Written questions by Dhesi.

When she plans to answer Question (a) 74612 and (b) 74613, tabled on 3 September 2025.

The responses to Written Parliamentary Questions 74612 and 74613 were published on 22 October 2025.

How many officials were investigated under their Department's disciplinary processes in each of the last five years.

The number of employees who were subject to an investigation as part of the department’s disciplinary process is shown in table below.Year (calendar)Number of cases2025*18202437202334202234202130 *1 January - 30 September 2025

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the levels of educational support available to autistic children in mainstream schools.

The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group brought together experts to provide advice and recommendations to the department on how to best meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people within mainstream education settings.To support schools, the department is also strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve inclusive practice in mainstream settings and has commissioned evidence reviews, including one on autism, from Newcastle University and University College London. The What Works in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) research programme is researching tools that schools can use to identify the needs of neurodivergent children.The Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programme provides health and education specialist support to upskill mainstream primary schools to better meet the needs of neurodivergent children, including pupils with autism. The programme is being evaluated, and the learning is informing future policy development around how schools support neurodivergent children.

What information her Department holds on the number of children (a) with epilepsy and (b) without an individual healthcare plan in Slough.

The department does not collect data on pupils who have specific health issues, such as epilepsy, and only collects information where a pupil has a learning need. As such, we do not hold figures on either the number of children with epilepsy, or the proportion who do not have an education, health and care plan.

What recent mental health support her Department has provided within schools for pupils in Slough.

41% of schools and colleges in Slough constituency were supported by an NHS-funded Mental Health Support Team (MHST) in March 2025. Data on the coverage of MHSTs in England in 2024/25 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. This has been available since 16 May 2025 at national, regional and local authority level and at constituency level since 10 July 2025.Data on MHST coverage is collected annually, as part of the government’s commitment to expand MHSTs to every school, so every child and young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate.Around six in ten pupils nationally are expected to have access to an MHST by March 2026.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of mental health support within schools.

41% of schools and colleges in Slough constituency were supported by an NHS-funded Mental Health Support Team (MHST) in March 2025. Data on the coverage of MHSTs in England in 2024/25 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. This has been available since 16 May 2025 at national, regional and local authority level and at constituency level since 10 July 2025.Data on MHST coverage is collected annually, as part of the government’s commitment to expand MHSTs to every school, so every child and young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate.Around six in ten pupils nationally are expected to have access to an MHST by March 2026.

What recent assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) timeliness of the delivery of EHCPs.

The department recognises that some parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan processes. We know that even after fighting to secure a plan, support is not always necessarily guaranteed or delivered quickly enough.The department wants to ensure that needs assessments are progressed promptly, and high-quality plans are issued quickly. This will provide children and young people with the support they need, when they need it.Our priority is improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) so that they get the chance to achieve and thrive in their education.Details of our intended approach to strengthening the SEND system will be set out in a schools white paper, which will be followed by a public consultation.

What her expected timetable is for the (a) publication of the White Paper, (b) consultation and (c) implementation of reform on SEND provision in schools.

This government’s ambition is that every child or young person in our country deserves the best possible educational experience, one that is academically stretching, where every child or young person feels like they belong, and that sets them up for life and work.Over the last year, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, supported by expert advisers like Tom Rees and Dame Christine Lenehan, has engaged intensely with parents, teachers, experts and children and young people on the shape of solutions. 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.We will build a better system which is grounded in evidence, identifies and supports need at the earliest opportunity, and ensures families can secure support swiftly without a fight. There will always be a legal right to the additional support needed by children with special educational needs and disabilities.

What recent discussions has she had with SEND service providers on Government proposals on SEND reform.

This government’s ambition is that every child or young person in our country deserves the best possible educational experience, one that is academically stretching, where every child or young person feels like they belong, and that sets them up for life and work.Over the last year, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, supported by expert advisers like Tom Rees and Dame Christine Lenehan, has engaged intensely with parents, teachers, experts and children and young people on the shape of solutions. 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.We will build a better system which is grounded in evidence, identifies and supports need at the earliest opportunity, and ensures families can secure support swiftly without a fight. There will always be a legal right to the additional support needed by children with special educational needs and disabilities.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of smartphone bans in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools on educational attainment.

Mobile phones have no place in our schools.Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that the overwhelming majority of schools – 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools – already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

Whether she conducted an economic impact assessment on changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.

