§ 10. Mr. Stan Thorneasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local authorities employ educational psychologists; and if he will list them.
§ Mr. BrookeAll English authorities do except for the Isles of Scilly. Numbers for the rest of the United Kingdom are the responsibility respectively of my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ThorneIs the hon. Gentleman aware of the increasing demand within local authorities for the services of educational psychologists? How can they meet that demand in the face of Government cuts in resources for local authorities?
§ Mr. BrookeThe number of educational psychologists employed by English local education authorities has increased from 935 in 1979 to over 1,000 in January of this year.
§ Mr. PavittDoes the Minister accept that the great and valuable service that is provided by educational psychologists is matched by the remedial classes into which they are able to put those whom they are endeavouring to help? Is he aware that money is being wasted because the psychologists are not allowed to place sufficient numbers in remedial classes? This is happening because the teacher cuts have been too great to allow appropriate allocation.
§ Mr. BrookeNothing in my answer to the hon. Member for Preston (Mr. Thorne) suggested any lack of support for the service.