Jenny Riddell-Carpenter

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of almost £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion. Of that total, Suffolk County Council is being allocated over £124 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £10.3 million on this year’s DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is a 9% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.

As also announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is receiving compensation in recognition of the increase in National Insurance contributions paid by schools and other state-funded SEND provision. That funding is additional to the £1 billion increase in high needs funding. Due to timing constraints, it will be provided as a separate grant, alongside the 2025/26 DSG for local authorities. The department will provide further information on the allocations as soon as possible.

Academies are a crucial and valued part of our school system.

This government is proud of the change the academies movement has delivered for children. The government's mission is to break down the barriers for all children. We’re building on the academies programme to ensure that all children and every family has a core entitlement to a high standard curriculum taught by qualified, expert teachers, with space for innovation and flexibility beyond this.

The department wants high quality trusts to continue to grow where schools wish to join them and there is a strong case for them to do so.

Ofsted inspected local arrangements for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Suffolk in November 2023. Its report, which was published on 30 January 2024, concluded that there are widespread and/or systemic failings, leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently.

The department provides support and challenge to the Suffolk local area partnership by monitoring progress against its Priority Action Plan and improvement plan, and by providing advice and guidance through a SEND expert adviser. The partnership has also established an independently chaired SEND Improvement Board, to oversee progress.

This government is committed to providing the necessary support to improve the experiences for children and young people with SEND and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and alternative provision settings, and to ensure that special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

The department publishes statistics on all children with special educational needs (SEN) in schools here, which can be viewed at local authority level: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england.

The department also publishes statistics on all children and young people that have an education, health and care plan which ranges from ages 0-25 here, which can also be viewed at local authority level: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.

Protecting all communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities.

This Government set up the first ever Floods Resilience Taskforce, on 12th September. The Taskforce marks a new approach to preparing for flooding, and working between national, regional and local government.

As announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will invest £2.4 billion over two years to improve flood resilience and better protect communities across the country, including from coastal erosion.

Shoreline Management Plans are developed and owned by the local councils and coastal protection authorities. These provide long-term strategic plans which identify approaches for managing the flood and coastal erosion risks at every stretch of coastline.

Shoreline Management Plans have recently been refreshed with updated action plans. This follows several years of collaborative work between the Environment Agency and coastal groups.

We are currently considering the consultation outcome and the options for change. As soon as we have reached conclusions, we will publish a formal response to the consultation, summarising the views received and announcing the Government’s next steps for pavement parking policy.

The Thalidomide Health Grant is awarded to meet the health and wellbeing needs, present and future, of thalidomide survivors living in England.

In 2023, the Department put in place a new four-year grant agreement with the Thalidomide Trust, to administer the grant of approximately £40 million. The grant was made in recognition of the complex and highly specialised needs of people affected by thalidomide in England, particularly as they approach old age. The funding helps beneficiaries of the Thalidomide Trust to maintain control over their own health, enabling them to personalise the way their health and care needs are met, maintain independence, and minimise any further deterioration in their health.

There is a Deed of Covenant agreed between Diageo plc and the Thalidomide Trust, which is subject to periodic review by both parties, with beneficiary representatives involved in the process. The Department has no role in these periodic reviews.

Within the Suffolk and Northeast Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), three dentists have been recruited, although none of these are within the Suffolk coastal constituency. In the East of England in total, 11 dentists have been recruited under the dental recruitment scheme. The ICBs continue to work with practices in their area to support recruitment to these posts.

This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most, for three years.

Diagnosis is vital in getting people the support they need. To support recovery of the dementia diagnosis rates and implementation of the Dementia Care Pathway, NHS England has funded an evidence-based improvement project for two trusts in each region, 14 sites in total, to pilot tools to improve the diagnosis of dementia and the provision of support in care homes.

The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, and to work closely with the third sector in their geographical area to offer appropriate services.

To improve care for patients with dementia, NHS England's RightCare team is refreshing the RightCare Dementia Scenario and developing a dementia model pathway to provide a high-level view of what dementia care activity looks like for local areas. This will aid targeted support where appropriate.

The Building Safety Regulator is required by Section 81(2) of the Building Safety Act 2022 to assess applications for a building assessment certificate received from principal accountable persons. The Regulator has developed criteria for assessors to use based on the requirements of the Act and associated regulations.

The criteria used to assess building assessment certificate applications will be published in the next few weeks on the Building Safety Regulator’s website (https://buildingsafety.campaign.gov.uk/). The Regulator will promote the publication of the criteria using social media and via key industry stakeholders.

The Building Safety Regulator is required by Section 81(2) of the Building Safety Act 2022 to assess applications for a building assessment certificate received from principal accountable persons. The Regulator has developed criteria for assessors to use based on the requirements of the Act and associated regulations.

The criteria used to assess building assessment certificate applications will be published in the next few weeks on the Building Safety Regulator’s website (https://buildingsafety.campaign.gov.uk/). The Regulator will promote the publication of the criteria using social media and via key industry stakeholders.

