70th Report - Home-to-school transport
Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee
HC 1238
6 March 2026
Government response
Treasury Minutes: Government response - 70th Report - Home-to-school transport
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
2
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
The Department does not understand how access to transport is affecting attendance, nor how difficult...
Recommendation
The Department does not understand how access to transport is affecting attendance, nor how difficult it is for parents to navigate the system, particularly post-16. While acknowledging that transport is critical to accessing education and training, the Department does not …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the link between absence and distance from school and is exploring how best to understand the relationship between attendance and transport by working with local authorities to consider existing data. Work is underway through the SEND reforms to improve information for parents and young people regarding post-16 transport.
HM Treasury
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25
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
We have previously highlighted how SEND-related funding—the high-needs block of the Dedicated Schools Grant—has not...
Recommendation
We have previously highlighted how SEND-related funding—the high-needs block of the Dedicated Schools Grant—has not kept pace with demand over the past decade, and that local authorities have built up substantial deficits.61 Cumulative deficits are projected to exceed £5 billion …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation and has confirmed a first phase of support, providing a High Needs Stability Grant for 90% of historic SEND deficits accrued up to 2025-26, contingent on DfE approval of local reform plans. The statutory override has been extended to March 2028, and further details on support for deficits arising in 2026-27 and 2027-28 will be confirmed before then.
HM Treasury
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