Written questions by Davis.

By how much they plan to reduce their Department's budget to help fund the digital ID scheme.

Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals.Costs in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlements.We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.

What steps she is taking to reform funding processes for the provision of SEND support.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The funding and other arrangements for improving the SEND system are under review, and we are continuing to engage closely with children, parents and experts as we develop plans to ensure all children get the outcomes and life chances they deserve.In the meantime, the department is providing total high needs funding this financial year of over £12 billion for children and young people with complex SEND. Of that total, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is being allocated over £42 million through the high needs funding block of their dedicated schools grant. This high needs funding is to help meet the costs local authorities are facing this financial year, as they in turn provide support to schools and other education providers, and ultimately to children with SEND.

What progress her Department has made on responding to the recommendations of the First Report of the Committee of Public Accounts of Session 2024-25 on Support for children and young people with special educational needs, HC 353, published on 15 January 2025.

An update is publicly available through the Treasury Minutes, published in April 2025, and accessible here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ed087598b3bac1ec299b5a/Treasury_Minutes_v02_PRINT.pdf.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure estimates of demand for SEND support in each local authority area are accurate.

The school capacity survey (SCAP) collects data on the capacity of state-funded special schools and special educational needs (SEN) units and resourced provision in mainstream schools. The survey also collects local authority forecasts of the number of resident pupils with an education, health and care plan who require a specialist provision place. Data were first collected in 2023, and the latest data for 2023/24 is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity/2023-24.The department provides survey guidance to support local authority forecasting. Whatever forecasting method a local authority chooses, the process should be robust and analytically sound. The guidance is available at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capacity-survey-guide-for-local-authorities.The department recognises the challenges of forecasting demand for specialist provision and expects close collaboration between local authority capital, high needs revenue, and special educational needs and disabilities and alternative provision teams to ensure forecasts are realistic and reflect the local authority’s overarching strategy for delivery of SEN provision.In the first two years of data collection, the department undertook data validation focused on ensuring completeness, and identifying and helping local authorities with the aim of improving understanding and quality of data. These validations will continue to be enhanced for future SCAP collections.The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities.

What steps she is taking to ensure the (a) proxy factors and (b) weightings used in the National Funding Formula for high needs funding accurately reflect the demand for high needs educational provision.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. Of that total, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is being allocated over £42 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £3.5 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 9.1% increase per head of their two to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.​The government has indicated that it will take the time needed to consider changes to the high needs NFF used by the department to allocate funding for children and young people with complex SEND. It is important that there is a fair education funding system that reflects differences in the level of underlying need across the country and directs funding accordingly, to support improved outcomes for these children and young people.The department’s objective is to ensure local authorities, schools and colleges can deliver high-quality services for children and young people with SEND in a financially sustainable way, and we are considering the funding required to achieve that in future years as part of the current spending review that is due to conclude in June.

What steps her Department is taking to implement recommendation two of the First Report of the Committee of Public Accounts of Session 2024-25 on Support for children and young people with special educational needs, HC 353, published on 15 January 2025.

An update is publicly available through the Treasury Minutes published in April 2025, and can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ed087598b3bac1ec299b5a/Treasury_Minutes_v02_PRINT.pdf.

What steps her Department is taking through the National Funding Formula to reduce the differences in high needs funding per head between local authority areas.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. Of that total, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is being allocated over £42 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £3.5 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 9.1% increase per head of their two to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.​The government has indicated that it will take the time needed to consider changes to the high needs NFF used by the department to allocate funding for children and young people with complex SEND. It is important that there is a fair education funding system that reflects differences in the level of underlying need across the country and directs funding accordingly, to support improved outcomes for these children and young people.The department’s objective is to ensure local authorities, schools and colleges can deliver high-quality services for children and young people with SEND in a financially sustainable way, and we are considering the funding required to achieve that in future years as part of the current spending review that is due to conclude in June.

What steps she is taking to provide sustainable funding for local authorities for SEND-related spending.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. Of that total, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is being allocated over £42 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £3.5 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 9.1% increase per head of their two to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.​The government has indicated that it will take the time needed to consider changes to the high needs NFF used by the department to allocate funding for children and young people with complex SEND. It is important that there is a fair education funding system that reflects differences in the level of underlying need across the country and directs funding accordingly, to support improved outcomes for these children and young people.The department’s objective is to ensure local authorities, schools and colleges can deliver high-quality services for children and young people with SEND in a financially sustainable way, and we are considering the funding required to achieve that in future years as part of the current spending review that is due to conclude in June.