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Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving

23 February 2026

Lead MP

Bridget Phillipson

Debate Type

Ministerial Statement

At a Glance

Bridget Phillipson raised concerns about schools white paper: every child achieving and thriving in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Government Statement

Bridget Phillipson

EducationEconomyForeign AffairsWomen & EqualitiesChildren & Families

Government Statement

The Minister begins by addressing the unauthorized leak of today’s announcement, emphasising the need for a full investigation. She highlights the government's commitment to transforming education in response to the changing world of connectivity and uncertainty. The statement criticises previous efforts that failed to narrow the disadvantage gap and support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Key initiatives include removing child poverty, rolling out free breakfast clubs, expanding free school meals, and implementing a 30-hour childcare programme alongside Best Start family hubs and SEND practitioner funding. The Minister outlines three shifts in their vision for schools: from narrow to broad, focusing on a comprehensive curriculum; from sidelined to included, ensuring inclusive education for all children including those with special needs; and from withdrawn to engaged, fostering community partnerships. Specific measures include investing over £1.6 billion over the next three years to support inclusion in mainstream settings, introducing an individual support plan system for students needing additional assistance, and establishing 'Experts at Hand' initiative backed by £1.8 billion investment. The statement emphasises that children will have access to high standards across subjects like drama and art and introduces a year 8 reading test to ensure literacy proficiency. A new National Inclusion Standards is set out along with improvements in the mediation and complaints process for SEND. The Minister also commits to boosting maternity pay, encouraging school trusts, and setting high expectations through trust inspection by Ofsted.

David Simmonds Con

Kingston upon Hull East

Question

How does the minister respond to concerns over the funding and practical implementation of SEND reforms?

Minister reply

The Minister acknowledges that while the reforms represent a significant investment, they also involve changes in how resources are used within existing budgets. She emphasises ongoing consultations and engagement with stakeholders to ensure effective roll-out.

Tulip Siddiq Lab

Harrow East

Question

How will the new National Inclusion Standards improve support for pupils with SEND?

Minister reply

The Minister explains that the standards provide clear, evidence-based guidance to ensure all students receive appropriate and timely support. This includes improving mediation processes and making the SEND tribunal a genuine last resort.

Laura Trott Con

Sevenoaks

Question

Expressed concerns about unclear eligibility criteria for EHCPs, funding for ISPs, and the adequacy of £24,000 per year funding. Raised issues regarding wider school reforms such as removing academy orders by trusts and limitations on their ability to innovate. Questioned whether the reforms would save money.

Minister reply

The minister acknowledged the complexity of previous policies and highlighted the need for early intervention. She committed to establishing a panel with clinical and educational expertise to shape specialist provision packages and ensuring consistent standards. The transition to the new system will be phased over a decade, starting in 2030 at the earliest.

Diane Abbott Ind

Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Question

Asked about support for staff facing pressures and how reforms would address their needs. Raised concerns that disproportionately affected marginalized communities might lose access to support.

Minister reply

The minister recognised the need to recruit and retain staff and emphasised the importance of addressing workforce challenges. She highlighted broader efforts such as investing in early help, family prevention, and action on child poverty.

Edward Davey Lib Dem

Kingston and Surbiton

Question

I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of her statement. I declare an interest as my son, John, has an EHCP, which is critical to his education and to our whole family’s wellbeing. That is why we, like so many families, have been dreading today. We all know that the crisis in SEND must end—the fights, the exhaustion, the underfunding and the private profiteering all must change... Will the Secretary of State consider investing in universal screening and then active support for the child and their family earlier on? ... Can the Secretary of State guarantee that her changes will mean that the voices of parents—the real experts on their children—will at long last be heard when decisions are made? Finally, on changes to the pupil premium... Will she instead boost the pupil premium to put right the cuts and betrayals of the Conservative party?

