Tom Hunt Portrait

Tom Hunt

Conservative - Ipswich

First elected: 12th December 2019


Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill
15th Mar 2023 - 23rd Mar 2023
Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill
1st Mar 2023 - 8th Mar 2023
Child Support (Enforcement) Bill
22nd Feb 2023 - 1st Mar 2023
Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill
25th Jan 2023 - 1st Feb 2023
Education Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 8th Nov 2022
Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill
7th Sep 2022 - 12th Oct 2022
Public Order Bill
25th May 2022 - 21st Jun 2022
Skills and Post-16 Education [HL] Bill
24th Nov 2021 - 7th Dec 2021
Judicial Review and Courts Bill
27th Oct 2021 - 23rd Nov 2021
Test Committee
7th Jan 2019 - 1st Feb 2020


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Tom Hunt has voted in 942 divisions, and 12 times against the majority of their Party.

22 Mar 2021 - Fire Safety Bill - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 33 Conservative No votes vs 320 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 322 Noes - 253
13 Oct 2020 - Public Health: Coronavirus Regulations - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 42 Conservative No votes vs 298 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 299 Noes - 82
24 Jun 2020 - Demonstrations (Abortion Clinics) - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 43 Conservative No votes vs 56 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 213 Noes - 47
27 Apr 2021 - Fire Safety Bill - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 31 Conservative No votes vs 320 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 320 Noes - 256
27 Apr 2021 - Delegated Legislation - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 77 Conservative No votes vs 222 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 431 Noes - 89
28 Apr 2021 - Fire Safety Bill - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 32 Conservative No votes vs 321 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 322 Noes - 256
14 Dec 2021 - Public Health - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 97 Conservative No votes vs 224 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 369 Noes - 126
18 Oct 2022 - Public Order Bill - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 103 Conservative No votes vs 113 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 297 Noes - 110
7 Mar 2023 - Public Order Bill - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 107 Conservative Aye votes vs 109 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 116 Noes - 299
16 Jan 2024 - Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 57 Conservative Aye votes vs 262 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 58 Noes - 525
16 Jan 2024 - Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 58 Conservative Aye votes vs 262 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 68 Noes - 529
17 Jan 2024 - Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill - View Vote Context
Tom Hunt voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 59 Conservative Aye votes vs 266 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 65 Noes - 536
View All Tom Hunt Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Jacob Rees-Mogg (Conservative)
(31 debate interactions)
Robert Jenrick (Conservative)
(28 debate interactions)
Michael Gove (Conservative)
Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
(22 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Home Office
(128 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(63 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(32 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022
(4,117 words contributed)
Public Order Act 2023
(3,110 words contributed)
Finance Act 2023
(1,808 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Tom Hunt's debates

Ipswich Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

Call on the government to consider holding debates in Parliament between MPs and university students to raise/discuss issues that affect them. It will allow students to voice their opinions and concerns about tuition fees of £9250 a year which are too high, particularly as grants have been removed

Undocumented Migrants are suffering in silence, with no access to adequate Financial support, or any help. The Government should grant an urgent Amnesty of 5years to those with no criminal record so that they could live their lives as normal human beings and pay tax to help the UK economy.

Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that intensive grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. People; grouse shooting is economically insignificant when contrasted with other real and potential uses of the UK’s uplands.

Government should support vulnerable children & #endchildfoodpoverty by implementing 3 recommendations from the National Food Strategy to expand access to Free School Meals, provide meals & activities during holidays to stop holiday hunger & increase the value of and expand the Healthy Start scheme

The government should allow BTEC students to achieve teacher predicted grades rather than being forced into a system that is unethically downgrading thousands of students grades.

Schools can be a breeding ground for the spread of coronavirus. Children are mingling at schools and returning to families who are potentially vulnerable, keeping rates high.

It's only been since schools opened that infection rates have been high in Kent, and keeping them open may keep it high.

Cancel all standardise testing for year 11 and year 12 students in 2021. By replacing tests with smaller amounts of course work and teacher assessment, students would have a fair chance at achieving their target grades and it would relieve stress for teachers and students.

Please don’t send students back until we know we have had the priority groups vaccinated such as the elderly, the extremely clinically vulnerable, and those with underlying health conditions.

The Government is refusing to release official research on the characteristics of grooming gangs, claiming it is not in the “public interest”.

We, the British public, demand the release of the official research on grooming gangs undertaken by the Government in full.

The Home Secretary said what happened to victims of child sexual exploitation gangs was “one of the biggest stains on our country’s conscience.” Last year local authorities identified 18,700 suspected victims of child sexual exploitation. We want an independent public inquiry into Grooming Gangs.

Legislate to allow parents to have the option to remove their children from school if there is a pandemic e.g. Coronavirus or similar without negative action by schools or local authorities. They shouldn’t lose the child’s place in the school or face any kind of prosecution.

We propose to amend the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to make pet theft a specific offence, distinct from that of inanimate objects; and in sentencing, the courts must consider the fear, alarm or distress to the pet and owners and not monetary value.

Pet Theft Reform 2020: Revise the sentencing guidelines in the Theft Act 1968 to reclassify pet theft as a specific crime. Ensure that monetary value is irrelevant for the categorisation of dog and cat theft crime for sentencing purposes. Recognise pet theft as a category 2 offence or above.

Illegal immigrants are entering the UK in many different ways, including small boats from France which are not stopped by either French or British forces.

I would like the government to review and increase the pay for healthcare workers to recognise the work that they do.

To revoke the Immigration Health Surcharge increases for overseas NHS staff. The latest budget shows an increase of £220 a year for an overseas worker to live and work in the UK, at a time when the NHS, and UK economy, relies heavily on them.

We would like the government to support and regard social care: financially, publicly and systematically on an equal par as NHS. We would like parliament to debate how to support social care during COVID-19 and beyond so that it automatically has the same access to operational and financial support.

Give NHS workers who are EU and other Nationals automatic UK citizenship if they stay and risk their own lives looking after the British people during the COVID crisis.


Latest EDMs signed by Tom Hunt

21st February 2024
Tom Hunt signed this EDM on Wednesday 21st February 2024

No confidence in the Speaker

Tabled by: William Wragg (Conservative - Hazel Grove)
That this House has no confidence in Mr Speaker.
91 signatures
(Most recent: 20 Mar 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 44
Scottish National Party: 41
Plaid Cymru: 3
Independent: 2
Workers Party of Britain: 1
View All Tom Hunt's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Tom Hunt, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Tom Hunt has not been granted any Urgent Questions

4 Adjournment Debates led by Tom Hunt

2 Bills introduced by Tom Hunt


A Bill to make provision for a statutory Code of Practice to set standards for cladding remediation works in occupied buildings; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 9th May 2023
(Read Debate)

A Bill to make provision for an offence in relation to the sending of flashing images; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Monday 20th June 2022

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
13th Oct 2023
To ask the Attorney General, what guidance her Department has issued on the prosecution of pro-Hamas demonstrators.

