§ LORD ARCHIBALDMy 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, in view of the increasing expectancy of life for children born with physical handicaps, for example, spastics, spina bifidas, autistics, et cetera, there is not a much greater need for provision for them in various phases of their lives—infancy, early schooling, advanced education, and in suitable cases, university education, and also for protected employment in many cases; and whether the planning of provision of special schools, hostels, et cetera, is based on forthcoming needs rather than on past requirements which are no longer relevant.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE (LORD BELSTEAD)My Lords, my right honourable friends who are responsible for the education, social services and employment of young people are aware of the increased expectancy of life of children born with physical handicaps. Planning is based on estimates for the future. With some adjustment some of these young people will be able to avail themselves of the provisions made for the non-handicapped, but many will need 958 special facilities and these are gradually being provided. A circular was sent to local education authorities in May, 1969, drawing attention to the increase in numbers of children handicapped by spina bifida and their special educational needs. In June, 1971, a circular was issued about the education of autistic children. They are not usually physically handicapped, but were mentioned in the Question. More hostels are being provided by local authorities, as are day centres for those incapable of remunerative employment.
§ LORD ARCHIBALDMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for his, as usual, sympathetic Answer, may I ask whether the projection which the Department has as to forthcoming needs has been based on the fact that neither surgical techniques nor medical science are standing still, and as they are developing, so the need will develop? I wonder whether the projection is based on the present state or on the expected increase in the future in the numbers involved.
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, perhaps I can best answer the noble Lord by saying that the number of places provided for physically handicapped children has been increasing. There were 225 new places provided in special schools in 1967–68, rising to 902 places in 1971–72 and it will be about 940 places in the forthcoming programme for 1972–73. At the moment there are just over 400 physically handicapped children awaiting entry into special schools.
§ LORD BURNTWOODMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether he has considered the position of children suffering from disablement, including deafness, whose educational position is prejudiced by transport problems. Also, in his circulars which may be going forth in the future to local authorities, could he give some suggestions as to the employment of existing transport facilities which would take account especially of disabled children who live in rather remote areas? This matter is much affected by the fact that the population tends to spread more and more and transportation becomes a difficult problem to the parents of these children.
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, I appreciate the problem which the noble 959 Lord has put to the House. Transport is at the discretion of the local education authorities, although back in 1965 the Department of Education did ask local authorities if they would exercise their discretion as flexibly as possible. If I remember rightly, they particularly mentioned in that letter the difficulties of transport in the more far-flung rural areas. The noble Lord mentioned deafness. He may be interested to know that the Open University is at the moment providing special courses for deaf students.
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, while I recognise that in the noble Lord's original Answer to the Question of my noble friend the Government accepts the need to extend the range of facilities across the needs of handicapped children, adolescents and adults, could he also tell the House what progress is now being made with the development of multi-disciplinary assessment centres?
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services intends shortly to give advice to local authorities about the day care of handicapped children generally. I am advised that my right honourable friend will particularly want to lay stress on the need for the multidisciplinary assessment of these children to precede the making of arrangements for day care.
§ BARONESS BROOKE OF YSTRADFELLTEMy Lords, would the noble Lord tell us whether in the last circular which was sent out by the Department any attempt was made to encourage neighbouring local authorities to come together with a view to providing what may be a scarce facility, which a single local authority might find difficulty in covering alone?
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, in almost the first question which I answered in this House the noble Baroness had made the point relating to co-operation. I think that if the noble Baroness looks at the second of the circulars which I mentioned in my initial Answer to the noble Lord—the circular on autistic children—she will find that her views are reflected in one of the paragraphs in that circular.
§ LORD PLATTMy Lords, while appreciating in general the Minister's replies to the noble Lord's question, may I ask whether Her Majesty's Government will give special attention to two areas in which I think help is necessary: first, for those who have disabled children and young people in the home and who need help—very often financial help; and secondly, in enabling parents to go to visit children in institutional care?
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, I will certainly acquaint my right honourable friend with the view expressed by the noble Lord. Perhaps it would be right to point out that there are between 40 and 50 homes for the physically handicapped which have been provisionally approved for loan sanction by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services during this and the next two financial years, and that this represents a 300 per cent. increase of provision in this particular section.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, as this question covers an enormous field, could the Government consider giving us an early date for debating the Motion standing in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Grenfell, for which no date has yet been allocated?
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, doubtless this will be arranged through the usual channels.
§ BARONESS MASHAM OF ILTONMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether he has any information about the building of schools by local authorities and whether facilities are being provided to make those schools accessible to disabled children, so that they do not have to be segregated in special schools?
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, I think I am right in saying that what the noble Baroness is asking for is accepted almost throughout the educational world. It is easier, I know, to accept than to do. I will certainly convey what the noble Baroness has said to the Architects and Building Branch of my Department. I might add that each new school for the physically handicapped contains a unit for nursery provision for children, so that these schools to-day are providing for children from the age of three onwards. 961 Lords, I meant provision to be made available in able-bodied schools, so that disabled children could be in able-bodied schools.
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, I am sorry. What I added at the end was not strictly relevant, but I repeat what I said at the beginning of my answer to the noble Baroness: I will certainly pass on and discuss the point with the Architects and Building Branch.