§ 2.51 p.m.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered the Report to the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust on Handicapped Children and Their Families, and what action they will take on its recommendations, particularly (in relation to children with mental handicap) for: the follow-up of cases of abnormal pregnancy, to assist early discovery of defect; the provision of a comprehensive counselling service for parents; special local authority clinics to co-ordinate specialist and domiciliary services; and properly equipped occupation centres suited to the handicapped child's requirements and not to his limitations.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HEALTH (THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN)My Lords, the evidence for the three studies on which the Report was based was collected and assessed before the end of 1958. Services for handicapped children have developed considerably since then. Nevertheless, this is a useful document which hope will be studied by all concerned with services for handicapped children. Many of the recommendations are in line with advice which the Health and Education Departments have given to local authorities and with the best current practice. I understand that, with the help of the Carnegie Trust, two pioneer projects are to be undertaken, on lines recommended in the Report, in buildings due to be completed this year by Shropshire County Council and Glasgow Corporation. At Shrewsbury there will be a training and education group for physically and mentally handicapped children from the age of two, an information centre and meeting ground for parents and a centre for continued assessment. The Glasgow scheme will comprise a day nursery for mentally handicapped children under five, a maternity and child welfare clinic and an assessment unit, with which the School Health Service staff will be associated 930 for both mentally and physically handicapped children under five. The Departments concerned will watch the progress of these projects with great interest.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, while thanking the noble Marquess for that reply, I would ask him whether he will tell the House to what extent the Government are responsible for the projects listed in his Answer? Further, is he aware that to-day—not in 1958—the counselling service for parents is negligible, and that the amount of co-ordination between the central and local authority hospital and educational service for the mentally handicapped is derisory?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, to take first the second point, with regard to the counselling service, we are not certain yet how useful this is going to be. But the project at Shrewsbury, which is a pilot project, contains a plan for a counselling service, and we are waiting to see how that works out. They have not yet got far with it. I am afraid that I cannot quite remember what was the noble Lord's first point.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, I asked the noble Marquess whether he could tell us to what extent the Government are responsible for initiating these projects.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, the two projects which I mentioned are primarily initiated by the Carnegie Trust, in that they are providing most of the capital needed. That having been done, the projects are entirely the responsibility of the local authorities and, as such, they have the full support of Her Majesty's Government.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, while further expressing my thanks to the noble Marquess, may I ask him specially to study this matter further; because, although we have had compulsory education for normal children for 94 years, so far as the mentally handicapped, the severely subnormal children are concerned, only one in twenty can get the proper specialised teaching needed if they are not to lead an entirely useless life.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I appreciate the noble Lord's concern about this matter, and I shall certainly take note of what he has said.