Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make a statement on how the decision to cut funding for Assistive Technologies within the Disabled Students’ Allowance was made.
Answered by Janet Daby
The department made the decision to remove non-specialist spelling and grammar (SPAG) software from the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) funding on the grounds that there are now free-to-access versions available with the required functionality to meet students’ disability-related support needs. It is therefore not an effective use of public money to continue to fund this type of software through DSA.
The department conducted a detailed review of the SPAG functionality available in computer operating systems, free software products and paid-for software products. This review concluded that the SPAG functionality available in products that students can access for free was like that available in paid-for products. While some of the paid-for products had additional features such as plagiarism checkers, these are not in scope for DSA funding, given they are of potential benefit to all students.
The department engaged with disability experts to gather their feedback. An Equality Impact Assessment was also conducted, which identified that there is a risk that this decision may have a negative impact on some disabled students who might prefer paid-for SPAG software. However, this impact will be mitigated by the availability of free versions that provide equivalent functionality for the types of support that are in scope of DSA. DSA will still fund SPAG software in exceptional circumstances where a robust disability-related justification is provided. Assistive technology training and aftercare support for any non-specialist basic SPAG software agreed in a student’s needs assessment report will continue to be funded.
While the SPAG software change took effect from March 2025 for new students, including those starting courses in September 2025, the department does not generally expect that these students will be negatively impacted by the changes as they will be able to access free versions with the required functionality to meet their disability-related needs.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that the decision to cut funding for Assistive Technologies within the Disabled Students’ Allowance will not affect students starting university in September.
Answered by Janet Daby
The department made the decision to remove non-specialist spelling and grammar (SPAG) software from the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) funding on the grounds that there are now free-to-access versions available with the required functionality to meet students’ disability-related support needs. It is therefore not an effective use of public money to continue to fund this type of software through DSA.
The department conducted a detailed review of the SPAG functionality available in computer operating systems, free software products and paid-for software products. This review concluded that the SPAG functionality available in products that students can access for free was like that available in paid-for products. While some of the paid-for products had additional features such as plagiarism checkers, these are not in scope for DSA funding, given they are of potential benefit to all students.
The department engaged with disability experts to gather their feedback. An Equality Impact Assessment was also conducted, which identified that there is a risk that this decision may have a negative impact on some disabled students who might prefer paid-for SPAG software. However, this impact will be mitigated by the availability of free versions that provide equivalent functionality for the types of support that are in scope of DSA. DSA will still fund SPAG software in exceptional circumstances where a robust disability-related justification is provided. Assistive technology training and aftercare support for any non-specialist basic SPAG software agreed in a student’s needs assessment report will continue to be funded.
While the SPAG software change took effect from March 2025 for new students, including those starting courses in September 2025, the department does not generally expect that these students will be negatively impacted by the changes as they will be able to access free versions with the required functionality to meet their disability-related needs.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps is she taking to improve the use of technology to support inclusion for children with SEND in schools in Bournemouth.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
Assistive technology has the potential to improve early intervention and enable more children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in a mainstream setting, by supporting both confidence and independence.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has announced £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. Local authorities can use this to create new places, but also to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, including through investment in assistive technology interventions to support pupils in mainstream settings. Of this £740 million, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council has been allocated over £4 million in 2025/26.
We will continue to build our evidence base on the potential for assistive technology to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, including testing a pilot of assistive technology lending libraries through the SEND and alternative provision Change Programme. This will allow up to 4,000 mainstream schools in participating local authorities to borrow and trial technology on a temporary basis, to identify the right products to support their pupils.
Asked by: Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will provide an update on the implementation of the commitments set out in the Disability Action Plan.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Disability Action Plan was an initiative of the previous administration. This Government is committed to championing the rights of Deaf and disabled people. We will build on the insights shared by disabled people and their representative organisations, working closely with them so that their views and voices are at the heart of decision-making.
We are currently taking forward a number of priorities, including making the right to equal pay effective for disabled people and introducing disability pay gap reporting for large employers through the Equality (Race & Disability) Bill and seeking to identify and, where possible, develop solutions to the barriers disabled people face when trying to use and access Assistive Technology. We will provide an update on wider priorities in due course.
Additionally, in December 2024, a Lead Minister for Disability was appointed in every government department to represent the interests of disabled people and champion disability inclusion and accessibility across their department, as they drive forward progress on the government’s manifesto commitments and 5 missions.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of developing a strategy to ensure the full participation of blind and partially sighted students in education through the use of (a) assistive and (b) mainstream technology.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Assistive technology (AT), such as dictation tools and screen readers, can break down barriers to opportunity for students with disabilities and is a key part of helping every child to achieve and thrive.
