theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) Russian (ii) shadow fleet and (ii) trade vessels and (b) other vessels that have travelled to and from Russian ports that have entered UK waters in the last 12 months. \p Mike Kane: I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 07 February 2025, to Question 27704.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has for the (a) future and (b) timetable for nationalisation of the Greater Anglia rail franchise; for (i) future investment and (ii) plans for (A) ticket offices and (B) steps free access in Greater Anglia railway station redevelopment; and for (1) overall investment, (2) rail fares, (3) investment in rail infrastructure, and (4) investment in rolling stock in the Greater Anglia region; and what recent estimate she has made of passenger numbers in each Greater Anglia station in each year for the next ten years. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department announced in December that South-Western Railway’s services will be the first to transfer into public ownership in May 2025, followed by c2c’s services in July 2025 and Greater Anglia’s in the autumn. The Department will issue an expiry notice to Greater Anglia in due course to confirm the exact transfer date. Public ownership will mean all parts of the railway can pull together for the benefit of passengers, and bringing passenger services into public ownership is the first step in the Government’s wider programme of reform. Through future legislation, we will set out the role Great British Railways will have in fares, ticketing, and other operational aspects of the railway. Fares and ticketing will continue to be the responsibility of train operators until Great British Railways is established.

The Access for All programme has delivered step free access at more than 250 stations across Britain. Ministers are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme, including as it relates to Greater Anglia stations. Greater Anglia has taken steps to improve station accessibility with its work on virtual trains and station tours, and a new accessible footbridge will be installed at Stowmarket during 2025. The business planning round for 2025/26 is currently underway and proposals regarding redevelopments and rail infrastructure will be reviewed with decisions made in due course.

Greater Anglia invested £1.4 billion in new trains for the Anglia region and these new trains are delivering a real change in customer experience.

There has not been a recent estimate of passenger numbers in each of Greater Anglia’s stations in each year for the next ten years.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed rail reforms on commuter services from Bletchley. \p Simon Lightwood: The Railways Bill will enable the biggest overhaul of the rail sector in a generation. It will create stronger leadership by establishing Great British Railways as a new ‘directing mind’ for the industry, unifying track and train under a single public body to deliver better services for passengers and customers, and better value for money for taxpayers.

The Government launched an eight-week consultation on 18 February seeking views on the key legislative proposals that will form part of the upcoming Railways Bill.

Services from Bletchley will benefit from the changes set out above, alongside the rest of the network.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with stakeholders in Greater Manchester on improving local public transport. \p Simon Lightwood: Officials in the Department have regular engagement with colleagues in Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and those across the districts. We work closely with the Mayor and GMCA to support their plans and strategies to improve public transport across Greater Manchester.

In February, we held the second of a series of Roadshows across the country in Manchester. This provided the opportunity for stakeholders across GMCA and wider to attend to share ideas and help shape the delivery of the Integrated National Transport Strategy.

We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27 which is designed to significantly improve local public transport. TfGM is targeting delivery of this scheme in the early 2030s, with an outline business case due with the Department in early 2026. Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to provide further improvements to public transport in major city regions, including Greater Manchester.

CRSTS funding for 25/26 and beyond is being considered as part of the multi-year spending review in late spring, aligned with the government’s new Integrated National Transport Strategy, ensuring we are taking decisions in the long-term interests of the country.

Through the Greater Manchester Pathfinder Devolution Deal we are providing Greater Manchester with a single integrated funding settlement, which includes CRSTS, to ensure that funding is prioritised locally to meet local connectivity requirements. The Department has implemented a Task and Finish group to work closely with GMCA to gain further clarity of their transport devolution ambitions ahead of receipt of this settlement.

