Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
665 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Children: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102076More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of CMS enforcement.
Answer: If paying parents fail to meet their financial obligation to their children, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a range of strong enforcement powers, including deductions directly from earnings and bank accounts, removing a parent’s passport or drivi...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102075More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the a) number and b) proportion of dependent visa holders who are employed.
Answer: An estimate of the number and proportion of dependant visa holders who are employed is not available, as not all the required information is held. HMRC and Home Office have introduced a data sharing process to match visa data to administrative tax data. T...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPensioners: AssetsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102074More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an (a) estimate of the age of inheritance for the next five decades and (b) assessment of the potential impact of increased longevity on the adequacy of assets held at state pension
Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions has published analysis on the number and proportion of working age individuals who are undersaving for retirement. This analysis is published here: Analysis of Future Pension Incomes 2025 - GOV.UK This analysis looks a...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordErasmus+ Programme: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102073More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how rejoining the Erasmus scheme will be funded.
Answer: The department has agreed terms with the European Commission that represent a fair balance between the UK’s contribution and the benefits the programme offers, which paved the way for UK participation. We have agreed a 30% discount compared to the default...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: TaxationTreasuryTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102072More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the change in the level of taxation for the average pub between 2024 and 2029.
Answer: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to UIN 101363.
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: ApprenticesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102071More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2025, whether his policy to fully fund SME apprenticeships for under 25s will include level 7 apprenticeships.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of I gave on 10 December 2025 to Question UIN 95355.
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMayors: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102070More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has allocated funding for Mayoral strategic authorities which a) do not currently exist and b) are not in the priority programme across the Spending Review period.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97367 on 11 December 2025. Decisions on future devolution areas beyond those in the Devolution Priority Programme, including Bedfordshire, have not yet been taken, but the Department will continu...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: ValuationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102069More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to revalue council tax bands F, G and H.
Answer: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has a duty to maintain an accurate list of council tax bands. As part of the High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS), announced at budget, the VOA will conduct a targeted valuation exercise to identify properties in scop...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWorkplace Pensions: TaxationTreasuryTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102068More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of taxation of salary sacrifice pension contributions on levels of pensions saving.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to pensions salary sacrifice. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) set out in their November 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook that t...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWorkplace Pensions: TaxationTreasuryTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102067More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the additional lifetime tax paid by people entering the workplace in 2025 due to taxation of salary sacrifice pension contributions.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN)(opens in a new tab) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to pensions salary sacrifice. As set out in the TIIN, the average additional NICs liability for affected individuals i...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102066More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how SEND costs in England will be funded over this Parliament.
Answer: Overall, core schools funding (including funding for mainstream schools and high needs funding for young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)) is increasing by £1.7 billion in the 2026/27 financial year, and will total £67...
Answered 8 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102065More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the Road Safety Strategy.
Answer: On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035....
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102064More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on prioritising a) reactive and b) proactive road maintenance interventions.
Answer: Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess whic...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: GrantsDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102063More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025 to written question 89804, if she will publish that assessment.
Answer: The Department has no current plans to publish the internal value for money assessment for the Electric Car Grant.
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Transport: Greater ManchesterDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is providing funding towards new fare arrangements in Greater Manchester.
Answer: The simplified fares system that the Department worked with Transport for Greater Manchester to deliver in December is revenue neutral, reducing passenger fares at no cost to the public purse.
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEast West Rail Line: Railway StationsDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether stations on the Marston Vale Line will have step free access and boarding when EWR services between Oxford and Bedford begin.
Answer: All new and fully refurbished stations delivered as part of East West Rail will be designed to meet modern accessibility standards including step free access and new trains commissioned as part of the East West Rail project will offer step-free boarding. ...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGovia Thameslink Railway: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the performance of Thameslink in the context of its nationalisation.
Answer: We recognise that performance on Thameslink services has not consistently met the levels that passengers expect and deserve over recent years, though we are seeing improvements. As part of the mobilisation process for transferring Govia Thameslink Railway...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGovia Thameslink Railway: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to publish a Thameslink improvement plan in the context of its nationalisation.
Answer: We recognise that performance on Thameslink services has not consistently met the levels that passengers expect and deserve. As part of the mobilisation process for transferring Govia Thameslink Railway’s (GTR) services, including Thameslink services, int...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordM1: Milton KeynesDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will direct National Highways to upgrade Junction 13 of the M1 in the context of the Milton Keynes New Town.
Answer: The Department recognises the importance of this junction as a key connection between the M1, the A421 corridor, and the wider Milton Keynes and Bedford area. National Highways is considering options for major improvements to it as part of future investme...
Answered 6 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEast Coast Main Line: TempsfordDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of capacity on the East Coast Mainline in the context of the Tempsford New Town.
Answer: The Government has committed to bring forward the delivery of a new station at Tempsford to introduce services on the East Coast Main line (ECML) to the area as part of the East West Rail (EWR) project and ahead of the full EWR scheme opening. Network Rai...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: NationalisationDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102056More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make a comparative assessment of trends in the level of delay and cancellations by rail companies nationalised in 2025 a) before and b) after nationalisation.
Answer: Public ownership is not a silver bullet, but it is a vital step towards rebuilding trust and pride in our railways. Due to seasonal variations and the impact of things like service level changes and introduction of new rolling stock, it will take time for...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ConstituenciesSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102055More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2025 to Written Question 79886, which (a) District and (b) County Councils have been the subjec
Answer: The Local Government Boundary Commission for England estimates the costs incurred for reviews of district and county councils in the period between July 2024 and February 2025 to be as follows:District councilsBassetlaw£23,799Breckland£55,455Bromsgrove£5,...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Digital TechnologyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102054More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled People across UK to benefit from easier access to local services as councils get digital boost, published on 22 November 2025, what proporti
Answer: GDS Local is a new unit within the Government Digital Service that brings central and local government together to improve how digital public services are designed and delivered.GDS Local has a mandate to support all councils and local authorities across ...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: Adult EducationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102053More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential impact of the take-up of AI on adult education requirements.
Answer: Ministers in DSIT and DfE are working closely together to ensure adult education keeps pace with the rapid take-up of AI. As AI is increasingly adopted across the workplace, this will create a high demand for workers to have the skills to deploy AI. This ...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: UnemploymentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102052More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the take-up of AI on unemployment.
Answer: We know that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting old ones, but its future scale remains uncertain. Government is planning against a range of plausible outcomes and monitoring data closely. Our goal is to ensure access to goo...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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