School Funding: Special Educational Needs Debate

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Department: Department for Education

School Funding: Special Educational Needs

Lord Watts Excerpts
Thursday 23rd May 2024

(7 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
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I am delighted to join my noble friend in celebrating that success. That matter will be for individual parents in independent schools to work through. Independent schools have focused very much on supporting children and their parents where bursaries are required, but that is up to the parents and those schools.

Lord Watts Portrait Lord Watts (Lab)
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My Lords, the Government always ignore the fact that they have had 14 years of cuts before they then make an announcement of some extra funding—which normally works out to about £3.50 per school. When will the Minister take a realistic view that schools need massive improvements and massive increases in their budgets if they are to deliver a good service?

Baroness Barran Portrait Baroness Barran (Con)
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I am not sure where £60.7 billion relates to £3.50, as they are quite a way apart. I point the noble Lord to where our children are in the international league tables and the improvements we have made. He can roll his eyes, but facts are facts.