Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects on SEND provision of transferring SEND responsibilities from central government to regional authorities.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Some regional bodies, including Mayoral Strategic Authorities, are already working to support local authorities across their regions, as those local authorities deliver their statutory duties relating to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The department will continue to work with regional authorities to consider how they could further support our reforms to the SEND system to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND. There will be further announcements on devolution in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards they will retain to ensure national consistency in educational standards following the implementation of plans to reform funding for special educational needs and disabilities provision in mainstream and specialist schools.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have appointed an independent panel of experts, led by education and health co-chairs, to advise on what approaches, strategies, and tools should be included in the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages.

The Standards will set out the provision that ordinarily should be in every setting across the 0 to 25 system. This is in addition to the evidence-based tools, strategies and approaches for educators to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Specialist Provision Packages describe the support available for children and young people with the most complex needs. These measures are designed to create a consistent, high-quality offer, wherever they live, thereby ending the post code lottery of support.

We will develop a national cost framework for these packages, and we expect to engage with stakeholders and consult on any new funding arrangements in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform funding for special educational needs and disabilities provision in mainstream and specialist schools.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department has published the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ Schools White Paper, alongside a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) consultation, which set out our plans for reform, including those relating to funding. We have also published additional information on SEND Reform for those leading and working in mainstream schools, and a summary of what the SEND reforms mean for specialist provision, including special schools, which are available on GOV.UK.

In taking forward these plans, our aim is both to establish a fair mainstream school funding system that directs funding to where it is needed, enabling improved support for children with SEND, and to create a fair, transparent system that gives specialist schools stable, predictable funding to deliver high-quality education and integrated support for children with the most complex needs. We will consult on proposals for specific funding changes as these plans are further developed.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had regarding the devolution of education and skills powers to mayoral combined authorities.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department engages regularly with Mayoral Strategic Authorities on a wide range of issues, including the devolved skills powers and funding they hold, and their role as leaders in their local skills systems. Skills devolution is an important mechanism for enabling more responsive and locally tailored provision that meets the needs of learners, employers and regional economies.

The government recognises the value of empowering Strategic Authorities to shape skills provision in line with local priorities. Through ongoing engagement, the department will continue to explore opportunities to build on existing devolution arrangements, ensuring that skills investment supports local growth and delivers outcomes that reflect the needs of communities across England.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial sustainability of the private school sector.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The government has not made any assessment of the financial sustainability of the private school sector. It is for private schools, as private businesses, to ensure their businesses remain viable.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of restoring the 24 Gigawatts target for nuclear energy.

Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

As we enter the new golden age of nuclear, this government has committed almost £17 billion across the Spending Review period to the most ambitious nuclear new build programme for a generation, including Sizewell C and the Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) small modular reactor programme.

The government is focused on enabling nuclear projects to support the UK's long-term energy needs, including through the Advanced Nuclear Framework, to support private sector-led advanced nuclear projects.

Furthermore, GBE-N has been tasked with identifying other suitable sites that could host a potential further large-scale nuclear project.

Found: Paddington Chair, Faraday Ventures Committee member, London Assembly, Greater London Authority Baroness Barran

Found: The Committee met in Committee Room 4 Present: Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (Chair) Baroness Barran

Found: :30am on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 Present: Baroness Andrews Lord Bailey of Paddington Baroness Barran

Found: Liverpool Baroness Sugg Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Baroness Barran

Found: 2026 10.35 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (The Chair); Baroness Barran

Found: at 10:30am on Tuesday, 7 July 2026 Present: Lord Gascoigne (Chair) Baroness Andrews Baroness Barran

Found: meeting Members present: Lord Gascoigne (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Lord Bailey of Paddington; Baroness Barran

Found: 2026 Present: Lord Gascoigne (Chair) Baroness Andrews Lord Bailey of Paddington Baroness Barran

Found: Tuesday 7 July 2026 10.50 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Andrews (in The Chair); Baroness Barran

Found: , held at 10.30am on Thursday 18th June The Committee met in Committee Room 3 Present: Baroness Barran

Found: The Committee met in Committee Room 3 Present: Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws (Chair) Baroness Barran

Found: The Committee met in Committee Room 1 Present: Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (Chair) Baroness Barran

Found: McManus (specialist adviser) Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Baroness Barran

Found: Apologies and notices Apologies were received from Baroness Barran, Lord Gascoigne, Baroness Griffin

Found: meeting Members present: Lord Gascoigne (The Chair); Baroness Andrews; Lord Bailey of Paddington; Baroness Barran

Found: Baroness Barran: Jonathan, you talked about providing data and evidence.

Found: 2026 10.45 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (The Chair); Baroness Barran

Found: evidence: Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Thursday 18 June 2026 11.40 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Barran

Found: evidence: Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Thursday 18 June 2026 10.35 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Barran

Found: 2026 11.40 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (The Chair); Baroness Barran

Found: 2026 10.40 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (The Chair); Baroness Barran

Found: Act post-legislative scrutiny Thursday 21 May 2026 11.40 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Barran

Found: Act post-legislative scrutiny Thursday 21 May 2026 10.40 am Watch the meeting Members present: Baroness Barran

No description available