Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what monitoring her Department is doing on rates of sexual harassment and assault in (a) bus companies and (b) bus services.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Where people report incidents of sexual harassment and assault to the police, under the Home Office Crime Recording Rules, all reports of incidents will, unless immediately recorded as a crime, result in the registration of an auditable incident report by the police.
The Department is taking action to address such incidents through its work across government and with partners in industry and Local Transport Authorities, to ensure that everyone using bus services feels and is safe. That is why there are nine Departmental commitments within the cross-government ‘Freedom From Violence and Abuse Action Plan’, published 18th December 2025.
This includes mandating training for staff working in the bus industry, including drivers and those who deal directly with the travelling public, on how to recognise and respond to incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) on public transport, in the Bus Services Act 2025. The Department will publish statutory guidance to outline that the training should cover how to identify, respond appropriately to and, where possible, prevent ASB and Violence Against Women and Girls.
The Act also gives local transport authorities the power to create byelaws and deploy officers who can deal with anti-social behaviour and fare evasion on the bus network. Byelaws enable authorised officers to take enforcement action, including requiring individuals to leave vehicles or facilities and issuing penalties where appropriate, thereby protecting drivers.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure safety of all staff in bus companies, including engineers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is working across government and with partners in industry and Local Transport Authorities, to ensure that everyone, including staff in bus companies such as engineers, feel and are safe.
The Department works closely with industry, trade unions and local transport authorities to support the safety of all staff across the bus sector, including engineers and depot‑based workers. Employers are responsible for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of their employees, and must comply with relevant health and safety legislation.
The Bus Services Act 2025 gives local transport authorities the power to create byelaws and deploy officers who can deal with antisocial behaviour and fare evasion on the bus network. It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the transport network to make sure it is a safe place for users and staff.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the use of multi-material, non-recyclable flexible packaging and plastic sachets.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme which charges fees to businesses that produce and/or supply household packaging. This incentivises packaging producers to reduce their material footprint and use easier to recycle packaging.
From 2026 onwards, pEPR fees will be higher for packaging that is not recyclable or is hard to recycle, including multi-material, non-recyclable flexible packaging and plastic sachets. Fees will be lower for packaging that can be easily recycled. Illustrative fees for 2026/27, published in December 2025, estimate that 45% of plastic packaging eligible for pEPR disposal fees will attract a ‘red’ rating and will therefore incur higher fees.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what work is being done with the Secretary of State for Education to address the additional workload of teaching assistants that are providing medical attention for disabled and severely ill children in SEND schools.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
The Schools White Paper, Every child achieving and thriving, and the consultation on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms have now been published, as of 23 February. The White Paper and the consultation are available, respectively, at the following two links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving
These documents set out our ambitions to transform outcomes for children, young people, and their families who have been let down for far too long. The Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England have worked closely with the Department for Education on the reforms, and continued close partnership between health, social care, and education will be needed to realise the opportunity created by these crucial reforms.
The Government is currently consulting on proposed updates to the statutory guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions at school, with further information available at the following link:
The Government will publish non-statutory guidance to clarify the roles and responsibilities of health and education in supporting pupils with medical conditions in education settings. Schools are responsible for managing their resources and budgets. They must comply with their statutory duties, including those under the Equality Act and the duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) have various statutory duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 to work with local authorities, including on: identifying and notifying where a child or young person has potential SEND; joint commissioning; participating in education, health and care assessments and plans; and securing health provision. Reform proposals include the creation of New Specialist Provision Packages for children and young people with complex needs, which set out exactly what support and resources are required for specific needs. These will be developed and reviewed by an Independent Expert Panel with education and health co-chairs, and shaped through testing with parents. For children under five years old with complex needs, we will introduce a fast track for a Specialist Provision Package and Education, Health and Care Plan.
The NHS Medium Term Planning Framework for 2026/27 to 2028/29, published October 2025, included, for the first time, a clear requirement for ICBs and providers to meet their statutory SEND duties and support the Government’s SEND reform plans. The framework is available at the following link:
Each ICB is also required to have an executive lead for children and young people with SEND. ICBs will need to work alongside local authorities to develop Local SEND Reform Plans, which will set out each local area’s approach to implementing SEND reforms, tailored to local context and need. These plans will lay the foundation for long-term reform, set how partners will work together, and enable ongoing monitoring of progress, including introduction of the new Experts at Hand service.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
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 level of his Department's role in SEND provision, especially for children with a) disabilities and life limiting-illnesses and b) children who need regular medication throughout the school day.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
The Schools White Paper, Every child achieving and thriving, and the consultation on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms have now been published, as of 23 February. The White Paper and the consultation are available, respectively, at the following two links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving
These documents set out our ambitions to transform outcomes for children, young people, and their families who have been let down for far too long. The Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England have worked closely with the Department for Education on the reforms, and continued close partnership between health, social care, and education will be needed to realise the opportunity created by these crucial reforms.
