Blake Stephenson Portrait

Blake Stephenson

Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire

1,321 (2.7%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024


Bank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill [HL]
5th Feb 2025 - 11th Feb 2025
Finance Bill
22nd Jan 2025 - 30th Jan 2025


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Blake Stephenson has voted in 129 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

12 Nov 2024 - House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill - View Vote Context
Blake Stephenson voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 15 Conservative Aye votes vs 18 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 41 Noes - 378
View All Blake Stephenson Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Marsha De Cordova (Labour)
(9 debate interactions)
Alistair Strathern (Labour)
(7 debate interactions)
Matthew Pennycook (Labour)
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(6 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
View all Blake Stephenson's debates

Mid Bedfordshire Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Blake Stephenson has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Blake Stephenson

20th November 2024
Blake Stephenson signed this EDM on Tuesday 26th November 2024

Housing

Tabled by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Housing (Right to Buy) (Limits on Discount) (England) Order 2024 (SI, 2024, No. 1073), dated 28 October 2024, a copy of which was laid before this House on 30 October, be annulled.
32 signatures
(Most recent: 16 Dec 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 32
View All Blake Stephenson's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Blake Stephenson, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Blake Stephenson has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Blake Stephenson

Wednesday 16th October 2024

Blake Stephenson has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Blake Stephenson has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
16th Jan 2025
To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to support the tourism industry.

Churches, cathedrals and other historic sites are at the heart of England's cultural and spiritual heritage, attracting millions of visitors annually.

The Church of England operates 16,000 churches and 42 cathedrals. Cathedrals alone add over 6,000 jobs to the economy, and contribute over £230m to their local economies. Over 9.35 million people visited a cathedral in 2023, a 17% increase on 2022. Cathedrals also benefit from over 15,000 volunteers who contribute over a million hours a year to the welcome, services and special events taking place. Further information is available at:
https://www.ecorys.com/case-studies/the-economic-and-social-impacts-of-englands-cathedrals/#:~:text=Significant%20impacts%20were%20also%20generated,of%20this%20visitor%2Drelated%20spend

The Church of England has developed the Church Heritage Record: https://facultyonline.churchofengland.org/churches, which provides geo-located data on every Church of England church, including information on the history of the building where it is available. Local congregations are encouraged to add details of their church to this. The National Church Institutions are partnered with local churches to develop ‘A Church Near You’: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/, which provides online space for every church in the country to have a website for the public to find out about services, events and the history of the buildings


Churches and cathedrals will often contain great artworks and architecture, and will support artists and musicians by commissioning new works and special installations. Recent examples include the successful Luxmuralis light shows, the Peterborough Cathedral Catherine of Aragon festival, and nationally important commemorative memorials such as the Covid19 ‘Remember Me’ memorial in St Pauls Cathedral https://www.stpauls.co.uk/remember-me-memorial

In the St Albans Diocese, which covers Mid Bedfordshire, the Cathedral is currently hosting the Museum of the Moon. More information about the Cathedral events programme can be found here: https://www.stalbanscathedral.org/Pages/Events/Category/events?Take=12

Cathedrals and churches form a network across the country for pilgrimages and walking tours, which are growing in popularity. The Church has reestablished several ancient walkways, such as St Cuthbert's Way, the Canterbury Pilgrimage, and St Albans Pilgrimage. Details of the many walkways can be found here: https://www.britishpilgrimage.org/routes

Cathedrals and churches will often host their own choirs, but also provide space for local choirs, orchestras, and theatre groups to put on performances. Notable examples include The Three Choirs Festival (involving Gloucester, Hereford, and Worcester Cathedrals) and the International Organ Festival in St Albans. In addition, churches play host to many fairs, markets, and seasonal festivals and exhibitions, all of which boost local tourism


Many churchyards are biodiversity hotspots and churches are looking at how to better engage with growing trends towards sustainable and eco-tourism.

Visit England also works with churches to promote them as key parts of the national heritage network. Many churches, cathedrals, palaces and vicarages also open their doors for the National Garden Scheme and other open house days, raising money for local charities, initiatives and events.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the contribution of the GREAT campaign to economic growth.

The GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign remains an effective tool in driving economic growth and we will continue to work closely with partners to optimise the campaign’s resources to deliver growth across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.

Ellie Reeves
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the GREAT campaign on economic growth.

The GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign remains an effective tool in driving economic growth and we will continue to work closely with partners to optimise the campaign’s resources to deliver growth across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.

Ellie Reeves
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason he has cut funding for the GREAT programme by 41%.

The GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign remains an effective tool in driving economic growth and we will continue to work closely with partners to optimise the campaign’s resources to deliver growth across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.

