HC Deb 18 February 1998 vol 306 cc738-9W
Mr. Levitt

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effect of the insistence of the FEFC on accreditation of courses funded by them on the quantity of lipreading classes, and the number of students attending them. [29166]

Dr. Howells

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not made any assessment of this kind. The FEFC has a duty to secure adequacy and sufficiency of further education provision for which it is responsible, and in doing this to have regard to the needs of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

Mr. Levitt

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many local education authorities provide lipreading classes which are free of charge to users; and how many charge for the service; [29154]

(2) if he will list the number of lipreading classes in operation in each of the last five years and the approximate number of students attending such classes. [29169]

Ms Estelle Morris

This information is not centrally available.