Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average waiting time was for children with special educational needs and disabilities to receive an Education, Health and Care plan in (a) England, (b) the East of England and (c) Suffolk in each year since 2020.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Information on the number and percentage of education, health and care (EHC) plans issued within the statutory 20 week deadline, with and without statutory exceptions to that deadline applying, is published as part of the department’s EHC plans statistical release, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2024.
The following table shows the number and proportion of plans issued within the statutory 20 week deadline for England, the East of England and Suffolk for each calendar year since 2020: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/176f8770-7fe7-49b2-9bba-08dd7377d1ad.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on reforming SEND and alternative provision since July 2024.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
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 achieve and thrive in their education and as they move into adult life.
Supporting our expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child, as the within-school factor that makes the biggest difference to a young person’s educational outcomes is high-quality teaching. This is why we will recruit 6,500 new expert teachers and support the recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the schools and areas that need them most.
In September 2024, the department introduced a new mandatory leadership level national professional qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators to ensure they receive high-quality, evidence-based training to create inclusive environments where everyone feels welcome, safe and they belong. We have also introduced additional resources for early years educators to support children with developmental differences and SEND, including a free online training module and SEND assessment guidance and resources.
The Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND and from September 2025, will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.
The department is providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in 2025/26, bringing total high needs funding to over £12 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND. All local authorities will see an increase in funding of at least 7% per head, compared to 2024/25, with some local authorities seeing gains of up to 10%.
We have also published local authority allocations for £740 million of high needs capital funding for 2025/26, to invest in places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This funding will start to pave the way for this government’s wide ranging, long term plans for reform to help more pupils with SEND to have their needs met in mainstream schools.
In the longer term, the department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs. Ofsted will also increase its focus on disadvantaged children and learners, those with SEND and those who leaders have identified as being particularly vulnerable. Ofsted is proposing introducing a separate evaluation area for ‘inclusion’ on its report cards.
The department will work with the sector to ensure our approach is fully planned and delivered in partnership. To support this approach, we have already appointed a strategic advisor on SEND to engage with sector leaders, practitioners, children and families. We have also established an expert advisory group for inclusion to improve the mainstream education outcomes and experiences for those with SEND, and set up a Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group to provide a shared understanding of what provision and support in mainstream educational settings should look like for neurodivergent children and young people within an inclusive system.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to table amendments to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to expand checks for illegal working.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
These amendments are expected to be introduced at Commons Report stage of the Bill.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many large area solar proposals going through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects process are requesting planning approval to acquire freehold land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
An application for development consent can include a request for the granting of rights to compulsorily acquire or temporarily possess land to facilitate the development of the proposal.
Each application for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP), including solar NSIPs, has a dedicated webpage on the Planning Inspectorate’s website which sets out its intention to acquire land or not: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/.
As part of the application process, a ‘Book of Reference’ is uploaded to the relevant proposal’s webpage listing the Classes of Rights which are being sought over each plot, including acquiring freehold, if applicable.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many large area solar proposals going through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects process have been initiated by foreign investors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold the information requested.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support is in place for Ukrainian refugees who reach the end of their three-year visa.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.
The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department issues on whether third parties should declare their political interests when recording official videos for government departments.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
There is no standalone Cabinet Office policy or guidance that addresses the declaration of political interests of third parties when recording official videos.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department provides to Local National Direct Hire staff members who have been dismissed or placed on furlough from their positions at US Air Force bases.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Individuals hired under the US Local National Direct Hire programme are not employees of the Ministry of Defence and therefore receive no support from the Department if dismissed or displaced on furlough.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Local National Direct Hire staff members have been (a) dismissed and (b) placed on furlough in US Air Force bases in the UK this year.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Local National Direct Hire Programme is a United States' programme and the Ministry of Defence is not privy to the information requested. It is for the US to determine how they support their mission.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether United States Visiting Forces have suspended the Local National Direct Hire programme on US Air Force bases in the UK.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Local National Direct Hire programme is owned by the US Air Force.
We are aware of a “hiring freeze” to the Local National Direct Hire programme but have not seen anything issued formally.