§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many local education authorities employ careers officers; how many employ careers officers with specialist training in respect of disabled youngsters; how many careers officers are employed by local education authorities; how many of these have specialist training in respect of disabled youngsters; and whether he will list those local education authorities who do not employ specialist careers officers for disabled youngsters.
§ Mr. GoldingUnder the Employment and Training Act 1973 provision of the Careers Service is a mandatory function of local education authorities in Great Britain, and all 116 of them employ careers officers.
On 1st April 1976, the latest date for which detailed information is available, they employed 2,616 careers officers, of 519W whom 130, employed by 89 authorities, had special responsibility for handicapped young persons. It is not known how many have received specialist training.
I think it would be misleading for me to list local authorities which for one reason or another do not employ specialist careers officers for disabled youngsters—for example, because some are too small to justify a post. I will, however, write to the hon. Member fully about this as soon as possible.