Gregory has called for urgent action to address critical issues in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system at a Westminster Hall debate today.
The Farnham and Bordon MP credited local special schools during the busy petition debate, relating to assessments and support for children with SEND.
In light of the deeply troubling news that the Department for Education has paused funding for Surrey County Council's three new free schools, Gregory raised the shortfall of places and added £26.5m per year additional cost on independent placements.
He called on the Government to deliver what is needed for parents and children in his constituency;
I urge the Minister to act to end the delays in EHCP assessments and convene a cross-party MPs’ forum with parents and stakeholders to drive urgent solutions, to commit to long-term investment to reinstate that capital grant and back bids from high-pressure areas like Surrey and Hampshire, and to protect parental rights, uphold children’s legal entitlements and guarantee that EHCPs remain the foundation of SEND support.
Later in the debate, Gregory pushed the Minister again, asking:
I thank the Minister for outlining many of the problems in the system. She has now had six out of her 10 minutes and she has not told us what the Government are going to do. Can I press her to tell us what the Government are actually going to do?
To which the Minister for School Standards replied:
I think it is just very important that we hear from parents. When I spoke to them yesterday, one of the things they said was that it is critical that they hear from the Government that we understand the challenges that they face before we move forward.
Gregory later criticised the Government's lack of any apparent plan on SEND, telling constituents on social media:
It is abundantly clear that the Government has no plan on SEND.
After my speech last night, the Minister couldn’t even name a single Labour policy on this critical issue.
How does this bring any reassurance to parents?
