Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.72 of the Spring Statement 2025, whether any of the Technical Excellence Colleges will be in Bedfordshire.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department can confirm that there will be at least one construction Technical Excellence College for the East of England region but cannot confirm exactly where in the region it will be based, at this stage. Further information on Technical Excellence Colleges will be made available in due course.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the expected return on investment for investments in the National Wealth Fund.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Wealth Fund will seek to make positive returns for the Exchequer across its whole portfolio, covering at least the government’s cost of borrowing and institutional overheads, in line with its Financial Framework.
This will take time to achieve and should be balanced with the National Wealth Fund’s increased risk appetite.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of (a) trends in the level of financial literacy in the UK and (b) the potential impact of improving young people's financial literacy on economic growth.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to ensuring that individuals have the financial capability to manage their money well. While the Government does not hold specific data quantifying the economic benefits of this, we recognise the importance of financial literacy in people’s economic participation and have taken a number of steps to promote this, including among young people.
Financial education is currently incorporated into the national curriculum in England through mathematics at key stages 1 to 4 and citizenship at key stages 3 and 4, which together cover personal budgeting, saving for the future, managing credit and debt and calculating interest. The Government has established an independent, expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review to ensure it is fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people.
In addition, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is supported by the Government to provide comprehensive guidance for each stage of consumers’ financial lives. It’s MoneyHelper website offers a range of tools and calculators to help consumers with issues around benefits, everyday money, family and care, home finance, money troubles, pensions and retirement, savings and work (https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/tools-and-calculators).
The Government recognises that there is still more that can be done to further improve financial literacy. That is why Financial Education and Capability has been made an area of focus within the Financial Inclusion Strategy. The strategy will aim to tackle barriers to individual and households’ ability to access affordable and appropriate financial products and services, including financial literacy.
The Financial Conduct Authority’s nationally representative Financial Lives Survey gathers insights into the financial behaviour, attitudes and experiences of adults aged 18 and over across the UK. The survey covers a wide range of topics, including financial capability.
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, what steps his Department is taking to help protect Ministers' (a) social media and (b) personal email accounts from cybersecurity threats.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
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.
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, what local taxes she intends for Mayors to be able to levy.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The English Devolution White Paper sets out an enhanced Devolution Framework. This will be available by default rather than by deal, to both existing and new strategic authorities, creating a consistent, systematic approach and providing Mayor’s with the power to decide what is right for their areas. This framework includes the ability for all Mayoral Strategic Authorities to introduce mayoral precepting on council tax and the ability to raise a Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy to fund strategic infrastructure once a Spatial Development Strategy is in place.
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 she will publish a digital, publicly available map of Tree Protection Orders.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 35438 on 12 March 2025.