§ Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children who are deaf or have impaired hearing are now awaiting placement in special schools; and what submissions have been made in the past year by local authorities for special schools for the deaf.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasIn January 1973 there were 132 deaf children in England 231W awaiting places in special schools, 90 of whom were under five years of age; and 258 partially hearing children, of whom 104 were under five.
A new school for 90 deaf children of primary age is expected to be in use in the summer of 1975, and a further secondary school for 50 pupils is under consideration for the 1974–75 building programme. Proposals for six special schools for the deaf and two for the partially hearing have been received from local education authorities for inclusion in the list of projects expected to start in 1975–76: one in each group is for the replacement of an existing school. These proposals are being examined.