Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support first time buyers with stamp duty.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Autumn Budget 2024, the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for additional dwellings were increased by two percentage points from 3% to 5%. This measure will ensure that those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, have a greater advantage over second home buyers, landlords, and companies purchasing residential property. The OBR certified costing estimates that increasing the higher rates of SDLT by two percentage points is expected to result in 130,000 additional transactions over the next five years by first-time buyers and other people buying a primary residence.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with telecoms companies on preventing fraudulent phone calls.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government takes fraud seriously. DSIT works closely with the Home Office, who are responsible for fraud policy, as well as Ofcom who have duty to ensure that UK numbers are not misused, to ensure telecoms companies are doing all they can to prevent criminals hijacking their networks to reach victims. From January, new Ofcom rules will require operators to block calls from abroad which present as a UK number.
We continue to work with the telecoms sector to ensure that as threats evolve so too does the response.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help tackle fraudulent phone calls.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government takes fraud seriously. DSIT works closely with the Home Office, who are responsible for fraud policy, as well as Ofcom who have duty to ensure that UK numbers are not misused, to ensure telecoms companies are doing all they can to prevent criminals hijacking their networks to reach victims. From January, new Ofcom rules will require operators to block calls from abroad which present as a UK number.
We continue to work with the telecoms sector to ensure that as threats evolve so too does the response.
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, how much the National Institute for Health and Care Research has spent on research into (a) gynaecological and urogynaecological health, (b) asthma and (c) diabetes in each of the last ten years; and what proportion of the NIHR’s overall spend each of those amounts represents.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows how much the National Institute for Health and Care Research spent on research, as well as that spend as a percentage of total research spend, for gynaecological and urogynaecological, each year from 2014/15 to 2023/34, and in total over that period:
Financial year | Spend | Proportion of total research spend |
2014/15 | £3,820,598 | 1.3% |
2015/16 | £4,119,736 | 1.4% |
2016/17 | £4,598,586 | 1.6% |
2017/18 | £5,794,355 | 1.5% |
2018/19 | £4,876,814 | 1.3% |
2019/20 | £5,558,241 | 1.3% |
2020/21 | £5,255,747 | 1.3% |
2021/22 | £5,808,297 | 1.2% |
2022/23 | £5,472,805 | 1.0% |
2023/24 | £6,381,906 | 1.3% |
Total 2014 to 2024 | £51,687,086 | 1.3% |
Additionally, the following table shows how much the National Institute for Health and Care Research spent on research, as well as that spend as a percentage of total research spend, for asthma, each year from 2014/15 to 2023/34, and in total over that period:
Financial year | Spend | Proportion of total research spend |
2014/15 | £2,881,919 | 1.0% |
2015/16 | £3,148,352 | 1.1% |
2016/17 | £2,222,035 | 0.8% |
2017/18 | £4,451,842 | 1.2% |
2018/19 | £4,999,804 | 1.3% |
2019/20 | £8,823,017 | 2.1% |
2020/21 | £8,950,535 | 2.2% |
2021/22 | £7,378,125 | 1.5% |
2022/23 | £6,947,881 | 1.3% |
2023/24 | £8,733,915 | 1.7% |
Total 2014 to 2024 | £58,537,425 | 1.5% |
Finally, the following table shows how much the National Institute for Health and Care Research spent on research, as well as that spend as a percentage of total research spend, for diabetes, each year from 2014/15 to 2023/34, and in total over that period:
Financial year | Spend | Proportion of total research spend |
2014/15 | £8,886,001 | 3.1% |
2015/16 | £8,570,471 | 2.9% |
2016/17 | £8,899,325 | 3.0% |
2017/18 | £12,240,087 | 3.3% |
2018/19 | £13,180,008 | 3.4% |
2019/20 | £17,097,212 | 4.1% |
2020/21 | £16,899,589 | 4.1% |
2021/22 | £21,713,745 | 4.3% |
2022/23 | £20,346,333 | 3.8% |
2023/24 | £25,271,594 | 5.1% |
Total 2014 to 2024 | £153,104,366 | 3.8% |
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to provide guidance to Network Rail for the construction of lifts at Leagrave Station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I regret that Ministers are not yet able to comment on next steps regarding accessibility projects at specific stations including at Leagrave station. However, please be assured that we are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. Once we can confirm our approach to individual projects, DfT Ministers will of course ensure that MPs and other key stakeholders are updated.
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, how many invasive surgical procedures to (a) diagnose and (b) treat a reproductive health condition were not completed because of the level of pain experienced by the patient during that procedure in each of the last five years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is not held centrally. A range of procedures are used to investigate and treat gynaecological conditions. For example, ultrasound can be used in the diagnosis of fibroids, hysteroscopy can be used to investigate symptoms such as unexplained vaginal bleeding, and laparoscopy can be used to diagnose and treat endometriosis.
The Government recognises that some procedures, such as hysteroscopy, can result in pain, and the level of pain experienced will vary between individual women. It is important that healthcare professionals provide women with information prior to their procedure so that women can make an informed decisions about the procedure and pain relief options, including the option of local or general anaesthetic.
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 proportion of GP practices are commissioned to fit long-acting reversible contraception for purposes of gynaecological care; and what the (a) fitting fee and (b) cost is of fitting long-acting reversible contraception in primary care.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on the proportion of general practices commissioned to fit long-acting reversible contraception for the purposes of gynaecological care, as well as the fitting fee and cost of fitting in primary care, is not collected centrally.
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 progress the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has made in developing guidelines for polycystic ovary syndrome.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following referral from the Department, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently planning the development of a guideline on the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. The NICE is exploring the possibility of collaboration with a reputable, guidance-producing partner to enhance the speed and efficiency of this work. The NICE’s website will be updated at the earliest opportunity, when expected timings are confirmed.
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, how many women's health hubs have been established; and in which integrated care board areas they are located.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has invested £25 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system. The 2024/25 NHS priorities and operational planning guidance asks integrated care boards (ICBs) to establish and develop at least one women’s health hub in every ICB by December 2024, working in partnership with local authorities.
NHS England has asked the ICBs to report regularly on their progress implementing the funding. As of September 2024, 36 of the 42 ICBs had had reported to NHS England that their women’s health hub was open. Those ICBs are:
The Birmingham, RAND, and Cambridge Evaluation, published in September 2024, identified 17 women’s health hubs in England which were established between 2001 and 2022. The report is available at the following link:
https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hsdr/JYFT5036/#/abstract
The research notes the difficulty in locating models for women’s health hubs, meaning the research may not have captured all open women’s health hubs, in particular hubs that have opened more recently as locally-led initiatives.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) medical relief and (b) humanitarian aid his Department has provided to Sudan in the context of recent trends in the number of Cholera related deaths.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Sudan conflict has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world with 24.8 million people in need of assistance. The UK is extremely concerned about the increasing cases of cholera in Sudan with death rates from the outbreak surging up to three times the global average. The UK is responding though our humanitarian programmes in Sudan. The UK has spent £113.5 million this year in response to the conflict in Sudan and the resulting regional refugee crisis. As part of this funding, we support the Sudan Humanitarian Fund which provides flexible, muti-sector support to NGOs, including medical relief for the cholera outbreak.