§ Mr. GROVESasked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that in August of this year a special circular was issued from the Ministry restricting expenditure upon services connected with deaf, dumb, and epileptic children; and whether, in view of the obvious hardship to such boroughs as West Ham, which will be compelled to shoulder the burden if the Government will not, ho will now Itakestepsto withdraw the order and arrange that the fullest possible facilities be afforded all such unfortunate children?
Mr. WOODCircular 1245, issued in January, 1922, conveyed a warning that restrictions might have to be imposed during 1922–23 OD expenditure on Special Schools; in Circular 1269, however, issued on 5th July, 1922, the Board intimated that existing schools for blind and deaf children could be used to the full extent of their accommodation,, and that no restrictions need be placed on the number of children sent to these schools by individual authorities. The same arrangement applies to schools for crippled children, to open air schools and to schools for mentally defective and epileptic children.