The Bishop of Lincoln received the following written answers on 10th September 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Lincoln asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the mental health support services available to children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families.
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The Bishop of Southwark asked a question on the impact of changes to employer national insurance on SEND support and provision on 9th June 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: The Minister will recall from the amendment I tabled in Committee to what was then the Bill that my twin brother was an early beneficiary of SEND transport. Will the Government monitor the impact of national insurance increases on the effectiveness and continuity of provision in this area and inform the House of such findings in due course?
Continue reading “Bishop of Southwark asks about impact of national insurance changes on SEND provision”The Bishop of Chelmsford asked a question on ensuring children with special educational needs and disabilities can access school resources such as breakfast clubs on 27th February 2025, during following a government statement on school breakfast club provision:
The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, like many other noble Lords, I welcome this Statement. How will the Government ensure that breakfast clubs will be accessible to learners with special educational needs and disabilities who may usually be supported by one-to-one staff during the school day?
Continue reading “Bishop of Chelmsford asks about access to breakfast clubs for children with special education needs and disabilities”On 25th February 2025, the House of Lords debated the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a bishop took part:
On 29th January 2025, the House of Lords debated the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill in Grand Committee. Bishop of Southwark spoke to his amendment to the bill concerning the effects on transport provision for SEND children and their families:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I will speak to Amendment 67, which stands in my name. It is supported by the noble Lords, Lord Alton and Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, whose names were not entered in time for the Marshalled List.
I agree with much of what the noble Baroness, Lady Monckton of Dallington Forest, said in support of Amendments 14 and 27, in her name, and others concerning the provision of transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities—many years ago, my identical twin brother was one of them. My amendment has the same intention, albeit a slightly different effect.
Continue reading “National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill: Bishop of Southwark tables amendment”The Bishop of Southwark spoke at the second reading of the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill on 6th January 2025, raising the issue of the effects of increases in national insurance on clergy and on the transport sector for children with SEND:
The Lord Bishop of Southwark: My Lords, I wish to make three quick points on this, the largest and probably most consequential, measure announced by the Chancellor in the Budget. My first point is very tentative, as it relates to the promises on taxation made by major parties prior to general elections. We are an unelected House, and I am deeply conscious of the peculiar pressures that political parties navigate to put across a message and compete with their opponents, but I think, wishfully perhaps, that greater restraint by parties on what they promise in the area of taxation would be appropriate since the House of Commons should have maximum freedom to pass a Finance Bill in our overall interests. I cannot be alone in thinking that placing such a burden on employer national insurance because of prior commitments ruling out other possible options is less than optimal and is already seemingly restraining economic growth.
Continue reading “National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill: Bishop of Southwark raises potential impact on clergy and children with SEND”The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the impact that imposing VAT on school fees would have on pupils with special educational needs and disabilities on 10th October 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: I wonder if I might press the Minister on SEND pupils. The majority of SEND pupils, who were mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Black, do not have an education, health and care plan, and therefore there is a genuine worry that this policy might mean that their education is interrupted. What mitigating factors are His Majesty’s Government putting in place to ensure that this particularly vulnerable group is supported?
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