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.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions officials in her Department have had with the Football Association, the National League, and the Independent Football Regulator regarding the role of Abdulla Al-Humaidi during the ongoing sale of Ebbsfleet United FC.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Our thoughts are with Ebbsfleet United’s fans and the wider community, none of whom are responsible for the club’s current situation.
My officials are closely monitoring events which continue to move at pace – but it would be wrong to intervene further while the change of ownership is an ongoing matter for the National League, who are making regular statements. The National League South sits outside the remit of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR).
We would like to see stability brought back quickly.
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, how children’s hospices are being supported to deliver the shift from hospital to community care.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the challenging financial situation facing many hospices due to a range of cost pressures, and we understand that some children and young people’s hospices are having to make difficult decisions about services.
However, to support the sector, the Government has provided a £125 million capital funding boost for adult, and children and young people’s, hospices in England and has secured approximately £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices over the three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, helping to provide greater financial certainty and stability.
Since the beginning of this year, NHS England has written twice to all integrated care boards requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices within their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks as a matter of urgency. As part of the most recent request, in April, information was also gathered from Hospice UK to provide a rounded picture of the hospice sector. It is clear from all the returns received that there is a clear commitment from integrated care boards to work collaboratively with hospices and to understand any existing or potential impact of financial pressures, with clear steps being taken at a local level to mitigate risks to patients.
More widely, we are developing a Modern Service Framework for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care, and an interim update was published on 4 June in the form of a Written Ministerial Statement, which is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
As part of this work, we expect all integrated care boards to complete an integrated needs assessment, to gain a detailed understanding of their current and future population, including people of all ages with palliative care and end-of-life care needs. This is vital in order to commission the services to best meet that need, whilst providing the best value for money.
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 steps she is taking to prevent reductions in children’s hospice-at-home services.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise the challenging financial situation facing many hospices due to a range of cost pressures, and we understand that some children and young people’s hospices are having to make difficult decisions about services.
However, to support the sector, the Government has provided a £125 million capital funding boost for adult, and children and young people’s, hospices in England and has secured approximately £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices over the three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, helping to provide greater financial certainty and stability.
Since the beginning of this year, NHS England has written twice to all integrated care boards requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices within their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks as a matter of urgency. As part of the most recent request, in April, information was also gathered from Hospice UK to provide a rounded picture of the hospice sector. It is clear from all the returns received that there is a clear commitment from integrated care boards to work collaboratively with hospices and to understand any existing or potential impact of financial pressures, with clear steps being taken at a local level to mitigate risks to patients.
More widely, we are developing a Modern Service Framework for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care, and an interim update was published on 4 June in the form of a Written Ministerial Statement, which is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-06-04/hcws88
As part of this work, we expect all integrated care boards to complete an integrated needs assessment, to gain a detailed understanding of their current and future population, including people of all ages with palliative care and end-of-life care needs. This is vital in order to commission the services to best meet that need, whilst providing the best value for money.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to comply with the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 and the principles established by the Court of Appeal in Fogg and Ledgard v Secretary of State for Defence [2006] EWCA Civ 1270, to ensure that qualifying wartime merchant vessels operating in military service are capable of receiving recognition and protection comparable to that afforded to SS Storaa.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
Under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (PMRA), merchant vessels at the time of their loss, that were formally requestioned, utilised for armed forces purposes and operating under military command can be designated as either "Protected Places" or "Controlled Sites". Should the amendments to PMRA proposed in the Armed Forces Bill 2026, currently going through Parliament, be successful, merchant vessels in military service at the time of their loss located in UK territorial, and international waters will be automatically protected.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will undertake a review with the Secretary of State for Transport of the status of the SS Tilawa in light of the Court of Appeal judgment in Fogg and Ledgard v Secretary of State for Defence [2006] EWCA Civ 1270.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
MOD officials have carefully reviewed the circumstances of the SS Tilawa's status at the time of her loss, including in light of the Court of Appeal judgment in Fogg and Ledgard v Secretary of State for Defence.
Vessels qualify for protection under the Protection of Military Remains Act (1986) (PMRA) if they were directly supporting military activity at the time of their loss. SS Storaa qualified because her function and activities at the time of sinking placed her within military service for the purpose of PMRA. By contract, SS Tilawa was operating in a civilian capacity when she was lost and so falls outside of scope.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure Councils are able to access the statutory arbitration process for resolving which council is responsible for a homeless household when 1) a referral has been made under section 198 of the Housing Act 1996 2) there has been a failure to agree a referee.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where there are disputes between the notifying authority and the notified authority over which authority should be responsible for an applicant, the Homelessness (Decisions on Referrals) Order 1998 sets out a process for resolving the dispute. In these circumstances, the Local Government Association will typically mediate between the two authorities to resolve the dispute, and the Local Government Association has issued its own guidance for authorities for invoking this disputes procedure and agreeing a referee.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has received any request from Kuwaiti authorities relating to the residence or immigration status of Abdulla Al-Humaidi.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The UK and Kuwait maintain a regular dialogue on a broad range of bilateral issues. Any discussions with Kuwaiti counterparts concerning specific individuals would be conducted in accordance with relevant UK laws and our international obligations.