Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what powers does she have to help ensure schools comply with (a) paragraph 6.81 of the SEN Code of Practice and (b) Equality Act 2010.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND regulations set out the detail that schools must include in special educational needs (SEN) information reports. The SEND Code of Practice states that schools should ensure that the information is easily accessible by young people and parents, and is set out in clear, straightforward language.

The Ofsted inspection toolkit states that, in gathering evidence about supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), inspectors must consider the extent to which published SEN information reports are easily accessible and accurately describe the school’s provision and support for pupils with SEN.

The department has published guidance to help schools understand their legal duties under the Equality Act 2010: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7e3237ed915d74e33f0ac9/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf.

The department has also issued further guidance to help support school governing boards understand their roles and responsibilities, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sen-and-disability-duties-guidance-for-school-governing-boards/special-educational-needs-sen-and-disabilities-guidance-for-school-governing-boards.

There are a range of resources available to school leaders and governors to support in the creation of accessible SEN Information Reports.

We will set out our proposals for SEND reform in the upcoming Schools White Paper and will consult widely on these proposals, continuing to work with a wide range of partners to refine and deliver them.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has she taken to help ensure schools comply with (a) paragraph 6.81 of the SEN Code of Practice and (b) Equality Act 2010.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND regulations set out the detail that schools must include in special educational needs (SEN) information reports. The SEND Code of Practice states that schools should ensure that the information is easily accessible by young people and parents, and is set out in clear, straightforward language.

The Ofsted inspection toolkit states that, in gathering evidence about supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), inspectors must consider the extent to which published SEN information reports are easily accessible and accurately describe the school’s provision and support for pupils with SEN.

The department has published guidance to help schools understand their legal duties under the Equality Act 2010: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7e3237ed915d74e33f0ac9/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf.

The department has also issued further guidance to help support school governing boards understand their roles and responsibilities, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sen-and-disability-duties-guidance-for-school-governing-boards/special-educational-needs-sen-and-disabilities-guidance-for-school-governing-boards.

There are a range of resources available to school leaders and governors to support in the creation of accessible SEN Information Reports.

We will set out our proposals for SEND reform in the upcoming Schools White Paper and will consult widely on these proposals, continuing to work with a wide range of partners to refine and deliver them.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost of providing written guidance to schools on how to write accessible SEN Information Reports.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND regulations set out the detail that schools must include in special educational needs (SEN) information reports. The SEND Code of Practice states that schools should ensure that the information is easily accessible by young people and parents, and is set out in clear, straightforward language.

The Ofsted inspection toolkit states that, in gathering evidence about supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), inspectors must consider the extent to which published SEN information reports are easily accessible and accurately describe the school’s provision and support for pupils with SEN.

The department has published guidance to help schools understand their legal duties under the Equality Act 2010: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7e3237ed915d74e33f0ac9/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf.

The department has also issued further guidance to help support school governing boards understand their roles and responsibilities, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sen-and-disability-duties-guidance-for-school-governing-boards/special-educational-needs-sen-and-disabilities-guidance-for-school-governing-boards.

There are a range of resources available to school leaders and governors to support in the creation of accessible SEN Information Reports.

We will set out our proposals for SEND reform in the upcoming Schools White Paper and will consult widely on these proposals, continuing to work with a wide range of partners to refine and deliver them.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she plans to respond to the letter sent on 12 December 2025 by the hon. Member for Twickenham.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I apologise for the delay in responding to the Hon Member, a response was issued on 18 February 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce diagnostic waiting times for endometriosis in (a) England and (b) Twickenham constituency.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Patients waiting for an endometriosis diagnosis may receive diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound, though the only definitive way to diagnose endometriosis is by a laparoscopic procedure. A laparoscopy is also used to treat endometriosis.

To improve diagnosis times, we are transforming diagnostic services and taking steps to increase diagnostic capacity. This includes expanding existing community diagnostic centres (CDCs), building up to five new ones as part of the £600 million of capital funding for diagnostics in 2025/26 and opening more CDCs 12 hours per day, seven days a week.

The NHS South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB), in which the Twickenham constituency sits, is commissioning additional diagnostic activity over the next three years, with an estimated 17% growth by 2028/29. This will be supported through the well-established CDC programme developed by the ICB. Four CDCs operate across south west London, including the Kingston CDC. These CDCs are delivering key diagnostic tests, including MRI and ultrasound.

The ICB has also prioritised the development of women’s health hubs across south west London, based on a pilot in Kingston and Richmond Borough to improve use of community gynaecology services. This will reduce demand on acute hospital services and improve waiting times for those patients requiring access to specialists, including for endometriosis diagnostics and management.

The Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust plans to carry out additional treatments in February and March for endometriosis, delivering 600 additional ultrasounds to reduce the waiting time for patients waiting for gynaecology services.

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