§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice she has issued for the training of careers teachers in giving guidance to disabled students.
§ Mrs. ThatcherIt is generally accepted that, as far as possible, handicapped students should be treated in the same way as other students, although many will need special help to offset their disabilities. Much of the general guidance given by my Department, through its publications and Her Majesty's inspectors, is relevant to teachers of handicapped children.
Specific advice was given in my Department's pamphlet "Careers Guidance in Schools", published in 1965, which contains a chapter on the problems of handicapped school leavers. My Department's pamphlet "Careers Education in Secondary Schools", published last month, which sets out the findings and recommendations of the survey conducted by Her Majesty's inspectors over the past two years, contains a section devoted to careers education and guidance in special schools.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate of the number of permanently and substantially disabled students at present being educated in sixth forms, further education colleges, special further education colleges, colleges of education, polytechnics and universities, respectively.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasI am not able to supply the figures, which are not collected by the Department.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children who have received special education have entered courses at colleges of further education, colleges of special further education, colleges of education, polytechnics and universities, respectively, in each year from the date on which figures are first available.
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§ Mr. St. John-StevasA return of school leavers during the academic year 1970–71 from all special schools in England and Wales showed that, of the 8,775 pupils who left, 814 entered some kind of full-time education. This was a special survey, and figures for other years are not available.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of students who are registered disabled with the Department of Employment and are undertaking a course in a higher education institution, excluding courses specifically established for the disabled.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThis information is not available. The Department of Employment's register of disabled people shows only their age and type of disability and it is not possible to identify the number of students included.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to ensure that grant structures for disabled students will take account of additional expenses incurred by disabled students receiving a major award; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThe grant regulations and teacher training arrangements include provisions which may be used to help disabled students in receipt of mandatory and teacher training awards; but I will consider this further during the current review of student grants.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provisions she has made for the housing needs of disabled students attending courses of higher education; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThis is a matter for universities and, in the case of colleges of education and further education, local education authorities. The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 requires such bodies to make reasonable provision for the needs of disabled persons. The attention of local authorities was drawn to the requirements of the Act in a joint circular issued by the Government Departments concerned in August 1970. Advice to the universities on the implementation of the Act was issued by 267W the University Grants Committee in April 1972.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the number of buildings for which planing permission has been granted since the operative date of Section 8 of the Chronicaly Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, which have been constructed for any of the purposes named in the said section;
(2) of those buildings for which planning permission has been granted under Section 8 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, (a) which are of two or more storeys and have no lifts, and (b) which have no parking facilities specially provided for disabled students or teachers;
(3) of those buildings for which planning permission has been granted under Section 8 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, (a) which have no sanitary conveniences specially constructed for the use of disabled persons, and (b) which have not been provided with ramps so that disabled persons in wheelchairs have means of access both into the building and into all parts of the building.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThese figures are not collected by the Department. The information available, however, suggests that local education authorities and others providing new or remodelled school buildings are showing a proper regard for Section 8 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 in the provision made for car parking, access, lifts and sanitary facilities.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement concerning the payment of tuition fees by disabled students living at home who are at present dependent on supplementary benefits.
§ Mrs. ThatcherAny student, whether disabled or not, who is not in receipt of a mandatory or teacher training award may apply to his local education authority for a discretionary award which may include the payment of tuition fees.