On 13 October, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published further prosecution guidance on protests and demonstrations in light of the Middle East conflict. This compliments the already extensive prosecution guidance on hate crime and offences committed during protests.

A link to the CPS statement can be found here:
https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/cps-prosecution-guidance-protests-and-demonstrations-light-middle-east-conflict

The CPS provided additional prosecutors to offer advice and assistance to policing in real-time, including in the Met command centre, during recent protests. The CPS continues to work closely with its operational partners to ensure a coordinated and consistent response.

Michael Tomlinson
Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
6th Sep 2023
To ask the Attorney General, what the process is for the (a) liquidation, (b) declamation and (c) possession of a residential building by the Crown.

An interest in a freehold property owned by a company in liquidation will be dealt with by the appointed liquidator, who will decide how best to deal with the property interest to achieve the best outcome for creditors.

Where the property interest is onerous, for example it is not readily saleable or may give rise to a liability, the liquidator may seek to disclaim it.

Once disclaimed the freehold property interest, in the absence of any other owner or a vesting order, may pass to the Crown Estate according to the legal principle of escheat.

The Crown Estate does not usually seek to take possession of property subject to escheat and does not assume the responsibilities ordinarily attributable to a property owner. It therefore does not manage or insure properties subject to escheat.

The Crown Estate is not bound to dispose of property subject to escheat, or to dispose of such property to any particular purchaser. Normal policy is to dispose of such property to an appropriate purchaser where it is possible to do so.

Michael Tomlinson
Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
15th Nov 2022
To ask the Attorney General, whether she is taking steps to reduce the time spent by police officers collecting information which must be redacted before it is shared with the Crown Prosecution Service to comply with data protection law.

The recently published revised Disclosure guidelines for 2022 includes a new annex on data protection and redaction which provides clear, practical advice on data protection and redaction. The annex supports investigators in making more refined decisions about what material is necessary to provide to the CPS unredacted, and to make proportionate decisions regarding when personal information must be redacted. The redaction annex was developed with the support of the Information Commissioner’s Office, and robustly complies with data protection law.

Michael Tomlinson
Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
1st Dec 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made on the potential merits of the inclusion of statistics on Kannada speakers in census releases from the Office for National Statistics.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question on 1 December is attached.

1st Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department is taking steps to help promote careers in (a) carpentry, (b) brick laying, (c) roofing and (d) other trade industry jobs outside of traditional education routes.

Trades and professions in construction are skilled roles. New entrants to construction can join the industry through an apprenticeship, T-levels and further and higher education qualifications.

This Department works jointly with the Department for Education and the construction industry through the Construction Skills Delivery Group to promote opportunities and all skills routes for the new generation of construction workers, and for ongoing career progression, to support all construction roles.

Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
17th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps her Department has taken to support small businesses with employing more staff.

Government has taken action to support small businesses by reversing the National Insurance rise, saving small businesses approximately £4,200 on average, as well as raising the Employment Allowance to £5,000.

The network of 38 Growth Hubs across England provides access to information and advice to SMEs, alongside our free Business Support Helpline. Businesses can also use the Apprenticeship Service to find out about funding to pay for apprenticeships.

Furthermore, small businesses can access the Recovery Loan Scheme which helps smaller businesses access loans and other kinds of finance up to £2 million per business group so they can grow and invest.

Kevin Hollinrake
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
11th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if her Department will update its information on energy efficiency online to include the potential costs savings of (a) circulator pumps and (b) hydraulic balancing.

The ‘Welcome Home to Energy Efficiency’ advice site focuses on longer term changes consumers can make to their homes to make them more sustainable and help reduce energy costs.

The content of the site is regularly reviewed and updated by the Department’s policy teams to ensure the information on specific measures and schemes is accurate and that emerging new schemes and technologies are included.

The government was clear in the government response to the consultation on the standards now known as Boiler Plus, that hydraulic balancing is an expected practice that should be undertaken when a new boiler installed.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
2nd Feb 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the application process for grants from Innovate UK; and if she will take steps to help ensure that small businesses are not disadvantaged in that application process.

Innovate UK (IUK) offers extensive support services and funding opportunities for businesses of all sizes, including micro and SMEs. In 22/23 it supported 3,000 SMEs with grants, a 47% increase from 2020.

IUK’s processes meet Cabinet Office Grant Standards, and are audited internally and externally to ensure they are fair and robust. IUK recently published a Declaration to Support Businesses to Grow and Scale setting out how it is refining its approach to supporting businesses. This included pledging to halve the average time to process grant applications.

Andrew Griffith
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
24th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential economic benefits of extending 5G coverage to businesses in Ipswich.

Ofcom reports on 5G coverage in its Connected Nations reports, but this is not currently available on a constituency or local authority basis. According to Ofcom, (basic) ‘non-standalone’ 5G is available with a high degree of confidence from at least one mobile network operator outside 77% of UK premises.

5G connectivity can potentially provide significant economic benefits to businesses across the UK, and our forthcoming Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will articulate a clear vision for how advanced wireless infrastructure, including 5G, can become an integral part of the fabric of the UK's economy and society.

24th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to extend 5G coverage in Ipswich.

Ofcom reports on 5G coverage in its Connected Nations reports, but this is not currently available on a constituency or local authority basis. According to Ofcom, (basic) ‘non-standalone’ 5G is available with a high degree of confidence from at least one mobile network operator outside 77% of UK premises.

5G connectivity can potentially provide significant economic benefits to businesses across the UK, and our forthcoming Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will articulate a clear vision for how advanced wireless infrastructure, including 5G, can become an integral part of the fabric of the UK's economy and society.

24th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government support for small businesses with energy costs.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure that all eligible businesses, that receive their energy from licensed suppliers, are protected from high energy costs over the winter period.

This support is preventing insolvencies and protecting jobs and livelihoods. Following an HMT-led review, the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme, will run from April until March 2024, and continue to provide a discount to eligible businesses. The support offered through the EBRS and EBDS schemes is in addition to a package of support including recent fuel duty and VAT cuts, business rate holidays and government backed loans worth around £400 billion.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Jan 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps his Department has taken to support small businesses with energy costs.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure that all eligible businesses, that receive their energy from licensed suppliers, are protected from high energy costs over the winter period.

