Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average time taken was to complete an Education, Health and Care Plan assessment in England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The number of requests for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment received during the calendar year, the outcome of those requests and the number of requests where the decision is outstanding at the end of the calendar year is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025.
This publication also includes the number of EHC needs assessments carried out during the calendar year, the outcome of these assessments, the number of assessments where the decision is outstanding at the end of the calendar year and the number and percentage of EHC plans issued within 20 weeks of the date of the request. The latest available data relates to the 2024 calendar year. Information for the 2025 calendar year will be published later this year.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children and young people were waiting for an Education, Health and Care Plan decision in January (a) 2025 and (b) 2026.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The number of requests for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment received during the calendar year, the outcome of those requests and the number of requests where the decision is outstanding at the end of the calendar year is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025.
This publication also includes the number of EHC needs assessments carried out during the calendar year, the outcome of these assessments, the number of assessments where the decision is outstanding at the end of the calendar year and the number and percentage of EHC plans issued within 20 weeks of the date of the request. The latest available data relates to the 2024 calendar year. Information for the 2025 calendar year will be published later this year.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to schools on promoting road safety awareness among pupils who use (a) hire and (b) electric bikes.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety awareness as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) provision alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content. This can also include teaching about general road safety when using bikes in different situations. The statutory RSHE guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education/relationships-and-sex-education-rse-secondary
The updated RSHE guidance, published in July 2025, has a new section on personal safety which includes how to recognise risk and keep safe around roads.
Schools can draw on resources available from many providers including, the THINK! campaign, developed by the Department for Transport. The campaign can be accessed here: https://www.think.gov.uk/.
Schools also use Bikeability, the Department for Transport’s flagship national cycle training programme for pupils in England, which teaches core skills that enable pupils to cycle confidently and safely on roads.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children (a) receive and (b) are eligible under existing rules for free school meals in Wimbledon.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The department holds free school meals data, which can be found in this publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support creative education institutions.
Answered by Janet Daby
The department recognises that the creative arts are essential contributors to our economy, society and soft power. Strategic Priorities Grant funding for specialist providers has been protected; the department is working with the sector to ensure a stable and secure higher education sector that provides a rich range of subjects, including the arts.