Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities are supported to meet (a) timescales and (b) legal thresholds for assessments for child Education and Health Care plans.

The special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice makes clear that local authorities must give their decision, in response to any request for an education health care (EHC) needs assessment, within a maximum of six weeks from when the request was received or the point at which a child or young person was brought to the local authority's attention.

This year, local authorities have access to £51.3 billion to deliver their core services, including SEND services. Local authorities have the flexibility to spend according to local needs and priorities, including to undertake EHC needs assessments.

The Department for Education supports, and where needed challenges, local authorities to meet their statutory duties for SEND where there are long standing delays.

In addition, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission continue with their full inspection programme and officials, working with our team of SEND advisers and colleagues in NHS England, continue to provide support and challenge to help improve performance. Depending on the underlying issues a local authority faces, we commission specialist support from our delivery partners, or facilitate or fund peer to peer or regional support to address issues.