Minister reply

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his approach, and I look forward to working with him in the weeks and months to come. We are investing £1 billion in rolling out Best Start family hubs, expanding early years education, school-based nurseries, and local authorities’ ability to develop early help... There will also be clear national accountability and national standards to move away from the postcode lottery that we have seen recently... The voices of parents will be heard as we move forward. We have launched our consultation which will run for 12 weeks... I am keen to address the fact that free school meals are quite a blunt way to assess disadvantage in a family.

Helen Hayes Lab

Dulwich and West Norwood

Question

I welcome the publication of the schools White Paper, the clear statement of intent from the Government on narrowing the attainment gap and the consultation on SEND reform... The Secretary of State knows that it is impossible to overstate the anxiety of parents and carers who have been failed by the current system about what reform will mean for them, and rebuilding their trust must be central to the Government’s approach. Parents and carers are particularly anxious about the requirement in the proposals for a child with an education, health and care plan to be reassessed at the end of their current stage of education... What assurance can the Secretary of State give parents who are worried about this change that reassessment will not mean loss of support?

Minister reply

I am grateful to the Chair of the Education Committee for her work. I have spoken to parents across the country about the tough fights they had to go through to secure the support their children need... Children should be assessed annually through the EHCP process, but that does not happen frequently or well. Our intention is to deliver better, expanded support more quickly for a wider group of children and manage that carefully.

Iain Duncan Smith Con

Chingford and Woodford Green

Question

I welcome the right hon. Lady’s ambition, but where in all this will she retain the power to do something about councils that simply fail completely? An Ofsted report of my local council referred to it as disjointed and having weak co-ordination and limited accountability... Will the Secretary of State explain what can be done about local councils’ failure?

Minister reply

The transition in terms of the phased review will take place in 2029-30 for commencement in the academic year starting in 10 years. The children to whom that would apply are currently in year 2... There will be more support like an EHCP available without the fight for an EHCP. We used to have a system that delivered more of that, but it was pulled away and needs to be made central again.

Peter Swallow Lab

Bracknell

Question

Countless parents in my constituency have described the constant fight to get support for their SEND children. They have to battle to get a piece of paper that sets out rights that they then cannot access because the support is not there... Will the Secretary of State set out what the new system will mean for the day-to-day lives of children and their parents, and how we can rebuild trust after so many have been let down for so long?

Minister reply

The principal difference is that support will come earlier and more quickly, and families will not have to fight so hard to get what they need. Children will not need a statutory plan or an EHCP to receive targeted support... The investment announced today alone is an extra £4 billion which will make a huge difference.

Oliver Dowden Con

Hertsmere

Question

For parents of children with special educational needs in Hertsmere and across the country, one of the greatest frustrations they feel is understanding what is going on in relation to their children. What reassurance can the Secretary of State give parents that councils will be required to keep them up to date about what is happening with their children and what provision they will have prior to the final outcome, whether it is an ECHP or a specialist school?

Minister reply

I have heard that in relation to lots of councils in lots of parts of the country. It is clear that a wider problem arose out of what the 2014 reforms asked of councils, but it is also clear that there is huge variation between councils. Some are doing this incredibly well: they have invested and created the places that are needed, they make assessments happen quickly and they work well with parents. It is also very clear to me that there are councils doing this badly and poorly. I say to them that there will be no excuses for failure with the extra investment that is coming.

Mark Sewards Lab

Leeds South West and Morley

Question

As a teacher and now an MP, I know how broken our current SEND system is. Many parents are deeply scarred by their fights with it, and will understandably treat any reforms with scepticism, no matter our intention. I absolutely welcome the introduction of individual support plans alongside EHCPs to ensure that students get the support they deserve. What assurances can the Secretary of State give parents that we will genuinely enforce the legal right to an education with these new plans?

Minister reply

Through the plans that we are setting out today, we will be expanding legal rights for children. More children will be able to benefit from targeted support than is the case at the moment. Every child should have the right to go to a great local mainstream school. We cannot allow the situation to continue where many children are sent far from home, away from their friends and not fully established within their communities. Although I recognise parents’ real worry and anxiety that the system is not working, change is difficult and it needs to be managed properly.

