HC Deb 27 October 1955 vol 545 cc348-9
7. Mr. E. Johnson

asked the Minister of Education how many new schools for handicapped children have been opened by his Department during 1955; and how many spastic children are being educated at these schools.

Mr. Vosper

Excluding replacements, 11 new special schools have been opened so far in 1955. None of these is specifically for physically handicapped children.

Mr. G. Thomas

Is the Minister aware that there is a very real need of schools for spastic children, and that the only school provided for them in Wales is due to private effort? I believe that the position is the same in England. Will the Minister make an effort to ensure that private enterprise does not have to satisfy a real public need?

Mr. Vosper

As the hon. Member probably knows, there is already a school in the programme for South Wales, and there are others in England. Indeed, several schools for spastics are in the current programmes, and by 1958 there should be no need for any spastic child to be kept out of a special school.

Mr. Johnson

Is it the policy of my hon. Friend's Department to discourage special residential schools for spastics only, and to group them with other handicapped children?

Mr. Vosper

That is a rather large question. For the more severely handicapped spastic, I am sure that the special spastic school is the right answer; but for the less handicapped, the ordinary school for the physically handicapped will, I believe, be adequate.

18. Mr. M. Stewart

asked the Minister of Education how many handicapped children are at present awaiting admission to special schools of a type appropriate to their particular disability.

Mr. Vosper

In December, 1954, local education authorities report that nearly 19,000 children were waiting places in special schools, of whom over 12,000 were educationally subnormal children, but the great majority of these children were receiving education either in ordinary schools or at home.

Mr. Stewart

Would the hon. Gentleman agree that these figures underline the necessity of expediting measures for making use of the premises and staff of former approved schools, as suggested in the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Salford, West (Mr. Royle)?

Mr. Vosper

Yes, certainly, but it must be borne in mind that some of these schools are not premises suitable for educational purposes. We are looking into the matter at the moment.

Mr. Royle

Would it not save capital expenditure if some of these schools were used now instead of our waiting for the building of new schools?

Mr. Vosper

I will look at that point, but some are eminently unsuitable for use even at the moment.

Mr. de Freitas

Are they not better than nothing?

Mr. Vosper

In many cases the schools are still in use by the Home Office, and are not available.

Mr. R. Bell

Can my hon. Friend say how many of these children are awaiting admission to deaf schools?

Mr. Vosper

Not without notice, but a very small proportion.