Every parliamentary written question tabled by Blake Stephenson this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 621–640 of 1,536 · this parliament
How many people who breached the terms of their visa were subsequently granted indefinite leave to remain since 4 July 2024.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office as well as the manual checking of records and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
If she will make it her policy to defer the ban on the sale of new (a) petrol and (b) diesel vehicles indefinitely; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of such a deferment on UK-based vehicle producers.
The Government has provided crucial certainty to British industry by re-instating the 2030 phase-out date for new cars relying solely on internal combustion engines. We are committing £4.5 billion to support the public and our automakers on the journey to fully decarbonising new cars and vans by 2035, including £650 million specifically to reduce the prices of new EVs. The certainty these commitments provide industry unlocks investment and benefits British consumers.
If she will make it her policy to defer the ban on the sale of new (a) petrol and (b) diesel vehicles indefinitely; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of such a deferment on the price of new cars.
The Government has provided crucial certainty to British industry by re-instating the 2030 phase-out date for new cars relying solely on internal combustion engines. We are committing £4.5 billion to support the public and our automakers on the journey to fully decarbonising new cars and vans by 2035, including £650 million specifically to reduce the prices of new EVs. The certainty these commitments provide industry unlocks investment and benefits British consumers.
If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing funding for Level 7 Apprenticeships on the NHS and Social Care workforce plan.
While funding arrangements for Level 7 apprenticeships are changing, we recognise the important role apprenticeships play in the training and development of the NHS and social care workforce. This Government is committed to developing homegrown talent and ensuring the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it. That is why the Department of Health and Social Care will be funding ongoing provision of Level 7 apprenticeships in five professions. This will support the delivery of our 10-Year Health Plan and help to ensure staff in health and social care have access to development opportunities.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of utilising chiropractors to reduce NHS waiting lists.
As set out in the Plan for Change, we have committed to return to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients, including those waiting for musculoskeletal treatment, wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, set out the productivity and reform efforts we will undertake to return to the 18-week standard, and ensure patients have the best possible experience while they wait.NHS England does not nationally commission chiropractic care as it is a complementary and alternative medicine. Independent care boards are able to make independent decisions on which health professionals they employ and may commission a limited amount of such treatment.There are currently no plans to review the categorisation of chiropractic care as a complementary and alternative medicine. Where musculoskeletal treatment is required, referrals will be made to physiotherapists where appropriate.
With reference to the press release entitled World-first AI system to warn of NHS patient safety concerns of 30 June 2025, whether this will (a) augment and (b) replace human oversight.
The 10-Year Health Plan will bring our analogue health service into the digital age. It will make artificial intelligence (AI) every nurse’s and doctor’s trusted assistant, saving them time and supporting them in decision making.The Plan also focuses on supporting hospitals to prioritise safe deployment of AI and harness new technology to bring the very best of cutting-edge care to all patients, whilst ensuring data is used safely, ethically, and securely.AI technologies are not designed to replace our NHS and care staff. Instead, they will augment human expertise by supporting healthcare staff with routine administrative tasks and clinical decision making. This will save staff time and allow them to spend more time with patients. AI tools are to be used to support NHS staff, and their findings will be reviewed before decisions are made. Over the next three years, we will overhaul education and training curricula to future-proof the NHS workforce. We will make sure that NHS staff know how to work with AI and ensure that AI tools do not replace human oversight and expertise.
With reference to the press release entitled NHS workers awarded real terms pay rises for second year in row, published on 22 May 2025, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse.
Last year’s pay awards for National Health Service staff were among the biggest across the public sector. This year, we have announced above inflation, fully funded pay increases across all staff groups for a second year in a row. These thoroughly deserved pay rises demonstrate how the Government wants to work with staff in our shared ambition to rebuild the NHS. We have been able to fully fund these pay award thanks to the reforms we’ve made, including cuts to bureaucratic duplication and central running costs.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the amount of upfront funding allocated to ICBs in areas of expected high population growth.
NHS England is responsible for funding allocations to integrated care boards, to pay for the services they commission. This process is independent of the Government, and NHS England takes advice on the underlying formula from the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation. Most funding is allocated as a non-ring-fenced budget, informed by a calculation of what would constitute a “fair share” of funding, taking account of population, age, need, deprivation, and health inequalities considerations. The population figures take account of Office for National Statistics population projections for the year in question. These projections take account of fertility, mortality, and migration, and so reflect expected high population growth.
If he will make an estimate of the number of NHS employees employed on a Level 7 Apprenticeship in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold the information requested.
With reference to the press release entitled Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs, published on 30 May 2025, whether any hospitals in Bedfordshire will be included.
The £750 million Estates Safety Fund announced in the press release entitled ‘Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs’ is part of the overall 2025/26 capital allocation announced by the Chancellor at the Autumn Budget in 2024.Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been provided with £10.5 million from the Estates Safety Fund with £9.3 million for Bedford Hospital and £1.2 million for Luton and Dunstable Hospital.Allocations from the 2025/26 Estates Safety Fund are in addition to system operational capital, of which £62 million (including Primary Care Business as Usual Capital) has been provisionally allocated to Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board in 2025/26 for addressing local priorities, including investment in maintenance and repairs at hospitals in Bedfordshire.
