Labour row over schools threatens special educational needs

3.16.14pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 25th Apr 2003

Liz recently visited Trinity School in Hereford, which specialises in providing for disabled pupils.

West Midlands Liberal Democrat Euro MP Liz Lynne has warned Education Minister Charles Clarke not to use funds for special educational needs as a political football in the latest row over education funding.

Liz was alarmed by comments by Charles Clarke on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, which implied that local education authorities will be urged to consider slashing their budgets for special educational needs in order to meet government funding targets for schools.

Liz, who is the Liberal Democrat's education spokesperson in the European Parliament, as well as the Rapporteur for the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003, said:

"The government has got itself into a mess over schools funding by making grandiose promises of extra funding on the one hand, while raising costs and withdrawing funds on the other. Judging by his comments, Charles Clarke appears to fundamentally misunderstand how schools funding works."

"I am particularly concerned at the suggestion that the crisis would be solved by slashing the budgets for special educational needs. This is a much neglected-sector as it is – slashing its funding would seriously damage thousands of disabled children's access to education. This is a completely unacceptable situation. I hope Charles Clarke will confirm that these budgets are not under threat.

"Ultimately, Local Education Authorities are democratically elected bodies which can be held to account by the public. This is in the public's interest as it allows them to take local needs into account. If the government believe they are mishandling their accounts they should suggest people vote accordingly, not threaten to centralise education funding even more."