The criteria for the adoption and special guardianship support fund will enable as many children and families as possible to access funding. The department always assesses the impact, including the economic impact, of changes on vulnerable children.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial support available for therapy for adoptive children.

The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) continues to offer adopted and kinship children a good standard of support, tailored to meet their individual needs. Where needed, local authorities and regional adoption agencies can use their own funding to increase the amount of therapy.The ASGSF is an important source of support, but it is not the only support available to adoptive families. The department is funding Adoption England with £8.8 million this year to improve services, including specific projects to improve adoption support. This includes the establishment of Centres of Excellence as multidisciplinary teams across health, social care and education.We are also making £500 million available to local authorities to roll out Family Help and Child Protection nationally to transform services and transition towards earlier intervention. This will nearly double direct investment in preventative services.

What estimate she has made of the number of vacancies for educational psychologists.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department does not hold any specific data regarding the number of vacancies for educational psychologists.As the employers of educational psychology services, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that their services are adequately staffed. The department is, however, taking measures to support local authorities by investing in building the pipeline.The department is investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024. This is in addition to the £10 million currently being invested in the training of over 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023. As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support local authority educational psychology services.To support local authority services to recruit and retain their educational psychology workforce, following graduation, trainees who have had their training funded by the department are required to remain in local authority employment for a minimum period. For trainees beginning their course in September 2024, this requirement has increased to three years.

What steps she is taking to help increase the number of school places for children with SEND in (a) Slough and (b) Berkshire.

The department has now published allocations for £740 million in high needs provision capital allocations for the 2025/26 financial year. The funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible for children with special educational needs and disabilities, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs, and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.Slough Borough Council has been allocated £2.6 million for 2025/26 and West Berkshire Council has been allocated just under £1.5 million. It is up to the local authorities to make decisions about the places they create and to prioritise their funding to meet local needs.

What steps she is taking to support pupils undertaking exams when experiencing (a) health issues and (b) bereavement.

There are existing arrangements in place to support students who may experience disruption at the time of their exams and assessments known as special consideration.Special consideration is any adjustment given to a student who has temporarily experienced an illness, injury, or other event outside of their control, including bereavement, at the time of the examination or assessment which significantly affects their ability to either take an assessment or fully demonstrate what they can do within it.Students must have been fully prepared for the assessment and have covered the whole course to be eligible for special consideration.More information about special consideration and the eligibility criteria can be found here: https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JCQ-A-guide-to-the-special-consideration-process-24-25_FINAL_accessible.pdf.

What her planned timeline is for reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.

The School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) is being established in primary legislation through the Employment Rights Bill, which was introduced in Parliament within the first 100 days of government on 10 October 2024. The Bill is currently at committee stage in the House of Lords. Due to the uncertainties of Parliamentary business and scheduling, we cannot confirm at this stage when the Bill will receive Royal Assent. After Royal Assent, secondary legislation will be required to constitute the body.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of school transport support available to parents of SEND children in Slough.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Slough to the answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 20796.

What recent discussions she has had with local councils on funding available for school transport services for SEND children.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Slough to the answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 20796.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of AI in her Department on security.

The UK government is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance public services safely and securely. The AI Playbook for the UK Government security section (p. 74) includes an assessment of the risks coming from the use of AI. The Playbook includes worked scenarios for AI use which detail potential impacts for the different types of risk. All AI services must adhere to Secure by Design principles and conduct risk assessments, including Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).The department has established an AI working group to identify, assess and manage opportunities and risks associated with AI technologies in the department. Before any new technology or product is implemented in the department it undergoes security assurance and data protection considerations. Critical and important systems and services are risk assessed by the department’s Information Security team to identify and communicate risks to service risk owners, and to provide recommendations to mitigate those risks that are above the service and department’s risk appetite. Security concerns on cross government use of AI tools such as Humphrey are managed centrally via the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Government Security Group. The following resources, produced by His Majesty’s Government, are available to the department:AI Playbook for Government, which can be accessed here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-playbook-for-the-uk-government.Code of Practice for the Cyber Security of AI, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-cyber-security-code-of-practice/code-of-practice-for-the-cyber-security-of-ai.

What the median age is of computers issued to officials in their Department.

The median age of computers issued to officials is 3 years and 2 months.