Blake Stephenson MP: written questions 2025

1235 published records · newest first.

Written questions

Holiday Accommodation: BedfordshireDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88011More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer to Question 50271 on Holiday Accommodation: Bedfordshire, when he expects to publish that impact assessment.
Answer: The consultation- Package travel – updating the framework 2025 - GOV.UK closed 30 June 2025. The government is now analysing responses.The government response will be published by the end of the year.
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Trade Agreements: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88010More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer to Question 50646 on Trade Agreements: USA, what progress his Department has made on trade talks with the United States.
Answer: The UK continues to engage across the range of issues outlined in the General Terms for the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal.During President Trump’s State Visit in September, the UK and US announced the Technology Prosperity Deal focused on developing fast...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Business and Trade: Public Consultation and ReviewsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88009More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of (a) consultations and (b) reviews conducted by their Department since 4 July 2024.
Answer: The information requested is not centrally held in an easily accessible form as there are no expenditure categories that just cover consultations or reviews.Due to this any response could only be collated and verified for the purposes of answering this qu...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
IndustryDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88008More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will publish the sectoral analysis his Department undertook before selecting the IS-8 sectors in the Modern Industrial Strategy, published on 23 June 2025.
Answer: The methodology for selecting the IS-8 sectors has already been published.The Invest 2035 Green Paper (published on GOV.UK in October 2024) identified 8 high-level ‘growth driving’ sectors (the IS-8): Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creat...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Jamaica: Hurricanes and TornadoesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87129More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to support Jamaican authorities to ensure that (a) search and rescue efforts and (b) UK aid are able to access the hardest hit areas o
Answer: I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Jamaica: Hurricanes and TornadoesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87128More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to coordinate with the (a) Jamaican authorities and (b) regional disaster-management agencies to help ensure that UK assistance is (i) eff
Answer: I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Jamaica: Hurricanes and TornadoesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87127More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the restoration of critical infrastructure in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa: and what assessment she has made of the potential role
Answer: I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Jamaica: Hurricanes and TornadoesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87126More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support she will provide to British citizens who have (a) family, (b) property and (c) businesses impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
Answer: I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Jamaica: Hurricanes and TornadoesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87125More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support British citizens who (a) live in Jamaica and (b) are travelling in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
Answer: I refer the hon. member to the written ministerial statement published on 4 November.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
UK Space Agency: RedundancyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86866More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an estimate of the redundancy costs for the decision to close the UK Space Agency.
Answer: UK Space Agency employees will move Department under the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector (COSOP), either into DSIT or our service providers. The integration brings together teams already working closely, creati...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
UK Space AgencyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86865More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will publish an impact assessment on the decision to close the UK Space Agency.
Answer: The UK Space Agency is not closing – it is being brought together with DSIT's Space Directorate to create a more efficient, integrated approach to delivering our space ambitions. This change, part of our Plan for Change to cut red tape and make Whitehall ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Brownfield SitesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86864More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an estimate of the number of houses on brownfield land rejected for planning permission since 4 July 2024.
Answer: My Department publishes the number of planning applications for dwellings granted and refused per quarter by local authority in the PS2 open data file in our quarterly planning application statistics release. It can be found on gov.uk here. The number of ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Brownfield SitesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86863More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes on brownfield land granted planning permission since 4 July 2024.
Answer: My Department publishes the number of planning applications for dwellings granted and refused per quarter by local authority in the PS2 open data file in our quarterly planning application statistics release. It can be found on gov.uk here. The number of ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Home Office: Public Consultation and ReviewsHome OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86862More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of (a) consultations and (b) reviews conducted by her Department since 4 July 2024.
Answer: The information requested is not centrally held in an easily accessible form as there are no expenditure categories that just cover consultations or reviews.Due to this any response could only be collated and verified for the purposes of answering this qu...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Undocumented Migrants: HousingHome OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86861More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many newly arrived illegal migrants have been provided Government funded accommodation since 4 August 2025.
Answer: In accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.Data, published quart...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Palestine: Recognition of StatesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86860More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to withdraw recognition of the State of Palestine in the event that Hamas break any conditions of that recognition.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 October to Question 83047.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Palestine: Recognition of StatesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86859More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK will support Palestinian membership of the United Nations, in the context of UK recognition of the State of Palestine.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 October to Question 83047.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Palestine: Recognition of StatesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86858More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she made the proscription of Hamas by the Government of the State of Palestine a condition of UK recognition.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 October to Question 83047.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Palestine: Recognition of StatesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86857More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department's policy is on the status of East Jerusalem, in the context of the UK's recognition of the State of Palestine.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 October to Question 83047.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Palestine: Recognition of StatesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she made continued access for Jewish and Christian communities to holy sites in the State of Palestine a condition of UK recognition.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 October to Question 83047.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Taiwan: Recognition of StatesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86855More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to formally recognise Taiwan.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 19 December 2024 to Question 19224.
Answered 6 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Palestine: Democracy and Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86854More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the level of (a) human rights and (b) democracy in the State of Palestine.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 October to Question 83047.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Palestine: Recognition of StatesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86853More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made free and fair elections a condition of the UK's recognition of the State of Palestine.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 29 October to Question 83047.
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Tourism: East West Rail LineDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86852More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will publish a regional tourism strategy for the east-west rail corridor.
Answer: East West Rail (EWR) will improve connectivity and drive economic growth, enabling people to travel easily and sustainably to the wide variety of existing and proposed tourist destinations along the route. The improved connectivity that EWR will provide, ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
Public Houses: ClosuresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86851More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 54458, with reference to the press release entitled Six pubs a week shutting their doors for good, published on 17 February 2025, whether she has
Answer: The Government recognises the vital role of pubs and hospitality businesses in both local communities and the attractiveness of the UK as a visitor destination. While DCMS has not made a formal assessment, we continue working with other Government depart...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record

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