§ 16. Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue a circular to encourage local authorities to establish more special units for the education of partially hearing children attached to normal primary and secondary schools in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Denis HowellNo, Sir. Units are being opened as fast as the supply of teachers of the deaf allows. Plans for training more teachers are under discussion.
§ Mr. NewensIs my hon. Friend aware that some authorities are going ahead with plans for educating partially hearing children separately from normal children still? Is it not time that the whole situation was reviewed in order to ensure that scarce education resources are not devoted to a form of education which, perhaps, is not the best in the light of modern knowledge?
§ Mr. HowellWhile it may well be true that this is happening in a number of cases—if my hon. Friend has information, I shall look into any detailed cases which he brings to my attention—I am certain from the figures available to me that the general drift is in the general direction which he would approve.