Biography
Catherine McKinnell has engaged substantially on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform through 40 debate speeches, positioning herself as a government advocate for improvements to the system inherited from the previous administration. She has consistently emphasised investments in SEND provision, early intervention, and partnership working between local authorities and health services, while addressing concerns about Education, Health and Care Plans and funding formula challenges. McKinnell has also raised maternity safety concerns, particularly regarding clinical negligence and the need to redirect resources from payouts toward improved care rather than litigation costs.
Generated from their own Hansard record, below
“…Her baby Seren was born stillborn. The NHS spends almost as much on clinical negligence payouts as it does on maternity care itself. Can the Secretary of State update us on progress made following the Lock review into clinical negligence? It is about time we started investing in better care, rather than paying out for…”
Record by topic
- Learning disability & autism2nd of 899378.0
- Mental health94th of 88039.0
- Unpaid carers20th of 28324.0
- Adult social care & reform39th of 37612.0
- NHS & care workforce/staffing61st of 3026.0
- Maternity & neonatal138th of 4386.0
- Public health & prevention252nd of 6886.0
- NHS waiting lists207th of 5346.0
- Heart disease & stroke174th of 3983.0
What they’ve said
“…Yet sadly, Amie is far from alone. Failures at maternity units across the country have sadly returned to the spotlight in recent years. The Secretary of State was right to commission a national review, led by Baroness Amos.”
Clinical Negligence · 2026-03-17 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…Any reform will be guided by how we improve support for children with SEND. There will always be a legal right to additional support, which this Government will protect.…”
SEND: Education, Health and Care Plans · 2025-07-21 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…Gentleman is pre-empting decisions before they have been made. We have not made decisions about the future of EHCPs. We are listening carefully and working with the sector to make sure we have the workforce in the system and the support systems to identify needs early.”
Topical Questions · 2025-07-21 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…we will commence a phased transition process, which will include working with local authorities to manage their SEND systems, including their deficits, alongside an extension to the statutory override until the end of 2027-28.”
SEND: Education, Health and Care Plans · 2025-07-21 · Read on Hansard ↗
“We are engaging extensively with families and experts as we seek to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities. We have invested £1 billion into high-needs budgets and £740 million into creating more specialist places.”
Children with SEND · 2025-07-21 · Read on Hansard ↗
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