§ 1. Mr. Francis Noel-Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he has taken in connection with the application for special schooling of a constituent about which the hon. Member for Swindon has been in correspondence with his Department.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Education and Science (Mrs. Shirley Williams)I am unable to add to the full explanation given to my hon. Friend in my letters of 15th March, 6th April and 4th July, 1967. The local authority, whose responsibility it is to deal with this case, should be in a better position to do so when it has the results of the medical examination which the boy is at present undergoing.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI thank my hon. Friend for the sympathetic interest which he has taken in the matter. Would not she agree that the long-suffering parents have been subjected to a very sad situation, and not kept entirely informed about what was going on? Will she continue to use her influence to get this child properly assessed, and then provided with the school that he needs?
§ Mrs. WilliamsI sympathise with the child's parents. It has been a difficult position, but I assure my hon. Friend that as soon as the psychiatric investigation is completed, which we understand will be next month, we will do everything possible to get the child placed in a school which can assist him as much as possible.