Ellie Reeves
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has undertaken an impact assessment for the decision to reduce GREAT programme funding.

The GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign remains an effective tool in driving economic growth and we will continue to work closely with partners to optimise the campaign’s resources to deliver growth across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.

Ellie Reeves
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
1st Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to appoint a dedicated Minister for Resilience.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has overall responsibility for resilience policy across government. He is supported by a number of ministerial colleagues with resilience responsibilities in their departments. The full List of Ministerial Responsibilities is available on GOV.UK here.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
24th Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the UK’s statistics authorities at identifying rural deprivation.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response from the Director General for Office for Statistics Regulation to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 24 January is attached.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
23rd Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the increase in the cost of electronic travel authorisations.

I, in my capacity as Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations, speak regularly with my counterpart Maroš Šefčovič on a range of issues relating to the EU-UK relationship. In addition, HMG officials engage regularly with counterparts across the EU and EU Member States to ensure they are kept abreast of any changes regarding UK travel policy. This includes engaging on ETA.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
15th Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of trends in the level of consumer spending amongst pensioners in quarter four of (a) 2024 and (b) 2023.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 15 January is attached.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
17th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37785 on Construction: Employers' Contributions, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number of firms in the construction sector who will pay increased employers’ National Insurance and (b) market share of those firms within the construction sector.

The vast majority of firms in the construction sector are small or microbusinesses, which will see no change overall. The Government has protected small businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, and 865,000 employers will pay no NICs this year.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 35851 on Stellantis: Luton, if he will publish details of the package of measures to support all workers facing redundancy.

The full package of support for workers facing redundancy was agreed directly between Stellantis and Unite the Union as the recognised trade union; as such Government cannot publish these details as it was not party to the negotiations.

In addition to the support being provided by Stellantis, Government is ensuring workers are fully aware of the options available to them, including through the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service – further information on this service is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights/get-help-finding-a-new-job

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
12th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 28604 on Construction: Employers' Contributions, whether he has held discussions with the construction industry on the potential impact of changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions on the workforce available to that industry.

The vast majority of firms in the construction sector are small or microbusinesses, which will see no gain or change overall. The Government has protected small businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, and 865,000 employers will pay no NICs in 2025-26. Eligible employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
12th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 28604 on Construction: Employers' Contributions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions on employment in the construction industry.

The vast majority of firms in the construction sector are small or microbusinesses, which will see no gain or change overall. The Government has protected small businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, and 865,000 employers will pay no NICs in 2025-26. Eligible employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
5th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2025 to Written Question 31113 on Stellantis: Luton, whether any agreements have been reached during discussions.

Ministers have engaged closely with Stellantis on the future of its operations in the UK.

Regrettably, Stellantis confirmed on 5 February that it will be closing the plant in April of this year. We have a longstanding partnership with Stellantis and will continue to work closely with them, as well as trade unions and local partners on the next steps of their proposals.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
12th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with Stellantis on the closure of their Luton plant.

Ministers have engaged closely with Stellantis on the future of its operations in the UK, with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade most recently meeting the Chair of the Stellantis board on 1 February to discuss how the Luton plant could be kept open as well as ensuring appropriate support for affected workers should a closure proceed.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of increases to employers’ National Insurance on employment in the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor.

Prior to the Government’s recent announcement on the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, a Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.

We have protected small businesses from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, meaning that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs next year, and more than half of employers will see no change or will gain overall from this package.

We are considering ways to drive business growth and build on our world-leading strengths in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor.

Gareth Thomas
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
5th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on recent trends in economic growth.

My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis includes consideration of impacts on economic growth. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments

This represents the best estimate for the likely impacts, including on economic growth, given the current stage of policy development. We expect that the majority of reforms will take effect no earlier than 2026. We plan to refine our analysis as policy development continues, working closely with external experts, businesses and trade unions.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
4th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions on employment in the construction industry.

More than half of employers, including small businesses in the construction sector will see no change or gain overall. The Government has protected small businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, and 865,000 employers will pay no NICs next year. Eligible employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.

Meeting the Government’s commitments to build the infrastructure we need, and deliver 1.5m homes over this Parliament, will need an increased workforce. We are committed to working with industry to do that.

Gareth Thomas
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to take steps to help Luton Borough Council secure the long-term future of employment at the Stellantis Vauxhall site in Luton.

Stellantis announced on 26 November that it was starting a consultation with staff on its plans to consolidate its two UK manufacturing sites into one plant at Ellesmere Port.

The Department is actively engaging with the company and has asked them to share the full details of its plans, including for the future for the site.

