Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Flood Control: Internal Drainage BoardsDepartment for TransportTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26373More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring balancing ponds owned by National Highways to Internal Drainage Boards.
Answer: No such assessments have been undertaken on the potential merits of transferring ownership of balancing ponds.
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordRural Areas: DisadvantagedDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26372More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the suitability for policy-making of existing measures of rural deprivation.
Answer: Defra has contributed funding to investigate rural deprivation as part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) work to update the English Indices of Deprivation. This collaborative work is considering what deprivation in rur...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSewers: Property DevelopmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26371More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of developers transferring sustainable urban drainage systems to Internal Drainage Boards for ongoing maintenance.
Answer: The government is committed to securing the delivery of high-quality sustainable drainage systems to help manage flood risk and adapt to the effects of climate change.National Planning Guidance is clear that local authorities should be satisfied that all ...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: FloodsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26369More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish any advice her Department has provided to local authorities on development on flood plains since July 2024 .
Answer: The government is committed to building the homes the country needs while ensuring they are safe from flooding.The National Planning Policy Framework, which was revised in December 2024, is clear that new housing and most other forms of development should...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: FloodsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26368More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the number of houses that may be build on flood plains between July 2024 and July 2029.
Answer: The government is committed to building the homes the country needs while ensuring they are safe from flooding.The National Planning Policy Framework, which was revised in December 2024, is clear that new housing and most other forms of development should...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: Internal Drainage BoardsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26367More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the impact of the current role of Internal Drainage Boards on the planning process.
Answer: The government recently declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Any further announcements will be subject ...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: Internal Drainage BoardsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26366More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making Internal Drainage Boards a statutory consultee on planning applications.
Answer: The government recently declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Any further announcements will be subject ...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTourism: Electronic Travel AuthorisationsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26158More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Secretary of State for the Home department on the potential impact of increasing the cost of electronic travel authorisations on her Department’s ambition to gro
Answer: DCMS closely monitors factors that may influence inbound tourism, including the cost of electronic travel authorisations (ETAs). We recognise the importance of balancing secure and efficient border processes with the need to remain competitive as a global...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTourism: VisasDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26157More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a comparative assessment of the cost of tourism visas in (a) the UK and (b) international competitors.
Answer: DCMS closely monitors factors that may influence inbound tourism, including the cost of electronic travel authorisations (ETAs). We recognise the importance of balancing secure and efficient border processes with the need to remain competitive as a global...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTourism: Electronic Travel AuthorisationsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26156More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the number of inbound tourism visitors in 2025/26 if electronic travel authorisations cost (a) £10 and (b) £16.
Answer: DCMS closely monitors factors that may influence inbound tourism, including the cost of electronic travel authorisations (ETAs). We recognise the importance of balancing secure and efficient border processes with the need to remain competitive as a global...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTourism: Electronic Travel AuthorisationsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increasing the cost of electronic travel authorisations on inbound tourism.
Answer: DCMS closely monitors factors that may influence inbound tourism, including the cost of electronic travel authorisations (ETAs). We recognise the importance of balancing secure and efficient border processes with the need to remain competitive as a global...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordElectronic Travel Authorisations: CostsHome OfficeTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26154More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the increased cost of electronic travel authorisations on the number of annual visitors to the United Kingdom.
Answer: The Home Office has published an impact assessment for the recently proposed increases in maximum fees for certain immigration and nationality functions, which includes modelling for numbers of electronic travel authorisation (ETA) applications.ETAs are b...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: TouristsHome OfficeTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26153More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking through the immigration system to support the ambition of 50 million inbound tourism visitors by 2030.
Answer: The UK continues to welcome tourists from across the globe, who make an important contribution to the UK economy and enrich British culture. The UK Standard Visitor route offers individuals the ability to visit the UK for a temporary period, (usually for ...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTourism: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26152More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the contribution of inbound tourism to the public purse.
Answer: Inbound tourism makes a significant contribution to the public purse. According to the latest available data from VisitBritain and the International Passenger Survey (IPS), inbound visitors spent a record £31.1bn during 2023; supporting jobs and businesse...
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: AdmissionsDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure there are sufficient school places to match trends in the level of housing growth.
Answer: Local authorities are responsible for providing enough school places for children in their area. We provide capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide mainstream school places, based on their own pupil forecasts a...
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: BedfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of what the GP-to-patient ratio will be in Bedfordshire in July 2029.
Answer: There is no NHS England recommendation for how many patients a general practitioner (GP) should have assigned, or the ratio of GPs or other practice staff to patients.The demands that each patient places on their GP are different and can be affected by ma...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral PractitionersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26149More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of new GP surgeries that are projected to open each year till July 2029.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone can access primary care when needed. At the Autumn Budget, a £102 million capital fund was announced for 2025/26 to deliver approximately 200 general practice (GP) surgery upgrades across England, impr...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordElectronic Travel AuthorisationsCabinet OfficeTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26148More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the increase in the cost of electronic travel authorisations.
Answer: I, in my capacity as Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations, speak regularly with my counterpart Maroš Šefčovič on a range of issues relating to the EU-UK relationship. In addition, HMG officials engage regularly with counterparts acro...
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty: BedfordshireDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of off-grid properties that will benefit from the Warm Homes: Local Grant in Bedfordshire.
Answer: The Warm Homes: Local Grant will deliver upgrades to low-income homes both on and off the gas grid. Local Authorities (LAs) in receipt of the Grant will choose which homes to prioritise for upgrades, based on local needs and resident interest. LAs have su...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Listed BuildingsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25798More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of off-grid properties which are listed buildings.
Answer: The Department does not hold data on listed buildings and so does not have estimates for the number of listed buildings that are not connected to gas or electricity networks. The department publishes estimates of the number of domestic properties not conn...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTree Preservation Orders: BedfordshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of (a) ancient and (b) veteran trees not covered by Tree Protection Orders in Bedfordshire.
Answer: Defra recognises the importance of ancient and veteran trees, which provide irreplaceable habitats and a wide range of social, environmental and economic benefits to communities across the country. The value of ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran tr...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTrees: Planning PermissionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25796More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2024 to Question 19116 on Trees: Planning Permission, if he will publish the review.
Answer: The review of the implementation of the National Planning Policy Framework with regards to Ancient and Veteran trees was published on the 14 November 2024 on the Science Search website.
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Business: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25795More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the of the potential impact of (a) agricultural and (b) business property relief on ancient woodlands.
Answer: The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. It is expected that up to around 2...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Employers' ContributionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25794More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department is providing to (a) Bedford Borough Council and (b) Central Bedfordshire Council to cover the increased cost of employers’ National Insurance.
Answer: The government has announced an additional £515 million of support for local government in England specifically to manage the impact of changes to employer NICs announced at the Autumn Budget.Final allocations to local authorities will be published alongs...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Employers' ContributionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an estimate of the potential impact of increases to employers’ National Insurance for (a) Bedford Borough Council and (b) Central Bedfordshire Council
Answer: The government has announced an additional £515 million of support for local government in England specifically to manage the impact of changes to employer NICs announced at the Autumn Budget.Final allocations to local authorities will be published alongs...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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