Julian Smith Con

Skipton and Ripon

Question

I welcome the section on training in the SEND consultation, but much of it is not statutory. Will the Secretary of State confirm her thinking on that? Will she also confirm that autism and profiles of it such as pathological demand avoidance will be at the centre of that training?

Minister reply

We have seen some of the greatest expansion in need around autism, and it is right that we better equip our teachers and staff with what they need to support children. A new requirement will be set out in the SEND code of practice for all settings to ensure that staff receive training on SEND and inclusion. We will embed that expectation across early years, schools and colleges.

Tahir Ali Lab

Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley

Question

I welcome the statement. Many parents in my constituency are frustrated with the current system, which is broken, not fit for purpose and does not meet the needs of children. Will the Secretary of State let us know the details about the complex cases, because we do not want this to be at the cost of caring for those children’s needs? Secondly, for those who do end up at tribunal, tribunals must be properly funded to stop the current lengthy delays of over 12 months.

Minister reply

We will retain a role for the tribunal in the new system. It is also why we are setting out our intention to ensure that more children with complex needs can be assessed more quickly. Often, when children are born with life-limiting conditions or very complex needs, their parents spend months and years getting an assessment, even when their child may not have long to live. We have to bring that to an end.

Manuela Perteghella Lib Dem

Stratford-on-Avon

Question

Prioritising early years intervention is fundamental to stopping needs from escalating and affecting the entire educational journey of children. What concrete steps will the Government take to invest, for example, in universal screening programmes, high-quality specialist training for all staff, or even for each school to have access to a speech and language therapist, so that support is given at the point of need?

Minister reply

We are massively expanding investment in the early years, and early years staff will be part of that training requirement. We will make sure that they have the resources to do that. I agree that access to speech and language provision is one of the greatest issues that has been identified.

Sureena Brackenridge Lab

Wolverhampton North East

Question

Those who work in education, as I did, will know of the creaking bureaucratic SEND system that, too often, puts specialists behind paperwork rather than directly benefiting children. Will the Secretary of State explain how her SEND reforms will put children’s needs first and give schools access to specialists such as speech and language specialists and education psychologists when needed, and not after some awful adversarial process?

Minister reply

I have heard time and again from educational psychologists, SENCOs and speech and language therapists that they spend all that time training to work with children to deliver better support and to drive up standards across a setting, but they find themselves sat at a desk sending emails and filling out forms. I want those amazing and talented professionals to work with children.

Lewis Cocking Con

Broxbourne

Question

The SEND system needs urgent and serious reform. Families I speak to in Broxbourne have been battling against an unfair funding formula that sees pupils get thousands of pounds less than elsewhere in the country. Will the Secretary of State reassure me and my constituents that historical demand will no longer be a factor in allocating funding, so that the system is truly fair for every child?

Minister reply

We will consult on whether to make changes to the national funding formula. But this change is urgent and much needed, and it falls to this Labour Government to deliver.

Ian Lavery Lab

Blyth and Ashington

Question

Every MP in the House will have had parents explain the difficulties they face accessing support for their children. They are on their knees; they are desperate; they are distraught. The system is adversarial and quite often has a negative end result. Will my right hon. Friend advise me and reassure this House that any new system set up will be quick, easy, accessible and less adversarial?

Minister reply

Yes, that is exactly our intention. I know that parents have fought really hard, and will continue to fight really hard, to get the support that their children need, but there are lots of families in our country who do not have the fight in them, because of poverty or disadvantage.

Caroline Voaden Lib Dem

South Devon

Question

I applaud the Government’s attempt to increase mainstream inclusion for children with SEND, and welcome the £1.8 billion set aside to ensure that children have access to experts, but as far as I can see, there is absolutely no mention in the White Paper of any new funding for increasing the number of teaching assistants, who will be vital in delivering this expansion of mainstream provision. Can the Secretary of State explain how the Government will achieve their aim of making mainstream schools more inclusive for students with SEND without a serious uplift in the number of assistants supporting classroom teachers?