This support is preventing insolvencies and protecting jobs and livelihoods. Following an HMT-led review, the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme, will run from April until March 2024, and continue to provide a discount to eligible businesses. The support offered through the EBRS and EBDS schemes is in addition to a package of support including recent fuel duty and VAT cuts, business rate holidays and government backed loans worth around £400 billion.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
21st Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Sizewell C on levels of employment in Ipswich.

The proposed Sizewell C Nuclear Power station is subject to a live planning application, which is entirely separate from the ongoing commercial negotiations on the project. Given the Department’s statutory responsibility for determining individual planning applications for energy projects, the Government is unable to comment on specific matters related to this application, including the socio-economic impacts, as this could be seen as prejudicing the decision-making process.

12th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Sizewell C on the UK's energy security.

New nuclear projects are important for ensuring a low-carbon, low-cost and resilient electricity system, to help us reach our world-leading emission reduction targets and ensure our energy security and prosperity.

The Government has set out its ambition to increase our plans for the deployment of civil nuclear power up to 24GW by 2050. The Government have been in negotiations on the Sizewell C project since January 2021. If approved, Sizewell C would make a substantial contribution to this objective by producing 3.2GW of low carbon electricity, enough to power around 6 million homes or 7 percent of UK electricity.

Greg Hands
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
27th Apr 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take urgent steps to ensure that floating bar and restaurant businesses that are not eligible for business rates are able to access the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund has been designed to support smaller businesses in some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by the measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The scheme has been tied to the business rates system and rating assessments, which together provide a framework for Local Authorities to make payments as quickly as possible.

On 1 May 2020 the Business Secretary announced that a further up to £617 million is being made available to local authorities. This additional fund is aimed at small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs such as rents rather than business rates. We are asking local authorities to prioritise businesses in a range of shared workspaces, regular market traders, small charity properties that would meet the criteria for Small Business Rates Relief, and bed and breakfasts that pay council tax rather than business rates. Local authorities may choose to make payments to other businesses based on local economic need.

22nd Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help improve the level of physical activity in Ipswich through (a) grassroots sport and (b) other means.

Sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

Since 2018, the government has invested £528,357 into a range of grassroots sport projects within Ipswich through Sport England, for example the Ipswich BMX club, the School Games Organisers and through National Leisure Recovery Fund.

The Government also invests £18 million each year in community sport facilities via the Football Foundation. In partnership with the Football Association and Premier League, this results in £70 million being invested into community sport facilities every year.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
21st Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the impact of free public Wi-Fi on footfall in town centres.

The Department has not made an assessment on the impact of free public Wi-Fi on footfall in town centres. However, we know that good quality digital infrastructure, including in public spaces, has substantial social and economic benefits, and this can play a role in supporting our broader policy objectives, including Levelling Up. We are developing a Wireless Infrastructure Strategy to set out a strategic framework for the development, deployment and adoption of 5G and future networks.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
14th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the impact of increasing grassroots sport opportunities on the level of physical activity undertaken in local authority areas.

Sport and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health and this government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

Since the government launched its sports strategy, Sporting Future in 2015, we have achieved a huge amount.

Sport England has allocated over £1.5 billion to nearly 5,000 grassroots organisations across the UK, increasing opportunities for individuals all over the country to get active.

In 2020 alone, Sport England distributed over £340 million of Exchequer and Lottery funding to support the development of grassroots sport in England, in addition to £100 million through the National Leisure Recovery Fund.

The Government also invests £18 million each year in community sport facilities via the Football Foundation. In partnership with the Football Association and Premier League, this results in £70 million being invested into community sport facilities every year.

The Government has also recently announced a £30 million package to refurbish 4,500 park tennis courts throughout the country in partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association.

On top of this, the Prime Minister has committed to delivering the grassroots pitches every community needs and this has already resulted in an investment of £25 million by the government in 2021/22 to upgrade and improve facilities across the UK. At the Spending Review, a further £205 million was pledged over the next three years, targeted at the communities most in need, with the aim of increasing participation in sport among under-represented groups, as part of the government’s levelling up plans.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
12th May 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of provision of sporting opportunities for young people in Ipswich.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people have the opportunity to engage in sport and physical activity. A key driver of the government’s School Sport and Activity Action Plan is to ensure that all children and young people have access to at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. This is supported by £320 million per year through the PE and sport premium.

Sport England have, since 2016, invested £1,408,100 in different projects in Ipswich. Of that sum, £511,214 went towards 13 different projects which specifically targeted young people. 19 schools in Ipswich have also benefited £145,778 through other funding streams.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
29th Jun 2020
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will (a) refund community radio stations' Ofcom transmitter and relay licence fees to support those stations during the covid-19 outbreak and (b) take steps to ensure that those stations do not incur those costs in future.

This is a matter for Ofcom, who are responsible for setting and collecting licence fees from radio broadcast licence holders, including those payable by community radio stations.

Ofcom have taken steps to engage with community radio stations that are struggling to meet fees, and have made arrangements with a number of broadcast licence holders that are having difficulties. Community stations should contact Ofcom if they have fees that they are unable to pay as the result of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

13th Dec 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) quantitative and (b) qualitative data is used by Ofsted inspectors to assess the adequacy of SEND provision in schools.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector. I have asked the Chief Inspector to write to my hon. Friend, the Member for Ipswich directly and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Damian Hinds
Minister of State (Education)
6th Dec 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number and proportion of education, health and care plans that included personal budgets in each of the last five years.

When a local authority draws up or reviews an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, the child’s parents, or the young person from age 16, can request a personal budget. Local authorities must include information on personal budgets as part of their published Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) local offer.

Statutory guidance for local authorities on personal budgets is included in the 0 to 25 years SEND Code of Practice. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25.

The number and proportion of EHC Plans that included personal budgets in each of the last five years are as follows:

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Number of personal budgets

15,712

20,346

22,233

25,259

18,887

Number of EHC plans

353,995

390,109

430,697

473,255

517,049

Proportion of EHC plans including a personal budget

4.4%

5.2%

5.2%

5.3%

3.7%

David Johnston
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
6th Dec 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance for local authorities on the inclusion of personal budgets in education, health and care plans.

When a local authority draws up or reviews an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, the child’s parents, or the young person from age 16, can request a personal budget. Local authorities must include information on personal budgets as part of their published Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) local offer.

Statutory guidance for local authorities on personal budgets is included in the 0 to 25 years SEND Code of Practice. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25.

