§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in theOfficial Report the total number of blind children in residential accommodation in England and Wales; and where these institutions are located.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonInformation is not available in the form requested. In January 1975, however, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 910 children attending special schools for the blind as boarding pupils. The schools were situated in Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, East Sussex, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Yorkshire, Greater London and Mid-Glamorgan.
In addition, 174 children whose major handicap was blindness were placed in other kinds of special schools. The number of boarding pupils within this total could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. No figures are available for blind children placed in hospital special schools.
§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration he has given to the growing opinion that blind children from special schools should be transferred to ordinary 45W primary and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonI am keen to examine more closely the practical possibilities and the Department will in the next few days be asking a number of local education authorities whether they would be willing to undertake pilot schemes of integration in the next year or two. However, opinion is by no means all on one side. The evidence submitted to the Warnock Committee on the integration of handicapped children has, with a few exceptions, been notably cautious. Severely handicapped children will not thrive in ordinary schools unless the special resources in terms of staff and equipment that they need can be made available.