Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance has the Department provided to local authorities on the mechanisms they should be using to scrutinise Housing Benefit claims in the period prior to the implementation of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Whilst DWP has responsibility for overall Housing Benefit policy and legislation, local authorities have statutory responsibility for the day-to-day administration and assessment of Housing Benefit claims.
The existing Housing Benefit guidance for supported housing claims provides advice for local authorities on how to assess and process Housing Benefit claims. We will be updating this manual early next year to reflect the measures being implemented within the Act.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is the Government's rationale for policies and funding decisions that have resulted in reduced capacity for schools to deliver extra-curricular sport.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 21 May 2026, the government announced a new approach to PE and school sport funding, backed by over £1 billion across the next three years. The new model combines a universal offer for all primary and secondary schools with targeted support for schools and pupils who need it most.
A new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will strengthen links between schools and local sports clubs, support high-quality PE, and help remove barriers to participation. Delivery will be informed by baseline and ongoing needs assessments led by a National Delivery Partner. Funding for the School Games Organiser network has also been confirmed for 2026/27 to support transition to the new system and maintain continuity of expertise.
Despite over a decade of investment via the PE and sport premium, less than half of all children meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended 60 active minutes a day. Inequalities persist, particularly for girls and pupils from disadvantaged and black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of reductions in School Sport Partnership and School Games Organiser funding on the organisation and delivery of competitive school sport.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 21 May 2026, the government announced a new approach to PE and school sport funding, backed by over £1 billion across the next three years. The new model combines a universal offer for all primary and secondary schools with targeted support for schools and pupils who need it most.
A new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will strengthen links between schools and local sports clubs, support high-quality PE, and help remove barriers to participation. Delivery will be informed by baseline and ongoing needs assessments led by a National Delivery Partner. Funding for the School Games Organiser network has also been confirmed for 2026/27 to support transition to the new system and maintain continuity of expertise.
Despite over a decade of investment via the PE and sport premium, less than half of all children meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended 60 active minutes a day. Inequalities persist, particularly for girls and pupils from disadvantaged and black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will review the protections afforded to whistleblowers who disclose information in the public interest relating to potential interference with, disturbance of, or artefact recovery from First and Second World War United Kingdom-owned wrecks and maritime grave sites, including merchant vessels that were operating in support of the United Kingdom’s war effort at the time of their loss.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Whistleblowers who make a protected disclosure are protected under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
The Department for Business, Science, Innovation and Trade plans to consult on whistleblowing in due course.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will introduce measures to ensure that information relating to artefacts recovered from United Kingdom-owned First and Second World War wrecks and maritime war graves, including the SS Tilawa, is not routinely withheld under exemptions contained within the Freedom of Information Act 2000 where disclosure would support public accountability, heritage protection, and the commemoration of wartime loss.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Information regarding items recovered from wrecks, which is provided to the Receiver of Wreck as required under section 236 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 is routinely available under the Freedom of Information Act and is not subject to any exemptions.
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, whether a) his policy remains that freedom of religion or belief includes the ability of members of all faiths to access and worship at sites of particular religious significance to them; b) whether that principle applies equally to Jews, Christians and Muslims in Jerusalem, including at the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa compound; and c) whether he has assessed the compatibility of the arrangements governing access and worship at that site with the UK's commitment to freedom of religion or belief and equal treatment for all faiths.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer of 7 September in response to Question 18985.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration has been given to providing schools with additional funding or staffing flexibility to protect extra-curricular sport, including allowing PE departments dedicated timetable capacity to organise and deliver sporting activities beyond the curriculum.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
PE and School Sport are a key priority for this government. However, despite over a decade of investment via the PE and sport premium, less than half of all children meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended 60 active minutes a day.
The new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will provide practical, targeted support to help schools increase participation and offer stronger links to extra‑curricular sport and local clubs. It will provide training to build staff confidence in delivering PE and set out clearer pathways into community sport. Support will align more closely with wider programmes and include competitive sport opportunities and inclusive events for less‑active pupils.
We have and continue to work closely with the teaching sector and sporting national bodies in the development and delivery of the new Network.
A core objective of the new Network is reducing the administrative burden on schools, introducing greater streamlined and standardised processes to provide PE and school sport.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions has the Department had with school leaders, PE teachers and representative bodies regarding the sustainability of current extra-curricular sports provision in state secondary schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
PE and School Sport are a key priority for this government. However, despite over a decade of investment via the PE and sport premium, less than half of all children meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended 60 active minutes a day.
The new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will provide practical, targeted support to help schools increase participation and offer stronger links to extra‑curricular sport and local clubs. It will provide training to build staff confidence in delivering PE and set out clearer pathways into community sport. Support will align more closely with wider programmes and include competitive sport opportunities and inclusive events for less‑active pupils.
We have and continue to work closely with the teaching sector and sporting national bodies in the development and delivery of the new Network.
A core objective of the new Network is reducing the administrative burden on schools, introducing greater streamlined and standardised processes to provide PE and school sport.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has been made of the extent to which workload pressures on PE teachers have contributed to reductions in after-school sports clubs, training sessions and fixtures.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
PE and School Sport are a key priority for this government. However, despite over a decade of investment via the PE and sport premium, less than half of all children meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended 60 active minutes a day.
The new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will provide practical, targeted support to help schools increase participation and offer stronger links to extra‑curricular sport and local clubs. It will provide training to build staff confidence in delivering PE and set out clearer pathways into community sport. Support will align more closely with wider programmes and include competitive sport opportunities and inclusive events for less‑active pupils.
We have and continue to work closely with the teaching sector and sporting national bodies in the development and delivery of the new Network.
A core objective of the new Network is reducing the administrative burden on schools, introducing greater streamlined and standardised processes to provide PE and school sport.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has the Department made of the potential impact of increasing teaching allocations and wider workload demands on the ability of physical education teachers to deliver extra-curricular sport, training sessions and competitive fixtures outside normal school hours.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
PE and School Sport are a key priority for this government. However, despite over a decade of investment via the PE and sport premium, less than half of all children meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended 60 active minutes a day.
The new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will provide practical, targeted support to help schools increase participation and offer stronger links to extra‑curricular sport and local clubs. It will provide training to build staff confidence in delivering PE and set out clearer pathways into community sport. Support will align more closely with wider programmes and include competitive sport opportunities and inclusive events for less‑active pupils.
We have and continue to work closely with the teaching sector and sporting national bodies in the development and delivery of the new Network.
A core objective of the new Network is reducing the administrative burden on schools, introducing greater streamlined and standardised processes to provide PE and school sport.