With rapid improvements in the accessibility features built into standard devices, schools now have more access to AT than ever before. Evidence shows that, when used effectively, AT is a key component of high-quality teaching for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)..
An independent evaluation report of recent training found that effective AT use positively influences the independence, confidence, attainment, behaviour and engagement of students with SEND. Training participants also felt that effective AT use can positively impact the use of support staff and teacher time.
The government is committed to helping teachers use technology to support their students with SEND. We are embedding evidence-based practice and broadening the effective use of AT. This includes commissioning brand new research to see how different agencies can best come together to encourage schools to use AT as effectively as possible, and ensuring the effective use of AT will become part of national training for all new teachers in 2025.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered reforming Schedule 8 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 to help increase levels of support for small businesses selling disability and assistive technology products online.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government recognises the vital role that disability and assistive technology products play in improving people’s lives and supporting independent living. Under the UK’s VAT regime, the zero-rate of VAT applies to certain goods supplied to disabled people for their domestic or personal use. The application of the zero-rate balances support for businesses and consumers with the need to protect the public finances.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to ensure improved access to schooling for children with (a) visual and (b) hearing impairments in Chichester constituency.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
All education settings have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. Part 6 of the Equality Act outlines that schools must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children, to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage.
The government announced £740 million of high needs capital for the 2025/26 financial year to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and/or who are in alternative provision. This funding can be used to adapt classrooms to better meet the needs of all children, including the provision of sensory equipment within mainstream schools, alongside continuing to provide and adapt spaces to support pupils with the most complex needs in special schools. Local authorities may additionally wish to consider using this funding to invest in assistive technology interventions as a means of supporting pupils in mainstream schools.
The last local area SEND inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission for West Sussex was in November 2023, which found inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the five areas for improvement highlighted by the report, including one area specific to the sufficiency of high quality provision, and the progress made by children and young people with SEND.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support the introduction of assistive technology in primary schools in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
The government is committed to increasing awareness and use of assistive technology (AT) in primary schools across England, including in the Yeovil constituency and Somerset.
Firstly, the department is investing in high-quality research to identify barriers to and opportunities for AT use in schools, so that we have a strong evidence base for AT and are able to pilot approaches. This is key to giving schools the right support they need. We published the most recent research report for special schools and colleges in May entitled ‘Developing a competency framework for effective assistive technology training’. The report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/developing-a-competency-framework-for-effective-assistive-technology-training.
From September 2025, teachers will receive training on effective AT use as part of their initial teacher training. Our programme of research can also inform the development of workforce training aimed at equipping teachers with the necessary skills to effectively use AT.
Secondly, the government is working to improve the multi-agency working of all those involved in supporting pupils to get the AT that they require. The department will soon publish research undertaken with local authority special educational needs teams and local authority health teams, AT suppliers, schools and colleges to identify effective practices when working together to meet pupil need.
Finally, the government is investing £20 million this year to ensure schools can access a fibre internet connection, which includes 27 schools across Somerset. Our investment in infrastructure will ensure that schools can fully harness the opportunities of AT.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will change the ownership arrangements for equipment funded through the Access to Work scheme to allow disabled employees to retain their assistive technology when they change or leave employment.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In March 2025, the Department published the Pathways to Work Green Paper, which is consulting on the future of Access to Work. We are also considering the role of employers in creating accessible and inclusive workplaces as well as how we can shape the market for aids, appliances and assistive technology, to reduce their cost and spread their adoption.
We will review all aspects of the Scheme following the conclusion of the consultation on the 30th June and encourage people to have their views and voices heard on how they think the programme and the welfare system could be improved.
Asked by: Liam Conlon (Labour - Beckenham and Penge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to use technology to improve school standards.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Technology is at the centre of mission-led government and our Plan for Change. The government is using the combined power of data, digital services and technology to modernise our education system, back our teachers and deliver for our children across the country.
We are investing £25 million in upgrading wireless networks in schools through our Connect the Classroom programme next year, which will enable thousands more children to get online at school.
We have published digital and technology standards to help schools and colleges make better decisions about technology, leading to safer, more cost-efficient practices and new learning opportunities for students.
Our new service ‘Plan technology for your school’ will cut time and money spent on buying tech, helping leaders navigate an often-complex market and ensuring every penny spent will mean better standards for pupils and teachers. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-technology-for-your-school.
The department is supporting teachers to use technology well. All new teachers will be trained on the effective use of assistive technology to support children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The EdTech Evidence Board pilot will explore how we build evidence of artificial intelligence products that work well, helping education settings choose products that work well for them and their classrooms.