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Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Friday 21st November 2025

Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has commissioned research into the (a) underlying causes of trends in the number of children with special educational needs and (b) adequacy of funding to local authorities for supporting such children.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

International evidence indicates that the number of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is also increasing in comparable countries. Although definitions and systems vary considerably, the key drivers include improved understanding and diagnosis of need, as well as social and medical factors.

The department is strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve inclusive practice in mainstream settings, for example through our recently published evidence reviews, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/identifying-and-supporting-the-needs-of-children-with-send-in-mainstream-settings.

The department also funds a What Works in SEND programme, which is delivered by Research and Improvement for SEND Excellence Partnership. This programme produces research and local area case studies that harness best practice from practitioners and partner organisations on local area SEND service delivery.

The department is providing over £12 billion in the current 2025/26 financial year for supporting children and young people with complex SEND. This will help with the financial pressures that local authorities and schools are facing. The Schools White Paper, due to be published in the new year, will set out how we plan to move forward with reforms to improve the SEND system in future years.

Written Question
City of Sanctuary UK
Thursday 20th November 2025

Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 82043 on City of Sanctuary UK, if she will publish the minutes of the three meetings.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Officials routinely engage with a range of different organisations.

The department does not usually publish minutes between officials and stakeholders.

Speech in Written Statements - Thu 21 Jul 2022
Academy Trust and Local Government Pension

"In 2013, we introduced a guarantee to local government pensions scheme (LGPS) administering authorities that in the event of the closure of an academy trust any outstanding LGPS liabilities will not revert to the fund.

Although there is no end date to the guarantee, we committed to undertake assessments at …..."
James Cleverly - View Speech

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Speech in Written Statements - Tue 19 Jul 2022
Department for Education Update

"The 32nd report of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) is being published today. Its recommendations cover the remit issued in December 2021, regarding the pay awards for teachers for each of the next two academic years, 2022-23 and 2023-24. The report will be presented to Parliament and published on …..."
James Cleverly - View Speech

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Speech in Written Statements - Tue 12 Jul 2022
School Rebuilding Programme

"I am delighted to confirm details of the next 61 schools prioritised for the School Rebuilding Programme.

The School Rebuilding Programme was announced by the Prime Minister in June 2020 and will transform the learning environment at 500 schools and sixth form colleges over the next decade, supporting teachers in …..."
James Cleverly - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 28 Jan 2019
School Exclusions and Youth Violence

"I congratulate the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Vicky Foxcroft) on securing this Adjournment debate and on the tireless work that she has put into driving forward the work of the youth violence commission. Does my hon. Friend agree that education, local government and health all have a part to …..."
James Cleverly - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 13 Sep 2017
Higher Education (England) Regulations

"My hon. Friend highlights the words of the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Secretary of State, but is it not a fact that it was not just students in his university town who interpreted the Leader of the Opposition’s comments as a debt write-off? Two shadow Ministers broadcast …..."
James Cleverly - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 17 Jul 2017
Schools Update

"I welcome the Government’s delivery on our manifesto commitment to ensure that no school loses out under the national funding formula—it is nice to see that at least one party takes its educational commitments at election time seriously. For clarity, can the Secretary of State confirm to the parents and …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 08 Dec 2016
Oral Answers to Questions

"6. What steps the Government are taking to increase the number of prosecutions for modern slavery. ..."
James Cleverly - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 27 Oct 2016
Oral Answers to Questions

"With the rise of social media, victims and, in particular, witnesses fear intimidation from the online community. Will my right hon. and learned Friend take into consideration protections in the digital space as well as the physical courtroom?..."
James Cleverly - View Speech

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