Oral Answers to Questions

Olly Glover Excerpts

Monday 27th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Olly Glover (Didcot and Wantage) (LD)]

8. What steps her Department is taking to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

[Lewis Cocking (Broxbourne) (Con)]

10. What steps her Department is taking to improve special educational needs provision.

--- Later in debate ---

[Catherine McKinnell]

I appreciate the hon. Gentleman’s question and his concern about making advancements. Improving capital provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities is a priority for this Government, which is why we have allocated £740 million of additional investment to create those additional places in mainstream and special schools. I am more than happy to look at the case he raises—indeed, it might also be for the Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan), to look at.

[Olly Glover]

In Oxfordshire, the high needs of our accumulated deficit is expected to rise to £77.1 million by the end of 2025, and across England it is expected to rise to nearly £6 billion in the same period. Does the Minister agree that, in the long term, a shift towards inclusive education, early intervention and enhanced support in mainstream schools is essential to create a sustainable and effective system that meets the needs of all children and young people, and will she commit to delivering it?