We will continue to work closely with Stellantis, as well as trade unions and Luton Borough Council on the next steps of their proposals.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will make an assessment of the impact of the closure of the Stellantis Vauxhall site in Luton on the economy of (a) Luton Borough and (b) Bedfordshire.

Stellantis announced on 26 November that it was starting a consultation with staff at its Luton plant on its plans for the future of its manufacturing there.

The Department is actively engaging with the company and has asked them to share the full details of its plans, including the site.

We will continue to work closely with Stellantis, trade unions and Luton Borough Council to understand the impact of their proposals on the economy of Luton and Bedfordshire.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he had discussions with Stellantis prior to the announcement of the closure of the Vauxhall site in Luton.

The Secretary of State has been in contact with Stellantis since July to discuss the pressures in their UK and global business and the future of the Luton plant.

He met them again on 26 November where they regrettably shared their proposals to consult on the closure Luton and consolidation at Ellesmere Port.

We know this will be a concerning time for the families of employees at Luton who may be affected, and we will continue to work closely with Stellantis, as well as trade unions and Luton Borough Council on the next steps of their proposals and how the impact on employees affected and the local area.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
10th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the Pubs Code to allow tenants of pub-owning businesses to sell one beer of their choice.

The third statutory review of the Pubs Code will commence following the end of the current three-year review period on 31 March 2025. It will consider the extent to which the Code is consistent with the principles of fair and lawful dealing of tied pub tenants by pub-owning businesses and that those tenants should not be worse off than they would be if they were not subject to any product or service tie.

The review will consider a range of evidence and notes that the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates and the Campaign for Real Ale raised the issue of guest beers in their responses to the last statutory review. The Government also notes that the Pubs Code in Scotland will not come into force until March 2025.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
10th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make a comparative assessment of the Pubs Code in (a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales.

The third statutory review of the Pubs Code will commence following the end of the current three-year review period on 31 March 2025. It will consider the extent to which the Code is consistent with the principles of fair and lawful dealing of tied pub tenants by pub-owning businesses and that those tenants should not be worse off than they would be if they were not subject to any product or service tie.

The review will consider a range of evidence and notes that the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates and the Campaign for Real Ale raised the issue of guest beers in their responses to the last statutory review. The Government also notes that the Pubs Code in Scotland will not come into force until March 2025.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
10th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his planned timetable is for the third statutory review of the Pubs Code and the Pubs Code Adjudicator.

The third statutory review of the Pubs Code will commence following the end of the current three-year review period on 31 March 2025. It will consider the extent to which the Code is consistent with the principles of fair and lawful dealing of tied pub tenants by pub-owning businesses and that those tenants should not be worse off than they would be if they were not subject to any product or service tie.

The review will consider a range of evidence and notes that the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates and the Campaign for Real Ale raised the issue of guest beers in their responses to the last statutory review. The Government also notes that the Pubs Code in Scotland will not come into force until March 2025.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
5th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29571, if he will publish the results of the package of research.

Yes, the results of the package of research will be published in due course. The results will complement the research published in January 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defining-and-identifying-complex-to-decarbonise-homes.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
10th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25799 on Property: Bedfordshire, what his Department's timetable is for confirming the allocations of funding to local authorities.

The Government expects to write shortly, to all local authorities that submitted an Expression of Interest to receive Warm Homes: Local Grant funding to confirm their specific funding allocations.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25798 on Listed Buildings: Energy, if he will request data on listed buildings from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to enable an assessment to be made.

We are working on our ambitious Warm Homes Plan, to transform homes across the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run, from installing new insulation to rolling out solar and heat pumps. Whilst we are not currently seeking additional data specifically on listed buildings, we have commissioned a package of research to collect data on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes.

Historic England also provide advice on retrofit and energy efficiency in historic buildings, including guidance on installing heat pumps and heating systems that is relevant to listed properties off the gas grid.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
22nd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of off-grid properties that will benefit from the Warm Homes: Local Grant in Bedfordshire.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant will deliver upgrades to low-income homes both on and off the gas grid. Local Authorities (LAs) in receipt of the Grant will choose which homes to prioritise for upgrades, based on local needs and resident interest.

LAs have submitted Expressions of Interest to participate in the Grant, which included non-binding indications of the proportion of off-gas grid properties to be treated. LAs have not yet been allocated funding. Until allocations have been confirmed, we cannot estimate the number of off-gas grid properties that will benefit from the scheme.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
22nd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of off-grid properties which are listed buildings.

