§ Mr. ACLAND ALLENasked the President of the Board of Education how many separate education authorities there are in England and Wales; how many of these have adopted the provisions of the Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act, 1899, and have established schools or special classes; whether the Board of Education have formed any estimate as to the number of defective and epileptic children requiring accommodation; if so, what that number is; and how many children are now in attendance at schools established under the above Act within the area of the London Education Authority and outside that area, respectively?
§ Mr. J. A. PEASEThere are 318 separate Education Authorities in England and Wales; 147 have taken some action under the Act referred to. In fifty-one areas schools or classes have been established by the local authorities, and in addition schools or classes have been provided from other sources in eleven areas. With reference to the fourth part of the question, perhaps I may be allowed to refer the hon. Member to the Report of the Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Education for 1910. The matter he refers to is dealt with on page 208. The latest available figures showing the number of children in schools established under the Act are for the year 1910–11, and are as follows:—
Number of Scholars on the Register. London. Rest of England and Wales. In Schools for Physically Defective 3,036 1,677 In Schools for Mentally Defectives 6,925 5,328 In Schools for Epileptics — 377 Total 9,961 7,382