Oral Answers to Questions

Bim Afolami Excerpts

Monday 19th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

The move to tax-free childcare is of course a Treasury and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs policy rather than a Department for Education one, but we made it clear in last week’s debate that there would be an extra six months to look into transitional considerations.

[Bim Afolami (Hitchin and Harpenden) (Con)]

T5. Will the Minister explain the Government’s approach to special educational needs funding in Hertfordshire and other areas? There is concern in many quarters that additional funding allocated to children with special needs is not being adequately ring-fenced at a local level.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Nadhim Zahawi)]

We have increased high needs funding, including by an additional £130 million this year. Local authorities are responsible for their high needs budgets. I have not heard wide concerns about funding not being used to support special educational needs, but I am of course happy to meet my right hon. Friend to discuss the matter further.