The Department does not hold data on listed buildings and so does not have estimates for the number of listed buildings that are not connected to gas or electricity networks. The department publishes estimates of the number of domestic properties not connected to the gas network in Great Britain at various levels of geography and analysis of large non-domestic buildings that are not connected to the gas network.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help protect Ministers' (a) social media and (b) personal email accounts from cybersecurity threats.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the UK government’s national technical authority for cyber security, works with colleagues across government to provide Ministers and others with regular security briefings, guidance and advice, including advice on protecting their online accounts, personal data and mitigating common cyber threats.

In addition, the NCSC provides individual cyber defence services to high-risk individuals, including Ministers, to help protect their online accounts and personal devices.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Net Neutrality Regulations in England on the rate at which new (a) 5G and (b) 5GSA infrastructure is rolled out.

The Government’s ambition is for the UK to have nationwide coverage of high-quality standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030. From 2023 onwards, operators began deploying standalone 5G in locations across all four nations and are continuing to upgrade their networks.

The Government is committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support operators to achieve this ambition. This includes working with operators to understand how net neutrality rules could support operators' ability to provide innovative forms of connectivity and not act as a barrier to investment in their networks.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
31st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken for decisions on planning applications to be made on the rollout of new (a) 5G and (b) 5GSA infrastructure.

The Government’s ambition is to deliver nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030.

Most wireless infrastructure, including ground-based masts and rooftop antennas, benefit from permitted development rights. This means that mobile operators can upgrade to 5G more quickly.

In addition, the Chancellor announced £46 million investment into the planning system for 2025-2026 to support the deployment of infrastructure. The Government has also committed to appointing 300 new planning officers into local planning authorities. As part of our determination to strip away unnecessary and disproportionate regulatory burden, the government is considering whether further changes to planning regulations are required to reduce barriers to digital infrastructure deployment.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
25th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department plans to take to help deliver gigabit broadband in rural villages of fewer than 200 houses.

We do not have a specific category of villages with fewer than 200 houses, but as part of Project Gigabit, over £2 billion of contracts have been signed to connect over a million premises with gigabit-capable broadband. These contracts are targeted at reaching premises that would otherwise not be covered by suppliers’ commercial rollout, and fall predominantly in rural areas. Eligibility is determined at a premises-level, rather than according to the size of the village.

The latest published data shows that between April 2023 and March 2024, 92% of premises benefiting from publicly-subsidised broadband rollout, including Project Gigabit, were in rural areas, including villages.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
17th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to support university-partnered venture capital investment companies outside the Oxford, Cambridge and London triangle; and whether Ministers in his Department have met with those companies.

The Government is committed to driving innovation and economic growth across the UK. DSIT Ministers regularly meet with investors in science and technology sectors. Research England’s Connecting Capabilities Fund (CCF) has supported university collaborations, leading to the Northern Gritstone and Midlands Mindforge venture capital funds, and the Northern Accelerator. Innovate UK’s Investor Partnerships programme supports investors like Northern Gritstone and Qantx with R&D funding for their companies. The government supports venture capital through tax reliefs such as the Enterprise Investment Scheme and programmes from the British Business Bank who are an investor in Northern Gritstone. Government continues to assess opportunities to strengthen the UK’s leadership in innovation-led investment.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has conducted a lessons learned review over negotiations with AstraZeneca on proposed investment in Merseyside.

AstraZeneca’s decision not to invest in Speke is deeply disappointing. The Government regularly reviews it’s grant process and routinely seeks applicant feedback. The Government also continues to engage positively with AstraZeneca, including on the new Industrial Strategy and Life Sciences Sector Plan, due to be published in late Spring. This will set out a comprehensive plan of how the Government intends to drive growth in the sector. Support includes the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund, which will allocate up to £520 million to deliver economic growth and build health resilience.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
10th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of rolling out Project Gigabit in Bedfordshire on local economic growth.

CityFibre is delivering a Project Gigabit contract in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes, targeted at bringing fast, reliable broadband to premises in hard-to-reach areas that are unlikely to be otherwise reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout.

Digital infrastructure is a powerful driver of economic growth. The telecoms services industry contributed around 2.5% to UK real GVA in 2023, up from 0.3% in 2010.

Evidence from Building Digital UK’s earlier Superfast programme showed for every £1 spent on connections to premises left behind by the market, up to £4.57 was generated in economic and social benefits, including economic growth. We expect Project Gigabit to continue to drive local economic growth in areas which stand to benefit from the programme, including Bedfordshire.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
2nd Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support people in areas of poor (a) broadband and (b) mobile phone signal during the switchover to digital alternatives to landlines.

For current landline-only customers it will be possible to order a VoIP landline without purchasing a general internet connection. Customers will only be offered VoIP if they live in an area with sufficient broadband connectivity.

