To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the funding available to further education colleges to provide specialist support for students with special educational needs.

My Department provides £4.5 million, per annum, ring-fenced funding through the Additional Support Fund (ASF) to Further Education colleges towards the necessary additional technical and/or personal support required to allow students with learning difficulties or disabilities to participate in mainstream Further Education courses, or in discrete programmes.The additional personal and technical support provided through the ASF enables students to gain the skills and qualifications needed to help them meet their goals in education, progress to employment, training, or towards independent living.