The Department has strongly endorsed and supported the successful introduction of the Bee Network, with the Secretary of State visiting GMCA to mark the implementation of the final stage of Bus Franchising in January. The Department is providing £66.3m in bus funding to GMCA in 2025/26.
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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of slip roads on the A34 in Newbury on passenger safety. \p Lilian Greenwood: National Highways has undertaken several studies across various sections of the A34 to understand where improvements could be made. In 2017, the Department commissioned National Highways to conduct an in-depth safety review of the route to study incident hotspots. This work identified and delivered £12.1m of improvements to the route between Newbury and Oxford, including to the slip roads at East Illsley, West Berkshire.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the level of weekly passenger demand at the new Tempsford railway station. \p Simon Lightwood: No formal assessment on forecast weekly passenger demand at Tempsford has yet been made – however, early work provided by Network Rail and East-West Rail Company has provisionally classified Tempsford as a Category C station, which could see 500,000 to 2,000,000 passengers annually.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Rachel Blake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of applying speed limits for motor vehicles to (a) pedal bicycles and (b) e-bikes. \p Lilian Greenwood: No assessment has been made of the potential merits of applying speed limits for motor vehicles to (a) pedal bicycles and (b) e-bikes.

Like all road users, people who cycle have a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner and follow the rules of the road.

While speed limits set under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 only apply to motor vehicles, cyclists can still be charged with careless or dangerous cycling offences depending on the circumstances.

E-bikes that do not comply with the Electrically Pedal Assisted Cycles regulations, which include a requirement for power assist to cut off at 15.5 miles per hour, are classed as mechanically propelled vehicles. So, riders are already subject to speed limits while riding these bikes if power assist is being used. Riders may cycle faster than 15.5 miles per hour using pedal power.

Cyclists are in practice seldom able to exceed the speed limits that apply to motorised vehicles.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to request an indicative vote from this House on the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport. \p Mike Kane: The Government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the Government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow.

When conducting the review, the Secretary of State will comply with the consultation and parliamentary requirements of the Planning Act 2008, as is usual.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government's forthcoming road safety strategy will prioritise infrastructure improvements at the A30 Plusha Junction in North Cornwall constituency. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My department is developing our road safety strategy, the first in over a decade, and will set out more details in due course.
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Robin Swann:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is required for an airport to be designated as a level 3 airport. \p Mike Kane: For an airport to be designated as Level 3 slot coordinated, and therefore requiring the formal allocation of slots by an independent coordinator, the demand for operating services should exceed the airport infrastructure’s capacity for at least one scheduling period. Secretary of State approval is required to designate any airport as Level 3 slot coordinated.
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Chris Ward:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on vehicle emissions in (a) Brighton and (b) other cities in England. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport does not hold this information.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to help prevent (a) accidents and (b) fatalities at the A30 junction at Plusha in the last 12 months. \p Lilian Greenwood: National Highways have conducted a study of the section of the A30 between Kennards House and Five Lanes which includes the junction at Plusha. Fatalities have all occurred due to right turn movements out of Plusha, and in November 2024 National Highways closed this crossover with temporary traffic measures preventing these movements eastbound towards Launceston. Instead, road users are being encouraged to use the nearby Five Lanes grade separated junction. The speed limit has also been reduced to 50mph at this location. National Highways, working with Cornwall Council and Devon and Cornwall Police, will be delivering a £4.6m scheme to improve the safety of this junction and broader route by limiting movements at a number of junctions along the A30.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of London-licensed Uber drivers operating in non-metropolitan areas on the viability of independent taxi businesses. \p Simon Lightwood: Taxis and private hire vehicles have always been permitted to carry pre-booked fares outside the area in which they are licensed. This allows the sector to work more flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.

The Government however recognises concerns around out-of-area working and is considering options to strengthen the regulation of the sector.
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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25215 on Driverless Vehicles, which companies are members of the industry working group; and on how many occasions has this group met. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV’s) Industry Working Group (IWG) aims to strengthen collaboration between CCAV and the automated vehicle (AV) industry to support the development and implementation of the regulatory framework.

The IWG had its inaugural meeting in February 2025 and will have regular meetings throughout the lifetime of the AV Act Implementation Programme. The IWG forms part of CCAV’s stakeholder engagement across industry, academia and the public.

The core members of the IWG include trade bodies techUK and The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd, as well as AV industry representatives from Wayve, Waymo, Oxa, Bosch, Aurrigo, Ocado, and Nissan.

