Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she plans to take to reduce waiting times for appeals through special educational needs and disability tribunal hearings.
Answered by Heidi Alexander - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Although the First-tier Tribunal (SEND) has responded well to the significant increase in appeals it has experienced in recent years, we acknowledge that more needs to be done to reduce the time parents and young people have to wait to have their appeals determined. An additional 70 judges have been recruited for this jurisdiction and will begin sitting from September 2024, with further recruitment scheduled.
I look forward to working with my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and her Ministerial team to consider ways to reduce the demands on the tribunal so that the outstanding caseload, and the time within which the tribunal can determine appeals, can be brought down.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish all (a) papers and (b) assessments on the potential impact of charging VAT on independent schools' fees on (i) SEND provision, (ii) local authorities and (iii) state schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is working to carefully consider the impact of charging VAT on independent schools’ fees. This government will undertake appropriate analysis and assessment to support this process.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to not charge VAT on independent schools.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential public services, including investing in the state education system.
The Prime Minister has been clear that if a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan that requires them to attend a private school because their needs cannot be met in the state sector, they will not feel an impact from VAT being charged on fees. The Chancellor has also been clear that changes will not come into force until 2025.
Further details on this policy will be set out in due course. The Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders with an interest in Government policy, including VAT, as part of the policy development and implementation process as a matter of course.