HC Deb 17 July 1984 vol 64 cc159-60
5. Mr. Boyes

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Education of Teachers that the specialist qualification to teach hearing-impaired children should be withdrawn.

Sir Keith Joseph

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are considering the proposals in the committee's report. We intend to consult interested organisations before reaching decisions on the recommendations.

Mr. Boyes

Is the Secretary of State aware that all professional organisations concerned with deaf people are united against the recommendation to withdraw the specialist qualification and regard it as a cynical attack on a group of people with a unique disability? Is it not shameful that any Government should consider accepting such a recommendation? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that if the legal requirement for additional qualifications for those teaching the deaf is abandoned, the standard of teaching for those pupils is bound to fall?

Sir Keith Joseph

The Government will consider the views of all interested parties and will take into account the reasons set out by ACSET in support of its recommendations. There are generally two sides even to a question of this kind. The Government will certainly consider the arguments of interested parties very carefully.

Mr. Favell

I welcome my right hon. Friend's assurance that the views of all interested parties will be considered, but will he confirm that not one member of ACSET has first-hand experience of teaching the deaf or children with impaired hearing?

Sir Keith Joseph

That is probably true, but I am sure that its members took advice and considered all the arguments.

Mr. Ashley

The Secretary of State says that there are two sides to every question. Does he appreciate that on this occasion the side recommending dropping the specialist qualification is grossly misinformed? Is he aware that it is vital that teachers of deaf children should have special skills—for example, in audiology, lip-reading and sign language — and the ability to assess the extent of disability? Therefore, will he give full weight to the teachers' views, because if the recommendation is accepted those skills will be lost for ever?

Sir Keith Joseph

I accept much of what the right hon. Gentleman says. On the other hand, ACSET was looking to a time when more children with handicaps would attend ordinary schools and recommending a series of qualifications for teachers in ordinary schools to enable them to help handicapped children. There are indeed arguments to be considered on both sides, and we shall consider them all very carefully.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

Does my right hon. Friend accept from a member of his own party that many of us do not agree that there are two sides to this argument, because we believe that special expertise is required by those who teach pupils who are deaf or whose sight or hearing is impaired? Is he aware that we could not support any decision by the Government to remove the qualification required for those teaching the deaf, and that we speak from experience in local government and as members of the Select Committee on Social Services? Does he accept that the problems faced by handicapped people in the community are already severe enough?

Sir Keith Joseph

There is no question of removing qualifications. There is a quesion of possibly ceasing to require qualifications. [Interruption.] Before hon. Members laugh too riotously, they should appreciate that a significant minority of teachers in the special schools do not possess those qualifications. Our object is to ensure that more teachers in main line schools have a qualification to teach handicapped children.