PAC: How can Gov’t get to grips with rising cost of home-to-school transport?
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold a scrutiny session on home-to-school transport.
Meeting details
In 2023-24, local authorities in England spent £2.3bn transporting around half a million children and young people to schools, colleges and other education settings. This figure has increased by around 70% since 2015-16, and cost £415m more than budgeted for.
A recent report from the National Audit office (NAO) found that a large and growing proportion of home to school transport spending goes on transport for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The cost of SEND transportation has risen by 106% since 2015-16 and is projected to reach £3bn by 2030.
Despite the rising costs and demands, the NAO found that government does not have the data needed to fully understand who is using the transport and the key drivers behind the increasing costs.
In this session, MPs are likely to explore why costs for providing this service are increasing, and what impact the delayed SEND reforms may have. They may also examine how departments and local authorities can work together to improve the financial sustainability of home-to-school transport.
The Committee will first hear from charity and local government representatives before taking evidence from the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.