There are concerns that there could be changes to legally enforceable rights for parents to ensure their children receive bespoke support for their needs.

When asked by Sky News whether the early years inister could rulie out removing that benefit, he said: “We inherited a SEND system which was broken.”

When pressed again on whether he was ruling out removing that benefit, he said: “I’m not going to get into the mechanics today.”

The Sky presenter pushed back by insisting it was not “mechanics” Wilfred Frost said “it’s a pretty clear question”. But the minitser went on to repeat that the “sstem was broken”.

Ministers, including Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson on the Sunday, did not rule out scaling back education, health and care plans (EHCPs). The scheme requires councils to provide children with a set amount of support, which could include dedicated teaching assistants or taxis to school. The number of children with these plans has increased significantly in recent years.

More than 600,000 children and young people rely on for individual support.

Although ministers contend that policies are still being developed, discussions are said to include the phasing out of EHCPs over a number of years, or restricting them to the most profound level of need.

Fears about the fate of EHCPs were raised in May when Dame Christine Lenehan, the government’s strategic adviser on special educational needs and disabilities, said EHCPs would “probably” change because there were questions if they were “the right vehicle”.

The worries among backbench MPs come days after the government U-turned on its plans to reform personal independent payents (Pip) following the risk of defeat in a Commons vote.

No10 conceded in the battle against Labour MPs to the tune of £5billion.

Bridget Phillipson also said that future spending decisions had been made “harder”.