The number and proportion of EHC Plans that included personal budgets in each of the last five years are as follows:

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Number of personal budgets

15,712

20,346

22,233

25,259

18,887

Number of EHC plans

353,995

390,109

430,697

473,255

517,049

Proportion of EHC plans including a personal budget

4.4%

5.2%

5.2%

5.3%

3.7%

David Johnston
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
22nd Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with Ofsted on the steps it takes to collect data on the (a) skills training, (b) further education, (c) apprenticeships, (d) work and (e) other activities taken up by post-17 school leavers with special educational needs and disabilities.

Since data collection is not part of Ofsted’s role, there have been no recent discussions on the steps Ofsted takes to collect data. Ofsted is a separate government department responsible for inspecting and reporting on the quality of post-16 education and training provided by further education colleges and training providers. As set out in Ofsted’s Further Education and Skills Handbook, the quality of provision for learners with high needs and with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is always considered during the provision of any type of inspection. The handbook is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-education-and-skills-inspection-handbook-eif/further-education-and-skills-handbook-for-september-2022. Before making any final judgement on overall effectiveness, inspectors must evaluate the extent to which the education and training provided meets the needs of all learners, including learners with SEND and those who have high needs.

14th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number of schools that received an Ofsted inspection in 2023 and did not receive a grade of outstanding as a result of judgments on their SEND provision.

There is no central record of whether Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision alone is the cause of a school not receiving an outstanding overall effectiveness judgement.

Ofsted has confirmed that individual inspection reports will always provide detail on a school’s SEND provision, including strengths and weaknesses. Provision for pupils with SEND is looked at across all of Ofsted’s key judgements and through its safeguarding assessment, as set out in the school inspection handbook. In assessing the quality of a school’s education, inspectors will consider a number of factors, including; how well the school identifies, assesses and meets the needs of pupils with SEND; whether leaders are suitably ambitious for all pupils with SEND; whether the curriculum is coherently sequenced to meet all pupil’s needs starting points and aspirations; as well as how well pupils with SEND are prepared for their next steps in education, employment and training and their adult lives.

Where schools are falling short in their provision for pupils with SEND, Ofsted judgements will reflect this.

David Johnston
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
6th Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in what timeframe parents can expect to hear whether their child’s school is affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day-to-day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.

The Department has acted decisively and proactively to tackle this issue. This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. The Department issued comprehensive guidance in 2018, and subsequent years, to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. The most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.

The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. We are pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.

The Department is contacting responsible bodies to help them respond to this request and to advise on what needs to be done, so that they can establish whether they believe they have RAAC. This work will continue until we have a response for all target era schools.

Schools and colleges where RAAC is suspected are being fast tracked for surveying, which is used to confirm whether RAAC is actually present. All schools and colleges that have already told us they suspect they might have RAAC will be surveyed within a matter of weeks, in many cases in a matter of days.

All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning.

Across Government, Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out. The Department for Education published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September, and committed to providing further updates.

Schools will contact parents where RAAC is identified and inform them of any impacts on their child. The vast majority of schools are unaffected. Any parents that are unsure if their child’s school is affected should contact their school directly.

While some short term disruption is inevitable, all available measures will be taken to minimise disruption to pupil learning and ensure that pupils continue to receive face-to-face teaching. Where there is any disturbance to face-to-face education, schools will prioritise attendance for vulnerable children and young people and children of key workers. The guidance published by the Department in August also includes guidance on provision for pupils with SEND and sets out expectations that schools continue to provide free school meals to eligible pupils.

The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.

All previously confirmed Schol Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.

Further information on RAAC in education settings is available on the Education Hub: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/.

6th Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what process her Department has put in place for identifying schools at risk of closure due to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day-to-day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.

The Department has acted decisively and proactively to tackle this issue. This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. The Department issued comprehensive guidance in 2018, and subsequent years, to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. The most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.

The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. We are pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.

The Department is contacting responsible bodies to help them respond to this request and to advise on what needs to be done, so that they can establish whether they believe they have RAAC. This work will continue until we have a response for all target era schools.

Schools and colleges where RAAC is suspected are being fast tracked for surveying, which is used to confirm whether RAAC is actually present. All schools and colleges that have already told us they suspect they might have RAAC will be surveyed within a matter of weeks, in many cases in a matter of days.

All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning.

Across Government, Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out. The Department for Education published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September, and committed to providing further updates.

Schools will contact parents where RAAC is identified and inform them of any impacts on their child. The vast majority of schools are unaffected. Any parents that are unsure if their child’s school is affected should contact their school directly.

While some short term disruption is inevitable, all available measures will be taken to minimise disruption to pupil learning and ensure that pupils continue to receive face-to-face teaching. Where there is any disturbance to face-to-face education, schools will prioritise attendance for vulnerable children and young people and children of key workers. The guidance published by the Department in August also includes guidance on provision for pupils with SEND and sets out expectations that schools continue to provide free school meals to eligible pupils.

The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.

All previously confirmed Schol Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.

Further information on RAAC in education settings is available on the Education Hub: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/.

1st Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that (a) critical race theory and (b) white privilege and other contested terms are not taught in schools.

Political issues relating to racial and social justice can be taught in a balanced and factual manner, just as pupils are often taught about a range of different views on other topics, but schools should not teach contested theories and opinions as fact.

The Department is aware that there has been increasing focus on political impartiality in schools over the last few years. This has been challenging for head teachers, teachers and staff with a lack of clarity about what the legal duties in this area really mean.  That is why the Department has published clear and comprehensive guidance to help those working with and in schools to better understand legal duties on political impartiality. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools.

As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects. It is important that schools take full responsibility for ensuring lessons and materials are age appropriate, suitable and politically impartial, particularly when using materials produced by external organisations. When teaching, schools should consider the age of pupils and their religious and cultural background.

2nd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what special educational needs and disabilities qualifications are required for people that issue education, health and care plans on behalf of local authorities.

Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans are a fundamental part of the vision described in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, published in March 2023. The department recognises the vital role that local authority staff play in supporting families in the SEND system. We will consider the skills and training that these teams receive and, when consulting on amending the SEND Code of Practice, we will propose new guidance on delivering a responsive and supportive SEND casework service to families.

The department does not play a direct role in the monitoring of timeliness or quality of EHC plans. Officials do monitor key performance indicators, including statutory timeliness and tribunal rates. This evidence can inform decisions to provide improvement support to local areas, which includes training and workshops on EHC plan quality. It is the role of Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission to monitor the quality of EHC plans through their Area SEND inspections.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
2nd Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department monitors the standard of provision of Education, Health and Care Plans.

Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans are a fundamental part of the vision described in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, published in March 2023. The department recognises the vital role that local authority staff play in supporting families in the SEND system. We will consider the skills and training that these teams receive and, when consulting on amending the SEND Code of Practice, we will propose new guidance on delivering a responsive and supportive SEND casework service to families.

The department does not play a direct role in the monitoring of timeliness or quality of EHC plans. Officials do monitor key performance indicators, including statutory timeliness and tribunal rates. This evidence can inform decisions to provide improvement support to local areas, which includes training and workshops on EHC plan quality. It is the role of Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission to monitor the quality of EHC plans through their Area SEND inspections.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
11th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many young people have not been admitted to the school named in their education, health and care plan in each of the last five years.

The department does not have access to individual Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans and, as a result, we are unable to make an assessment of how many young people are not admitted to the school named in their plan.

Starting from summer 2023, the department plans to collect data from local authorities on the capacity of special schools and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) units and resourced provision in mainstream schools, as well as forecasts of the numbers of specialist placements local authorities expect to make in SEND units and resourced provision, special schools (of all types) and alternative provision (AP). We expect this to be an annual data collection forming part of the existing School Capacity Survey, which will support local authorities in managing their specialist provision.

The department is investing £2.6 billion between now and 2025 to fund new special and AP places and improve existing provision, including opening 33 new special free schools, with a further 48 in the pipeline.

In the SEND and AP Improvement Plan of March 2023, we set out our proposal to require local authorities to provide families with a tailored list of settings as part of an amended process for naming a placement in an EHC plan.

A tailored list would allow local authorities to give clear choices to families and better meet the needs of children and young people, while supporting them to manage placements in a way that ensures financial sustainability for the future.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
11th May 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether parents with young people with SEND have applied to the Fair Access Protocol.

The Department does not hold information on which children are referred to local Fair Access Protocols.

Parents do not apply for a school place via the Fair Access Protocol directly. Parents are referred to the Protocol when they are having difficulty in securing a school place in-year, and it can be demonstrated that reasonable measures have been taken to secure a place through the usual in-year admission procedures.

Children with special educational needs, disabilities or medical conditions but without an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan are eligible for the Fair Access Protocol. Paragraph 3.17 of the Schools Admissions Code outlines the groups of children who are eligible for a place via the Fair Access Protocol.

All children whose EHC plan names a school must be admitted to the school.

17th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools provide effective support for children with Education, Health and Care Plans in (a) Ipswich constituency and (b) England.

The department is committed to ensuring that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), wherever they live, get the support they need, including those with education, health and care (EHC) plans. The SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan outlines the department’s mission to create a single, national SEND and AP system with the proposal to develop national standards as a fundamental part of this. The standards will set out what support should be available and who is responsible for providing it, to give families confidence and clarity on how the needs of children and young people will be met. As these standards will apply nationally, Ipswich is automatically included.

The plan also sets out proposals to improve the assessment and planning process for EHC plans, by introducing standardised forms and processes, and supporting guidance to provide greater consistency.

Quality teaching and support is vital for all children with SEND to reach their potential. The department will introduce a new leadership level Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator National Professional Qualification for schools. We are also taking steps to build teacher expertise in meeting the needs of children with SEND through a review of the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework and Early Career Framework.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
17th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of young adults joining the Trade Industry through training schemes such as apprenticeships.

The department has invested in a range of programmes aimed at encouraging young people and adults to train, retrain and get the skills they need for employment, including in the Trade industry.

We are providing an extra £1.6 billion in 16-to-19 education by the 2024/25 financial year, compared with 2021/22. This includes up to £500 million extra a year for T Levels when fully rolled out.

The Adult Education Budget, which is £1.34 billion in the 2022/23 financial year, fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to support them to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

The department has introduced T Levels, which are two-year, level 3, technical study courses that offer young people a choice of high-quality training. 16 T Levels are now available in further education providers across the country, with T Levels in Construction leading to careers in plumbing and heating engineering, carpentry and joinery, bricklaying, plastering & painting and decorating, along with many other trade occupations.

There are nearly 100 high-quality employer-designed apprenticeship standards available in the construction sector. The department is increasing investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by 2024/25 to support more apprenticeship opportunities, and we continue to offer £1,000 payments to employers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, or 19 to 24 where they have an education, health and care plan. In addition, our Career Starter apprenticeships campaign is promoting apprenticeships that offer great opportunities to those leaving full-time education, such as Engineering Fitter and Plumber.

We have introduced Skills Bootcamps which are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people over the age of 19 the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview with an employer on completion. Training is available in skill areas such as construction, engineering and other technical sectors including courses in welding, electrical installation and plumbing amongst others.

Following the recent Budget announcement of an additional £34 million investment in the 2024/25 financial year, building upon the £550 million investment across the 2022/25 financial years, we will target making 64,000 training places a year available by 2024/25 to ensure that even more adult learners across all areas of the country can access Skills Bootcamps.

The Free Courses for Jobs offer gives eligible adults the chance to access high value Level 3 qualification for free. This offer includes many qualifications that are delivered flexibly and online. Qualifications are available across the country in a wide range of sectors including building, construction and engineering.

17th Apr 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve teacher's knowledge of neurodiversity conditions.

All teachers are teachers of special education needs and disabilities (SEND), and high quality teaching is central to ensuring that pupils with SEND are given the best possible opportunity to achieve at school.

Quality teaching is the most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with SEND. From September 2020, all new teachers have benefited from at least three years of evidence based professional development and support, starting with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) based on the new ITT Core Content Framework (CCF), and followed by a new two year induction underpinned by the Early Career Framework (ECF).

All courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 1, that teachers must set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions as well as Standard 5, that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

The CCF sets out a minimum entitlement of the knowledge and experiences that trainees need to enter the profession in the best position possible to teach and support all pupils to succeed. The Department will be conducting a review this year of the CCF and ECF to identify how the frameworks can equip new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.

17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to provide skills training opportunities for neurodiverse adults.

The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), which was £1.34 billion in the 2022/23 financial year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and neurodivergent adults, from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship, or further learning.

The AEB includes learning support funding to enable colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and meet the costs of reasonable adjustments as set out in the Equality Act 2010. Learning Support can cover a range of needs including an assessment for dyslexia, funding to pay for specialist equipment or helpers, and arranging signers or note takers.

The department is working to ensure that a learning difficulty or disability is not a barrier to people who want to realise the benefits of an apprenticeship. To ensure that employers are supported to create new apprenticeship opportunities, we provide targeted financial support directly to training providers to help remove barriers for people with a learning difficulty or disability.

