§ 86. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the President of the Board of Education how many ascertained mentally defective children there are in the elementary education area of the Surrey County Council; for how many of these is appropriate provision made by the local education authority; for how many is no education of any kind provided; and what steps, if any, he has taken to secure that appropriate education is given to those mentally defective children not receiving it in Surrey?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Duchess of Atholl)According to returns furnished by the Surrey Authority, there were in their area, in 1926, 259 ascertained educable mentally defective children, of whom 41 were at special schools, 133 at public elementary schools, and three at other institutions. The question of making further provision for children of this type is, my right hon. Friend understands, engaging the attention of the authority.
§ Mr. MORRISONIf the Surrey County Council put forward proposals for moving these children from the elementary schools, in order to give them suitable instruction, am I to understand that the Board of Education will not put any obstacles in the way?