Minister reply

We are already investing much more in our schools. Today, we are setting out additional, new investment, including £1.6 billion that will allow schools to consider how best they can meet need.

Darren Paffey Lab

Southampton Itchen

Question

I thank my right hon. Friend for a statement that not only tries to fix the deep cracks that have formed in this broken system in recent years, but sets out a wholesale vision for transforming it. This is long overdue and much needed by parents, students and teachers. She will know that although the system is on its knees, there is a lot of good practice already out there. How will she harness the best that we have in our schools, including in Southampton, to ensure the earliest and fullest support for our children?

Minister reply

I agree strongly with my hon. Friend and, like him, I have seen fantastic practice that works incredibly well. It can be variable, and we will make sure that there are clear quality standards for more specialist provision in the mainstream.

Charlie Dewhirst Con

Bridlington and The Wolds

Question

I welcome the ambition to look again at the funding formula that disadvantaged children in my constituency. I also welcome additional provision for children with SEND in mainstream settings, but many need specialist settings. One of the biggest problems locally is a lack of places in special schools. In Bridlington, a plan for a new 120-place school was approved in May 2024. Can officials work with my local authority to get that school built at the earliest possible opportunity?

Minister reply

We are investing more in specialist provision and have set out £3.7 billion of capital investment, but I would be happy to arrange a meeting between the hon. Gentleman and officials or a Minister to discuss this case further.

Jon Trickett Lab

Normanton and Hemsworth

Question

I heard from a constituent struggling to get proper recognition of his children’s needs. When can he and others expect results from the Secretary of State's announcement? On the attainment gap, will she look particularly at coalfield communities? In my constituency, the least deprived achieve targets for GCSEs, but the most deprived are less than 25%, which is unacceptable.

Minister reply

As a fellow coalfields MP, I would be happy to do that. We recognise the challenges families face and will invest in capital, people and training from this year to improve the system.

Rebecca Paul Con

Reigate

Question

The key concern from parents and carers in Reigate, Redhill, Banstead and villages is that they are still fighting for support. Can the Education Secretary reassure my constituents that they will not lose the hard-fought-for support?

Minister reply

We will expand and improve support for more children in our system. There will be greater legal rights for a greater number of children, and we ensure parents do not wait for lengthy bureaucratic processes.

Samantha Niblett Lab

South Derbyshire

Question

I was grateful to the Secretary of State for coming to my constituency and meeting some SEND parents. They felt heard. Will she deliver this White Paper, not a case of 'this is what we will do to you,' but one that listens to their views?

Minister reply

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her contributions about families’ experiences. Their voices have been heard loud and clear in the process, and we are continuing consultation.

Josh Babarinde Lib Dem

Eastbourne

Question

Hundreds of schools across the country have received cash under the school rebuilding programme, but now their obligations will change. What steps will the Secretary of State take to support those schools in adjusting their plans?

Minister reply

We have set out our education estates strategy for inclusive by design schools and buildings that last. If the hon. Gentleman would like to share further information, I would be happy to look into it.

Christopher Vince Lab Co-op

Harlow

Question

As a former teacher, I cannot emphasise enough how much hope this White Paper gives me. Residents in my constituency found EHCPs were not worth the paper they were written on; schools could not meet their legal requirements. How will reforms benefit parents and children?

Minister reply

Our intention is that parents across the country will not have to fight for long, and when a need is identified or extra support is required, our schools will have resources and expertise to put it in place immediately.

Alison Griffiths Con

Bognor Regis and Littlehampton

Question

In my constituency, the number of EHCPs has risen by 75% since 2019, but funding to support them has only risen by 37%. Can the Secretary of State reassure parents that correct funding will be in place for support?

Minister reply

We are investing more in support with extra £4 billion announced today. The increase in EHCPs is partly due to growing need and becoming the vehicle for getting support.

Leigh Ingham Lab

Stafford

Question

Many constituents have spoken of their despair about the SEND system, leading me to produce my report, 'Better SEND support'. I particularly welcome the increase in early intervention. Could the Minister say more about how the Government intend to implement it in towns like Stafford?