Whether she plans to extend the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate to coaches.
The Department ran calls for evidence on the decarbonisation of coaches in spring 2022 and on zero emission HGV and coach infrastructure in autumn 2023. We will provide an update on coach decarbonisation in due course.
With reference to the press release Full steam ahead: young people take the drivers seat to improve train services and unlock jobs of 7 May 2025, if she will publish an evaluation of the impact of this policy within a year of implementation.
The rail industry will be responsible for implementing the policy of lowering the minimum age requirement to be a train driver from 20 to 18, which will be enacted through changes to the Train Driving Licences and Certificates Regulations 2010. To ensure that this is done safely and responsibly, we have asked the rail industry to prepare an implementation plan, which will be kept under regular review. The regulations will be reviewed every five years, in line with usual government practice.
If she will make an estimate of the number of Student Visa holders who have overstayed their visa in each of the last five years.
The government has launched a direct messaging campaign to remind students their visas are expiring. The first-of-its-kind communication comes during the autumn period where asylum applications typically spike and is part of continued Home Office measures to improve visa compliance.Nearly 10,000 students and dependants received the guidance, with thousands more expected to receive it over the coming weeks as their visa expiry dates approach. It warns that claims without merit will be swiftly and robustly refused, and those without a legal right to remain in the UK must leave or face removal.Information on completeness of exit checks data are found within the statistical reports and the ‘Home Office statistics on exit checks: user guide’. The most recent developments are found in the ‘Developments in Exit Checks’.The Home Office does not compile statistics on the number of people who overstay their visa. The Home Office has previously published statistics on the number of visa holders who have left the UK prior to expiry of their visa in the Reports on statistics relating to exit checks. This release covers the period from the year ending March 2017 to the year ending March 2020.
With reference to the National Audit Office's report entitled Lessons learned: Governance and decision‑making on mega‑projects, published on 12 March 2025, whether her Department plans to implement the recommendations on clarity on the roles and responsibilities of those involved.
The Department for Transport has an established rolling programme to continuously improve project delivery, drawing on lessons learned from its own portfolio and external reviews, including those published by the NAO. Our project delivery governance and assurance frameworks are aligned to best practice recommended by NISTA and the Government project delivery standards. DfT remains committed to continuous improvement and we are currently reviewing priorities for future improvements using recent learning from the NAO and other publications such as the James Stewart Review.
If she will make an estimate of the number of visa holders who have left the UK prior to the expiry of their visa in each of the last five years.
The government has launched a direct messaging campaign to remind students their visas are expiring. The first-of-its-kind communication comes during the autumn period where asylum applications typically spike and is part of continued Home Office measures to improve visa compliance.Nearly 10,000 students and dependants received the guidance, with thousands more expected to receive it over the coming weeks as their visa expiry dates approach. It warns that claims without merit will be swiftly and robustly refused, and those without a legal right to remain in the UK must leave or face removal.Information on completeness of exit checks data are found within the statistical reports and the ‘Home Office statistics on exit checks: user guide’. The most recent developments are found in the ‘Developments in Exit Checks’.The Home Office does not compile statistics on the number of people who overstay their visa. The Home Office has previously published statistics on the number of visa holders who have left the UK prior to expiry of their visa in the Reports on statistics relating to exit checks. This release covers the period from the year ending March 2017 to the year ending March 2020.
Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the proposed re-organisation of ICBs, in the context of English Devolution.
The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, alongside NHS England, continue to work closely on any proposals to reorganise integrated care boards (ICBs). I and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, have discussed the reorganisation of ICBs and alignment with strategic authorities, including those in the East of England, in the context of English devolution.
Whether NHS England consulted the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government before proposing to merge Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB with Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, alongside NHS England, continue to work closely on any proposals to reorganise integrated care boards (ICBs). I and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, have discussed the reorganisation of ICBs and alignment with strategic authorities, including those in the East of England, in the context of English devolution.
Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the proposed re-organisation of ICBs in the East of England.
The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, alongside NHS England, continue to work closely on any proposals to reorganise integrated care boards (ICBs). I and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, have discussed the reorganisation of ICBs and alignment with strategic authorities, including those in the East of England, in the context of English devolution.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the beer and pub sector on the UK’s soft power.
The UK has consistently ranked within the top three countries in indices that measure soft power. The UK pub and beer industry are key assets for the UK economy and society and contribute to our soft power. The pub is also a key tourism destination for many visiting the UK, with over 45,000 pubs in the UK. Beer and pubs contribute £34.3 billion to the UK economy and we export over 1 billion pints of beer to over 100 different countries annually. The Soft Power Council, launched by the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in January, which brings together some of the most influential figures across soft power and foreign policy, are steering and advising the Government on better harnessing our world class sectors.
When the new specialist gender centre for children and young people in the East of England will open.
A Children and Young People’s Gender Service is anticipated to open in the East of England later in the year.NHS England is making progress towards its ambition to open a gender service in each region of England by 2026. Three new services have opened in the North West, London, and the South West that offer a fundamentally different clinical model, embedding multi-disciplinary teams in specialist children’s hospitals.