§ Mr. Parkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any local authority has yet reached the target of providing 2.4 places per 1,000 527W population in the age group 15 to 64 years for mentally handicapped adults in adult training centres, suggested in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped"; and how many have reached the interim target of 1.5 places per 1,000 population.
§ Dr. OwenI have been asked to reply.
The White Paper envisaged that a 15-to-20-year programme would be needed before this interim target could be achieved nationally, though some local authorities could be expected to reach it earlier. By 31st March 1974, 34 of the former local authorities had reached the target of 1.5 per 1,000 population, and three of these had also achieved the target of 2.4 places per 1,000 suggested for the long-term future. No figures are yet available for the new local authorities.
§ Mr. Parkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether there is any evidence that playgroups run or supported financially by local authorities in England and Wales encourage the admission of handicapped children.
§ Dr. OwenI have been asked to reply.
No precise figures are available, but a number of authorities support playgroups which cater either for handicapped children or for mixed groups of handicapped and normal children.