The membership of the IWG is kept under review and other government representatives such as delivery agencies or local government may join meetings depending on the agenda.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if Ministers within her Department will meet with the hon. Member for North Cornwall to discuss safety improvements at the A30 junction at Plusha. \p Lilian Greenwood: I would be delighted to meet with the Hobourable Member to discuss these issues, and I understand this has been arranged and will take place in the coming weeks.
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Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department. \p Mike Kane: There is no requirement for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend a Department for Transport workplace, including the executive agencies (Active Travel England, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Vehicle Certification Agency). A desk booking application is available for staff attending the DfT offices in Birmingham, Hastings, Leeds, London and Swansea, as well as some of the workplaces operated by agencies and Arms Length Bodies, but employees are not required to use them. Touch-down desks and other working spaces are available for staff who attend these locations without booking a desk.

The Arms Length Bodies sponsored by DfT do not employ civil servants and DfT places no requirement on their staff to book desks to attend workplaces.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Farnborough Airport’s expansion on (a) noise pollution and (b) air pollution in the South-East. \p Mike Kane: Assessment of the potential impact of Farnborough Airport’s expansion is a matter for Rushmoor Borough Council as local planning authority responsible for considering the airport’s planning application.
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Samantha Niblett:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of existing drink driving laws in ensuring that repeat offenders cannot reoffend. \p Lilian Greenwood: There is a High-Risk Offender (HRO) scheme for those who have been disqualified by a Court for 2 or more drink driving offences within a 10 year period.

Currently, the practical consequence of becoming a drink drive HRO is that the driver’s licence is not automatically re-issued once the period of disqualification has ended. Instead, the HRO must apply for a new licence and the DVLA will only issue a licence after the HRO has proved their medical fitness to drive. The HRO scheme has thus served an important role in helping to keep unsafe drivers off the roads.

The Drink Drive Rehabilitation (DDR) scheme has been found to be effective in preventing offenders committing repeat drink driving offences. Successful completion of the approved course can see a reduction of not less than 3 months or 25% of the disqualification period imposed by the Court. This gives the offender an incentive to participate in the scheme, with beneficial outcomes to society by reduced re-offending.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 17264 on Children: Epilespy, what steps her Department is taking with governing bodies to ensure that all schools (a) develop a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions, (b) ensure the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and (c) ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented. \p Catherine McKinnell: Governing bodies must ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented. This includes the duty under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions and the duties under the Equality Act 2010. The effectiveness of a school is assessed through inspection by Ofsted.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support children with special educational needs in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department wants to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. The department is also working closely with experts on reforms who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

The department is providing support and challenge to the Hertfordshire local area partnership. In July 2023, Ofsted’s inspection of local arrangements in Hertfordshire for children with SEND, which was published on 10 November 2023, concluded that there were widespread and/or systemic failings, leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently.

Since then, the department has been using a SEND expert adviser to monitor progress against Hertfordshire’s priority action plan and improvement plan. In January 2025, the department sent the local area partnership a letter following a stocktake into their progress. This letter outlines that improvements are being made at pace, including on governance arrangements and quality assurance. However, there are still areas for the local area to address, for example on the impact and sustainability of improvements. The letter can be accessed here: https://sendnews.hertfordshire.gov.uk/31-january-2025#stocktake.

The partnership has also established a SEND Improvement Board, which is independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan, to oversee progress and provide appropriate challenge.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of support staff shortages on the provision of SEND support in schools; and what steps she is taking to improve the recruitment and retention of (a)  teaching assistants and (b) other support staff essential for SEND students. \p Catherine McKinnell: School support staff play a vital role in children’s education. They are crucial to ensuring that we give children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the best possible life chances.

A departmental survey in 2023 into the use of teaching assistance in schools found that teaching assistants across all school settings most commonly support pupils with SEND, which includes those with education, health and care (EHC) plans. The survey also found that 75% of school leaders found it either 'fairly’ or ‘extremely’ difficult to recruit teaching assistants, and retention was difficult for 29% of leaders. Of those who found recruitment difficult (75% of leaders), four-in-five leaders (81%) found it difficult to recruit teaching assistants with SEND specialism.

The department values and recognises the professionalism of the entire school workforce and will help to address recruitment and retention challenges by reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.

