THE MP said he has been 'active' in raising SEND issues in Parliament since he was elected.

Joe Morris, MP for Hexham, said: "Last Wednesday (October 30) shortly after writing last week's column I went into the House of Commons to listen to the Chancellor present the first Labour budget in 14 years.

"This is a budget that demonstrates that this is a government of national renewal. That will break down the barriers to British prosperity by growing the economy, building the infrastructure we need, switching to clean energy and mending our public services.

"Just because Britain isn’t working at the moment doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed. I know from speaking to local residents and from the correspondence in my mailbag that the Conservatives beat the hope out of the country - but we will bring it back. For 14 years, they ducked difficult decisions and ran down public services. We will deliver for working people and, in doing so, show that politics can change lives."

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"During the course of the general election and since becoming your MP there are two topics that I have heard from constituents every time I have been out knocking on doors, held a surgery or opened my inbox - the state of our NHS and of SEND education.

"They were two clear areas that I was told time and time again needed to change. From families being left on never-ending waiting lists both for surgical and mental health appointments, and parents of SEND children with sleepless nights.

"Over the course of the next two years, the government will be putting an extra £25 billion into the NHS. This is aimed squarely at bringing down waiting lists and investing in the future of the NHS.

"With 40,000 extra elective appointments a week and building capacity for more than 30,000 additional procedures, over 1.25 million diagnostics tests through new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners, alongside additional beds to help bring waiting lists down, reduce waiting times, and shift more care into the community.

"More than £2 billion will be invested in NHS technology and digital to run essential services and drive NHS productivity improvements and to free up staff time.

"Since being elected I have been active in Parliament raising the challenges that children with SEND and their families are faced with in meetings with the school’s minister, and in the House of Commons asking questions to the Secretary of State for Education and the Prime Minister.

"In September a Tory education spokesperson admitted that they 'should hang our heads in shame and apologise for' how the previous Conservative government handled SEND provision. With £1 billion the government is backing the teachers, parents, children and staff who have been treated so shamefully by the previous government.

"I was also pleased to see that the budget acknowledges and seeks to start to tackle the housing crisis that affects so many of our communities. I’ve spoken to parents and grandparents in our area who have told me about the concerns they have, that their children and grandchildren are unable to build a future in their communities and are having to move away to find suitable homes.

"I hope the housing measures in the budget will bring some comfort to local families that the government understands the challenges being faced in our area and that they are working to deliver solutions."