Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment her Department has made of the testimony evidence submitted to her Department on 15 July 2025 by Surrey County Council on SEND with the Department’s response entitled Local SEND Reform Feedback for Surrey, in which Q9 states "Surrey demonstrates strong engagement with parents, young people, schools and health partners".

The Local Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Reform Plan feedback provided to the Surrey Local Area Partnership was based only on the department’s assessment of Surrey’s Local SEND Reform Plan and is not a reflection of Surrey’s SEND performance more broadly. In the plan, Surrey Local Area Partnership demonstrated a strong commitment to co-production with meaningful engagement on the development of the plan across the partnership, but recognised that further strengthening of wider engagement is required.

Going forward, officials from the department and NHS England, alongside expert advisers, will regularly support and challenge Surrey as it implements the plan and strengthens the quality of existing support for children and young people with SEND. The department will continue to engage Parent Carer Forums and local stakeholders to assess the quality of partnership working and, where concerns are raised, will work with the local area to support the improvement and effective delivery of its plan.