In areas with insufficient mobile coverage to rely on their mobile as a back-up to VoIP, communication providers are required to comply with Ofcom regulations and provide a battery back-up solution. This ensures customers have a minimum of 1 hour access to emergency services. Major communication providers have signed up to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) charter and the non-voluntary migrations checklist published by the Department on 19 November 2024.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
15th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on UK R&D.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Chancellor on a range of issues. In the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that total HMG investment in R&D is rising to a record allocation of £20.4bn in 2025/26, with DSIT's R&D budget rising to £13.9bn, a real terms increase of 8.5%. This investment increases Core Research funding to at least £6.1bn, protecting funding for the UK's world leading research base in real terms, and fully funds the UK's association with Horizon Europe. Further details on how this funding will be allocated will be set out in due course.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
11th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he plans to take to support the development of tech clusters for specialist universities.

The UK tech ecosystem achieved a record combined market valuation of $1.08 trillion in 2023. Supporting its continued development across the UK is a priority for my department, and vital to this government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.

As set out in the industrial strategy consultation, the UK has world-leading innovation and tech clusters across the country. This includes aviation technology around Cranfield, with Cranfield University acting as a magnet for talent and investment and anchor institution for its local innovation ecosystem.

Through the industrial strategy, we will explore how best to continue supporting high-potential clusters across the UK through R&D investment.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
10th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make it his policy to ringfence Project Gigabit funding for rural areas.

No. Project Gigabit is designed to subsidise the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband to premises that would otherwise not be reached by suppliers’ commercial plans.

These premises will predominantly be in rural areas, but the evidence from our regular engagement with the market indicates that we will also need to intervene in some urban areas in order to achieve the target of full gigabit coverage by 2030.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
17th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she had made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of 3G football pitches on the environment.

The Government is aware of the potential impacts which 3G, or Artificial Grass Pitches (AGPs), have on the environment. The most prominent of these impacts relates to the spread of rubber infill (also known as ‘rubber crumb’) - which contains harmful microplastics - from 3G pitches, into the environment.

It is also important to note though that AGPs currently play a crucial role in getting more people active across the UK. They provide durable, safe, year-round playing surfaces which can sustain up to 80 hours of use per week - significantly more than grass pitches, helping more people to access the benefits of physical activity.

While, currently, there is no clear alternative to rubber crumb, DCMS continues to work closely with DEFRA and the wider sector to help identify a viable long-term solution. This includes the Sheffield Hub Test Site, where the Football Foundation are leading research to pilot a number of alternative infills which have a lower environmental impact, while still delivering safe, high-quality facilities for people to take part in physical activity.

Sport England is also committed to working with partners to mandate - through grant conditions - that Artificial Grass Pitches (AGPs) are recycled when reaching their end of life. To support this, Sport England continues to work with relevant industry partners to increase recycling capacity available to sports providers across the country.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on the GREAT campaign.

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit with the Cabinet Office, DCMS continues to work closely with the Minister for the Cabinet Office and other relevant departments to ensure that tourism remains a core focus of the campaign. Discussions are ongoing on how to maximise impact within available resources. We remain committed to working with VisitBritain and the wider sector to support the UK’s international tourism recovery, grow the visitor economy, and deliver on our ambition to attract 50 million inbound visitors by 2030.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential contribution of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland programme to the economy.

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit with the Cabinet Office, DCMS continues to work closely with the Minister for the Cabinet Office and other relevant departments to ensure that tourism remains a core focus of the campaign. Discussions are ongoing on how to maximise impact within available resources. We remain committed to working with VisitBritain and the wider sector to support the UK’s international tourism recovery, grow the visitor economy, and deliver on our ambition to attract 50 million inbound visitors by 2030.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in funding for the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland programme on her target for international tourism visitors.

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit with the Cabinet Office, DCMS continues to work closely with the Minister for the Cabinet Office and other relevant departments to ensure that tourism remains a core focus of the campaign. Discussions are ongoing on how to maximise impact within available resources. We remain committed to working with VisitBritain and the wider sector to support the UK’s international tourism recovery, grow the visitor economy, and deliver on our ambition to attract 50 million inbound visitors by 2030.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in funding for the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland programme on the visitor economy.

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit with the Cabinet Office, DCMS continues to work closely with the Minister for the Cabinet Office and other relevant departments to ensure that tourism remains a core focus of the campaign. Discussions are ongoing on how to maximise impact within available resources. We remain committed to working with VisitBritain and the wider sector to support the UK’s international tourism recovery, grow the visitor economy, and deliver on our ambition to attract 50 million inbound visitors by 2030.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)