HC Deb 16 March 1972 vol 833 c167W
Mr. Pavitt

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement concerning the facilities for the education in schools for colleges of further education of handicapped children over the age of 16 years.

Mrs. Thatcher

A local education authority has a duty to see that facilities for full-time education are available either in a school or institution of further education for all those between the ages of 16 and 19 who want to continue their education, but nobody has an unqualified right to a place in one rather than the other.

Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision is made for secondary education for deaf children in Staffordshire.

Mr. van Straubenzee

There are no secondary schools for deaf children in Staffordshire. The all-age school at Stoke-on-Trent has about 40 deaf children of secondary school age. Some Staffordshire children attend schools for the deaf in Birmingham and Derby.