Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is one of the key ways to decarbonise air travel. We have a comprehensive plan in place for SAF. We have set ambitious targets in the SAF Mandate, are providing grant funding to support investment in a UK SAF industry and a...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordTechnical Excellence Colleges: ApprenticesDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63763More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Next generation of builders and carers set to rebuild Britain, published on 27 May 2025, whether Technical Excellence Colleges will be able to provide L
Answer: The department is introducing technical excellence colleges (TECs) to specialise in training the skilled workforces which industry needs in priority sectors. This starts with the launch of 10 construction TECs from September 2025. TECs will provide the cr...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63762More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships on learners aged 22 and above.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57098.
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: BedfordshireDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63758More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release published on 22 May 2025 entitled Teachers to benefit from pay boost, if she will make an estimate of the change in the (a) employers’ National Insurance and (b)
Answer: Schools are receiving £615 million to support them with the costs of the 2025 pay awards, over and above the funding already being provided to schools in financial year 2025/26. The increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) costs were considered...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63757More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release published on 22 May 2025 entitled Teachers to benefit from pay boost, what guidance she has issued to schools on steps to make savings through increased producti
Answer: Schools are receiving £615 million to support them with the costs of the 2025 pay awards, over and above the funding already being provided to schools in financial year 2025/26. The increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) costs were considered...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Employers' ContributionsDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63756More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release published on 22 May 2025 entitled Teachers to benefit from pay boost, what estimate she has made of the increase in employers’ National Insurance costs for schoo
Answer: Schools are receiving £615 million to support them with the costs of the 2025 pay awards, over and above the funding already being provided to schools in financial year 2025/26. The increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) costs were considered...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63754More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's press release published on 22 May 2025 entitled, Teachers to benefit from pay boost, if she will make an estimate of the cost to schools of funding the first 1% of the pay awa
Answer: Schools are receiving £615 million to support them with the costs of the 2025 pay awards, over and above the funding already being provided to schools in financial year 2025/26. The increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) costs were considered...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Bases: ClosuresMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63753More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 55488 on Military Bases: Closures, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the site disposal guidelines due to increasing risks to
Answer: Both global and national security risks are already continually assessed as part of the military requirement for sites that shape the disposal position.
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63752More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his US counterpart on spending 5% of gross national income on defence.
Answer: The Secretary of State for Defence has regular engagements with the US Secretary of Defense where they discuss a range of topics including defence spending. At the Hague Summit, Allies committed to investing 5% of GDP annually on defence and security, whi...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordGREATCabinet OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63750More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the contribution of the GREAT campaign to the economy in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answer: GREAT has a robust evaluation framework which has been independently assessed by the National Audit Office, Ipsos and Deloitte and was recently commended by the joint Cabinet Office / HM Treasury Evaluation Task Force. The independent GREAT Strategic Revi...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordGREAT: Cost EffectivenessCabinet OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63749More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to request that the National Audit Office perform a value for money analysis of the GREAT campaign.
Answer: GREAT has a robust evaluation framework which has been independently assessed by the National Audit Office, Ipsos and Deloitte and was recently commended by the joint Cabinet Office / HM Treasury Evaluation Task Force. The independent GREAT Strategic Revi...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal TaxationTreasuryTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 904945More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the average amount of tax paid by each person in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answer: In 2024-25, HMRC expect the average amount of Income Tax paid by income tax payers to be £7,950.In 2025-26, HMRC expect the average amount of Income Tax paid by income tax payers to be £8,270.
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: VATDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62932More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52040 on Private Education: VAT, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the five month preparation period for private schools.
Answer: The government believes it is right these changes were introduced as soon as possible in order to raise the funding needed to help deliver our commitments to public services, including those relating to education and young people. Together, the VAT and bu...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: VATTreasuryTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62931More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department plans to publish the income generated from applying VAT to school fees in 2024-25.
Answer: The Annex to the Government Response to the Technical Note, Government_Response_to_the_Technical_Note_on_Applying_VAT_to_Private_School_Fees_and_Removing_the_Business_Rates_Charitable_Rate_Relief.pdf, sets out the expected VAT revenue resulting from this ...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: VATDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52391 on Private Education: VAT, if she will provide a breakdown of how the additional £460m will be spent.
Answer: The government believes it is right these changes were introduced as soon as possible in order to raise the funding needed to help deliver our commitments to public services, including those relating to education and young people. Together, the VAT and bu...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: BroadbandDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 50632 on Schools: Broadband, if she will list the five schools in Bedfordshire.
Answer: The five schools due to receive a funded update to fibre this year in Bedfordshire are:Derwent Primary School, Central Bedfordshire, SG16 6BA.Eaton Bray Academy, Central Bedfordshire, LU6 2DT (completed).Milton Ernest CofE Primary School, Bedford, MK44 1R...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62928More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reductions to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund on (a) adoptive parents, (b) special guardians, (c) kinship carers and (d) the children
Answer: The new criteria for the adoption and special guardianship support fund enable as many children and families as possible to access the available funding. The department always assesses the impact of changes on children and their families. This includes re...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: CybersecurityMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62927More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the press release entitled UK to deliver pioneering battlefield system and bolster cyber warfare capabilities under Strategic Defence Review, published on 29 May 2025, how the starting salary fo
Answer: There is no exact private sector equivalent for Cyber Operators in the Armed Forces, and private sector cyber salaries vary significantly. Cyber Direct Entrants are offered a starting salary exceeding £40,000, with the opportunity to earn up to an additio...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: Artificial IntelligenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62926More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s press release Largest ever UK defence AI trial conducted across land, sea and air, published on 25 May 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the cyber security risks of inc
Answer: The process of understanding threat informs the functioning of our entire enterprise, from intelligence and military operations through to what technologies we adopt and why. AI naturally features as one of the many technologies that the Ministry of Defen...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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