The body will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook and fair pay rates for support staff and advising on training and career progression routes. This reform will help ensure that state-funded schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high quality, inclusive education, and drive high and rising standards.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve the integration of oral health education across primary schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: All state funded schools are required to teach about good oral hygiene as part of statutory health education. Pupils should know about dental health and the benefits of good oral hygiene and dental flossing, including regular check-ups at the dentist.

Departmental officials regularly meet with officials from the Department for Health and Social Care to discuss oral health in schools and this government’s commitment to introduce a national supervised toothbrushing scheme targeted at 3 to 5 year-olds living in the 20% most deprived areas of England. Further details on this scheme will be published in due course.

We are currently reviewing the statutory relationships, sex and health education curriculum, which includes considering whether any additional content is needed, including on oral health.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) reintroduce a Subject Knowledge Enhancement Grant for Religious Education (RE) and (b) increase recruitment of teachers of RE more broadly. \p Catherine McKinnell: The below tables show the number of candidates who received a religious education (RE) subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) grant in each month since October 2022.

The previous government took the decision to cut funding for RE SKEs from April 2024 alongside four other subjects. The department currently offers SKE support in five secondary subjects: chemistry, computing, mathematics, modern languages and physics. The department will continue to explore our options for delivery of SKE training in future academic years to ensure that our funding supports courses in the subjects where these courses are most needed.

SKE courses in RE by month

Oct-22

Nov-22

Dec-22

Jan-23

Feb-23

Mar-23

Apr-23

May-23

Jun-23

Jul-23

Aug-23

Sep-23

Total

0

1

2

10

5

1

5

16

18

19

8

0

85

Initial teacher training (ITT) census data shows there were 269 new entrants to postgraduate ITT courses in RE in the 2023/24 academic year. Therefore, the department estimates 32% of all new postgraduate entrants in RE in the 2023/24 academic year undertook a SKE prior to commencing ITT.

Oct-23

Nov-23

Dec-23

Jan-24

Feb-24

Mar-24

Apr-24

May-24

Jun-24

Jul-24

Aug-24

Sep-24

Total

1

0

4

11

9

16

35

28

9

5

6

0

124

ITT census data shows there were 462 new entrants to postgraduate ITT courses in RE in the 2024/25 academic year. We therefore estimate 27% of all new postgraduate entrants in RE in the 2024/25 academic year undertook a SKE prior to commencing ITT.

This government inherited a system with critical shortages of teachers, with numbers not keeping pace with demographic changes. Financial incentives are one of the most effective ways to increase teacher supply, which is why the department has announced an initial teacher training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 recruitment cycle worth £233 million, which is a £37 million increase on the last cycle. This includes the reintroduction of a £10,000 tax free bursary to encourage prospective trainees to teach RE.

​​The department has also expanded its ‘School Teacher Recruitment’ marketing campaign which inspires and attracts candidates to consider a career in teaching, including RE. It promotes the profession and directs people to the ‘Get Into Teaching’ service, which exists to make teaching a career of choice and supports candidates to apply for teacher training in the most effective and efficient way possible.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will meet with hon. Members representing constituencies in Devon to discuss (a) the recent Ofsted report in Devon and (b) SEND provision. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department has been working closely with Devon County Council since Ofsted’s inspection of children’s services in March 2020, in which services were found to be ‘inadequate’ overall and were placed in formal intervention under a Statutory Direction.

In September 2022, the department issued Devon with an Improvement Notice for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and an Accelerated Progress Plan (APP) was developed with the local authority and integrated care board (ICB). The department is working with all statutory partners involved in delivering SEND services in Devon to monitor and support improvement, which includes the deployment of SEND advisers to assist the local area and to offer advice.

In October 2024, children’s services in Devon were inspected by Ofsted. Publication of the report has been delayed as a part of Ofsted’s quality assurance processes. Once confirmed, findings from the report will be used as part of our wider evidence base to help shape the longer-term approach to supporting children’s services at the Council.

