To ask the Minister of Education to detail any actions he is taking to ensure that no pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are travelling in Education Authority provided transport with an escort whose Access NI clearance is (i) pending, (ii) incomplete, or (iii) rejected.

The Education Authority (EA) has advised me that all drivers and escorts who work on EA bus transport must have Enhanced Access NI clearance in place prior to taking up the role and this forms part of the pre-employment checks carried out during the recruitment of staff.

This is also the case for drivers and escorts working on private hire taxi and bus services delivering school transport and the EA will not award a contract to a private operator if Enhanced Access NI clearance is not in place.