Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
1633 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Security Benefits: FraudDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23509More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce levels of fraud in the welfare system.
Answer: Since the Autumn Budget 2024 DWP has committed to delivering gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030-31 from fraud, error and debt activity In 2026, the Department has continued to strengthen its approach to tackling fraud and error across the welf...
Answered 21 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordStock MarketTreasuryTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23508More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of allowing a private equity firm to use public funds to impose a lower value bid on UK retail shareholders on confidence in the London market and promoting wider
Answer: It is not for the Government to comment on the investment strategies of individual firms. These activities are undertaken within a regulatory framework that provides safeguards for both market integrity and investor protection.Private equity managers in t...
Answered 4 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: FinanceTreasuryTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23507More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing (a) vouchers and (b) tax rebates to parents who send children to independent schools of a value less than the cost to the public purse per year of
Answer: This Government is committed to fair treatment for all pupils, whether they attend state or independent schools.At Budget 2024 the Government made changes to policy on tax exemption for parents who wish to send their children to independent schools. The r...
Answered 9 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordTaxationTreasuryTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23506More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a comparative estimate of the level of taxation (a) collected in 2024-25 and (b) expected from Budgets for that tax year.
Answer: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published its Forecast Evaluation Report in June 2026 which compares its economic forecasts, including forecast tax receipts, with the outturns for 2024/25. The report can be found online here:Forecas...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: Rural AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of enforcement of restrictions on HGVs using rural roads with weight limits.
Answer: The department has not made a recent assessment of the adequacy of enforcement of restrictions on HGVs using rural roads with weight limits. The department keeps policies relating to HGVs, including those concerning vehicle weights and dimensions, under r...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordM1Department for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to deliver a new M1 to A6 Link Road near to Streatley in Mid Bedfordshire.
Answer: The M1 to A6 Link Road scheme received Full Approval from the Department for Transport in 2021, which confirmed a maximum funding contribution of £32.75 million as part of the Major Road Network/Large Local Majors Programme. The Department's funding contr...
Answered 3 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordGreater Thameslink Railway: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what action she is taking to increase capacity on Thameslink services.
Answer: All train operators, including the operator of Thameslink services, are required to plan services and timetables to meet current and future passenger demand while providing value for money. The operator’s long-term demand modelling considers growth arisin...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordGreater Thameslink Railway: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve reliability on Thameslink services.
Answer: Thameslink services transferred into public ownership on 31 May 2026. The new public sector operator has committed to a range of measures intended to improve reliability and reduce cancellations, including recruiting additional drivers, completing the Tha...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Aug 2026Awaiting answerUIN 23501More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the Government will publish its Long-term Housing Strategy.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Local GovernmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Aug 2026Awaiting answerUIN 23500More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 102049 on Planning: Local Government, when she plans to publish the regulations.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordCombined Authorities: BedfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23499More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she intends to establish a Mayoral Authority covering Bedfordshire.
Answer: Our ambition is to ensure that every area in England has, or is in the process of establishing, a Strategic Authority by the end of 2027, with Strategic Authorities in place everywhere by the end of 2028. We are continuing to engage with local leaders, in...
Answered 4 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordSheltered HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Aug 2026Awaiting answerUIN 23498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government's forthcoming Housing Strategy will give consideration to the potential role of housing-with-care in reducing pressures on the social care system.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordFlood ControlMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Aug 2026Awaiting answerUIN 23497More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered the potential implications for her policies of the Localis report entitled Plain Dealing Revisited.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordFirearms: LicensingHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23496More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she is providing to Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Hertfordshire Police to tackle backlogs in processing shotgun licences.
Answer: The issuing of firearm and shotgun certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the processing of licensing applications are matters for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners.On 9 January 2026, His Majesty’s In...
Answered 9 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordYoung Offenders: BedfordHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23495More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact on Bedford Borough Council of requirements to provide accommodation and safeguarding support to individuals at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre who are
Answer: Age assessment is a difficult area of work, with no single assessment technique, or combination of techniques, able to determine age with precision. Where an individual claims to be a child without any credible and clear documentary evidence of age, and w...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordYoung Offenders: BedfordHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23494More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact on Bedford Borough Council of age assessments associated with the Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre.
Answer: Age assessment is a difficult area of work, with no single assessment technique, or combination of techniques, able to determine age with precision. Where an individual claims to be a child without any credible and clear documentary evidence of age, and w...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBedfordshire Police: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23493More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to review funding arrangements for Bedfordshire Police.
Answer: This Government is committed to ensuring that policing has the resourcing it needs. This year, all police forces will receive a real terms increase in their funding.Decisions on police funding are made annually at the Police Funding Settlement. In 2026-27...
Answered 9 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordNitrous OxideHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23492More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action she is taking to tackle the illegal a) inhalation and b) sale of nitrous oxide canisters.
Answer: The Government recognises that the abuse of nitrous oxide is dangerous to people’s health. Nitrous oxide is controlled as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It is an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess, possess with intent...
Answered 9 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBritish Nationality: AssessmentsHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23491More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the security risk assessment for the decision to make the Home Office English Language Test fully remote by default, including the assessment of impersonation, collusion, hidden de
Answer: Home Office English Language Testing is currently in live procurement. It would not be appropriate to publish security risk assessments relating to the procurement, as the Department's assessment of risks and vulnerabilities associated with different test...
Answered 3 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBritish Nationality: AssessmentsHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23490More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what independent assurance her Department has sought from Ofqual, the National Cyber Security Centre or other relevant expert bodies on identity verification, remote proctoring and AI-enabled cheating
Answer: The Home Office English Language Testing procurement places security and integrity at the heart of the digital-by-default solution. The programme has engaged with the National Cyber Security Centre and the HOELT security schedule is aligned to the Nationa...
Answered 3 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: AssessmentsHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23489More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of findings from high-stakes test providers that have removed or restricted remote testing on security and
Answer: The Home Office continues to monitor evidence from national and international comparators, and from other government contexts where digital identity and remote service delivery have been considered or in use. Any departmental delivery model must meet appr...
Answered 3 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBritish Nationality: AssessmentsHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23488More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what experts her Department is engaging on alternative delivery models for the Life in the UK test; and whether those experts have been asked to advise on the security risks of fully remote English la
Answer: The Home Office draws on a range of specialist expertise from across government, including cyber security, digital and commercial specialists, when considering alternative delivery models. This expertise is directly engaged to advise on and assess securit...
Answered 3 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBritish Nationality: AssessmentsHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23487More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2026 to Question 12892, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on cost, customer convenience and test security of remote delivery models for t
Answer: As part of any procurement exercise, the Home Office considers a range of factors as options are developed, including customer experience, accessibility, value for money, service integrity and security considerations for all its services. The Department a...
Answered 3 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBritish Nationality: AssessmentsHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23486More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2026 to Question 12892, what criteria her Department will use to determine whether alternative delivery models for the Life in the UK test are sufficiently secure; and
Answer: Any Home Office delivery model must meet appropriate integrity requirements and principles, including data security, cyber security, accessibility, and fraud risk and prevention, to ensure compliance with Home Office policy and to ensure that the service ...
Answered 3 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23485More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the current maintenance backlog is at a) Bedford Hospital and b) Luton & Dunstable Hospital.
Answer: National Health Service trusts are legally responsible for managing and maintaining their estates using their operational capital allocations, and as part of this, they regularly assess the physical condition of their estate.The NHS England Estates Relate...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament record
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