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 141 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)
Karin Smyth (Labour)
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
(7 debate interactions)
Alistair Strathern (Labour)
(7 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: 31
Independent: 1
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
2 Other Department Questions
30th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on improving (a) awareness and (b) treatment of chronic and recurring urinary tract infections.

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published guidelines for referral for patients who present with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/urinary-tract-infection-lower-women/management/recurrent-uti-no-haematuria-not-pregnant-or-catheterized/

There are specific referral criteria for women compared to men, and children. There are also guidelines in place for those who present to pharmacy first. If the patient has had a history of UTIs, they are asked to see their GP surgery, rather than being prescribed antibiotics by the pharmacy.

Patients with recurrent UTIs should be referred to secondary care to exclude other causes perhaps by ultrasound scan or cystoscopy. Once cleared, patients may be prescribed prophylactic antibiotics.

The number of clinics for urinary tract issues is locally managed and commissioned by each Integrated Care Boards (ICB), in accordance with the local population’s needs.

While there are no current plans to train GPs and urologists on better recognising the symptoms of chronic UTIs, NHS England’s UTI reduction workstream was established as part of delivery of the ‘UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2019 to 2024’. This workstream aims to enhance prevention, support early and accurate diagnosis and improve the treatment of UTIs through identifying and adopting best practice and interventions for different populations.

More widely, NHSE has also been working with other public bodies, including the UK Health Security Agency, to strengthen the guidance about the appropriate use of diagnostics including dipsticks. GPs can request testing for chronic UTIs via several pathways, including at point-of-care, via community diagnostic centres, or via laboratories.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
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 May 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the number of businesses that have ceased trading in Mid-Bedfordshire constituency since the Autumn Budget 2024.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 7th May is attached.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled Hundreds of quangos to be examined for potential closure as Government takes back control, published on 7 April 2025, whether this review will consider future Arm's Length Bodies already announced.

The review will cover all arm’s-length bodies (ALBs), including proposals for new ALBs.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of excluding Chinese firms from critical national infrastructure.

The UK will not compromise on economic security and will continue to prioritise national security and resilience.

We will continue to cooperate with China on trade and investment, recognising there will also be areas where we need to challenge non-market policies and protect sensitive sectors of the economy.

We will continue to support UK business to engage with the second largest economy in the world, while being clear-eyed to any risks and ensuring security and resilience.

The National Technical Authorities (National Cyber Security Centre and National Protective Security Authority) provide advice to critical national infrastructure (CNI) industry on best practice for CNI security and resilience.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
23rd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy that hon. Members are formally consulted before Government decisions which would have a particular impact on their constituency are made.

The Government recognises the importance of engagement with MPs when making policy decisions. Honorable Members already have a variety of levers in Parliament by which they can engage Ministers on policies affecting their constituencies. There are no plans to change these existing arrangements. .

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
23rd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Hundreds of quangos to be examined for potential closure as Government takes back control, published on 7 April 2025, whether that review will consider Arms Length Bodies created since July 2024.

The review will cover all existing arm’s-length bodies (ALBs), and includes proposals for new ALBs.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
23rd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the return on investment of GREAT campaign funding in each year since it was introduced.

Since 2011, the GREAT campaign has developed a robust approach to evaluation, which has been validated by multiple external organisations, and consistently reported strong returns to the UK economy. The methodologies used continue to be reviewed and refined to support regular reporting, ensuring the campaign consistently drives good impact and value for money for the taxpayer.

Ellie Reeves
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
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)
29th Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of consultations conducted by the Government since July 2024.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally collect data nor monitor consultations across Government. The Cabinet Office provides high level advice on the Consultation Principles to help departments consider how they should manage their consultations. Each department is legally responsible for how they run their consultations.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the 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)
14th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate on employment in the automotive industry in (a) Bedfordshire and (b) the UK.

In 2024, 132,000 people were employed in automotive manufacturing in the UK, and 3,570 businesses were operating across the sector. While the government does not hold data on how the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate has affected automotive employment in Bedfordshire or the UK more widely, we speak regularly to all the major UK automotive stakeholders to understand the health of the sector and factors impacting competitiveness. Government is committed to ensuring the transition to zero emissions works for industry. That is why we introduced significant changes to the Mandate, allowing for greater flexibility in meeting ZEV targets and extending the sale of hybrid vehicles.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the target to reach net zero on the number of imports of electric vehicles from China in each of the next ten years.

The Secretary of State and I regularly meet stakeholders from the Auto sector to discuss net zero related issues, including imports of electric vehicles from China. China has rapidly become a major automotive manufacturer and brings competitive challenges for the sector. Government is closely monitoring the monthly data and analysing how this impacts the UK automotive sector, especially given our ambitious policies on Zero Emission Vehicles.

To ease the transition to Electric Vehicles, we announced significant changes to the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate on 7 April, allowing for greater flexibility in meeting ZEV targets and extending the sale of hybrid vehicles.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th May 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 the vehicle manufacturing industry.

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This package provides analysis of the potential sectoral impacts of the Bill.

It shows the majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill and our assessment finds that workers in low-paying sectors, including social care, hospitality, retail, transport, and some manufacturing sectors will benefit the most.

The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on negotiating a free trade agreement with that country.

We have concluded a landmark economic deal with the United States, making the UK the first country to get an agreement with President Trump.

This deal protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors – sectors that employ over 320,000 people across the UK.

We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at increasing digital trade, access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains. The US has committed to further negotiations, including on the 10% tariffs introduced on 2nd April across our economy.

Douglas Alexander
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate on automotive manufacturers in the context of Stellantis closing its Luton plant.

