Oral Answers to Questions

Claire Young Excerpts

Wednesday 11th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I imagine when the right hon. Member says “disaster”, he is referring to the last Government.

[Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)]

Q9. I have spoken to parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities who are not getting the support they need in school, but if, as a result, their child is out of school, they are left facing prosecution, fines or even prison time. Punishing parents for the failings of a broken system is outrageous, so will the Prime Minister end this by backing Lords amendment 349A to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and will he meet me to discuss this further?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Member for raising this. The epidemic of absence in our schools really does worry me. Thanks to the efforts of schools and parents across the country, we have seen over 3 million more days in school this year compared with last, which is really important, but we do know that pupils with special educational needs face more complex barriers in relation to school attendance. We will of course look at all amendments in the usual way, but in this instance I do think we have struck the right balance.