Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Iran’s recent Supreme Court’s decision to deny a retrial for Mehran Shamloui; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure his release.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by Mehran Shamoui's case and by Iran's treatment of Christians, in particular Christian converts, more broadly. On 23 September 2025, at the UN Human Rights Council, UK Permanent Representative, Kumar Iyer, highlighted the targeting and scapegoating of marginalised groups, including Christians. I and the UK Government and our Ambassador continue to raise human rights issues directly with the Iranian government and in multilateral fora.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in Iran on Hakop Gochumyan; and whether she is taking diplomatic steps to help secure his release.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are very concerned by Mr. Gochumyan's case and at Iran's treatment of Christians more broadly. On 23 September 2025, at the UN Human Rights Council, UK Permanent Representative, Kumar Iyer, highlighted the targeting and scapegoating of marginalised groups, including Christians, by Iran. The UK Government and our Ambassador in Iran continue to monitor the situation closely and raise rights issues directly with the Iranian Government.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Iranian authorities on Hakop Gochumyan; and what steps she is taking to ensure his release.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are very concerned by Mr. Gochumyan's case and at Iran's treatment of Christians more broadly. On 23 September 2025, at the UN Human Rights Council, UK Permanent Representative, Kumar Iyer, highlighted the targeting and scapegoating of marginalised groups, including Christians, by Iran. The UK Government and our Ambassador in Iran continue to monitor the situation closely and raise rights issues directly with the Iranian Government.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the cross-breeding of exotic cats with domestic cat breeds.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government welcomes the Animal Welfare Committee’s Opinion on the welfare implications of current and emergent feline breeding practices which included their research into the management and welfare of hybrid breeding. We are carefully considering the Committee’s recommendations.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to meet with animal welfare organisations to discuss tackling the illegal (a) breeding and (b) sale of hybrid cats.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department is kept up to date with developments in cat welfare through regular engagements with key sector organisations.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterpart in Pakistan on allegations of (a) abduction and (b) trafficking of (i) Hindu and (ii) Christian women and girls; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure their protection.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to addressing the abduction, trafficking, forced marriage and conversion of women and girls in Pakistan, including from Hindu and Christian communities. Further to the welcome passage of the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act, we will continue to advocate for strengthened child protection across Pakistan. Through the UK's Aawaz II programme, we are also working at the grassroots level to challenge harmful social behaviours, including working directly with communities to raise awareness of the harms of early and forced marriage. I raised the broader issue of religious minority persecution in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Dar on 18 July.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart on the use of blasphemy legislation to target religious minorities.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government remains deeply concerned by the use of blasphemy laws to undermine human rights in Pakistan. We regularly raise this issue at the highest levels, pressing for due process to prevent wrongful convictions and ensure fair trials for those accused, and safety of those released. I (Minister Falconer) raised the rights of religious minorities and blasphemy laws when I met Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on 31 March 2025. Lord Khan of Burnley raised the misuse of blasphemy laws when he met Pakistan's Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on 16 April 2025. The Foreign Secretary looks forward to establishing a relationship and holding wide-ranging discussions with her Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar already having met in New York.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Chinese counterparts on the detention of Pastor Huang Zi; and what steps he is taking to support his release.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The environment for freedom of religion or belief across China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Christians. This Government champions freedom of religion or belief for all abroad, and we continue to monitor developments closely and engage with Chinese counterparts on areas of concern. We also continue to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether Monkeys will be included in the government's proposed hunting trophy ban.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to engage with relevant stakeholders to help determine the most appropriate scope for the ban on the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern. Species of conservation concern are listed primarily on Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) according to the level of threat international trade has on their conservation status. This includes a large number of primate species.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for banning heated tobacco adverts following the Royal Assent of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward that ban.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has completed its Second Reading in the House of Lords, and Committee Stage will take place as soon as parliamentary time allows. We expect the bill to complete its passage within this parliamentary session.
The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 prohibits the advertisement and sponsorship of tobacco products. It is the Government’s position that heated tobacco advertising is already prohibited under this legislation. To ensure clarity on the scope of legislation and to ensure it covers all current and future tobacco products, we are updating the definition of a “tobacco product” to include the wording “or consumed in any other way”. As currently drafted, the bill will bring this into force two months after Royal Assent.