Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of high needs funding for schools; and if he will make a statement.

Authorities are required to provide schools with sufficient funds to enable schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, up to £6,000. Top-up funding is then provided from local authorities high needs budgets. Nationally, high needs funding is £6 billion this year, and will total £6.3 billion in 2019-20. We recognise that local authorities are facing cost pressures, which is why we have allocated an additional £250 million across all local authorities, over this year and next year. This funding will help local authorities to manage their cost pressures. Funding for 2020-21 and beyond will be determined in the Spending Review.