HC Deb 12 April 1922 vol 153 cc433-4W
Mr. J. H. THOMAS

asked the President of the Board of Education the cost or approximate cost to the Board of Education of the education of blind and deaf children under the Act of 1893 during the last financial year, and the number of such children in residential schools and in day schools, respectively, during the same year?

Mr. FISHER

Complete returns as to the number of blind and deaf children in certified special schools, and of the cost of their education for the year ended on 31st March, 1922, have not yet been received by the Board. The number of children in certified special schools for blind and deaf children during the year ended 31st March, 1920, the latest year for which complete figures are available, was as follows:

—— Number of children in Residential Schools. Number of children in Day. Schools.
Schools for the Blind. 1,424 1,520
Schools for the Deaf. 2,465 1,583

Allowing for a small increase in these figures, and using the last available figure for the average cost per child in these schools, it is estimated that the cost to the Board of educating these children in the last financial year was, approximately, as follows:

£
Blind children 85,000
Deaf children 135,000