Committee publication · Correspondence · 11 March 2025

Letter from Chair to Catherine McKinnell MP, Minister of State for School Standards, on Government SEND Policy, dated 11 March 202

Summary

Chair Helen Hayes writes to Minister Catherine McKinnell regarding the Education Committee's SEND inquiry and government policy direction. The Committee has received 880+ written submissions and taken oral evidence from 16 witnesses including parents, teachers, and young people. Hayes urges the government to engage constructively with the Committee's evidence-based scrutiny and requests clarity on planned SEND policy announcements and White Paper timescales over the next six months.

Key findings

Education Committee launched SEND inquiry as its first action, receiving unprecedented response: over 880 written submissions
Oral evidence taken from diverse stakeholders including parents, teachers, support workers, economists, local government representatives, and young people
Department's written evidence submission made no reference to upcoming White Paper or major policy announcements on SEND
Committee offers evidence-based scrutiny as constructive complement to government's policy development work
Chair requests government outline plans and timescales for SEND policy announcements over next six months

Tone

Procedural

Topics

special-education-needseducation-policyparliamentary-scrutiny

Key actors

Helen Hayes MP, Catherine McKinnell MP, Education Committee, Department of Education

Notable line

“… there is no policy area where evidence-based change, supported by strong buy-in from stakeholders, is more urgently needed than SEND.”

Key Quotes

“Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) represent the most significant challenge facing the Education sector, raised both by our constituents, and by other Members of this House.”
— Helen Hayes MP · Opening statement on the scale of SEND challenges

“Since its launch we have received over 880 submissions of written evidence, clearly reflecting the strength of feeling on this issue.”
— Helen Hayes MP · Describing response to SEND inquiry call for evidence

“As a Committee, we wish to work constructively and collaboratively with Government to develop workable policy solutions through our cross-party scrutiny which is based on evidence from a diverse range of expert stakeholders.”
— Helen Hayes MP · Outlining Committee's approach to engagement with government

“We note however, that this made no reference to an upcoming White Paper or other major policy announcements.”
— Helen Hayes MP · Commenting on Department's written evidence submission

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