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Written Question
Cabinet Office: VIsas
Monday 22nd December 2025

Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many visas a) his Department and b) the Office for National Statistics have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Between 4 July 2024 and 1 December 2025:

  1. The Cabinet Office has sponsored 43 visas1.

1 This has been counted by the date Cabinet Office has issued a Certificate of Sponsorship. It includes fast streamers, existing employees and employees who have moved to other departments within that period as part of a machinery of government.

As part b of the information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority, a response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 1st of December is attached.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 17 Dec 2025
Local Government Finance

"May I welcome the focus on reducing deprivation in this statement? How confident is the Minister that deprivation in rural areas will not be missed in the funding formula? I should refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, because I am still a councillor on …..."
Blake Stephenson - View Speech

View all Blake Stephenson (Con - Mid Bedfordshire) contributions to the debate on: Local Government Finance

Division Vote (Commons)
17 Dec 2025 - National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill - View Vote Context
Blake Stephenson (Con) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 91 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 312 Noes - 165
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 16 Dec 2025
Points of Order

"On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. This morning I received a notification via the Facebook page of the hon. Member for Bedford (Mohammad Yasin) that the planning for the Universal UK theme park, which is located wholly within my constituency of Mid Bedfordshire, has been approved. The hon. …..."
Blake Stephenson - View Speech

View all Blake Stephenson (Con - Mid Bedfordshire) contributions to the debate on: Points of Order

Division Vote (Commons)
16 Dec 2025 - Finance (No. 2) Bill - View Vote Context
Blake Stephenson (Con) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 103 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 341 Noes - 195
Division Vote (Commons)
16 Dec 2025 - Finance (No. 2) Bill - View Vote Context
Blake Stephenson (Con) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 103 Conservative Aye votes vs 0 Conservative No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 118 Noes - 340
Division Vote (Commons)
15 Dec 2025 - Employment Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Blake Stephenson (Con) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 88 Conservative No votes vs 0 Conservative Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 311 Noes - 96
Written Question
Treasury: Visas
Friday 12th December 2025

Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many visas a) her Department, b) the Government Actuary's Department, c) the UK Debt Management Office, d) the National Wealth Fund, e) the Crown Estate, f) the Financial Conduct Authority, g) UK Government Investments, and h) HM Revenue & Customs have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

We do not disclose the exact number of visas sponsored due to GDPR, but can confirm that fewer than five visas have been sponsored since 4 July 2024. Information requested on arm’s length bodies is not held centrally.


Written Question
Department for Transport: Visas
Friday 12th December 2025

Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many visas a) her Department, b) the Vehicle Certification Agency, c) East-West Rail, d) National Highways, e) Network Rail, f) Trinity House, g) the Civil Aviation Authority and h) Crossrail International have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Visa systems, outside of those specific to sponsored employment routes, do not capture the occupation or employer of an applicant and therefore it is not possible to give a comprehensive answer to this question. In addition, the department does not hold information sponsored employment routes for other employers.


Written Question
Department of Health and Social Care: Visas
Thursday 11th December 2025

Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many visas a) his Department, b) the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency, c) the UK Health Security Agency, d) the Care Quality Commission, e) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, f) NHS England, g) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, h) NHS Blood and Transplant, i) NHS Business Services Authority, and j) NHS Resolution have sponsored since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.