§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the likely effect of parental choice on the speed at which schools become accessible to disabled children.
§ Mr. ForthParental preference will be one of the factors that will influence the speed at which the trend continues towards more pupils with special needs being educated in mainstream schools. It is for local education authorities and the Funding Agency for Schools to secure sufficient places for pupils with special needs in the light of demand. However, parents take differing views on the 165W suitability of schools and it is not possible to predict the future effect with any accuracy.