Minister reply

Through our Best Start family hubs, we will ensure a SEND-trained professional in every setting and identify needs sooner to prevent problems from escalating.

Mike Martin Lib Dem

Tunbridge Wells

Question

I congratulate the Secretary of State on the White Paper. She clearly cares about this, which bodes well for the outcome. For too long, the cost of SEND support has fallen on local authorities. Will much of that cost now come back to the DFE? What does that mean for local authority budgets?

Minister reply

Through what we have set out on local government funding, we are putting in place support for councils with deficits, but it is conditional on them working with us to provide places and deliver systems.

Mohammad Yasin Lab

Bedford

Question

Parents, teachers and children recognise the need for SEND reform and stronger inclusion. Can the Secretary of State confirm that inclusion will not mean conformity? Children who do not meet EHCP threshold should still receive full specialist support without a fight. Is there a fully funded workforce plan to provide expertise needed for every child to thrive? What is the mechanism for appealing against decisions?

Minister reply

Yes, we will ensure children get support without needing to escalate things. It was a pleasure to join my hon. Friend at a family hub and see what can be achieved if we support children when they are young.

Rebecca Smith Con

South West Devon

Question

Schools right across my constituency already have inclusion bases, but often there is tension between schools and parents who want better support through EHCPs which they are having to wait for. What is the Secretary of State’s thinking on ensuring that relationship remains strong?

Minister reply

Agreeing it will be essential for schools and parents—and Government—to work together, we set out clear expectations about engagement between schools and parents.

Jennifer Craft Lab

Thurrock

Question

Welcomes the Secretary of State’s statement and seeks clarity on accountability within individual support plans, health authorities' role in delivering services, and strengthening guidance on reasonable adjustments for schools under the Equality Act 2010.

Minister reply

Acknowledges the importance of accountability around individual support plans, highlights the role of an independent SEND professional in complaints panels, emphasises the need for health authorities to play their full role alongside local authorities, and agrees on the need for clarity on reasonable adjustments.

Suella Braverman Con

Fareham and Waterlooville

Question

Claims that the changes announced today will not help parents currently in the system this year or next year, creating a decade of uncertainty.

Minister reply

Disagrees with the claim, noting the phased transition and immediate support to allow children to access support more quickly.

Justin Madders Lab

Ellesmere Port and Bromborough

Question

Asks how we can ensure that when fixing the system, we also fix the culture in schools, particularly concerning welcoming environments for children with SEND.

Minister reply

Emphasises collaboration between schools and parents to implement practical changes that improve a child's attendance, sense of belonging, and outcomes.

Ben Obese-Jecty Con

Huntingdon

Question

Concerned about the long delays in Cambridgeshire county council delivering EHCPs and seeks reassurance that these plans will address those concerns.

Minister reply

Pledges to hold local authorities accountable for delivery, provides support from this year onwards to allow children access to support more quickly.

Toby Perkins Lab

Chesterfield

Question

Agrees that decisions made by experts closer to the child in their communities will not only improve services but also ensure better use of resources.

Minister reply

Agrees with Toby Perkins and notes that professionals often make decisions about children they have not seen recently.

Jessica Brown-Fuller Lib Dem

Chichester

Question

Invites the Secretary of State to visit Chichester University's teacher training programme which embeds inclusivity at its core.

Minister reply

Expresses interest in hearing more about the approach and is committed to reviewing standards in initial teacher training.

Janet Daby Lab

Lewisham East

Question

Asks how success will be measured for SEND children, particularly focusing on foster carers' assessment difficulties.

Minister reply

Highlights better academic outcomes, improved adult life outcomes, and independent living as measures of success.

Ben Spencer Con

Runnymede and Weybridge

Question

Questions the anticipated reduction in children with the highest need by 2030 and asks if this will be due to reduced needs or provision.

Minister reply

Anticipates an increase in EHCPs between now and 2030, then a plateau followed by a reduction as we meet need more quickly.