The Government is currently consulting on proposed updates to the statutory guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions at school, with further information available at the following link:
The Government will publish non-statutory guidance to clarify the roles and responsibilities of health and education in supporting pupils with medical conditions in education settings. Schools are responsible for managing their resources and budgets. They must comply with their statutory duties, including those under the Equality Act and the duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) have various statutory duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 to work with local authorities, including on: identifying and notifying where a child or young person has potential SEND; joint commissioning; participating in education, health and care assessments and plans; and securing health provision. Reform proposals include the creation of New Specialist Provision Packages for children and young people with complex needs, which set out exactly what support and resources are required for specific needs. These will be developed and reviewed by an Independent Expert Panel with education and health co-chairs, and shaped through testing with parents. For children under five years old with complex needs, we will introduce a fast track for a Specialist Provision Package and Education, Health and Care Plan.
The NHS Medium Term Planning Framework for 2026/27 to 2028/29, published October 2025, included, for the first time, a clear requirement for ICBs and providers to meet their statutory SEND duties and support the Government’s SEND reform plans. The framework is available at the following link:
Each ICB is also required to have an executive lead for children and young people with SEND. ICBs will need to work alongside local authorities to develop Local SEND Reform Plans, which will set out each local area’s approach to implementing SEND reforms, tailored to local context and need. These plans will lay the foundation for long-term reform, set how partners will work together, and enable ongoing monitoring of progress, including introduction of the new Experts at Hand service.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
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 promote (a) culturally competent and (b) community-led prevention measures for older black men.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
This Government recognises the evidence that men of Black ethnicity are at a higher risk of some diseases. Tackling these inequalities is a top priority for the Government.
For example, black men are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease yet evidence shows that men in Black and Mixed ethnic groups are the least likely to receive lipid-lowering therapy or reach blood pressure targets. The National Health Service is tackling these inequalities through the Core20PLUS5 programme, a national approach to inform action to reduce healthcare inequalities in the most deprived areas. Hypertension and lipid management are one of the top clinical priorities for the framework, and the NHS is supporting systems where the burden of undiagnosed hypertension and untreated cholesterol is highest. Community based delivery models, such as pharmacy blood pressure checks and BP@Home, are also increasing access for underserved groups, including those in deprived and ethnically diverse communities.
Prostate cancer is another example where incidence rates are higher among Black men. We are jointly delivering the £42 million TRANSFORM trial with Prostate Cancer UK, with £16 million from the Department, which aims to find better ways of detecting prostate cancer and address inequalities, ensuring at least 10% of those invited to participate are Black men. In November, the first men began receiving letters from their general practitioners, inviting them to join the landmark trial designed to make diagnosis earlier, safer, and more effective.
There are around 17,000 people living with sickle cell disease in England. It is the fastest growing genetic condition in the country and is more common in people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage (77% of patients) and in more deprived communities (47% of patients). NHS England, through the Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Quality Improvement programme, has stepped up a programme of work aligned to the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan particularly focusing on the shift to prevention, through a new education programme, that aims to develop a series of e-learning modules, training and communication material, which will focus on improving the knowledge and awareness about the condition, including for black men.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what process will be followed in determining the location of the headquarters for a new Strategic Mayoral Combined Authority that would include Luton.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh
Any decision regarding the headquarters of a strategic authority would be the responsibility of that strategic authority, and not central Government.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Government response to the Women and Equalities Committee report on Tackling HIV transmission, HC 1663, what the basis is for the estimate that Cabotegravir injectable PrEP will impact 2,000 people; whether that figure is a cap on availability; and what steps his Department will take to ensure equitable access to injectable PrEP.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Cabotegravir pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a clinically and cost-effective use for people who cannot have oral PrEP on 5 November 2025.
NICE estimated that up to 1,000 people would be eligible to receive cabotegravir injectable as PrEP but there is no cap on the number of people who may be eligible and therefore require and receive cabotegravir PrEP.
The new HIV Action Plan, published on 1 December 2025, sets out how the Government will enable every level of the healthcare system to work together to engage everyone in prevention, testing and treatment, tackling stigma, and reaching our ambition to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.
The Government will work with local authorities to expand alternative and digital delivery routes for injectable PrEP and audit current HIV technologies to identify gaps in provision. The UK Health Security Agency will publish local PrEP indicators to support action to reduce inequalities.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that Bedfordshire Police have sufficient resource to hit officer number targets.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government’s Safer Streets Mission sets a clear expectation for policing to deliver safer communities and improved public confidence. An effective, well-supported police service is central to achieving this.
For 2025/26, £376.8 million has been made available to forces to support achievement of officer number targets. This funding was distributed as follows:
For 2025/26, Bedfordshire Police have been allocated a total of up to £3,155,659 through the officer maintenance ringfenced grant, and £1,580,578 through the top-up grant, to maintain a total headcount of 1,466 officers.
Published statistics show the force achieved this target at the mid-year point. As at 30 September 2025, Bedfordshire Police had a total of 1,467 police officers (headcount).
For 2025/26, a total of up to £1,803,234 was also made available to Bedfordshire Police through the neighbourhood policing grant to grow by 38 FTE Neighbourhood Policing officers (30 FTE police officers and 8 FTE PCSOs).
As at 30 September, Bedfordshire Police had grown their neighbourhood policing function by 13 FTE.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will integrate Special Grant funding into the core settlement provided to Bedfordshire Police.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The 2026-27 Final Police Funding Settlement confirmed £49.6m for Special Grant in the coming financial year. Funding for Bedfordshire Police will be up to £175.8m, an increase of up to £7.5m from 2025-26. Special Grant awards will be confirmed in due course.
The government has set out an ambitious programme of police reform in the Police Reform White Paper, and has committed to reform of the police funding model.