To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of the impact that the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions will have on the ability of children with special educational needs and disabilities to attend school through home-to-school transport.

The Education Authority (EA) is responsible for the delivery of school transport and this includes the management of contracts with private transport operators. Transport is provided for around 10,000 pupils with a statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) who have additional transport requirements and over half of these pupils are transported through the use of the EA’s own bus fleet. Transport for the remainder of these pupils with SEN is provided through contracts the EA holds with private bus and taxi operators.

The increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions represents an additional cost to education, including the home to school transport service delivered by the EA. The delivery of transport for eligible pupils, however, is a statutory duty and there is no indication that pupils with SEN will be negatively impacted by this increase. The Chancellor has stated that support will be provided for public sector employers in relation to the upcoming changes to employers' National Insurance Contributions. That said, the quantum has not yet been confirmed by HM Treasury. I can assure you that I will strongly advocate for these additional costs to the education sector to be met in full, as will my Executive colleagues for their departments.