Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the proportion of children with Special Educational Needs statements in England compared with other parts of the UK.

The numbers of education, health and care (EHC) plans in England for those aged 0-25-years-old, and the proportions of pupils in schools with such plans are published at SEN2, which can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans, and SEN in England, which can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england. This system of issuing EHC plans has replaced that for issuing statements of special educational need.

Education is a devolved matter and there are different systems for supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The statutory criteria for eligibility for EHC plans in England are not replicated in the other parts of the United Kingdom. Although there are some similarities over the approach to supporting pupils with SEND across the four nations, any direct comparison of the relevant data should be treated with caution.