Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to waive the Secure English Language Test requirement for foundation year students applying for study visas from the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Government is keeping all existing visa pathways under review in response to events in Gaza. Palestinians who wish to settle in the UK can do so via the existing routes available.
The English language requirements on the Student route are designed to ensure that Students being offered places to study in the UK are genuine students who also genuinely possess the English language ability required to see their course through to completion.
Officials are working across government to address the complex issues arising from the current situation in Gaza.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle racism in sport.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government’s stance is unequivocal: racism has absolutely no place in our society, and no place in sport and activity. We are committed to stamping it out, from the elite level to the grassroots, ensuring that sport truly is for everyone, regardless of their background, or ethnicity.
The Government is working closely with the sector, particularly its Arm’s Length Bodies Sport England and UK Sport, and the national governing bodies, to tackle racism and discrimination in sport.
The online abuse directed at many athletes is appalling and deeply wrong. We stand with them in condemning it and demanding safer online experiences for everyone.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to Question 65380 on Leagrave Station: Lifts, whether the completed 2023 Network Rail feasibility study for lifts at Leagrave station will expedite the progress of upgrades at the station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This included Leagrave railway station. We expect to provide an update to stakeholders during the summer.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Sport England’s Planning Statutory Consultee status on the provision of sporting facilities in new housing developments.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is reviewing the statutory consultee system, including Sport England, to promote growth and unblock building.
The statutory consultee system must work in support of development and economic growth—reflecting the central place of these objectives in the Government’s plan for change. A process is in place to consult on the impacts of removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including Sport England.
Access to open green spaces and playing fields is important, and we will work closely with MHCLG as part of their proposed reforms, and we remain committed to ensuring our playing field capacity is protected.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the protection of sporting facilities in the planning process.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is reviewing the statutory consultee system, including Sport England, to promote growth and unblock building.
The statutory consultee system must work in support of development and economic growth—reflecting the central place of these objectives in the Government’s plan for change. A process is in place to consult on the impacts of removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including Sport England.
Access to open green spaces and playing fields is important, and we will work closely with MHCLG as part of their proposed reforms, and we remain committed to ensuring our playing field capacity is protected.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to support local and combined authorities in producing up to date Playing Pitch Strategies.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This Government is committed to expanding access to community and grassroots sport. Sport has the power to bring people together, to boost physical and mental health and act as social hubs in our communities.
We believe that in order to deliver fundamental change on inactivity levels, sport and physical activity needs to be fully embedded into local systems, including health plans, so communities feel empowered to own outcomes. We are therefore committed to moving to a place-based approach to physical activity across Government Departments.
The Government is acting to support more people in getting onto the pitch wherever they live. In March, we announced that we would invest £98 million into grassroots sport facilities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme this year. We will build on this with at least £400 million invested into community sport facilities in the four years from 2026/27.
In England, our delivery partner the Football Foundation plans their investment pipeline based on Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which have been developed in partnership with local authorities, community Football Associations and other sport stakeholders. They are currently being refreshed to reflect the current landscape, with updated plans due to be completed in this year.
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 funding his Department has (a) allocated to and (b) spent on the treatment and care of individuals subject to female genital mutilation in each financial year since 2014-15.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Clinical services for women affected by female genital mutilation (FGM) are locally commissioned and include standard National Health Service delivery, for example in obstetrics and gynaecology, as well as maternity FGM clinics for pregnant women and FGM support clinics. The Department does not directly commission FGM support services and does not hold information on local spend on FGM services.