§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the total number of blind children in residential accommodation in Scotland and where these institutions are located.
§ Mr. Millan111 pupils are in residential special schools, of whom 103 are at the Royal Blind School, Edinburgh, and eight at St. Vincent's School, Glasgow.
§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the growing opinion that blind children from special schools should be transferred to ordinary primary and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. MillanThe Government's general view is that handicapped children should attend ordinary schools if it is in their best interest to do so, and the number of blind children in special schools has been falling in recent years. The particular needs of blind children, however, make it more difficult to implement the policy in their case than in the case of children with certain other physical handicaps. These problems come within the remit of the Warnock Committee, which is sitting at present and whose report may be expected to shed further light on the extent to which the policy can be pursued.