Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

School SEND Provision

Monday 2 March 2026 · 7 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The new SEND system will deliver inclusive mainstream education supported by 4 billion of investment.
  • Every secondary school and a similar number of primary schools will have SEND hubs, with support from local authorities.
  • Parents will have legally enforceable rights for individual support plans and high-quality provision for their children with SEND.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jo Platt Labour (Co-op) Leigh and Atherton
Children & Families
Context

The questioner is concerned about the current SEND provision in schools and the need for improvement.

Question

What steps she is taking to improve SEND provision in schools?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

Our new SEND system will deliver a fully inclusive mainstream education, supported by £4 billion of investment. Children with special educational needs will access targeted and specialist support through a clear national framework, with individual support plans and stronger education, health and care plans for children with complex needs. We will work with education and health staff to prioritise early intervention and cross-service collaboration to ensure better outcomes for children nationwide.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Josh Newbury Lab Cannock Chase
Education Children & Families
Context

The questioner has spoken with teachers and SEND coordinators in Cannock Chase who are concerned about the lack of additional funding for SEND support.

Question

I have spoken with teachers and special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinators across Cannock Chase, so I know that many schools, such as Longford primary in Cannock and St Joseph's primary in Rugeley, already have SEND hubs, but with no additional funding, they cannot offer the holistic, teacher-led support they would like to. Can the Secretary of State confirm that local authorities will be given funding to commission specialist bases to finally give many children with SEND needs the support that will allow them to thrive in their local school?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

Yes, I am happy to give my hon. Friend that commitment. We will ensure that every secondary school, and a similar number of primary schools, have that kind of support, and we will work with local authorities to set up specialist bases. As part of our £3.7 billion high-need capital investment, we will create 60,000 new specialist places nationwide to make sure that more children get the specialist support they deserve.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Ben Coleman Lab Chelsea and Fulham
Children & Families
Context

The questioner welcomes the commitment to end the battles for SEND support but is concerned about the legal enforceability of individual support plans.

Question

This plan is to be welcomed. It rightly recognises that families of children with SEND are absolutely exhausted from having to fight and battle for the support they need. I therefore strongly welcome the commitment to end that and to give over 1 million children, for the first time, legally enforceable rights through the individual support plans. But concerns have been expressed to me that, without clear enforcement, ISPs risk repeating the same problem, so can the Secretary of State tell me what happens if a school does not follow a child's plan? Will parents have a legal right to enforce what an ISP says? In short, how will the Government ensure that these are genuine entitlements and not just more promises that families have to battle to see honoured?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

Settings will have a duty to create individual support plans and deliver high-quality provision, drawing on national standards. If schools are not following the plan, it will be clear and obvious. Parents should seek to resolve that directly with the school. Where that does not work, we are strengthening the school complaints process, with independent SEND expertise on the panel.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q4 Jo Platt Labour (Co-op) Leigh and Atherton
Children & Families
Context

The questioner welcomes the White Paper's proposals for individual support plans and more inclusion bases in schools but is concerned about the lack of real oversight and resources.

Question

Families in Leigh and Atherton are exhausted from constantly fighting for the SEND support their children need, so I welcome the White Paper's proposals, including individual support plans and more inclusion bases in schools, because inclusive education benefits everyone. These reforms must come with real oversight and resources. Can the Secretary of State reassure families that the battles for SEND support will end, and explain how local authorities and schools will be properly supported and held accountable?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

This is about how we can deliver more support earlier to a much larger number of children than is the case at the moment: EHCP-like support without the fight to get that EHCP. There is already brilliant practice out there, showing the best of what can be achieved when schools work together with parents. We saw that last year when I visited Golborne All Saints Catholic primary in her community—a real beacon of what can be achieved. We want to see more of that, and the extra investment will make that possible in more schools and in more parts of the country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific oversight and resources

How: Working With Parents

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q5 Claire Young Lib Dem Thornbury and Yate
Education
Context

The questioner is concerned that schools are left to fulfil the Government's commitments on education, such as the 'experts at hand' service, without adequate funding.

Question

The Government have made some welcome commitments on education, but schools are then left to fulfil them. We have seen with free school meals, breakfast clubs and teacher pay awards that each time the funding falls short, and headteachers are left to make up the difference from budgets that are already on their knees. With the “experts at hand” service, can the Secretary of State guarantee that not a single school will have to raid its core budget to deliver this support?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

This is significant extra investment of £4 billion, above and beyond what schools have already been told will be coming their way. We are putting significant extra investment into ensuring that all children can achieve and thrive.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Guarantee of no budget raiding

How: Significant Investment

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q6 Monica Harding Lib Dem Esher and Walton
Children & Families
Context

The questioner is concerned that the Government's proposals may not be flexible enough to respond to changes in children's needs, especially for those with high needs.

Question

Children with SEND do not conform to neat packages and definitions, and those with complex needs require fluctuating levels of support. There is real fear among my constituents that the Government's proposals will downgrade the level of support available to those with high needs, and may not be flexible enough to respond to changes in children's needs. Will the Secretary of State define “complexity”, and reassure parents that education, health and care plans will remain open to any child whose needs are not met by individual support plans?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

Yes, and I encourage the hon. Lady to share with her constituents not just our SEND consultation but the draft profiles that we have established for specialist provision packages, which will be developed by an independent national panel with health and education expertise. I encourage her constituents to look at that and share their views, so that we can deliver a better support system, including for children with the most complex needs.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Definition of 'complexity'

How: Sharing Views

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q7 Vikki Slade Lib Dem Mid Dorset and North Poole
Education Children & Families
Context

Independent special educational needs settings are not required to respond to consultation requests from local authorities, leading to long delays, children being out of school for extended periods, and conflict when parents believe their children are not in the right setting.

Question

Unlike maintained schools, independent special educational needs settings are not required to respond to consultation requests from local authorities, leading to long delays, children being out of school for extended periods, and conflict when parents believe that their children are not in the right setting. What assurance can the Secretary of State give parents in Mid Dorset and North Poole and elsewhere that any school receiving public money will be required to work with local authorities?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

We will set much clearer overall expectations of local authorities, not least given the huge grant funding investment to bring down their deficits. With that money must come better outcomes for children. That is also true of the independent specialist sector. Although it offers much fantastic provision and caters well for children with complex needs, I am afraid that we cannot continue along this path of allowing money meant for education to be sucked into fuelling the profits of private equity.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific assurance that any school receiving public money will be required to work with local authorities

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)