Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools are equipped to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities; and what additional (a) support, (b) resources and (c) training she is providing to improve (i) accessibility, (ii) inclusion and (iii) personalised learning in mainstream education.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
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.
The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need. This includes strengthening accountability for inclusivity, including through Ofsted, and encouraging schools to set up resourced provision or special educational needs units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.
High quality teaching is central to ensuring that all pupils, including those with SEND, are given the best possible opportunity to achieve in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers over the course of this parliament. To support all teachers, the department is implementing a range of teacher training reforms to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND.
On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs). The qualification will play a key role in improving outcomes for pupils with SEND, by ensuring SENCOs consistently receive high quality, evidence-based training on how best to support children with SEND.
The department is also providing almost £1 billion more for high needs budgets in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND. The department has also announced £740 million of high needs capital funding for the 2025/26 financial year to invest in places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the engagement of (a) disabled children and adults, (b) their families and (c) representative organisations, in consultations on health and social care policy development.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of the 10-Year Health Plan’s process, we are having the largest conversation in the National Health Service’s history. We are undertaking a range of activities, including deliberative events, focus groups, local system events, and partner engagement to hear from all communities. We have ensured this includes people with disabilities, their carers, and the organisations that represent them.
The independent commission into adult social care led by Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock, will start a national conversation about what social care should deliver for citizens. The details of this will be developed by the commission in due course, but we expect it will include engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience and unpaid carers, although this will be subject to the commission.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Mental Health Investment Standard (a) on meeting his Department's priorities and (b) in tackling historical disparities between mental and physical healthcare provision.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We remain committed to the Mental Health Investment Standard. All integrated care boards (ICBs) met the Standard for 2023/24 meaning that their investment in mental health services increased in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will set out expectations for mental health funding, including share of overall National Health Service expenditure in 2025/26, in due course, as required under section 3(2) of the Health and Care Act 2022. NHS England is also expected to confirm allocations of financial resources for 2025/26 to ICBs and issue its priorities and operational planning guidance for the NHS for 2025/26 shortly.
As part of our discussions on mental health funding, the Department and NHS England have taken into consideration the ability of ICBs to meet Mental Health Investment Standard requirements, the role that it has played in delivering the Government’s priorities for mental health services and the progress made in achieving greater parity between mental and physical health services and reducing mental health inequalities.
Ministers and officials hold discussions regularly with mental health partners on a range of issues, including the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the ability of Integrated Care Boards to meet Mental Health Investment Standard requirements.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We remain committed to the Mental Health Investment Standard. All integrated care boards (ICBs) met the Standard for 2023/24 meaning that their investment in mental health services increased in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will set out expectations for mental health funding, including share of overall National Health Service expenditure in 2025/26, in due course, as required under section 3(2) of the Health and Care Act 2022. NHS England is also expected to confirm allocations of financial resources for 2025/26 to ICBs and issue its priorities and operational planning guidance for the NHS for 2025/26 shortly.
As part of our discussions on mental health funding, the Department and NHS England have taken into consideration the ability of ICBs to meet Mental Health Investment Standard requirements, the role that it has played in delivering the Government’s priorities for mental health services and the progress made in achieving greater parity between mental and physical health services and reducing mental health inequalities.
Ministers and officials hold discussions regularly with mental health partners on a range of issues, including the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to continue with the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We remain committed to the Mental Health Investment Standard. All integrated care boards (ICBs) met the Standard for 2023/24 meaning that their investment in mental health services increased in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will set out expectations for mental health funding, including share of overall National Health Service expenditure in 2025/26, in due course, as required under section 3(2) of the Health and Care Act 2022. NHS England is also expected to confirm allocations of financial resources for 2025/26 to ICBs and issue its priorities and operational planning guidance for the NHS for 2025/26 shortly.
As part of our discussions on mental health funding, the Department and NHS England have taken into consideration the ability of ICBs to meet Mental Health Investment Standard requirements, the role that it has played in delivering the Government’s priorities for mental health services and the progress made in achieving greater parity between mental and physical health services and reducing mental health inequalities.
