§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available extra cash to local authorities to enable them to provide courses locally for the training of speech therapists; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Grist[holding answer 14 July 1988]: Funding for speech therapist courses in local authority maintained institutes is provided through the AFE pool. At present a four-year honours degree course for speech therapists is provided at South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education, which recruits students from all parts of Wales. The initiative for proposing new higher education courses rests with the colleges and their maintaining authorities. Proposals for new courses are considered by the Wales Advisory Body and, if approved, would need to be funded from the AFE pool.