Providers can access learning support funding of £150 per month where a reasonable adjustment is delivered and evidenced. Employers can access the Department for Work and Pensions’ Access to Work scheme to better support apprentices with disabilities.

The department has also improved the Find an Apprenticeship service to allow people to identify Disability Confident Employers offering opportunities. The department has launched a Disabled Apprentice Network in partnership with Disability Rights UK to provide valuable insight and evidence on how to attract and retain people with disabilities into apprenticeships.

Additionally, the department’s skills offers include Skills Bootcamps and Free Courses for Jobs. Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview with an employer on completion.

There are now hundreds of Skills Bootcamps available across the country, offering training in digital, technical (including engineering and manufacturing), construction, logistics (HGV driving), and skills that support the green economy, including heat pump engineer and electric vehicle maintenance and repair and zero carbon construction.

The Free Courses for Jobs offer gives eligible adults the chance to access high value level 3 qualification for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job. The courses available offer good wage outcomes and address skills needs in the economy, empowering adults with the tools they need to secure a better job.

Adults in England without a full level 3 are eligible for these qualifications. In addition, adults in England are also eligible if they are earning under the National Living Wage annually, or £18,525 from April 2022, or are unemployed, regardless of their prior qualification level. There are over 400 qualifications on offer in areas such as engineering, social care and accounting, alongside many others. These qualifications have been identified for their strong wage outcomes and ability to meet key skills needs.

Both of these offers are open to all eligible learners, including adults with a disability or for neurodiverse adults.

Neurodiverse adults and those with disabilities can access free, up-to-date, and impartial information, advice and guidance on the full range of skills training opportunities through the National Careers Service. Discussions are tailored to meet the individual needs and circumstances of each customer. Adults with special educational needs and/or disabilities are one of six priority groups who are eligible for more targeted support from careers advisers. The website https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ is regularly updated, with a programme of continuous improvement. The content currently includes around 800 job profiles, a course directory and information on how to find a job, build a CV, and interview techniques.


17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help provide skills training opportunities for adults with disabilities.

The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), which was £1.34 billion in the 2022/23 financial year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and neurodivergent adults, from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship, or further learning.

The AEB includes learning support funding to enable colleges and training providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and meet the costs of reasonable adjustments as set out in the Equality Act 2010. Learning Support can cover a range of needs including an assessment for dyslexia, funding to pay for specialist equipment or helpers, and arranging signers or note takers.

The department is working to ensure that a learning difficulty or disability is not a barrier to people who want to realise the benefits of an apprenticeship. To ensure that employers are supported to create new apprenticeship opportunities, we provide targeted financial support directly to training providers to help remove barriers for people with a learning difficulty or disability.

Providers can access learning support funding of £150 per month where a reasonable adjustment is delivered and evidenced. Employers can access the Department for Work and Pensions’ Access to Work scheme to better support apprentices with disabilities.

The department has also improved the Find an Apprenticeship service to allow people to identify Disability Confident Employers offering opportunities. The department has launched a Disabled Apprentice Network in partnership with Disability Rights UK to provide valuable insight and evidence on how to attract and retain people with disabilities into apprenticeships.

Additionally, the department’s skills offers include Skills Bootcamps and Free Courses for Jobs. Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview with an employer on completion.

There are now hundreds of Skills Bootcamps available across the country, offering training in digital, technical (including engineering and manufacturing), construction, logistics (HGV driving), and skills that support the green economy, including heat pump engineer and electric vehicle maintenance and repair and zero carbon construction.

The Free Courses for Jobs offer gives eligible adults the chance to access high value level 3 qualification for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job. The courses available offer good wage outcomes and address skills needs in the economy, empowering adults with the tools they need to secure a better job.

Adults in England without a full level 3 are eligible for these qualifications. In addition, adults in England are also eligible if they are earning under the National Living Wage annually, or £18,525 from April 2022, or are unemployed, regardless of their prior qualification level. There are over 400 qualifications on offer in areas such as engineering, social care and accounting, alongside many others. These qualifications have been identified for their strong wage outcomes and ability to meet key skills needs.

Both of these offers are open to all eligible learners, including adults with a disability or for neurodiverse adults.

Neurodiverse adults and those with disabilities can access free, up-to-date, and impartial information, advice and guidance on the full range of skills training opportunities through the National Careers Service. Discussions are tailored to meet the individual needs and circumstances of each customer. Adults with special educational needs and/or disabilities are one of six priority groups who are eligible for more targeted support from careers advisers. The website https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ is regularly updated, with a programme of continuous improvement. The content currently includes around 800 job profiles, a course directory and information on how to find a job, build a CV, and interview techniques.


1st Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help educate young people about knife crime.

The Department works across Government to support all young people to lead happy, healthy and safe lives, and to foster respect for others.

The statutory guidance on relationships, sex and health education contains content that can help address the underlying causes of gun and knife crime. This includes references to situations that often lead young people to carry weapons, such as criminal exploitation though involvement in gangs and county lines drugs operations. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

Gun and knife crime can also be taught as part of a school’s wider curriculum. Schools can choose to include lessons on weapons awareness and gangs as part of their personal, social, health and economic education or citizenship curriculum.

The Department works across Government on wider initiatives to prevent serious violence. As part of the cross Government Beating Crime Plan, the Department has worked with other government departments to make over £45 million available to fund specialist support in mainstream and alternative provision schools in the areas where serious violence like knife crime most affects young people.

One cross government project that the Department is implementing is the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforces (APST). This places multidisciplinary taskforces of specialists, including speech and language therapists, youth workers, family support workers, and mental health workers in schools in 22 areas where serious violence is most prevalent. The Department works closely with cross Government partners, including the Youth Justice Board and NHS England to deliver the APST programme, including the placement of their frontline specialists in schools.

The Department continues to work with other departments and stakeholders on curriculum content and will be reviewing the statutory guidance this year, looking at areas of the guidance that need to be strengthened.

2nd Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessments her Department has made regarding the adequacy of skills training opportunities in the local labour market to support the Sizewell C nuclear power plant project.

The new Local Skills Improvement Plans bring together employers, skills providers and other local stakeholders to identify the key skills needed in an area and to determine the changes required to local skills provision. For the Norfolk and Suffolk area, the Secretary of State for Education designated the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce to lead the Local Skills Improvement Plan.

At a national level, the Green Jobs Delivery Group, which brings together representatives from government, business, industry, trade unions and academia, is the key vehicle for achieving our green skills aims and is examining nuclear skills needs.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has approved five apprenticeship standards for the nuclear industry, with another in development. The Free Courses for Jobs offer includes the ECITB level 3 Certificate and Diploma in Nuclear Engineering and Science.

