Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for what reason Written Parliamentary Question 15089 on Project Gigabit: Mid Bedfordshire was not answered by close of business on 7 July 2026.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Department apologies for the delay in responding to the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 July 2026 to Question UIN 15089.
My noble friend Baroness Lloyd of Effra would be happy to meet to discuss this matter in greater detail, if a suitable date can be arranged with her office.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the forthcoming Clacton by-election.
Answered by Samantha Dixon
The estimated cost of the Clacton by-election is set out in The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers’ Charges) Order 2024.
The average (mean) cost of a UK parliamentary by-election between 2021 and 2025 was approximately £343,768, including candidate mailing costs. This figure is estimated from final settled expenditure where available and claimed expenditure for by-elections where the claims process has not yet been completed.
Expenditure accounts for the 2026 parliamentary by-elections have not yet been received from the relevant Returning Officers.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it her policy to adopt Recommendation 27 of the report Backdoors to Britain, published by the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 4 March 2026.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The State Pension is based on an individual’s National Insurance record and is payable to those who meet the eligibility criteria. Since its introduction in 2016, the new State Pension is designed to provide a consistent foundation level of income in later life.
State Pension entitlement has been based on an individual's National Insurance record since 1948. The Government acknowledges the concerns raised in the Report but has no plans to change the current scheme or the law to implement recommendation 27.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to adopt Recommendation 28 of the report Backdoors to Britain, published by the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 4 March 2026.
Answered by Mike Tapp
The Home Office keeps the immigration rules under review.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to adopt Recommendation 30 of the report Backdoors to Britain, published by the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 4 March 2026.
Answered by Mike Tapp
The Home Office routinely publishes extensive data on the immigration system through the quarterly Immigration System Statistics and the Monthly entry clearance visa applications statistical publications. These are Official Statistics produced by government statisticians, in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics and overseen by the UK Statistics Authority.
The Home Office has previously published Reports on statistics relating to exit checks. Publication was paused following significant changes to the immigration system (such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK’s departure from the EU and changes to Home Office systems) which affected the quality of the data. The Home Office is now in the final stages of data improvement work and, as per the Home Secretary’s comments at the Justice and Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday 7 July 2026, intend to resume the publication in Autumn 2026.
The Home Office continues to develop the evidence base on migrant outcomes using linked administrative data from across Government. This includes published analysis of Sponsored Work and Family visa earnings, employment and Income Tax. More broadly, further analytical work is underway to support the development of Earned Settlement policy following the recent public consultation, with further evidence and a full Impact Assessment to be published in due course.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to adopt Recommendation 29 of the report Backdoors to Britain, published by the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 4 March 2026.
Answered by Mike Tapp
The Home Office routinely publishes extensive data on the immigration system through the quarterly Immigration System Statistics and the Monthly entry clearance visa applications statistical publications. These are Official Statistics produced by government statisticians, in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics and overseen by the UK Statistics Authority.
The Home Office has previously published Reports on statistics relating to exit checks. Publication was paused following significant changes to the immigration system (such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK’s departure from the EU and changes to Home Office systems) which affected the quality of the data. The Home Office is now in the final stages of data improvement work and, as per the Home Secretary’s comments at the Justice and Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday 7 July 2026, intend to resume the publication in Autumn 2026.
The Home Office continues to develop the evidence base on migrant outcomes using linked administrative data from across Government. This includes published analysis of Sponsored Work and Family visa earnings, employment and Income Tax. More broadly, further analytical work is underway to support the development of Earned Settlement policy following the recent public consultation, with further evidence and a full Impact Assessment to be published in due course.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to adopt Recommendation 25 of the report Backdoors to Britain, published by the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 4 March 2026.
Answered by Mike Tapp
The Home Office routinely publishes extensive data on the immigration system through the quarterly Immigration System Statistics and the Monthly entry clearance visa applications statistical publications. These are Official Statistics produced by government statisticians, in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics and overseen by the UK Statistics Authority.
The Home Office has previously published Reports on statistics relating to exit checks. Publication was paused following significant changes to the immigration system (such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK’s departure from the EU and changes to Home Office systems) which affected the quality of the data. The Home Office is now in the final stages of data improvement work and, as per the Home Secretary’s comments at the Justice and Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday 7 July 2026, intend to resume the publication in Autumn 2026.
The Home Office continues to develop the evidence base on migrant outcomes using linked administrative data from across Government. This includes published analysis of Sponsored Work and Family visa earnings, employment and Income Tax. More broadly, further analytical work is underway to support the development of Earned Settlement policy following the recent public consultation, with further evidence and a full Impact Assessment to be published in due course.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to adopt Recommendation 26 of the report Backdoors to Britain, published by the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 4 March 2026.
Answered by Mike Tapp
The Government keeps the immigration rules under review.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to adopt Recommendation 24 of the report Backdoors to Britain, published by the honourable Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 4 March 2026.
Answered by Mike Tapp
The Government keeps the immigration system under review.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to adopt Recommendation 23 of the report Backdoors to Britain, published by the honourable Member for Mid Bedfordshire on 4 March 2026.
Answered by Mike Tapp
The Government keeps the immigration system under review.