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 he has made of the potential impact of ensuring a choice of NHS provider is offered upon referral on patients in Harrow East constituency.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Patients have a legal right to choose where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient. The NHS Constitution for England and the NHS Standing Rules Regulations set out patients' legal rights to make choices about their healthcare. To support integrated care boards to understand and meet their obligations, NHS England published the Patient Choice Guidance in December 2023, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/patient-choice-guidance/
The Government is committed to giving patients greater control and choice over their care, across constituencies. The Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, sets out plans to improve patient choice, empowering people to take control of their health by making the NHS App and ‘Manage Your Referral’ website the default route for patients to choose their provider. To enable patients to make an informed choice, we are improving the information available to them, such as waiting times. The 10-Year Health Plan committed to a new ‘Choice Charter’, that will be rolled out progressively in areas of highest health need. The Choice Charter states five ‘mechanisms’ that sit within it, one of which is the commitment to the right to choose in electives.
No assessment has been made of the impact in Harrow East constituency.
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 he is taking to increase the proportion of patients being offered a choice of providers upon referral.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Patients have a legal right to choose where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient. The NHS Constitution for England and the NHS Standing Rules Regulations set out patients' legal rights to make choices about their healthcare. To support integrated care boards to understand and meet their obligations, NHS England published the Patient Choice Guidance in December 2023, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/patient-choice-guidance/
The Government is committed to giving patients greater control and choice over their care, across constituencies. The Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, sets out plans to improve patient choice, empowering people to take control of their health by making the NHS App and ‘Manage Your Referral’ website the default route for patients to choose their provider. To enable patients to make an informed choice, we are improving the information available to them, such as waiting times. The 10-Year Health Plan committed to a new ‘Choice Charter’, that will be rolled out progressively in areas of highest health need. The Choice Charter states five ‘mechanisms’ that sit within it, one of which is the commitment to the right to choose in electives.
No assessment has been made of the impact in Harrow East constituency.
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 he is taking to ensure that the merger of NHS England with his Department does not affect patients' right to choose healthcare providers.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Patients have a legal right to choose where they go for their first appointment when referred to consultant-led care as an outpatient. The NHS Constitution for England sets out patients' legal rights to make choices about their healthcare and the merger of NHS England with the Department of Health and Social Care will not affect these rights.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is committed to empowering patients by giving them greater choice and control, in a National Health Service that is increasingly receptive and responsive to patient preference, voice, and choice. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our ongoing commitment to patient choice, including by implementing a new patient Choice Charter to empower patients to be more involved in their own care and the NHS to be more patient-centred through mechanisms such as enhanced use of the NHS App, expanded self-referral options, meaningful choice of providers for elective treatments, funding models that reflect patient feedback, and expansion of personal health budgets.
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 effectiveness of the administration and oversight of EU-funded programmes under the West Bank Protection Consortium; and whether she has undertaken any review of the UK's involvement or co-funding in relation to value for money and compliance with applicable procedures.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This financial year, we are continuing to fund lifesaving assistance to Palestinians, support to Gaza's early recovery, and activity to strengthen Palestinian institutions, governance, accountability and civil society, including reform of the Palestinian Authority.
Before funding is committed and disbursed to any partners, we ensure that due diligence and value for money considerations are carried out in line with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office programme operating framework. We also monitor effectiveness through our general programme oversight including annual reviews, partner engagement, and monitoring visits to scrutinise performance.
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 steps her Department is taking to monitor developments in the implementation of Hong Kong’s National Security Law; and whether she plans to issue revised guidance to UK nationals on compliance with local authorities’ requests for access to personal data and electronic communications.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps its travel advice under constant review, and last updated its advice for Hong Kong on 1 April to reflect the situation on the ground. The FCDO also publishes assessments on a six-monthly basis of compliance with the commitments set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, the latest of which can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/six-monthly-report-on-hong-kong-july-to-december-2025.
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 assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law on the (a) safety and (b) legal rights of UK nationals (i) visiting and (ii) residing in Hong Kong, including challenges associated with electronic device searches at border crossings; and whether her Department has engaged with international partners to coordinate updated travel guidance.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps its travel advice under constant review, and last updated its advice for Hong Kong on 1 April to reflect the situation on the ground. The FCDO also publishes assessments on a six-monthly basis of compliance with the commitments set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, the latest of which can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/six-monthly-report-on-hong-kong-july-to-december-2025.
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 she has made an assessment of the adequacy of current UK travel advice for Hong Kong; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the National Security Law on UK travellers and journalists operating in the territory.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps its travel advice under constant review, and last updated its advice for Hong Kong on 1 April to reflect the situation on the ground. The FCDO also publishes assessments on a six-monthly basis of compliance with the commitments set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, the latest of which can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/six-monthly-report-on-hong-kong-july-to-december-2025.
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, if she will take diplomatic steps to encourage the Government of Japan to acknowledge the sinking of the SS Tilawa in 1942; if she will support survivors and families by asking them to participate in the 84th anniversary commemoration on 23 November 2026 in London; and if she will take steps to encourage Japanese representation alongside Her Excellency Nimisha Madhvani.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The sinking of the S.S. Tilawa was an appalling tragedy which continues to resonate eight decades on. Our thoughts remain with all the families who lost loved ones on that day, and the Government supports their efforts to commemorate the tragedy, including on the 84th anniversary later this year.
Decisions on Japanese diplomatic representation are a matter for the Government of Japan, which has apologised several times for its wartime actions in recent decades. Over that time, the UK and Japan have worked hard to promote our shared values, including respect for human rights and the rule of law, and the mutual pursuit of peace and prosperity, and we will continue working with Japan to those ends in the years to come.
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, if he will take diplomatic steps to encourage the Japanese government to formally acknowledge and apologise for the sinking of the SS Tilawa in 1942.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The sinking of the S.S. Tilawa was an appalling tragedy which continues to resonate eight decades on. Our thoughts remain with all the families who lost loved ones on that day, and the Government supports their efforts to commemorate the tragedy, including on the 84th anniversary later this year.
Decisions on Japanese diplomatic representation are a matter for the Government of Japan, which has apologised several times for its wartime actions in recent decades. Over that time, the UK and Japan have worked hard to promote our shared values, including respect for human rights and the rule of law, and the mutual pursuit of peace and prosperity, and we will continue working with Japan to those ends in the years to come.
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 any community pharmacists were consulted prior to the publication of the new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Framework Service.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Community pharmacy already plays an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention through the hypertension case finding service which offers free, walk-in blood pressure checks to over 40 year olds. Since October 2021, 40 pharmacies have delivered nearly 4.2 million blood pressure and ambulatory monitoring checks.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, community pharmacies will have a vital role in the Neighbourhood Health Service, working closely with other primary care providers at a neighbourhood level and delivering more clinical services.
NHS England continues to keep the clinical scope of pharmacy services under review. On Wednesday 25 February, the Department began the 2026/27 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework consultation with Community Pharmacy England, to consider any proposed changes to the reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors in 2026/27. This includes reimbursement and remuneration for any current or proposed clinical services.
To support the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) this spring.
The Department and NHS England are engaging widely with stakeholders to co-produce the CVD MSF, ensuring that experts, people, and communities are at the heart of its development, and this has included engagement with the pharmacy sector.
The CVD MSF will focus on the interventions that will have the greatest impact on reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke, whilst supporting consistent, high quality and equitable care across the CVD pathway.