Following the conclusion of Ofsted’s quality assurance process and the publication of the inspection report, I would welcome the opportunity to meet with the hon. Members for constituencies in Devon to discuss progress and next steps to our intervention of both children’s services and SEND in Devon.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for (a) speech and language therapy, (b) occupational therapy and (c) other therapy services for SEND students in schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department recognises the impact that long waits to access speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and other therapy services can have on children, their families and carers. The department is committed to reducing these long waits and improving timely access to therapy services, working closely with DHSC and NHS England.

The department is continuing to improve access to speech and language therapy by funding the Early Language and Support for Every Child pathfinder project in partnership with NHS England. We are also continuing to build the pipeline of future therapists by introducing the speech and language level 6-degree apprenticeship. This is now in its third year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a speech and language therapist.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase funding for (a) Stockport Borough Council and (b) other local authorities to provide adequate SEND support in schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion. Of that total, Stockport Borough Council is being allocated over £52 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), which is an increase of £4.3 million on this year’s DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 8.3% increase per head of their 2 to 18 year-old population, on the equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.

In addition to the DSG, local authorities will also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG), and funding in respect of the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, in the 2025/26 financial year. This CSBG continues the separate grants payable this year, which are to help special schools and alternative provision with the costs of teachers’ pay and pension increases and other staff pay increases. Individual local authorities’ allocations of this funding for 2025/26 will be published in due course.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of increases to employers National Insurance contributions on home to school transport for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Licensed Private Hire Car Association on the potential impact of the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill on future provision of home-to-school transport for children with special educational needs beyond March 2025. \p Catherine McKinnell: Departmental officials engage regularly with local authorities to understand the challenges they face and will continue to monitor this situation. We do not expect there to be a significant impact on home-to-school travel for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Local authorities are responsible for arranging home-to-school travel and deliver this through a range of in-house services and external providers. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not met with the Licensed Private Hire Car Association on this topic.

The government has more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500 which means that more than half of businesses with National Insurance liabilities will either gain or see no change next year. Businesses will still be able to claim employer National Insurance contributions relief, where eligible.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of changes to National Insurance Contributions to home-to-school service contract suppliers beyond March 2025. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for Newton Abbott to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_556
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_556

Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Education Support's annual survey titled Teacher Wellbeing Index, what steps her Department is taking to support teachers' mental health. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Liverpool West Derby to the answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29516.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_557
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_557

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the provisions in the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill on the ability of local authorities to fulfil their statutory obligations for ensuring that children with special educational needs and disabilities are able to attend school. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for Newton Abbot to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_558
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_558

Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to support SEND transport services following the increase to employers National Insurance contributions. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for Eastbourne to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_559
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_559

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve SEND training within initial teacher training programmes and ongoing professional development. \p Catherine McKinnell: ​​The initial teacher training (ITT) core content framework and early career framework (ECF), for trainee and early career teachers (ECTs) respectively, cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career. They set out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching and, from September 2025, will be superseded by the combined initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF), which sets out a minimum entitlement to training and must be used by providers of ITT and those delivering provider-led early career training to create their curricula. From September 2025, all ECTs will be entitled to a two-year induction that is underpinned by the ITTECF, known as the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE).

​High quality teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or from disadvantaged backgrounds, and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils receive excellent support from their teachers. The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

The department’s review of content for the ITTECF paid particular attention to the needs of trainees and ECTs when supporting pupils with SEND. There is now significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, some of which has been adapted from the new national professional qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators to be relevant for trainees and ECTs.

The department has updated the framework to improve inclusivity for SEND throughout the framework including, for example, developing an understanding of different pupil needs, and learning how to provide opportunities for success for all pupils. From September 2025, the department has also enhanced the requirement on providers of ECT training to develop SEND training materials. The department tested this approach with SEND educational experts, with consensus being that the approach of ‘quality-first teaching’ would be the best way to improve outcomes for all children, particularly those with SEND.

The department recognises that continuous improvement is essential and has recently committed to a full review of the ECTE in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support for ECTs. This review will focus on the support we provide new teachers in teaching pupils with SEND.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_560
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_560

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that there is adequate provision of (a) SEND support in mainstream schools and (b) places in specialist schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve.

