Business of the House

Debate between Terry Jermy and Alan Campbell

Thursday 18th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

I am very proud to employ a special educational needs and disabilities specialist caseworker, and I am grateful that Parliament funds that role, which is currently supporting more than 150 families across South West Norfolk—families who are desperate and are navigating a SEND system that we know to be in crisis. Does the Leader of the House share my concern that Tory-controlled Norfolk county council has recently written to me to try to close down this support service, continuing its adversarial approach to dealing with SEND in the county rather than focusing on supporting vulnerable families?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is a champion for SEND matters, and I thank him for that. The SEND system is broken, but we are working to fix it, investing a total of £12 billion in SEND this year. As my hon. Friend knows, we will bring forward a schools White Paper early in the new year, but politics is about choices and priorities, and it is a great pity that the council he refers to appears to have set itself at odds with so many families in his area by taking the position it has.