Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

SEND Provision

Monday 20 October 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

  • Parents of children with SEND in Winchester report ongoing difficulties in accessing timely support and EHCPs.
  • Government is working with councils to improve the provision of EHCPs and addressing waiting list issues.
  • The Department will assist local authorities in identifying and overcoming barriers to improving SEND provision.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Danny Chambers Lib Dem Winchester
Children & Families
Context

In 2024, fewer than half of education, health and care plans were issued within the statutory 20-week limit. Winchester parents reported difficulties in obtaining support for their children with special educational needs.

Question

Parents of Winchester tell me every single week about how hard they have to fight to get the support that their child needs and is entitled to. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that EHCPs are issued in a timely manner?

Answer from The Minister for School Standards (Georgia Gould)

Parents and children should not have to wait for support; they should have it when they need it. We are working closely with councils with waiting lists to improve provision and, if necessary, to bring in specialist SEND advice. We will continue to push on that.

Partly answered

How: Working Closely, Pushing

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Q2 Kim Johnson Lab Liverpool Riverside
Children & Families
Context

Despite improvements, Liverpool still faces a shortage of specialist school places and necessary support for children with special educational needs. The number of children requiring EHCPs has doubled over the past three years.

Question

Although Liverpool has improved waiting times for EHCPs, there remains a shortage of specialist school places and necessary support. Some 8,000 children in Liverpool now require an EHCP—that figure has doubled over the past three years—but almost half of them are educated in mainstream schools that do not meet their needs. What steps will the Government take to ensure that SEND reforms deliver real improvements for families in Liverpool Riverside?

Answer from The Minister for School Standards (Georgia Gould)

Where there are concerns about a local authority’s capacity to make improvements, we will help them to identify barriers and put in place an effective recovery plan. This year’s high needs funding increase will help mainstream and special schools with the cost of supporting pupils.

Partly answered

How: Helping Local Authorities

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