Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Electricity Generation: InfrastructureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38458More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to provide guidance to forestry authorities on prioritising energy generation in the context of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Answer: The forestry renewables measure, announced as part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, aims to integrate renewable energy into our natural landscape. Provisions will be in place to ensure that renewable energy developments on forestry land are not at...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity Generation: InfrastructureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38457More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of hectares of forestry land that will be made available for energy generation, in the context of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Answer: The forestry renewables measure, announced as part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, aims to integrate renewable energy into our natural landscape. Provisions will be in place to ensure that renewable energy developments on forestry land are not at...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFloods and Sewers: Property DevelopmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38456More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any measures within the Planning and Infrastructure Bill relate to (a) flooding and (b) sustainable drainage.
Answer: Hard copies of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill are available from the Vote Office and an electronic copy of Bill can be found online here.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery Plans: Flood ControlMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38455More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Environmental Delivery Plans will support the use of nature-based solutions to tackle flooding.
Answer: When implementing Environmental Delivery Plans, Natural England will be able to use nature-based solutions, as well as other appropriate interventions, in their efforts to maximise the impact of conservation measures in addressing the negative effects of ...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery Plans: Internal Drainage BoardsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38454More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Natural England will be expected to consult Internal Drainage Boards in the preparation of Environmental Delivery Plans.
Answer: Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) will be subject to public consultation, providing relevant organisations and bodies with the opportunity to comment on their content. Natural England will be able to proactively seek the views of any public authority it...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery Plans: ForestsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38453More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Environmental Delivery Plans will support the development of (a) community forests and (b) the forest of Marston Vale.
Answer: When preparing Environmental Delivery Plans, Natural England will consider relevant strategies and plans. These may include strategies or plans for community forests.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38452More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment on the potential impact of Environmental Delivery Plans on levels of access to nature.
Answer: Through the delivery of conservation measures, Environmental Delivery Plans provide the opportunity to improve access to nature. The scale of improvement will depend on the local context and circumstances.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38451More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 49.5 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, whether development will be permitted beyond the maximum amount specified by Environmental Delivery Plan
Answer: An Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP) would only enable development up to the maximum amount specified in the EDP. Where an EDP is reaching the maximum capacity, the Secretary of State would be able to request that Natural England amend the EDP or put a ne...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38450More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 49(7)(b) of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, whether development would be considered on a first-come-first-served basis up to the maximum amount spe
Answer: The government would expect Environmental Delivery Plans to operate on a first-come-first-served basis.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38449More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 49(7)(b) of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, whether environmental delivery plans would be (a) replaced and (b) lapse at the end of the specified pe
Answer: Developments coming forward after the expiry of Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP) will not be able to utilise the Nature Restoration Fund. Where an Environmental Delivery Plan is due to expire, the Secretary of State may make the decision to either update...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38448More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 49(7)(b) of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what would happen to funds provided by developers towards environmental delivery plans that are unspent
Answer: The Nature Restoration Levy will be set to secure the conservation measures necessary to outweigh the negative effect of development covered by the Environmental Delivery Plan. In the event that there are unspent funds that are not required to secure the ...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38447More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 49(7)(b) of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what would happen to projects not completed as part of the environmental delivery plan at the end of th
Answer: Where a developer has been granted permission relying on the payment of the Nature Restoration Levy, Natural England will be responsible for securing the necessary conservation measures to outweigh the negative effects of the development. This model does ...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Delivery PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38446More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 49(7)(b) of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, who will be responsible the ongoing maintenance of conservation projects implemented through environmen
Answer: Natural England will secure and deliver conservation measures as part of an Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP) to address the environmental impact of the development in question. When preparing an EDP, Natural England will give consideration to the lifespa...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordForests: BedfordshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38445More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the Forest of Marston Vale community forest to the south.
Answer: Any assessment of the potential merits of expanding the Forest of Marston Vale would be made by the Forest of Marston Vale Trust and its local partners. This is one of a national network of fifteen Community Forests funded by Defra to plant thousands of h...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCharities: National Insurance ContributionsTreasuryTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38444More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to publish an impact assessment on the impact of the increase in class one employer National Insurance contributions on the charity sector within the first six months of the introducti
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer National Insurance contributions. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the pol...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordForestry: TrainingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38207More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Forestry and Arboriculture Training Fund will support courses available in Bedfordshire.
Answer: The Forestry and Arboriculture Training Fund is currently closed for applications. The Forestry Commission is collecting feedback from those who have attended the course and will be working with key stakeholders to deliver the Forestry Sector Skills Plan.
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordForests: BedfordshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38206More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to help grow the forestry sector in Bedfordshire.
Answer: Defra is funding a significant package of grants and activity across England to increase tree coverage and support the forestry sector. This includes funding a national network of fifteen Community Forests. These Forests are planting thousands of hectares...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordTree Planting: BedfordshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38205More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many trees he plans to plant in Bedfordshire as part of plans to increase woodland cover.
Answer: Tree planting grant schemes are demand led so it is not generally possible to state where the trees will be newly planted, although a range of sensitivities will prevent permission to plant being granted in some locations. Additional planting will be depe...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPlan for NeighbourhoodsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38204More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled, Plan for Neighbourhoods: prospectus, updated on 12 March 2025, whether there will be further rounds of funding available for
Answer: The new £1.5 billion Plan for Neighbourhoods will deliver up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade into 75 communities across the UK, a long-term commitment to building the foundations to kickstart local growth and drive-up living sta...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPlan for Neighbourhoods: BedfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38203More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department’s Plan for Neighbourhoods: prospectus, updated on 13 March 2025, on what basis local authorities in Bedfordshire were excluded from selection.
Answer: The Plan for Neighbourhoods was launched on 4 March. The 75 places across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were chosen via a selection methodology that has been published in the Plan for Neighbourhoods prospectus. The metrics used for selecti...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Employers' ContributionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 30736 on Local Government: Employers' Contributions and with reference to paragraph 5.48 of Bedford Borough Council Executi
Answer: Additional funding for employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) has been determined based on a national assessment of the costs for directly employed staff. The grant distribution methodology has been published in an explanatory note on the govern...
Answered 18 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFlood ControlMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38201More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to require developers to complete flood defences committed to at planning stage in areas at risk of flooding within a mandated time period.
Answer: Local planning authorities are responsible for ensuring compliance with planning permissions and conditions, including monitoring and taking enforcement action if necessary. National planning guidance makes clear that where flood risk management infrastru...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns TaskforceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 26862 on New Towns Taskforce, how the taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities.
Answer: The Taskforce is reviewing responses to its December call for evidence and will be working with local partners to consider potential new town locations ahead of making its recommendations to ministers this summer.
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: Bank ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38199More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions the New Towns Taskforce has had with relevant stakeholders on access to banking services in new towns.
Answer: The government recognises the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets across the UK and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority.As set out in its Terms of Reference, which can be found on gov.uk here,...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCoastal Erosion and Floods: Risk ManagementMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38198More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Environment Agency's data entitled New national flood and coastal erosion risk information, upd
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Questions UIN 29949 on 19 February 2025.
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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