§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the chairmen of health boards about(a) the adequate provision of speech therapists and (b) the recruitment, selection and training of such therapists; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer Wednesday 11 December]: A further £2 million has been made available from 1 April next year toward the cost of speech therapy services for children with a formal record of needs. My officials have met the College of Speech Therapists, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Association of Directors of Education, Scotland to discuss this additional allocation. The latest meeting took place on 6 December.
The recruitment and selection of speech therapists is a matter for health boards. As to training, all speech therapy training in Scotland is operated by the higher education sector, which liaises closely with health boards over the curriculum, clinical placements, and other aspects of the course.