The department wants more children and young people to receive the support they need to achieve and thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to be educated at home or to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. Many mainstream settings are delivering specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs units. Alongside this, the department recognises the vital role that special schools play catering to children and young people with the most complex needs.

The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEND. If a local authority identifies a shortage of special school places, resulting in a significant number of pupils needing to travel a long way to access a placement, they should consider creating or expanding local provision to meet that need.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has now announced £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This new funding can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND or create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs, as well as continuing to provide places to support pupils in special schools with the most complex needs.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_561
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_561

Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to clause 25 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, what the means is for appealing to the Secretary of State. \p Catherine McKinnell: The references in the Children Not in School measures of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to “education otherwise than at school” should be read in the broadest sense of the term and not solely referring to Education Otherwise Than in A School (EOTAS). The wording in the Bill reflects the current duty on parents outlined in Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 to secure an efficient, full-time, suitable education for their children either by regular attendance at school “or otherwise”, such as home education. Both home-educated children and EOTAS arrangements would be eligible for inclusion in local authority Children Not in School registers.

As part of the implementation of the Bill, the department will provide statutory guidance on what qualifies as an exceptional circumstance in relation to local authorities not notifying the other parent of a consent decision, as well as details of how a parent can appeal to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, if a parent disagrees with a local authority’s decision on permission to home educate.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_562
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_562

Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to (a) reduce the number of unnecessary Education, Health and Care panels and (b) speed up the production of Education, Health and Care Plans. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government is committed to strengthening the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system for all children and young people to ensure they receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Parents have struggled to get their children the support they need and deserve, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan processes.

The department wants to ensure that EHC needs assessments are progressed promptly and plans are issued quickly in order to provide children and young people with the support they need to help them achieve positive outcomes.

The department continues to monitor and work closely with local authorities that have issues with EHC plan timeliness. Where there are concerns about a local authority’s capacity to make the required improvements, we help the local authority to identify the barriers and put in place an effective plan to improve delivery. This includes, where needed, securing specialist SEND adviser support to help identify the barriers to EHC plan process timeliness and put in place practical plans for recovery.

The department is working closely with experts on reform, including a Strategic Advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families as we consider next steps.

The department has also listened to parents, local authority colleagues, and partners across education, health and social care and is considering carefully how to address and improve the experience of the EHC plan process for families and reflecting on what practice could or should be made consistent nationally.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_563
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_563

Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, whether a badge (a) sewn onto or (b) otherwise affixed to a generic blazer will count towards the limits for branded items of school uniforms. \p Catherine McKinnell: School uniform plays a valuable role in creating a sense of common identity among pupils and reducing visible inequalities. However, too many schools require high numbers of costly branded uniform items and it is right that this legislation limits the number of branded items schools can require, giving parents more choice in where to purchase uniform and allowing them to make spending decisions which suit their circumstances. Schools will only be able to require pupils to have up to three compulsory branded uniform items for use during the year. Secondary and middle schools will have the option of requiring an additional branded item if that item is a tie.

These limits will apply to all pupils within the school, regardless of year group or when they join. In introducing this measure, the department will give schools time to put sensible transition plans in place. We expect schools to take account of where parents might have already purchased uniform. This might include, for example, allowing pupils to continue to wear previous uniform items for a reasonable period when a new uniform policy is introduced, and optional branded items are still permitted.

Where sew on badges are required to be added to generic uniform items, the resulting item will count towards the limit on compulsory branded items. The department encourages schools to use sew on badges, with a school name or logo, as a cost-effective way to brand uniform items. We also want to give parents absolute clarity on what the limit means for them, which is why we have included any compulsory item with a school name or logo on or attached to it within the limit.

Branded items which are optional, which are those not listed by the school as a compulsory uniform item, including hats and scarves, would not be included in the limit. Schools should, however, have regard to existing statutory guidance, which is clear that all branded items, compulsory and optional, should be kept to a minimum and that schools should carefully consider whether any branded item is the most cost-effective way of achieving the desired result for their uniform. Existing non-statutory guidance is also clear that uniform should be suitable for pupils walking or cycling to school, that it should be practical and appropriate for the activity involved, and that schools should take a sensible approach to allow for exceptions to be made to uniform requirements during extreme weather.