Every parliamentary written question tabled by Blake Stephenson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 321–340 of 1,468 · this parliament
What discussions he has had with Newcleo prior to its decision not to pursue its investment in nuclear reactors in the UK.
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Whether he has made an assessment of the causes of Newcleo’s decision not to pursue its investment in nuclear reactors in the UK.
Government is aware that Newcleo Ltd has taken the decision to suspend its activities in the UK. While it is disappointing to see a company scale back UK activities, this is ultimately a commercial decision for the company.
What the value is of Government funding to the National Wealth Fund that is unspent.
As of 14 October 2025, the National Wealth Fund has committed £7.5 billion to projects supporting the Government’s growth and clean energy missions, mobilising £16.2 billion in private finance. This is just over 25% of NWF’s £27.8 billion capitalisation. The National Wealth Fund expects to commit the vast majority of its £27.8 billion financial capacity over the next five years.
What recent estimate she has made of the of the average customer response times at HM Revenue & Customs.
HMRC regularly publishes its performance on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates Improving day-to-day performance is a key priority for HMRC.
What estimate she has made of the number of newly arrived illegal migrants that will be deported to France in 2025/26.
Returns to France under the UK-France returns agreement commenced on 18 September 2025.This is a pilot that we want to expand and therefore the numbers will vary. We will not go into the operational details as this would provide criminal smuggling gangs with information that they may use to continue to their vile trade.
Whether her Department's definition of a millionaire includes (a) assets, (b) the outstanding value of pension pots and (c) income levels in the context of (i) winter fuel payments and (ii) other policies.
The Winter Fuel Payment will be paid to those with total incomes below or equal to £35,000. This means those on lower and middle incomes will still receive the help they need and ensures fairness for both pensioners and taxpayers. The standard definition of total taxable income applies. This includes any savings interest outside an ISA, even if the savings are under the Personal Savings Allowance Other benefits have their own means tests, which take differing personal and financial circumstances into account to ensure support is appropriately targeted.
With reference to page 7 of the NHS 10 Year Plan, if he will set out the circumstances in which integrated care board boundaries will differ from those of mayoralty authorities.
It remains the Government’s ambition for integrated care boards (ICBs) to be coterminous with one or more strategic authorities wherever feasible, a commitment made in the English devolution white paper and reaffirmed in our 10-Year Health Plan. Next summer, as local government reform progresses, the Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with NHS England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide any further ICB mergers and boundary changes.
With reference to the 10 Year Health Plan, how many GPs per neighbourhood will there be under the Neighbourhood Health Service.
General practices (GPs) will be the cornerstone of the Neighbourhood Health Service. We anticipate that GPs will play a key role in providing clinical leadership for integrated neighbourhood teams.We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and deprived inner cities.We will train thousands more GPs in the coming years, and through the course of the 10-Year Health Plan we will increase the proportion of staff we train for community and primary care roles.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the build-out guarantees that will be required to secure National Housing Bank funding.
On 17 June, the government announced that it would establish a new National Housing Bank, a subsidiary of Homes England which will be publicly owned and backed with £16 billion of financial capacity to accelerate housebuilding in England.My Department is currently working with Homes England and HM Treasury to establish the Bank, including developing its investment strategy and further details will be announced in due course.
Whether he has made an assessment of the likely mix of housing occupancy types for people attaining state pension age in each of the next five decades.
The Government has relaunched the Pensions Commission to consider the outcomes and risks for future cohorts of pensioners, taking into consideration the role housing plays amongst other factors. The Commission will report in 2027.
Whether her Department checks that National Insurance numbers associated with visa-holders cease being associated with tax payments at the expiry of work visas.
The National Insurance (NI) number is a reference number for the administration of National Insurance and social security, and is used more widely in tax administration. The NI number does not expire or cease being associated with an individual if their visa expires.
Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of staffing levels in local government on the financial sustainability of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
The Local Government Pension Scheme is well funded, with a funding level of 107% at the 2022 fund valuation. The 2025 valuation is currently underway, which will value the assets and liabilities of each fund, and set employer contributions locally to ensure the long term sustainability of each fund.The potential impacts of change in the number of active members and any redundancies will be taken into account as part of the valuation.Member pensions and benefits are protected as they are guaranteed in statute and are not affected by the performance of investments or by the structural changes.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of public sector headcount on the financial sustainability of public sector pension schemes.
The Government’s central measure of the affordability of public service pensions is long-term public service pension spending as a share of GDP. Public sector headcount is considered in several ways within this measure, using the OBR’s long-term assumptions on the size of the public sector workforce.
How many civil servants are employed on Level 7 apprenticeships.
As of 31 December 2024, there were 1,635 Level 7 apprentices across the Civil Service. This government remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Government’s house building programme on the value of assets in the Public Sector Net Financial Liabilities.
Net Financial Debt, otherwise known as Public Sector Net Financial Liabilities, recognises the value of financial assets that are expected to make a future return, such as loans. Houses are non-financial assets and so their value is not captured in this fiscal metric. Through the Spending Review, the government provided the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation.
If she will make an estimate of the (a) number and (b) proportion of dependent visa holders who are paying (i) Income Tax and (ii) National Insurance.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold data on the immigration status of taxpayers.
If she will make an estimate of the amount of (a) Income Tax and (b) National Insurance contributions paid by holders of dependent visas in the 2024-25 financial year.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold data on the immigration status of taxpayers.
Whether his Department withholds state pension payments to people convicted of illegal working.
Anyone convicted of a criminal offence and serving a custodial sentence in the UK is not eligible to receive State Pension payments during their imprisonment. People not in prison but convicted of illegal working, would not be making National Insurance contributions during any period of illegal working, which would be required to build entitlement for the State Pension.
Communities and Local Government, if he will ask the Office for National Statistics to produce deprivation statistics at output area level.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced recently that the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 will be published on Thursday 30th October 2025. This has been confirmed on GOV.UK As part of this, the Department is working to enhance and update its measures of deprivation in line with recommendations from its 2022 user consultation - Indices Futures: Updating the English Indices of Deprivation (IoD) - consultation - GOV.UK. This includes assessing the feasibility and provision of data at Output Area (OA) level.
Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Planning (Flooding) Bill on the risk of flooding in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Protecting communities around the country from flooding is a priority for Government. That is why the Government is making a record £10.5 billion investment, delivering the largest flood and coastal investment programme in history. Flood risk management is a devolved matter.