Ministers and officials hold discussions regularly with mental health partners on a range of issues, including the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had recent meetings with mental health experts on the effectiveness of the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We remain committed to the Mental Health Investment Standard. All integrated care boards (ICBs) met the Standard for 2023/24 meaning that their investment in mental health services increased in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will set out expectations for mental health funding, including share of overall National Health Service expenditure in 2025/26, in due course, as required under section 3(2) of the Health and Care Act 2022. NHS England is also expected to confirm allocations of financial resources for 2025/26 to ICBs and issue its priorities and operational planning guidance for the NHS for 2025/26 shortly.
As part of our discussions on mental health funding, the Department and NHS England have taken into consideration the ability of ICBs to meet Mental Health Investment Standard requirements, the role that it has played in delivering the Government’s priorities for mental health services and the progress made in achieving greater parity between mental and physical health services and reducing mental health inequalities.
Ministers and officials hold discussions regularly with mental health partners on a range of issues, including the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the role of the Mental Health Investment Standard in (a) meeting his Department's priorities and (b) tackling historical disparities between mental and physical healthcare provision.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We remain committed to the Mental Health Investment Standard. All integrated care boards (ICBs) met the Standard for 2023/24 meaning that their investment in mental health services increased in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will set out expectations for mental health funding, including share of overall National Health Service expenditure in 2025/26, in due course, as required under section 3(2) of the Health and Care Act 2022. NHS England is also expected to confirm allocations of financial resources for 2025/26 to ICBs and issue its priorities and operational planning guidance for the NHS for 2025/26 shortly.
As part of our discussions on mental health funding, the Department and NHS England have taken into consideration the ability of ICBs to meet Mental Health Investment Standard requirements, the role that it has played in delivering the Government’s priorities for mental health services and the progress made in achieving greater parity between mental and physical health services and reducing mental health inequalities.
Ministers and officials hold discussions regularly with mental health partners on a range of issues, including the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
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 strengthen the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We remain committed to the Mental Health Investment Standard. All integrated care boards (ICBs) met the Standard for 2023/24 meaning that their investment in mental health services increased in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will set out expectations for mental health funding, including share of overall National Health Service expenditure in 2025/26, in due course, as required under section 3(2) of the Health and Care Act 2022. NHS England is also expected to confirm allocations of financial resources for 2025/26 to ICBs and issue its priorities and operational planning guidance for the NHS for 2025/26 shortly.
As part of our discussions on mental health funding, the Department and NHS England have taken into consideration the ability of ICBs to meet Mental Health Investment Standard requirements, the role that it has played in delivering the Government’s priorities for mental health services and the progress made in achieving greater parity between mental and physical health services and reducing mental health inequalities.
Ministers and officials hold discussions regularly with mental health partners on a range of issues, including the Mental Health Investment Standard.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled people employed in the health and social care sector are afforded (a) reasonable adjustments, (b) support in the workplace and (c) other employment rights.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
All health and social care employers are expected to comply with employment legislation such as the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Equality Act 2010, which includes considerations for reasonable adjustments. Most social care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their pay, and terms and conditions, including any occupational health or wellbeing support, independent of the Government.
NHS Employers and Skills for Care provide comprehensive guidance to help employers in health and social care understand their legal obligations and how best to support employees with disabilities to have the best working experience possible.
Since 2019, NHS England has published the NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) which sets out metrics to enable organisations to understand the experiences of disabled staff. National Health Service trusts are required to report each year and publish a WDES annual report, which includes local data and an action plan.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) adequate and (b) sustainable funding for (i) social care and (ii) disability care services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
To enable local authorities to provide vital services such as adult social care, the Government is making up to £3.7 billion of additional funding available for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant, which can be used to address the range of pressures facing the adult social care sector. This is alongside an £86 million uplift to the Disabled Facilities Grant to support an approximate additional 7,800 adaptations to homes for those with social care needs, to reduce hospitalisations and prolong independence.
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, and are responsible for how they use the available funding to fulfil their duties under the Care Act (2014).
We are launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission is expected to begin in April 2025.
The commission will be comprehensive and will build on the expert proposals of other reviews, including that of Sir Andrew Dilnot, into care funding and support. It will be broader and wider than ever before, asking essential questions about the shape and future of the social care sector, including what long-term and sustainable funding solutions should look like.