§ Sir G. Willsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the distress which the proposal to close the Royal School for the Blind, Bristol, in September, is causing to a number of blind children and their parents in Bridgwater and the West Country generally, why notice of the closure was so short and the alternative schools so distant; and whether he will arrange educational facilities for blind children in the West Country at some more convenient centre to allow weekend visits to or by parents.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThe Governors of the Bristol Royal School for the Blind gave notice in June of their intention to close the school in December, 1968. The local education authorities responsible are making alternative arrangements for pupils to continue to receive special educational treatment at other schools from that date. I regret the closure of the school but there are however only about 231W 1,000 blind children at school throughout the country and it is unavoidable that many have to attend schools at some distance from their homes. There are not enough blind children in the South-West to justify the building of a local authority school in view of the places available at existing schools.