§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children per 10,000 population living in the county of Essex were ascertained as being educationally subnormal in the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, and 337W up to the latest available date in 1974; and how this compares with the national average.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThe figures requested up to 1973 were:
Year Essex England and Wales 1970 … … 10.93 13.39 1971 … … 11.98 13.94 1972 … … 14.50 19.54 1973 … … 17.37 22.61 1972 was the first year in which severely mentally handicapped children were included, following the assumption by the education service of responsibility for their education on 1st April 1971. Figures for 1974 are not yet available.