Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 31 July 2024 to Question 1512 on Special Educational Needs, how her Department monitors whether the Safety Valve programme leads to improvements in SEND service.

Safety Valve agreements are established only when both the local authority and the department agree that the proposals will improve services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The department regularly reviews the implementation of all Safety Valve agreements through a monitoring process that takes place three times a year. These reviews are not published, in order to secure free and frank discussion between the local authority and the department.

Norfolk's agreement is currently subject to review, and the local authority is working with the department on a revised proposal within the programme's framework.