Rachel Blake Lab Co-op

Cities of London and Westminster

Question

Asks about the definition of complexity for children with SEND and how local schools will be held accountable.

Minister reply

Pledges to create nationally consistent specialist provision packages underpinned by clear standards.

Adrian Ramsay Green

Waveney Valley

Question

Welcomes the ambition in supporting young people earlier and within mainstream settings, questions funding for alternative provision.

Minister reply

Acknowledges complexity around increasing needs and commits to ensuring all schools better cater for a wider range of need.

Clive Efford Lab

Eltham and Chislehurst

Question

I commend my right hon. Friend for grasping this nettle—it is long overdue. However, she will know, as we all know through our casework, that diagnosis leads to a delay in getting an EHCP and a delay in parents being able to advocate on behalf of their children. If fewer children will get EHCPs in the future, how will we ensure that parents can act as advocates for their children right the way through their pathway?

Minister reply

EHCPs will retain an important role within the system, and diagnosis will remain important, but I know from many of the parents I have spoken with—as, I am sure, does my hon. Friend—that diagnosis sometimes only confirms what is already known about a child’s needs and the support required. Through the investment that we are setting out, and the changes that we are bringing, we will ensure that diagnosis is not required for access to the support that a child needs. In many cases, if we put support in place more quickly, we will prevent problems from escalating and help children to thrive.

Andrew Murrison Con

South West Wiltshire

Question

In April 2024, a much-needed SEND school at Bitham Park in Westbury in my constituency was given the green light by Wiltshire council and the Department for Education, with a planned in-service date for later this year. The Labour Government put that plan on pause. Is it the Secretary of State’s intention for that school to go ahead? If so, will she provide a timeline?

Minister reply

We are putting in place significant extra investment—£3.7 billion of capital—to deliver what is needed in specialist provision and to ensure that local areas can deliver what is required. I would be happy to look into the individual case that the right hon. Gentleman raises and ensure that he gets a response.

Tom Hayes Lab

Bournemouth East

Question

I thank Bournemouth’s parents and teachers for shaping this plan—I can see their views in it. I thank in particular Andrew, Claire, their lovely son and his lovely grandparents. Teachers in Bournemouth have been calling out for national support, and now they have it. Some £165 million of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council’s debt is being paid off, there is the return of Sure Start, £1.6 billion has been promised for mainstream education, and now there is £1.8 billion for educational psychologists. Will the Secretary of State set out how quickly we will recruit and train those educational psychologists and get them into the system? If we support our school system, we help to fix our SEND system.

Minister reply

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for ensuring that his constituents’ views have been right at the heart of our reforms. We will move rapidly to invest in recruiting more speech and language therapists and educational psychologists, but we also need to retain more of the brilliant people who have worked so hard to train so that they can support children. Freeing up their time to focus less on bureaucracy and more on working with children will lead to much more fulfilling careers for those amazing people.

Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem

Bath

Question

Children with special educational needs, particularly neurodiverse learners, thrive in creative subjects, but over the past decade, music, drama and art have been severely cut from the curriculum. How will the White Paper ensure that we broaden our curriculum to bring back the power of creative subjects?

Minister reply

I strongly agree that we need a rich and broad curriculum—one focused on both academic rigour and a wide range of opportunities, including music, sport, art and drama. In our response to the curriculum assessment review, we set our intention to make that a reality for every child. Our changes to Progress 8 will allow all children greater choice—alongside that academic rigour—to find what is right for them.

Sojan Joseph Lab

Ashford

Question

In the consultation events that I held with parents, carers and teachers, the message was clear: it is crucial that SEND support starts early. I welcome what my right hon. Friend has said about that. As the proposals move forward, will she ensure that those with lived experience of the system remain central to the Government’s reforms, so that SEND support is more personalised to every child’s needs?

Minister reply

My hon. Friend is right about the importance of early years, which sit right at the heart of our reforms, in the early identification of need and work with families. Although we have had a big national conversation on SEND, it is only the start of the dialogue that we want to continue with parents to ensure that the changes we implement work for them, and that their voices, and those of children and young people, continue to be heard.

