§ 79. Major MOLLOYasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fact that, while there are 28,500 mentally deficient children in England and Wales who might benefit by being educated in special schools, accommodation is only available for 16,000, and that during 1922 seven authorities who proposed to provide such schools were refused permission on financial grounds; and, in view of the adverse influence upon normal children likely to result from their being educated side by side with mental defectives, he can see his way to allow the education authority to provide the special schools referred to?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Edward Wood)I have at present under review all the proposals for the extension of special school accommodation which have been put before the Board since January, 1921. I have been able to approve a few of these proposals, and propose to proceed as quickly as possible with my consideration of the remainder, together with any others that may reach me, giving preference to the most urgent cases and to those which do not involve the erection of new and costly buldings.