Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

SEND Support: Children without an EHCP

Monday 16 June 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Questions focused on SEND support for children without an EHCP on 2025-06-16
  • Lincoln Jopp questioned why the number of children with special educational needs has increased significantly in the last 11 months
  • Helen Hayes highlighted local authority funding deficits as a major challenge in delivering support for children with special educational needs and disabilities

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lincoln Jopp Con Spelthorne
Education Children & Families
Context

The question arises from the observation that the number of children identified as having special educational needs has significantly increased over recent years.

Question

In the last 11 months I have visited nearly all the schools in my constituency, and wherever I have gone I have asked whether people understand why the number of children with special educational needs has been going through the roof. I have received various explanations, such as lockdown, diet, social media, drugs in pregnancy, parenting, increased awareness and over-medicalisation. Is the Department doing any research on what is causing this phenomenon, so that we can treat the causes and not just the symptoms?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)

My Department, and the Department of Health and Social Care, are keen to understand some of the drivers identified by the hon. Gentleman. I know that he comes to this discussion in good faith, but some people, including Reform Members of Parliament, sometimes do not approach it in a responsible way. I think we need to tread with a great deal of care when we approach and discuss this subject, not least because it is a welcome change in our society that we now better understand where children have additional needs. The challenge, of course, is that the hon. Gentleman’s party did not put in place the support that was required both to identify and to support children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary of State did not provide specific research on what is causing the increase in children identified with special educational needs.

How: Did Not Approach It In A Responsible Way, Tread With Care

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Q2 Helen Hayes Lab Dulwich and West Norwood
Children & Families Local Government
Context

The statutory override that allows local authorities to set a balanced budget without accounting for their SEND deficits expires in March 2026.

Question

One of the biggest challenges affecting the delivery of support for children with special educational needs and disabilities is the extent of local authority funding deficits. They are currently dealt with through the statutory override, which allows local authorities to set a balanced budget without accounting for their SEND deficits. Given that the statutory override expires in March 2026, does the Secretary of State agree that a White Paper in autumn 2025 provides far too little time for the Government to implement meaningful change without extending the override further, and when does she expect local authorities to be able to have the certainty that they need to plan for the coming financial year?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)

I agree that in addition to longer-term reform, which the White Paper will deliver, it is imperative that we take action now in order to make sure that the school system better caters for children with a wide range of needs. That is why we have invested £740 million to support councils to create more specialist provision in mainstream schools. I have seen some fantastic examples right across the country, and we need to see more. On the precise question about the statutory override, we want to make sure that councils are better supported through the process, and we will set out our position very soon.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary of State did not commit to a specific timeline for local authorities to have certainty regarding SEND funding deficits.

How: We Want To Make Sure That Councils Are Better Supported Through The Process

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