Julian Lewis Con

New Forest East

Question

May I invite the Secretary of State to expand a bit on her vision of what happens at the end of a SEND child’s education? She mentioned the idea of independence—and, presumably, socialisation—to advance in society. In what way will her Department try to shape the course to enable children born with a disadvantage to function productively in the real world at the end of the process?

Minister reply

The right hon. Gentleman is right about the transition to adulthood and ensuring that our children are well prepared for what comes next as they move through the school system and into adult life. Many further education colleges and specialist settings already do that incredibly well, but it is variable. We want to deliver higher standards and greater opportunities for young people—particularly those with SEND—through supported internships and options for work placements, and ensure that they can live independent lives as much as possible.

Olivia Blake Lab

Sheffield Hallam

Question

I declare an interest: I chair the all-party parliamentary group on SEND, and my partner is training to be a teacher. I thank the Front Benchers for the way in which they have conducted this review. I have been pleasantly surprised to see in policy many of the things that constituents have raised with me. How will we ensure that the packages set nationally include the voices of those with lived experience, especially young people, as the process is developed?

Minister reply

It has been a pleasure to work with my hon. Friend as we have brought forward these reforms. The specialist provision packages will be set nationally and led by experts in health and education, independent of Government, but we will ensure that the voices of children, young people, parents and campaigners are heard and understood as we develop those packages.

Vikki Slade Lib Dem

Mid Dorset and North Poole

Question

I welcome the language of “belonging”, particularly as the parent of a SEND child who once said to me, “They don’t want me here, do they, mum?” before he was put in specialist provision. We cannot have a broader and more inclusive curriculum if schools are facing cuts, and two of my local schools—Queen Elizabeth and Corfe Hills schools—are facing cuts of £700,000 or £800,000 next year. One is cutting subjects, and the other is slashing teaching assistants and support staff while the trust charges it £750,000 for central support. What can the Secretary of State do to ensure that more money reaches teachers and children, and is not eaten up by executives in trusts?

Minister reply

We have set out our intention to introduce inspections at trust level. Alongside that, we will renew trust standards to ensure that all trusts are doing the best for children in their care. I am sure that the Minister for School Standards would be happy to discuss further the issues that the hon. Lady raises.

Claire Hazelgrove Lab

Filton and Bradley Stoke

Question

I declare an interest: I am a member of the APPG on SEND and have close family members with special educational needs. I welcome the focus on expanding and improving SEND support. Many of the themes in the proposals, from inclusion to tailored support, were raised by fellow residents of Filton and Bradley Stoke at my “Coffee with Claire” event, from which I shared feedback with Ministers—that is great to see. Will the Secretary of State set out how the views of carers and others have shaped and will continue to shape the proposals?

Minister reply

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for ensuring that the views of parents and others in Filton and Bradley Stoke have been heard and are reflected in our proposals. This is only the start of the engagement and consultation. I encourage parents in her constituency and across the country to look at what we have set out, understand our ambition for children with SEND, and take part in the consultation.

Richard Tice Reform

Boston and Skegness

Question

There is much in these SEND reforms that will reassure parents, particularly the reduction in the adversarial approach. I have spoken before of my concerns about excessive fees and profits of private equity-owned specialist schools. Will the Secretary of State confirm whether the legislation can be accelerated to reduce the pressure on council budgets?

Minister reply

I am slightly taken aback by that question, but I welcome it. We will move fast to ensure that money intended for education is spent on education. That means that we will have to be much firmer and clearer, including with private equity, about the money going out of the system and into profit, rather than going into education. There is a bit of a mix of views in the hon. Gentleman’s party about the right approach to SEND—I have heard colleagues of his suggest that children with SEND are naughty or the result of bad parenting—so I suggest that Reform colleagues go away, have a little conflab and then come back.

