Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many representations her Department received in each of the last three years concerning an alleged failure by a local authority to (a) secure provision required under section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and (b) comply with a SEND Tribunal order; in how many such cases her Department took action under sections 496 or 497 of the Education Act 1996; and if she will publish that information by local authority.

It is essential that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the provision specified in their education, health and care plan, and that local authorities meet their statutory responsibilities, including complying with SEND Tribunal orders.

The department has never collected the data requested. However, as part of our SEND reforms, we set out proposals to improve parental confidence that local authorities will act on Tribunal judgments and to ensure that improvements are made to future decision-making. This includes publishing an annual SEND Tribunal outcomes dashboard, providing anonymised outcomes of SEND Tribunals by local authority.

We are currently considering all consultation feedback and will publish final proposals in due course.