§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the measures in the Green Paper "Excellence for All Children" which strengthen the present legal framework of protection of the rights of children with special needs; and if he will make a statement. [22699]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe Green Paper does not propose changes to the fundamental legal framework for Special Educational Needs (SEN). Parents will continue to have the right to seek a statutory assessment and a statement of SEN for their child; their rights would be strengthened through our proposal that an independent adviser should be available to all parents whose children's needs are being formally assessed. We want parents to have greater assurance of effective intervention at the school-based stages of the SEN Code of Practice, with support from local education authorities. This emphasis on early practical support should in time mean that fewer children need to move onto a statement.