Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and John Whittingdale

Monday 16th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

T3.  Although the Department is providing some extra funds to meet the additional costs of NICs in schools, those with a high number of SEND pupils such as All Saints’ primary in Maldon will still receive less than 50% of the increase. Will the Secretary of State look again at that aspect, which is another disincentive for mainstream schools taking SEND pupils?

[Bridget Phillipson]

In wider reform later this year through the schools White Paper—including to the SEND system—we will look at every way in which we can improve outcomes for children, including those with SEND. That will include looking at the funding mechanisms we inherited from the Conservative party.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and John Whittingdale

Thursday 4th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Whittingdale]

I agree entirely with my right hon. Friend. It is now absolutely essential that new estates should, as a matter of course, be linked up to superfast broadband. I commend Hampshire County Council for the actions it is taking to achieve that. My hon. Friend the Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy is meeting my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning to discuss what further measures we can take to ensure that other local authorities follow Hampshire’s lead.

[Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) (Lab)]

The north-east continues to lose out when it comes to lottery funding. What will Ministers do to ensure that there is greater transparency around the national lottery, so that we can keep up the pressure to shift money out of London to the regions?