§ 35. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health when he intends to implement the recommendations of the Scott Report on the Training of Teachers of Mentally Handicapped Children; what evidence he has to support the assertions contained in the preface to the Report; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PowellI cannot yet add to my reply to the hon. Member on 30th July. The preface records the views of the Central Health Services Council.
§ Mr. RobinsonIs the Minister aware that the statements and the preface are simply not borne out by the Report but are, in fact, contradictions to it? 25 Since this is an urgent matter, is the Minister aware that the Report states that we need 5,000 of these teachers but that we have fewer than 2,000 of them? Will he really address himself to this problem and ignore this very unfortunate preface, which poured a bucket of cold water on an excellent Report?
§ Mr. PowellI do not think that the mature consideration of the Report is holding up recruitment of staff. I am as keen as the hon. Member to see recruitment going ahead very fast in this sector. In fact, between the end of 1959 and the end of 1961 there was an increase of from 1,653 to 2,054 in the staff in these training centres. I do not think that it is being held up. This is obviously a Report the decisions on which will influence development for years to come, and I make no apology for the care which is being taken in considering it.