First elected: 4th July 2024
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
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).
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
Blake Stephenson has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Blake Stephenson has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.