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, if he will meet with the Fire Brigades Union to discuss the safety of firefighters when tackling wildfires.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The health and safety of firefighters is of the utmost importance. The government recognises the risks that firefighters face and is grateful to them for their bravery.
Fire and rescue authorities, as employers, must take action to protect firefighter physical and mental health, this includes ensuring that firefighters receive the appropriate equipment and training they need.
The government is proactively engaging with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) alongside other fire and rescue sector stakeholders both at Ministerial and at official level.
The FBU is also a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform (MAGFRR) which has been established under this government. The MAGFRR brings together key fire and rescue sector leaders to discuss policy and key issues.
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 any cross-departmental work is being undertaken to (a) assess and (b) address the environmental impact of illegally imported disposable vapes.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Single-use vapes have been banned in the UK since 1 June 2025, we are continuing to monitor the impact of the ban, including the illicit market. In March 2025, the Government announced a £10 million funding boost to trading standards to tackle illicit vapes, including those that are single-use, to ensure that the ban is successfully enforced.
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 he plans to take to (a) maintain social housing commitments in existing planning permissions in London and (b) ensure that levels of social housing are not reduced in instances where developments are already approved in London.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As part of the Government’s drive to build 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament, the Mayor of London and the government have developed a package of support for housebuilding in the capital. This package includes a new time-limited planning route designed to improve the viability of housing developments in the near term, boosting the number of new homes, including affordable homes delivered in the next few years. Details of the package, including the impacts of the programme, were set out in a policy statement published on 23 October 2025, available on gov.uk here.
As set out in the policy statement, once the new time-limited planning route comes into effect applicants will be expected to seek grant where needed to maintain or increase the level of affordable housing in existing section 106 agreements.
I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 79909 on 20 October 2025.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) fuel duty, (b) Clean Air Zone charges and (c) Direct Vision Standard requirements on London-based (a) haulage and (b) coach operators.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government carefully considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses across the country, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.
Responsibility for policy decisions as regards Clean Air Zones (CAZs) lie with Local Authorities, who have the autonomy to decide whether to impose measures to address air quality in their local area. In London this power lies with the Mayor. This Government believes that decisions of this sort are for local authorities to make and that it is not for central government to dictate what is, or isn’t, right for their areas.
Local Authorities are required by statute to promote road safety, including undertaking collision/casualty data analysis and devising programmes, training and publicity that will improve road safety. Measures such as TfL's 'Direct Vision Standards' and other local road safety programmes are a matter devolved to the Mayor of London who is responsible for the safety of London's roads.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of fuel duty increases on (a) the cost of living and (b) consumer prices in London.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government carefully considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses across the country, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.
Responsibility for policy decisions as regards Clean Air Zones (CAZs) lie with Local Authorities, who have the autonomy to decide whether to impose measures to address air quality in their local area. In London this power lies with the Mayor. This Government believes that decisions of this sort are for local authorities to make and that it is not for central government to dictate what is, or isn’t, right for their areas.
Local Authorities are required by statute to promote road safety, including undertaking collision/casualty data analysis and devising programmes, training and publicity that will improve road safety. Measures such as TfL's 'Direct Vision Standards' and other local road safety programmes are a matter devolved to the Mayor of London who is responsible for the safety of London's roads.
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 alternative options for helping to deliver (a) affordable and (b) social housing in London have been considered by his Department.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
When developing policy, the government considers the merits of an extensive range of potential policy solutions.
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 is the Department taking to promote earlier detection, ensure dentists, GPs and other frontline health professionals are trained to identify early warning signs, and improve timely diagnosis and referral for treatment in relation to mouth cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We know that more needs to be done to improve outcomes for patients with mouth cancer. Our forthcoming National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will include further details on how we will speed up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately drive up this country’s cancer survival rates.
To support earlier and faster cancer diagnosis, we are now delivering additional checks, tests, and scans at 170 community diagnostic centres.
Additionally, to help increase early detection of cancer, the Government has recently launched Jess’s Rule, an initiative that asks general practitioners (GPs) to think again if, after three appointments, they have been unable to diagnose a patient, or their symptoms have escalated.
We are also investing an additional £889 million in GPs, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This will help to ensure that we have a well-trained and well-equipped primary care service that can take the time to provide quality care to patients around the country.
Dentists and other dental professionals, including hygienists, routinely check the soft tissues of a patient’s mouth for signs of cancer during dental visits and, as part of the check-up, will make an assessment and record an individual’s oral cancer risk. Dentists will prioritise patients at a higher risk of oral cancer for more frequent recall and review in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.
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 Iranian counterpart on the detention of Baha’i Shahram Fallah since August 2025; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure his release.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer to the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 67802 on 6 August 2025 and add that on 23 September 2025, at the UN Human Rights Council, Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization and UN, Kumar Iyer, highlighted Iran's recent targeting and scapegoating of marginalised communities, including Baha'is.
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, how his Department plans to work with relevant stakeholders to resolve potential issues affecting the delivery of social housing through Section 106 on early engagement between developers and housing associations on the (a) design and (b) quality of homes in the long-term.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Section 106 agreements are, and will remain, an essential mechanism for delivering social and affordable housing.
The government continues to progress work on a holistic policy package that will deal with the legacy problem of existing uncontracted S106 units and also prevent the problem recurring. We are working with stakeholders, including registered providers, local planning authorities and housebuilders, on this.
In respect of early engagement specifically, my Department notes and welcomes the work of the G15 group of London's leading housing associations and others to develop collaboration principles aimed at improving how housebuilders and social landlords work together to deliver successful S106 agreements.
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 his Department has made of the potential impact of the Part IX medical devices process on (a) supplier confidence and (b) future investment in the UK medical devices market; and what steps he is taking to (a) improve and (b) reduce the time taken for that process.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of our development work on Part IX of the Drug Tariff reforms, we have undertaken detailed assessment of the impacts on the market and suppliers. We have worked closely with industry and the joint Department and Industry Drug Tarff Committee to ensure we understand the likely impact. The reforms are designed to support innovation while also addressing unwarranted price variation for similar products. The new enhanced assessment process will allow comparison between products based on their merits, which will increase transparency and competition and, by extension, patient choice. This approach is intended to encourage new innovative products and small and medium-sized businesses to enter the market. Suppliers may also, for the first time, apply to list products temporarily for up to two years to allow them to generate evidence to support a longer-term listing. Through temporary listings, the Department is ensuring early National Health Service access to innovative products, providing a clear and transparent route to market.
To improve the listing process, we are introducing a robust assessment framework for products, including independent clinical advisory panels supported by patient representatives. An updated application form is being introduced to streamline the process, and the NHS Business Services Authority is recruiting additional resources for renewals. We are engaging with industry throughout the process, with opportunities to collaborate on any changes during the post-action review after each category is reviewed. This review will enable us to understand if the new process operates in the way that is expected and to make any adjustments as needed. It will also review process steps to ensure its as optimal for industry as possible.