To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 12383/22-27, whether he will amend policy arrangements set out in DE Circular 1996/41, to ensure pupils in statutory preschool settings can access Education Authority transport services.

A change to the Home to School Transport policy would require a full review of the current policy.

My Department is currently considering the report published by the Independent Review of Education and work is progressing on an end-to-end review of SEN. Work is also underway on an action plan arising from the EA Landscape Review, to include detailed consideration of the operational delivery of services such as school transport.

It is in this context that I will consider the utility and timing of a new separate review of the Home to School Transport Policy and the associated policy options. Given the very significant budgetary pressures facing my Department, I need to give careful consideration to the affordability of any changes to the transport policy that would result in the widening of the criteria to access transport provision.