The education minister has increased the amount of cash available for post-16 special needs provision after providers, politicians and teaching unions raised concerns. Leighton Andrews said the Assembly government would now provide 85 per cent - #163;20.49 million - of the funding to the sector next year instead of the 69 per cent that was first announced. The minister has also set up a new group to look at funding the transition of special needs pupils from pre- to post-16 education.