Stellantis’ decision to close its diesel van plant in Luton was a commercial decision taken as part of its response to wider challenges. Regrettably, despite active engagement from Government, we were unable to reverse the company’s decision. My Department has regular engagement with automotive manufacturers around the transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs). Having heard from industry and other stakeholders, in April the Government announced changes to the ZEV Mandate by significantly increasing flexibilities for manufacturers up to 2030. This allows them to comply with requirements in the way most suitable to their business and consumer demand, avoid fines and not need to buy credits from competitors.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support growth in the UK steel industry.

Steel is one of the Government’s top priorities. We are continuing to develop our upcoming steel strategy which will articulate what is needed to create a competitive business environment in the UK with the aim of attracting new private investment.

We remain committed to providing up to £2.5bn for the steel sector, which will be delivered though the National Wealth Fund and other routes. We are developing our thinking on how this funding will be aligned with the steel strategy.

The National Wealth Fund is operationally independent, and financing is already accessible to projects that meet the investment principles.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Cuts to red tape to make great British staycations cheaper published on 7 April 2025, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms on the economy in Bedfordshire.

The domestic tourism sector is of great value to the UK. It provides meaningful employment and supports holiday makers to explore and enjoy the UK’s diverse and plentiful attractions.

By removing obstacles and red tape that unnecessarily hinder businesses, especially smaller firms, the proposed reforms seek to open-up the sector to offer consumers better choice and better value options.

The proposals will support business collaboration and innovation across all areas of the UK. An Impact Assessment will be published as part of the process.

We encourage comment on the consultation ahead of its close on 30 June 2025.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
30th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much and what proportion of the funding for steel through the National Wealth Fund will be used to maintain steel production in Scunthorpe.

The funding required to maintain iron and steel production at Scunthorpe will be drawn from the £2.5bn funding for steel, which is available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. The National Wealth Fund is operationally independent, and financing is already accessible to projects that meet the investment principles. Companies across the UK are already engaging with them on projects within the steel sector.

The Department for Business and Trade's accounts for 2025/26 will reflect the financial support that the department has given to British Steel.

Gareth Thomas
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
30th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether it is his policy to not allow another Chinese partner for the Scunthorpe steel plant.

Our unique and unprecedented action was related to an individual company no longer acting in good faith. No decisions have yet been made about British Steel's long-term future - that will come at a later date.

More broadly, the UK remains open to Chinese investment. At the same time, this Government will always prioritise our own security and resilience. We recognise the importance of the UK's powers through the National Security and Investment Act 2021 to scrutinise and intervene in investments and other acquisitions to protect national security where necessary.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
30th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support van manufacturers in the context of US tariffs.

A landmark economic deal with the US, announced on 8 May, protects jobs in key sectors including automotive, directly supporting over 320,000 jobs across the UK. The Government also continues to support van manufacturing through the Automotive Transformation Fund, aiming to build a competitive electric vehicle supply chain. The 2024 Autumn Budget allocated over £2 billion for zero-emission vehicle manufacturing and supply chains, including £120 million to extend the Plug-in Van Grant (PIVG) until 2025/26. In addition, following the recent ZEV support consultation, fine levels for vans will also decrease by £3,000 to £15,000, and a bidirectional mechanism will be implemented for credit exchange between car and van schemes.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
30th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the UK leaving the EU on the level of tariffs applied to the UK by the US.

The UK has a strong and balanced trading relationship with the US worth £315 billion. Investment supports around 2.5 million jobs across both countries. Trade is second only to the EU where our trading relationship is worth £813 billion. The level of tariff applied to any country, including the UK, by the US is determined by the US government.

On 8 May, the UK government announced a landmark economic deal with the US, making the UK the first country to reach an agreement with President Trump. This deal protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors - sectors that employ over 320,000 people across the UK.

Douglas Alexander
Minister of State (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)
5th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2025 to Question 31113 on Stellantis: Luton, what his Department's definition of appropriate support is.

We are supporting affected workers at Stellantis’ Luton plant by making sure they are fully aware of the options available to them and have access to services they need to assist them in taking forward these options e.g. the Job Centre Plus Rapid Response Service.

We have been engaging with the company, trade unions, Luton council and across government throughout the process to ensure that a package of measures is being put in place to support all workers at Luton facing redundancy. This includes tools and services to find new employment.

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)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of (a) manufacturing vehicles in and (b) importing vehicles from China on global carbon emissions.

The UK follows the agreed international approach for estimating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, which is for countries to report emissions produced within their territories.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs publishes consumption-based emissions statistics, including emissions from imported goods and services, which can be found here: Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2022 - GOV.UK. The latest data show that emissions associated with goods and services imported from China were 85 MtCO2e in 2022, however this is not broken down by product type.

Kerry McCarthy
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether it remains his policy to reduce energy bills by £300 a year.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

It remains our ambition to cut energy bills by up to £300 by 2030.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.

We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we are delivering the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households this winter. On 25 February, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The consultation has now closed and the Department is evaluating the responses.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the renewables industry on its reliance on imports of batteries from China.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's marketing campaign on heat pumps; and what the total cost was of (a) that campaign and (b) the associated photo shoot at Muncaster Castle.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero intends to publish information on campaign spend within the DESNZ annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025, which is expected to be published later this year on GOV.UK.

We will conduct a full evaluation of the Department’s activities to promote heat pumps and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in due course. Control of advertising, marketing and communications (AMC) expenditure ensures that, where taxpayer money is being spent on government communications, it is cost-effective, coordinated and reflects functional standards and professional best practices.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)