To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the resources provided to further education colleges to purchase additional equipment to meet the medical needs of students with special educational needs and disabilities.

My Department provides £4.5 million per annum, ring-fenced funding through the Additional Support Fund to Further Education colleges to help provide the necessary additional technical and/or personal support required to allow students with special educational needs or disabilities to participate in mainstream Further Education courses, or in discrete programmes.

Examples of technical support include specialised enabling equipment, such as braillers, specialist software and hearing loops. Personal support includes specialist tutors/advisers, such as hearing or visual impairment tutors, interpreters, classroom assistants and note-takers. The level of support provided depends on both the nature of the need or disability and the course of study.