Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
865 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Planning Inspectorate: StandardsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of the planning inspectorate.
Answer: The government is committed to the efficient handling of planning casework, including by means of ensuring there is sufficient resourcing in the Planning Inspectorate to support such activity. The Inspectorate regularly publishes updates on its performanc...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning InspectorateMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25791More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of resources available to the planning inspectorate.
Answer: The government is committed to the efficient handling of planning casework, including by means of ensuring there is sufficient resourcing in the Planning Inspectorate to support such activity. The Inspectorate regularly publishes updates on its performanc...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLondon Stock ExchangeTreasuryTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25790More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her economic policies at attracting people to list shares in London.
Answer: The UK has recently attracted several high-profile listings from firms taking advantage of our reforms to make it easier to raise capital and fund growth on UK markets. This includes IPOs from high-growth UK firms such as Raspberry Pi and Applied Nutritio...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTax Yields: British Nationals AbroadTreasuryTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25789More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of wealthy taxpayers leaving the UK on levels of (a) economic growth and (b) tax receipts.
Answer: The Government is committed to making sure the wealthiest in our society pay their fair share of tax. That is why the Chancellor announced a series of reforms at Autumn Budget 2024 to help fix the public finances in as fair a way as possible. As part of t...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCyprus: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Cypriot counterpart.
Answer: The Foreign Secretary met Cypriot Foreign Minister Kombos on 17 December 2024 to discuss recent developments, Settlement and the EU reset. I also spoke with Foreign Minister Kombos on 20 January to discuss recent developments on Settlement.
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSpain: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25787More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Spanish counterpart.
Answer: The Foreign Secretary last met with his Spanish counterpart Foreign Minister José-Manuel Albares in the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Luxembourg in October 2024 and was in touch with Mr Albares to express the UK's condolences and offer o...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordArgentina: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25786More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Argentinian counterpart.
Answer: UK Ministers and officials maintain regular contact with their Argentine counterparts, discussing a range of issues of bilateral importance, including economic growth, support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, and the South Atlantic. The Fore...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Overseas TerritoriesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25785More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the inclusion of Overseas Territories in the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territori
Answer: The Government believes the UN Special Committee on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (Special Committee) is outdated, and that it no longer has a relevant role to play with respect to ...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMonuments: TourismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25406More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the owners of Scheduled Monuments on their potential role in British tourism.
Answer: Scheduled Monuments are extremely diverse and range from the 17th century Houghton House, which is managed by English Heritage, to Metchley Roman fort in Birmingham, much of which lies on private land. The Secretary of State regularly engages with heritag...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMonuments: TourismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25405More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential contribution of Scheduled Monuments to the tourism industry.
Answer: We have made no such formal assessment, but many of the nearly 20,000 Scheduled Monuments in England, including Stonehenge, Appleby Castle and Barnard Castle, as well as those in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are important visitor attractions. We r...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25404More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with President Trump about the future of the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Answer: The Foreign Secretary last spoke to President Trump in September, when they had a private dinner in New York with the Prime Minister. We do not disclose the details of private conversations. Regarding the future of Diego Garcia, it is right that the new U...
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDiego Garcia: Military BasesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25403More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the annual difference between (a) the current cost of administering the British Indian Ocean Territory and (b) the proposed cost of leasing the
Answer: It is established practice not to publish payments made for overseas military bases.The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office provides funding to the BIOT Administration to help support the good governance of the Territory. In FY 23/24, the FCDO p...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChurches: TourismChurch CommissionersTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24537More
Question: To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to support the tourism industry.
Answer: Churches, cathedrals and other historic sites are at the heart of England's cultural and spiritual heritage, attracting millions of visitors annually. The Church of England operates 16,000 churches and 42 cathedrals. Cathedrals alone add over 6,000 jobs ...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordConsumers: PensionersCabinet OfficeTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24313More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of trends in the level of consumer spending amongst pensioners in quarter four of (a) 2024 and (b) 2023.
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 15 January is attached.
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: WeatherDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24312More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of NHS treatment for pensioners in winter (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2023-24.
Answer: The information requested is not held centrally.
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitals: AdmissionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24311More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of pensioners hospitalised in winter 2024-25.
Answer: Information on hospital admissions by pensioners, specifically, is not available. NHS England publishes information on admissions by age group, with the following table showing the latest data for those aged 65 years old and over:MonthAdmitted hospital at...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPension Credit: ExpenditureDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24310More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the cost of new sign ups for Pension Credit between July and December 2024.
Answer: The latest data on Pension Credit applications and awards covers the period between 1 April 2024 and 17 November 2024 and is available here: Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2024 - GOV.UK. In the 16 weeks since the announcement on 29 July ...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHousehold Support Fund: PensionersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of Household Support Fund funding allocated to pensioners in 2024-25.
Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions publishes Management Information on the Household Support Fund, including details on the proportion of funding spent on households with pensioners. The latest Management Information covering the scheme running from Apr...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHousehold Support Fund: PensionersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Household Support Fund in supporting pensioners in winter 2024-25.
Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions publishes Management Information on the Household Support Fund, including details on the proportion of funding spent on households with pensioners. The latest Management Information covering the scheme running from Apr...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24307More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what target her Department set for the number of new sign ups to Pension Credit between July and December 2024.
Answer: No targets for new awards or applications have been set, but the Government wants everyone eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to. That’s why we have been taking significant steps to maximise...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPensioners: PovertyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24306More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of pensioners in poverty in winter (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2023-24.
Answer: Statistics on the number of people living in relative and absolute poverty both before and after housing costs are produced on an annual basis and published in the Households Below Average Income statistics. The latest available data covers financial year...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24305More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people signed up for Pension Credit between July and December 2024.
Answer: Statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 28 November 2024. This includes numbers of applications that were received, awarded and not awarded, up to 17 November 2024. Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2024 - GOV.UK ...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPension Credit: Winter Fuel PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24304More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of pensioners earning less than the Pension Credit threshold who did not receive winter fuel payment in winter 2024-25.
Answer: The Department does not yet have data on households who did not receive a Winter Fuel Payment in Winter 2024/25. The latest data on Winter Fuel Payment caseload is available here: Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK.
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPensioners: Winter Fuel PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of pensioners no longer eligible for winter fuel payment in winter 2024-25.
Answer: It is estimated that 9.2 million pensioners will lose their Winter Fuel Payments. This estimate was published in the OBR Economic and Fiscal Outlook
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordVisitor LevyDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24302More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a transient visitor levy on the UK visitor economy.
Answer: Tax policy is a matter for HM Treasury and there are no plans to introduce a visitor levy in England. Levies either have been or are being introduced in Scotland, Wales and some English cities and DCMS continues to monitor their impact on the visitor econ...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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