Debbie Abrahams Lab

Oldham East and Saddleworth

Question

I welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement. Young people with special educational needs or disabilities, and with multiple disadvantage, are three times more likely to be not in education, employment or training. I appreciate what my right hon. Friend is saying about reducing the attainment gap, but will she expand a little more on that? Will she also pick up on the point raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield Hallam (Olivia Blake) about co-production, and ensuring that people with lived experience and parents are engaged in this?

Minister reply

I agree with my hon. Friend. Through the national conversation that we have had on SEND, our SEND development group has worked closely with Ministers and with my hon. Friend, to ensure that the voices of children, families and experts, including disability rights groups and children’s groups, were heard as we developed our reforms. We will continue in that spirit as we take forward the consultation. My hon. Friend is right to say that there are huge differences in outcomes for children with SEND; the gap between the GCSE results of children with SEND and their peers without SEND has not meaningfully narrowed in recent years, and neither has the likelihood of sustaining education, employment or training after 16. A big part of that has to be about ensuring that outcomes for children are better going through our mainstream system, where we know that with the right support academic outcomes are stronger for children with SEND.

Adam Dance Lib Dem

Yeovil

Question

The White Paper recognises the need for early identification systems, including Best Start hubs and phonics screening. However, what additional steps will the Secretary of State take to research, develop and fund a universal screening programme that starts in Year 1?

Minister reply

We are expanding Best Start family hubs, investing more than £9 billion in early years entitlements, and setting an ambitious target for children reaching a good level of development at the foundation stage.

Clive Betts Lab

Sheffield South East

Question

The Public Accounts Committee has noted that local authorities face significant costs due to statutory overrides for home-to-school transport, particularly for special needs students. Will the Secretary of State guarantee that local authorities will not rely on these overrides in future and ensure central Government takes responsibility?

Minister reply

Central Government will take action on long-standing deficits; improving provision closer to home and creating 60,000 new places will help reduce costs for councils.

Alison Bennett Lib Dem

Mid Sussex

Question

The White Paper mentions young carers but does not address their eligibility for the pupil premium. Will the Secretary of State support making young carers eligible for this funding during consultations?

Minister reply

We will consult on disadvantage funding, including the pupil premium and national funding formula, to ensure we halve the disadvantage gap with £8 billion in funding.

Daniel Francis Lab

Bexleyheath and Crayford

Question

As a parent of twins with one child needing special education needs support, what assurances will the Secretary of State give to ensure that during consultation, families' voices are heard for necessary changes in ICB accountability and transition stages?

Minister reply

We will work with local authorities and ICBs to deliver needed change, ensuring children with complex needs have quicker access to support.

Claire Young Lib Dem

Thornbury and Yate

Question

South Gloucestershire faces historic underfunding for schools supporting SEND pupils. If this leads to a surge in EHCP applications, what steps will the Government take to ensure councils are properly funded during transitional changes?

Minister reply

We need investment on the front line and accountability for better outcomes; we will not justify poor provision based on funding alone.

Sarah Russell Lab

Congleton

Question

Cheshire is facing underfunding per pupil. Will the formula used to roll out funding for these changes follow the existing national funding formula?

Minister reply

We are consulting on many aspects of funding, including the national funding formula, and my constituents will benefit from Best Start hubs, expanded childcare, and Experts at Hand service.

Shadow Comment

Laura Trott

Shadow Comment

The Shadow Minister thanks the Minister for advance sight of her statement and acknowledges the complexity of the accompanying document. She raises concerns about the lack of clarity regarding eligibility criteria for EHCPs, new packages of support, and individual support plans (ISPs), questioning how these will be funded and implemented. Concerning funding, she points out that £1.6 billion over three years is insufficient given the current workload on schools and queries whether this is new money or part of existing budgets. She also questions the removal of the academy order in proposed legislation and calls for clarity regarding reassessment processes for EHCPs. The Shadow Minister expresses disagreement with emphasising inclusion at the expense of student safety during suspensions and exclusions, citing tragic cases where pressure not to exclude led to severe consequences. While she supports reform principles, she highlights significant areas requiring more clarity for SEND parents today.

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Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving

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