§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute an inquiry into the professional qualifications of speech therapists; if he will publish in the Official Report the length of training and minimum qualifications required for a fully trained speech therapist; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyI am satisfied with the present statutory arrangement whereby, in order to obtain employment in the National Health Service, speech therapists are required as a minimum to hold a certificate issued by the College of Speech Therapists certifying that they have successfully attended a degree course recognised by the college. Undergraduate courses are either three or four years in length. In addition there is one postgraduate course of two years' duration for graduates from other disciplines wishing to qualify as speech therapists.