Skills Bootcamps are short, flexible courses designed to meet the needs of employers. In additional to the national Skills Bootcamp offer, New Anglia LEP, in partnership with Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils, is using Department for Education grant funding to run Skills Bootcamps that meet local needs. Some of these new skills, such as construction, are valuable for the development of Sizewell C. It is expected that the Skills Bootcamp offer will develop as the Sizewell C project progresses.

2nd Dec 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 5.64 of the Autumn Statement, whether Sir Michael Barber has been asked to provide an assessment of the adequacy of funding for further education colleges.

Sir Michael Barber has been appointed to provide private advice to my righ hon. Friends, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Education, on the implementation of the department’s current skills reforms programme. As part of those reforms, the department is investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over the Parliament, to ensure people can access high-quality education and training, including T Levels, that lead to good jobs.

29th Nov 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of further education college funding for (a) 16-19 provision, (b) adult education and (c) apprenticeships.

The department is investing a further £3.8 billion in further education and skills over this parliamentary session to ensure people across the country have access to the skills they need to build a fulfilling career in jobs the economy needs. Providers of post-16 education, including further education colleges, can benefit from the investment announced in the 2021 Spending Review, which made available an extra £1.6 billion for 16-19 education in the 2024/25 financial year, compared with 2021/22 - the biggest increase in 16-19 funding in a decade. This will help to fund the additional students anticipated in the system, 40 extra hours per student, and provide an affordable increase in funding rates per 16-19 student, including an up-front cash boost which will see the national rate of funding increase by over 8% in 2022/23, from £4,188 to £4,542 per student.

The department are continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) at £1.34 billion in the 2022/23 academic year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

As part of the department’s £2.5 billion investment aimed at re-skilling and up-skilling opportunities for adults, we have introduced the Free Courses for Jobs offer and Skills Bootcamps. The Free Courses for Jobs offer enables learners without a level 3 qualification (or learners with any qualification level but earning below the National Living Wage) to gain a qualification for free. Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with an employer.

The department is committed to supporting more employers in using apprenticeships to develop the skilled workforces they need, and to supporting more people to benefit from the high-quality training that apprenticeships offer. To support more employers and learners to access apprenticeships we are increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year.

The department is also investing £2.8 billion of capital funding for skills over the Spending Review period, including to improve the condition of further education estates, create more post-16 places and support the rollout of T Levels.

14th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of places in special schools for children with SEND in Ipswich constituency.

Local authorities must ensure there are sufficient good school places for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The Children and Families Act 2014, requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review, including its sufficiency, working with parents, young people, and providers.

There are currently six special schools within Ipswich, providing 368 places to children up to the age of 16 with SEND, including social, emotional, and mental health needs and specific learning difficulties. Two of the six schools, The Bridge School and Sir Bobby Robson School, are yet to be inspected by Ofsted. Two schools, Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy and Stone Lodge Academy, are rated Good. The other two schools, West Lodge School and New Skill Centre, are rated Requires Improvement.

The department continues to support Suffolk local authority and academy trusts with special schools in Ipswich in a range of ways, to help their efforts with providing sufficient good special school places for children with SEND in Ipswich.

14th Jul 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils in Ipswich constituency are waiting for special school places.

The department does not collect data on how many children are waiting for school places on a constituency basis. However, each January, the department collects data from local authorities, covering the number of children and young people and the type of provision attended. This includes mainstream schools, special schools, alternative provision, pupils educated elsewhere, and those awaiting provision.

The most recent return shows that in January 2022, there were 1,503 children of compulsory school age across England with education, health and care (EHC) plans who were not in education and awaiting provision. This is up from 1,460 in January 2021. In Suffolk, in January 2022, there were 36 children of compulsory school age with EHC plans not in education and awaiting provision, up from 26 in January 2021.

The department does not collect data about the specific circumstances of the children awaiting provision. The department knows that this category includes children and young people in a wide range of circumstances, including some who are in an education setting, but awaiting provision in another setting (including those currently attending a mainstream school who are to move to a special school), and some who have only recently moved into the area. The local authority keeps its special school place provision under continual review and has detailed plans for increasing the number of good places available in Ipswich and across Suffolk.

To support these plans, the department collaborates with Suffolk local authority on helping all schools in the county to continually improve their whole-school special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) approach, including ensuring that academies fulfil their obligations to pupils with SEND. While statutory responsibility for providing SEND places rests with Suffolk local authority, the department actively supports the local authority to secure sufficient, good quality SEND places in Suffolk, including in Ipswich.

21st Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the impact of supported apprenticeships on (a) improving the confidence and (b) the future employability of SEND pupils.

Apprenticeships are jobs and are available for all people of all backgrounds, including people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), to start an exciting career in a variety of industries.


In recent years, the department has seen an improved representation of learners who have declared SEND starting apprenticeships, and we want this to continue. The department has improved its ‘find an apprenticeship’ service to allow people to identify Disability Confident employers offering opportunities and ensuring apprenticeships are available to all.


In partnership with the Disability Rights UK, the department has launched a Disabled Apprentice Network to provide valuable insight and evidence on how to attract and retain disabled people into apprenticeships. Disability Rights UK published a report during National Apprenticeship Week 2022 to support employers to improve the diversity of their apprenticeship programmes, whilst highlighting the barriers people may face when undertaking an apprenticeship. In this report, the apprentices identified the opportunity to build confidence, skills, and networks with people with different experiences and gain paid work experience as the key points which influenced them towards undertaking an apprenticeship.


To ensure that more people who declare learning difficulty or disability (LDD) feel confident to undertake apprenticeships, the department has lowered the English and maths requirements to apprenticeships for a defined group of individuals with LDD. We have also introduced British Sign Language (BSL) as an alternative to English Functional Skills for those who have BSL as their first language.


Furthermore, the department makes £1,000 payments to employers and providers for taking on 16 to 18 year olds, or those aged 19 to 24 with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. We also offer £150 per month to help providers make reasonable adjustments for eligible apprentices with special educational needs. Providers can claim additional funding if the cost of support exceeds this rate.


More widely, the department is investing up to £18 million over the next three years to build capacity in the supported internships programme, providing extra support to people with EHC plans to build the necessary skills they need to secure and sustain paid employment or transition into an apprenticeship if they wish to do so.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
21st Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much SEND pupils receive per pupil in Ipswich constituency under the area cost adjustment to the basic entitlement factor; and how that figure compares to the UK average.