The new regulatory approach for building control on higher-risk buildings puts the onus on applicants to demonstrate how they will comply with the Building Regulations. This is a fundamental shift in the approach to building control and regulation, ensuring building safety is at the heart of applications.

Within the period up to 30 June, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) received 606 applications for amendments to existing higher-risk buildings (HRB), with 12 determined within the eight week period and 271 extensions agreed with the applicant. Within this category, there were almost as many refused applications, totalling 260.

BSR received 62 new applications, with four determined within the 12 week period, 22 extensions agreed and 10 refusals.

An application can initially be invalidated when an applicant has not provided the most basic administrative documents or followed the process that demonstrates they comply with the Building Regulations. This is not a formal refusal and it provides the applicant with the opportunity to reconsider what documentation and information is required for the application. Refusal is when an application fails to demonstrate compliance with the Building Regulations after being assessed.

Up to 30 June 2024, the BSR has received 14 applications for completion certificates for existing higher risk buildings, agreed extensions for six buildings and refused four applications. No applications have been received, extended, or refused for new higher risk buildings at either single stage or multi-stage.

The BSR has requested applications for Building Assessment Certificates for 236 higher-risk buildings. Up to 30 June 2024 the BSR had received the documentation for 230 applications and these are currently being assessed by the BSR and its regulatory partners. No Building Assessment Certificates had been issued or refused by 30 June 2024.

This Government is committed to both building safety and housebuilding. Our expectation is that once the new requirements, systems and processes bed in and all parties get used to the building safety regulations, that timelines for processing applications are met much faster. The BSR has been building capacity and developing their operational functions to improve building safety and ensure we never see a repeat of the Grenfell tragedy.

The new regulatory approach for building control on higher-risk buildings puts the onus on applicants to demonstrate how they will comply with the Building Regulations. This is a fundamental shift in the approach to building control and regulation, ensuring building safety is at the heart of applications.

Within the period up to 30 June, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) received 606 applications for amendments to existing higher-risk buildings (HRB), with 12 determined within the eight week period and 271 extensions agreed with the applicant. Within this category, there were almost as many refused applications, totalling 260.

BSR received 62 new applications, with four determined within the 12 week period, 22 extensions agreed and 10 refusals.

An application can initially be invalidated when an applicant has not provided the most basic administrative documents or followed the process that demonstrates they comply with the Building Regulations. This is not a formal refusal and it provides the applicant with the opportunity to reconsider what documentation and information is required for the application. Refusal is when an application fails to demonstrate compliance with the Building Regulations after being assessed.

Up to 30 June 2024, the BSR has received 14 applications for completion certificates for existing higher risk buildings, agreed extensions for six buildings and refused four applications. No applications have been received, extended, or refused for new higher risk buildings at either single stage or multi-stage.

The BSR has requested applications for Building Assessment Certificates for 236 higher-risk buildings. Up to 30 June 2024 the BSR had received the documentation for 230 applications and these are currently being assessed by the BSR and its regulatory partners. No Building Assessment Certificates had been issued or refused by 30 June 2024.

This Government is committed to both building safety and housebuilding. Our expectation is that once the new requirements, systems and processes bed in and all parties get used to the building safety regulations, that timelines for processing applications are met much faster. The BSR has been building capacity and developing their operational functions to improve building safety and ensure we never see a repeat of the Grenfell tragedy.

The new regulatory approach for building control on higher-risk buildings puts the onus on applicants to demonstrate how they will comply with the Building Regulations. This is a fundamental shift in the approach to building control and regulation, ensuring building safety is at the heart of applications.

Within the period up to 30 June, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) received 606 applications for amendments to existing higher-risk buildings (HRB), with 12 determined within the eight week period and 271 extensions agreed with the applicant. Within this category, there were almost as many refused applications, totalling 260.

BSR received 62 new applications, with four determined within the 12 week period, 22 extensions agreed and 10 refusals.

An application can initially be invalidated when an applicant has not provided the most basic administrative documents or followed the process that demonstrates they comply with the Building Regulations. This is not a formal refusal and it provides the applicant with the opportunity to reconsider what documentation and information is required for the application. Refusal is when an application fails to demonstrate compliance with the Building Regulations after being assessed.

Up to 30 June 2024, the BSR has received 14 applications for completion certificates for existing higher risk buildings, agreed extensions for six buildings and refused four applications. No applications have been received, extended, or refused for new higher risk buildings at either single stage or multi-stage.

The BSR has requested applications for Building Assessment Certificates for 236 higher-risk buildings. Up to 30 June 2024 the BSR had received the documentation for 230 applications and these are currently being assessed by the BSR and its regulatory partners. No Building Assessment Certificates had been issued or refused by 30 June 2024.

This Government is committed to both building safety and housebuilding. Our expectation is that once the new requirements, systems and processes bed in and all parties get used to the building safety regulations, that timelines for processing applications are met much faster. The BSR has been building capacity and developing their operational functions to improve building safety and ensure we never see a repeat of the Grenfell tragedy.