House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

EHCP Backlog: Cambridgeshire

Monday 2 March 2026 · 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

The Department is providing targeted help for Cambridgeshire, including a specialist SEND adviser and sector-led improvement support.
The Department is actively monitoring Cambridgeshire's recovery plan to reduce EHCP backlogs.
The Department is putting 200 million directly into councils as part of the schools White Paper to support their capacity.

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Ben Obese-Jecty Con Huntingdon

Children & Families

Context

Cambridgeshire faces significant challenges with its education, health, and care plan backlog, affecting many families and children.

Question

What steps is the Department taking to tackle the EHCP backlog in Cambridgeshire? The EHCP backlog in Cambridgeshire is a significant challenge, with some children waiting up to nearly two years for an EHCP after a needs assessment. I am due to meet Cambridgeshire county council to discuss this issue.

Answer from Georgia Gould

The Department is providing targeted help for Cambridgeshire, including a specialist SEND adviser and sector-led improvement support. We are actively monitoring Cambridgeshire's recovery plan to reduce EHCP backlogs. We are putting £200 million directly into councils as part of the schools White Paper to support their capacity, and we will monitor this closely.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific advice to Cambridgeshire county council on how the SEND White Paper will help reduce EHCP backlog

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Q2 Ben Obese-Jecty Con Huntingdon

Children & Families

Context

Cambridgeshire faces significant challenges with its education, health, and care plan backlog, affecting many families and children. Constituents have been waiting up to nearly two years for an EHCP.

Question

The EHCP backlog in Cambridgeshire is a significant challenge. I appreciate what the Minister said about the help that is currently in place. However, I am struggling to see where the immediate impact will come. I had a letter from a constituent at the weekend who thanked me for helping her child get an EHCP after 74 weeks. What advice can the Minister give Cambridgeshire county council on how the SEND White Paper will help it get on top of the EHCP backlog?