§ 17. Mr. GIBBINSasked the President of the Board of Education the number of defective children under the authority of the Board of Education, and what accommodation is provided for them?
§ The MINISTER of EDUCATION (Lord Eustace Percy)According to the latest complete returns of local authorities, there were 32,975 mentally defective children in England and Wales in 1925 and 142,889 physically defective, of which 75,285 were classed as delicate and 40,400 as cripples. There is accommodation in certified special schools for 17,233 mentally defective and 19,445 physically defective children. The hon. Member will, of course, understand that the total number of physically defective children dealt with during any one year is considerably larger than the number for whom accommodation is provided in special schools, since most of the delicate children require only a relatively short period at an open-air school, and the majority of the cripples can be so far benefited by orthopaedic treatment as to render them capable of profiting from the instruction in ordinary elementary schools.
§ Mr. W. THORNECan the right hon. Gentleman say from memory whether this class of children is on the increase or decrease?
§ Lord E. PERCYI am afraid I should want a notice of that question.
§ Mr. MARCHHas the right hon. Gentleman's Department any control over defective children who are classed as non-educable, and can he say whether they get any assistance from his Department?
§ Lord E. PERCYNo, I have nothing to do with non-educable children.