Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
1633 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Taxation: DomicilTreasuryTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61633More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of how many non-domiciled residents have left the country in each month since July 2024.
Answer: Official Statistics around non-domiciled taxpayers in the UK [1] will be published in July 2025 and will contain information about taxpayers who claim non-domiciled status in the UK for the tax year 2023-24.[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sta...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordTransport: North of EnglandTreasuryTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61632More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the press release entitled PM: North will no longer be held to ransom by broken transport system, published on 28 March 2025, how these projects will be funded.
Answer: Spending Review 2025 set transport budgets for day‑to‑day spending until 2028‑29, and until 2029‑30 for capital investment.This included funding for our city regions receiving the final year of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS 2026-27)...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFinancial Services: RegulationTreasuryTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61631More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department plans to take to reduce regulations on financial service businesses.
Answer: In the March Regulation Action Plan, the government committed to cutting the administrative costs of regulation for business by 25% by the end of the Parliament. This will take a whole-of-government approach to establish a baseline for the administrative ...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordInvestmentTreasuryTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61630More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the barriers to direct retail investment in shares by UK citizens; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of those barriers on economic growth.
Answer: The government is committed to supporting retail participation in UK capital markets to ensure consumers can benefit from the long-term financial security that investing in shares can provide. The government ran a Call for Evidence as part of the Financia...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCapital Markets: RegulationTreasuryTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61629More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System on economic growth; and when she expects the regulatory framewor
Answer: I refer the Member to the answer given to his question in PQ UIN 57791 on 12 June 2025.
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNew TownsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61628More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 7 of the New Towns Taskforce’s interim update Building new towns for the future, published in February 2025, what models other than local authority mainten
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: Public ConsultationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61627More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 6 of the New Towns Taskforce’s interim update Building new towns for the future, published in February 2025, what steps the New Towns Taskforce s taking to
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: PlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 3 of the New Towns Taskforce’s interim update Building new towns for the future, published in February 2025, whether sites will be considered which were no
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNew TownsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61625More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that New Towns deliver beautiful (a) housing and (b) public realm.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: ApprenticesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61624More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment on the potential implications for her policies on New Towns of the decision to end Chartered Town Planning Level 7 apprenticeship funding.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 36088 on 14 March 2025.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61257More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled AI experiments see “Humphrey” help townhalls cut costs and improve services, published on 23 May 2025, if he will publish the quality assura
Answer: Minute is currently undergoing Alpha trials across the public sector, including a discovery with 25 local authorities. After this concludes in July, we will publish a summary of the findings and set the direction for the project.
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ApprenticesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61256More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the number of Level 7 apprenticeships offered by local authorities.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58023 on 13 June 2025.
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: ApprenticesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61255More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the number of planners employed by (a) local authorities and (b) developers who have a Level 7 apprenticeship qualification.
Answer: The Department does not currently hold detailed data on the number of planners employed by local authorities or developers who possess a Level 7 Chartered Town Planner Apprenticeship qualification.
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSewersMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government during the Twelfth sitting of the Public Bill Committee on the Planning a
Answer: The government is committed to requiring sustainable drainage systems in new development and we have already taken action to support that objective by setting out updated policy in the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 20...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: Flood ControlMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the New Towns Taskforce has consulted with specialist flooding experts on the potential impact of the proposed new town locations on flooding.
Answer: The New Towns Programme aims to create environmentally resilient places that support the government’s net-zero agenda through sustainable design, nature enhancement, low-carbon infrastructure, and responsible development, including flood risk mitigation. ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Towns: BiodiversityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61252More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the New Towns Taskforce has consulted with specialist (a) arboriculturalists and (b) ecologists on the potential impact of the proposed new town locations on biodiversity
Answer: The New Towns Programme aims to create environmentally resilient places that support the government’s net-zero agenda through sustainable design, nature enhancement, low-carbon infrastructure, and responsible development, including flood risk mitigation. ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61251More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking with the Mayor of London to increase the level of construction of affordable housing in London.
Answer: On taking office in July 2024, the government acted quickly to agree changes to the Affordable Homes Programme to strengthen the delivery of affordable homes in London, including providing the GLA with flexibilities on completion deadlines and allowing th...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Fees and ChargesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61250More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 10 of the impact assessment for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, published on 6 May 2025, how her Department calculated the £1.1 billion value for pla
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to Annex 11 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Impact Assessment which can be found on gov.uk here.
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPeatlands: Mid BedfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61249More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to strengthen protections for peatland from development in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
Answer: Safeguarding peatland plays an important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as maintaining and enhancing biodiversity. The National Planning Policy Framework contains a very high level of protection against proposals which might aff...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGreen Belt: MapsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61248More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to map grey belt land.
Answer: It is for individual local planning authorities to assess if land is grey belt and to determine whether and how to amend Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of plans. On 27 February 2025, Planning Practice Guidance was published to a...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordThameslink Line: PassengersDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58367More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer to Question 49562 on Railways, if she will publish the rail demand scenarios for Thameslink she has modelled.
Answer: The Department undertakes a range of detailed forecasts for the rail network under different scenarios and these are used for both financial planning and business case analysis. We do not routinely publish route or train operating company level forecasts....
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: Rural AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58366More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of long waiting times for driving tests on social and economic mobility of young people in (a) Mid Bedfordshire and (b) other rural areas.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport S...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British RailwaysDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58365More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46979 on Railways, what steps she plans to take to ensure that Great British Railways provides a more reliable system for passengers.
Answer: GBR will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to deliver for passengers and freight. Most passengers will travel on GBR trains, running on GBR tracks, and working to a GBR timetable – a...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British RailwaysDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58364More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46979 on Railways, what steps she plans to take to ensure that Great British Railways provides a more efficient system for passengers.
Answer: GBR will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to deliver for passengers and freight. Most passengers will travel on GBR trains, running on GBR tracks, and working to a GBR timetable – al...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British RailwaysDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58363More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46979 on Railways, what steps she plans to take to ensure that Great British Railways will have a relentless focus on passengers.
Answer: GBR will have a statutory duty to run the railway in the interest of passengers. It will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to meet the needs of current and future passengers.
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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