Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many local authorities have requested permission to transfer more than 0.5 per cent out of the schools block to pay for high-needs SEND provision outside mainstream schools.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has received requests from 21 local authorities to transfer more than 0.5% out of the schools block to another block within the dedicated schools grant. He cannot advise as to whether the funding transferred is to be spent on mainstream or non-mainstream provision as that information is not held centrally.