§ 21. Mr. BRIANTasked the President of the Board of Education if he will state the number of schemes for the care and education of defective children which have been submitted to the Board of Education up to 31st March; how many education authorities which are not provided in this respect have failed to submit schemes; and if any steps have been taken to impress them with the necessity of adequate provision for this class of children?
§ Lord E. PERCYSince the issue of Circular 1349, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, I have received communications from 225 local authorities, of whom 169 have submitted proposals for making further provision for defective children, or have stated that they have the question under consideration. Of the five authorities who made no provision for such children in 1925 three propose to make some provision this year. Authorities' programmes for I 927–30 under Circular 1358 are now being received and examined, but the examination has not yet proceeded far enough to enable me to give information as to their contents.
§ Mr. R. MORRISONIs the Noble Lord aware that since the proposals were submitted to him some of the authorities concerned have decided to abandon them, and will he communicate with them and use his best endeavours to induce them to make provision for these children?
§ Lord E. PERCYI think the hon. Member is mistaken. There may have 1363 been one or two cases in which schemes of this kind have been postponed for a year, but there has been no case that I have heard of where the schemes have been dropped, and the revised forecast received and approved provides for a considerable volume of these schemes.
Viscountess ASTORWould my Noble Friend do what he can to encourage local authorities to deal efficiently with this matter?