HC Deb 29 April 1937 vol 323 cc550-1W
Sir W. Jenkins

asked the Minister of Health what test is applied for the certification of blindness and is it uniformly applied in England and Wales; and will he give the number of applications for each year, separately, from 1930 to 1936, and the number rejected for the same period, and giving Wales separately?

Sir K. Wood

The test is that the person is "so blind as to be unable to perform any work for which eyesight is essential." According to my information there is substantial uniformity in applying this test, in accordance with criteria set out in a circular of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. I regret that the figures asked for are not available.

Sir W. Jenkins

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has any record of the number of blind boys and girls who, on leaving school, are being trained for some trade or any other occupation, and the number of these wholly unemployed for the years 1935 and 1936 in England and Wales, separately?

Mr. Stanley

It is estimated that at present the number of blind boys and girls, as distinct from the partially sighted, who leave the schools for the blind each year at the age of 16 is about 200. The Board do not have a statistical record, but it is known that practically all of these who are likely to be employable enter vocational courses of training. On the 31st March, 1936, the total number of boys and girls from schools for the blind who were being trained was 698. The Board have no statistics concerning the employment of the blind, which is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.

Sir W. Jenkins

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the number recorded of border-line cases of pupils in schools for the blind; and is the test for certification of blindness causing a hardship on certain types of children who are educationally blind, but on reaching a certain age are marked sighted for industrial purposes?

Mr. Stanley

The Board have no statistical record of the number of such cases, but I agree with the conclusion of the Committee on Partially-Sighted Children that such children should be taught in schools or classes for partially sighted children, and that hardship is involved if they are educated and brought up as blind and have later to enter the sighted world, for which their education has not fitted them.