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 he has had with the Government of Bangladesh following reports of killings and mob violence against members of the Hindu community in connection with allegations of blasphemy; and what steps he is taking to encourage effective investigation and prosecution of those responsible.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns all acts of violence targeting religious or ethnic minorities in Bangladesh. We continue to raise the importance of protecting minority communities with the Government of Bangladesh. On 4 October, the British High Commissioner raised this with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, including the importance of ensuring communities always feel safe, including during the Durga Puja festival. We encourage the Government of Bangladesh to ensure incidents of violence are investigated impartially and that those responsible are held to account.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Gurkha veterans with fewer than four years of service have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain in the United Kingdom since 2009, and on what grounds was discretion exercised in those cases.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
The Ministry of Defence does not hold this information. Applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), including those made by serving Armed Forces personnel, their families and veterans, are a matter for the Home Office. The Home Office is therefore responsible for determining such applications, including any decision to exercise discretion in individual cases.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of prediction markets or event contracts.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the honourable member to my answers given to his questions tabled on 1 September: UIN 25977, 25978, 25979, 25980 and 25981.
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 assessment she has made of the contribution of the new £10 million programme for healthy and affordable food to delivering the wider outcomes of the Good Food Cycle.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Good Food Neighbourhoods programme will play a key role in supporting the delivery of wider Good Food Cycle outcomes. Alongside increasing access to healthier and more affordable food, the programme will support resilient supply and the creation of vibrant food cultures. It will also contribute to the manifesto commitment to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels.
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 assessment she has made of the potential merits of commissioning the refreshed NHS National Quality Board to develop a Modern Service Framework for Obesity, setting out standards for the delivery of high-quality obesity services, in support of the Government's moonshot to end the obesity epidemic.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Further to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 15 September in response to Question HL2959, I would affirm that community pharmacies have a vital role to play in the delivery of our 10-Year Health Plan, supporting the shift to prevention, providing expert advice on healthy living and weight management, and helping people access the healthcare support that they need closer to home.
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, whether her Department remains committed to ending the obesity epidemic through a ‘moonshot’ as outlined in the NHS 10 Year Plan, and how progress will be defined.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Further to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 15 September in response to Question HL2959, I would affirm that community pharmacies have a vital role to play in the delivery of our 10-Year Health Plan, supporting the shift to prevention, providing expert advice on healthy living and weight management, and helping people access the healthcare support that they need closer to home.
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 role she expects community pharmacies to play in the prevention and management of obesity, under the new Neighbourhood Health Service, and whether her Department plans to publish guidance on that role.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Further to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 15 September in response to Question HL2959, I would affirm that community pharmacies have a vital role to play in the delivery of our 10-Year Health Plan, supporting the shift to prevention, providing expert advice on healthy living and weight management, and helping people access the healthcare support that they need closer to home.
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 diplomatic steps he is taking to support freedom of religion or belief for Jews who wish to engage in organised prayer at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given on 7 September 2026 to question 18985.
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 the Government had with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the announcement of sanctions on Israel on 8 September 2026.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and senior officials regularly engage with Israeli counterparts on a range of issues, including ahead of the package of measures announced on 8 September. The Government remains committed to open and candid dialogue with the Government of Israel.
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 he had with his Israeli counterpart before the announcement of sanctions on Israel on 8 September 2026.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and senior officials regularly engage with Israeli counterparts on a range of issues, including ahead of the package of measures announced on 8 September. The Government remains committed to open and candid dialogue with the Government of Israel.