Suffolk County Council, in which Ipswich is located, will attract a year-on-year increase in its high needs allocation of 12.5% per head of their 2-18 population this financial year, bringing its total high needs funding allocation in 2022-23 to £96.1 million.

Suffolk County Council’s allocation of high needs funding is calculated through a national funding formula (NFF) that includes an element of funding based on the number of pupils in special schools in the county, which contributes to the cost of the place funding for those schools. This basic entitlement factor allocates a per-pupil amount of £4,660, to which an area cost adjustment is added, that reflects higher staffing costs in some areas of the country, such as London. The area cost adjustment weightings and basic entitlement per-pupil amounts for each local authority in England are set out in the published NFF calculations which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2022-to-2023. The Impact of the schools NFF, 2022 to 2023 spreadsheet shows how the financial year 2022/23 NFF allocations have been calculated. This shows that Suffolk’s area cost adjustment is 1.000. How area cost adjustment is calculated is set out here in Annex A: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2022-to-2023.

A significant proportion of overall funding for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is delivered through the schools NFF and subsequently through each local authority’s local schools funding formula. The information collected from local authorities or schools does not allow us to make a comparative assessment of total SEND or high needs funding on an overall per-pupil basis, at local authority or constituency level, or taking into account the severity of pupils’ needs.

21st Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make a comparative assessment of the higher needs funding per pupil (a) in Ipswich and (b) across England on average for pupils with (i) mild to severe and (ii) severe needs.

Suffolk County Council, in which Ipswich is located, will attract a year-on-year increase in its high needs allocation of 12.5% per head of their 2-18 population this financial year, bringing its total high needs funding allocation in 2022-23 to £96.1 million.

Suffolk County Council’s allocation of high needs funding is calculated through a national funding formula (NFF) that includes an element of funding based on the number of pupils in special schools in the county, which contributes to the cost of the place funding for those schools. This basic entitlement factor allocates a per-pupil amount of £4,660, to which an area cost adjustment is added, that reflects higher staffing costs in some areas of the country, such as London. The area cost adjustment weightings and basic entitlement per-pupil amounts for each local authority in England are set out in the published NFF calculations which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2022-to-2023. The Impact of the schools NFF, 2022 to 2023 spreadsheet shows how the financial year 2022/23 NFF allocations have been calculated. This shows that Suffolk’s area cost adjustment is 1.000. How area cost adjustment is calculated is set out here in Annex A: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2022-to-2023.

A significant proportion of overall funding for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is delivered through the schools NFF and subsequently through each local authority’s local schools funding formula. The information collected from local authorities or schools does not allow us to make a comparative assessment of total SEND or high needs funding on an overall per-pupil basis, at local authority or constituency level, or taking into account the severity of pupils’ needs.

21st Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision for specialist education settings in Ipswich.

There are currently six special schools within Ipswich providing 368 places to children (up to age 16) with special educational needs, including social, emotional and mental health needs and specific learning difficulties. More information on the special schools can be found here: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Search?tok=8UB4PirD.

Two of the six schools (The Bridge School and Sir Bobby Robson School) are yet to be inspected by Ofsted. Two schools (Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy and Stone Lodge Academy) are rated good. The other two schools (West Lodge School and New Skill Centre) are rated requires improvement (to be good). Further queries regarding the adequacy of specialist educational settings should be directed to Ofsted.

15th Jun 2022
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what was the average funding per pupil in mainstream schools in (a) Ipswich and (b) England in each of the last three years.

This 2022/23 financial year, schools in the Ipswich constituency area are attracting an average of £5,089 per pupil through the schools national funding formula (NFF). This compares to a national average of £5,358 per pupil through the NFF.

In the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, a further national increase in the core schools budget of £1.6 billion in the 2022/23 financial year was announced. This has been allocated to schools through the schools supplementary grant (SSG). Schools in the constituency attracted an additional £149 per pupil on average in the 2022/23 financial year through the SSG, compared to a national average of £156. This is additional to the NFF figures set out above.

In the 2021/22 financial year, schools in the Ipswich constituency area attracted an average of £4,944 per pupil through the NFF. The national average in 2021/22 was £5,212.

In the 2020/21 financial year, schools attracted an average of £4,575 per pupil through the NFF, when the national average was £4,828 per pupil. These figures do not include the funding for the teachers’ pay grant and teachers’ pension employer contribution grant, which were allocated as separate grants in 2020/21. This funding was rolled into the NFF from 2021/22. Therefore, the 2021/22 and 2022/23 NFF figures cannot be directly compared to the 2020/21 figures.

The constituency of Ipswich sees lower levels of funding per pupil than the national average. This is primarily due to the national average including schools in more expensive areas, such as London, that attract higher funding per pupil to reflect the higher costs they face. Schools in Ipswich also have a higher than average number of pupils per school. This means that they receive less than the average, per pupil, in respect of the school-led elements of the NFF that are provided at a fixed rate, such as the lump sum that each school is allocated.

The above figures relate to the amount of funding allocated through the schools NFF. The actual amount of funding schools received may be different, as it is determined by the Suffolk local authority’s local funding formula for schools.

On top of this funding, pupil premium funding rates are increasing by 2.7% in the 2022/23 financial year, meaning that the per pupil funding rate will be the highest, in cash terms, since its introduction. For Ipswich, total pupil premium funding will increase to over £5.7 million in the 2022/23 financial year, from £5.3 million this year. This will ensure that this targeted investment continues to support the most disadvantaged children in our schools.

In the 2022/23 financial year, the department will be allocating approximately £2,000 per pupil, for all pupils who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years (FSM6), through the NFF, the pupil premium and a 2022/23 school supplementary grant together.

The department has also committed almost £5 billion for an ambitious, multi-year education recovery plan to support young people to catch up on missed learning and invest in what we know works: teacher training, evidence-based support, including tutoring and extra education opportunities. This includes the time-limited recovery premium grant providing over £300 million of additional funding for state-funded schools in the 2021/22 academic year and £1 billion across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years.

Ipswich has been selected at a Priority Education Investment Area (EIA). As a result, the department will offer intensive investment, in addition to the significant support available to all EIAs, so that we can drive improvement further and faster.

In all 55 EIAs, the department will be taking steps to support underperforming schools to make the necessary improvements, build trust capacity, support improved digital connectivity in the schools that need this most and offer the levelling up premium, worth up to £3,000 tax free, to eligible teachers. Our additional support to Priority EIAs includes a share of around £40 million of funding to address local needs, such as those acting as a barrier to improvement at primary and priority access to a number of other department programmes.