Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Suicide: Mental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39789More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of call waiting times for emergency support for suicidal people in Bedfordshire.
Answer: People experiencing suicidal thoughts can access emergency support through a variety of services. These include accident and emergency, mental health crisis services via NHS 111, the police, mental health street triage services, ambulance services, genera...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSport EnglandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's press release entitled Bureaucratic burden lifted to speed up building in growth agenda, published o
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArts: TheatreDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39786More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the economic contribution of live theatre to the creative industry.
Answer: This Government recognises the importance of theatre in providing high-quality culture and stimulating growth. DCMS economic estimates of GVA provide a measure of the contribution made by the DCMS sectors to the UK economy. The Arts subsector, of which th...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArts: Theatres TrustMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39785More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's press release entitled Bureaucratic burden lifted to speed up building in growth agenda, published o
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArts: Theatres TrustMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39783More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's press release entitled Bureaucratic burden lifted to speed up building in growth agenda, published o
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPostural Tachycardia Syndrome: BedfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39188More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate support for people with postural tachycardia syndrome in Bedfordshire.
Answer: Improving health outcomes for people who live with long-term conditions, including postural tachycardia syndrome, is a key part of the Government's mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future.The integrated care boards (ICBs), including ...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: ApplicationsHome OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of waiting times for visas on (a) the super priority service and (b) other processes.
Answer: As outlined on GOV.UK, using the ‘super priority service’ for visa and settlement applications means a decision is usually made by the end of the next working day.Using the ‘priority service’ means a decision is usually made within 5 working days, or 30 w...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPassports: ApplicationsHome OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39186More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of fast-tracked passport applications taking longer than one week.
Answer: The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPassports: ApplicationsHome OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39185More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of passport applications taking longer than three weeks.
Answer: The information you have requested is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/passports-and-citizenship-data-q4-2024.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPassportsHome OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39184More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of waiting times at the Passport Office.
Answer: His Majesty’s Passport Office consistently exceeds the performance indicator for its standard service within the UK, with over 98.5% of customers receiving their passport within three weeks where no further information is required.Information about the p...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Apprenticeship LevyDepartment for EducationTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39183More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of apprenticeship levy reforms on Chartered Town Planner Level 7 Apprenticeships.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire to the answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23140.
Answered 29 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: Special Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39182More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2025 to Question 27313 on Private Education: Special Educational Needs, if she will make a separate assessment for SEN pupils.
Answer: HM Treasury has published a tax information and impact note on applying VAT to independent school fees, which includes pupils with special educational needs.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachersDepartment for EducationTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39181More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number of teachers employed in state schools in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answer: Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers employed in state-funded schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication. This publication is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.servi...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39180More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number of SEN children fined for school absences in the last academic year.
Answer: The information requested is not held by the department.The department collects aggregate data on penalty notices from local authorities in England through the annual ‘parental responsibility measures’ attendance census. Information is not collected on th...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordThameslink Line: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39179More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of planned housing developments in Bedfordshire on Thameslink services.
Answer: Any assessment on the impacts of housing developments on public transport is a matter for local partners through development of their local plans.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: WeatherDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2025 to Question 24312 on Health Services: Pensioners, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of holding that data centrally.
Answer: The Department does not intend to collect this data. Annual budgets given to integrated care boards cover most National Health Service spending. The allocations process uses a statistical formula to make geographic distribution fair and objective, so that...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversities: Capital InvestmentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to support university-partnered venture capital investment companies outside the Oxford, Cambridge and London triangle; and whether Ministers in his Department h
Answer: The Government is committed to driving innovation and economic growth across the UK. DSIT Ministers regularly meet with investors in science and technology sectors. Research England’s Connecting Capabilities Fund (CCF) has supported university collaborati...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBank HubsTreasuryTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38736More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2025 to Question 29957 on Bank Services and Banking Hubs, if her Department will direct the Financial Conduct Authority to require the creation of banking hubs in new towns with
Answer: Banking has changed significantly in recent years with many customers benefiting from the ease and convenience of remote banking. However, the Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets in new towns and a...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: EmploymentTreasuryTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38735More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 29193 on Hospitality Industry: Employment, whether her Department has done a sector specific analysis of the projected impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on emplo
Answer: The Government has taken a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the public finances and fund public services.The Government has set out the impacts of the policy changes from Autumn Budget 2024 in the usual way....
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38734More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 28608 on Employers' Contributions: Public Sector, whether the funding provided will offset the full impact.
Answer: At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government set aside funding to support the public sector with the additional cost of employer National Insurance Contributions. This support funding amounts to £4.7 billion in 2025-26, inclusive of Barnett consequentials. This ...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: Recreation SpacesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38733More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of green space maintenance standards by developers after the construction of new housing developments.
Answer: National design guidance supports the National Planning Policy Framework and emphasises the importance of considering management and maintenance regimes, including for open and public spaces, from the early stages of the design process, set out in a manag...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: Theatres TrustMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38732More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Bureaucratic burden lifted to speed up building in growth agenda, published on 10 March 2025, what assessment her Depart
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: Sport EnglandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38731More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Bureaucratic burden lifted to speed up building in growth agenda, published on 10 March 2025, what assessment her Depart
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: Garden TrustMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38730More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Bureaucratic burden lifted to speed up building in growth agenda, published on 10 March 2025, whether there will be a de
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38729More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Bureaucratic burden lifted to speed up building in growth agenda, published on 10 March 2025, which statutory consultees
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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