§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many disabled persons applied for places on courses in higher or further education during the last year; what percentage was accepted; what percentage of able-bodied applicants for such courses over the same period was accepted; and by what means she is encouraging local education authorities to ensure that academically able but physically disabled persons are not rejected for lack of appropriate facilities in institutions of education.
§ Mrs. ThatcherAdmissions are the responsibility of individual establishments and the Department does not collect information of this kind. In July 1966 the Department asked LEAs in providing buildings to make it as easy as possible for the disabled to enter and get about inside the building even in a wheelchair. The Department also pointed out the importance of ensuring that disabled persons wishing to follow courses of further education should not be precluded from doing so. With the coming into force of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 the attention of LEAs was again drawn to the need to make provision wherever possible for the needs of disabled students. I shall keep under consideration the need for any further guidance on this matter.