Question to the Department for Education:

o ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's press release of 11 March 2019, Thousands of places created in new special free schools, where in the South West he plans for those new special free schools providing 500 new places to be located.

On 11 March 2019, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced the approval of 37 special free schools and 2 alternative provision free schools, providing thousands of new school places for children with special educational needs or those facing additional challenges in mainstream education. This includes the approval of 6 new special schools in the south-west. The schools will open in the following local authority areas: Cornwall, Dorset, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset and Wiltshire. The new school to be opened in Wiltshire local authority will be located in Salisbury and will also cater for students in the surrounding areas.