Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a shortfall in SEND education provision within Cheshire East on SEND children; and whether she plans to take steps to increase this provision.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) sits with local authorities.

The department supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with SEND through annual high needs capital funding. This can be used to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings. It can also be used to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.

We understand that local authorities, including Cheshire East, will want to be aware of further funding in order to develop an approach to future high needs provision and we will confirm plans for future high needs capital funding in due course.