§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if 555W she will give full details of how she intends to carry out the Government's decision to place sanctions on the Ford Motor Company in her own Department and in all other public bodies answerable to her.
§ Mrs. Shirley Williams:Save in exceptional circumstances of overriding public policy, my Department will not place contracts or invite tenders in respect of Ford products during the currency of the company's excessive pay settlement. Where this is appropriate I shall be inviting the public sector bodies within my area of responsibility to take into account the Government's decision in this respect.
Maintained Special Schools Independent Schools Special Units/Classes Awaiting Placement Bolton … — — — — Bury … 2 3 — 4 Manchester … 20 — — — Oldham … 10 — — 1 Rochdale … 2 — — — Salford … 5 — — — Stockport … 2 — 9 2 Tameside … 3 — — — Trafford … 2 — — — Wigan … 1 — 4 — In addition to the provision of special educational treatment as defined in law the authorities provide special help, in a variety of ways, for other children with speech difficulties. Whilst it is not practicable to describe the arrangements area by area, they include a special school, special classes or units, observation classes and remedial work by teachers and visiting professionals in ordinary schools.
Similarly, all the authorities concerned make specific provision for children with reading difficulties, either in special centres, clinics or classes or by visiting specialist teachers or other professionals in ordinary schools, or in a combination of these ways.
The special educational needs of individual children differ, both in kind and degree, and it is not possible to make a precise measurement of need or of provision. Whilst there is always room for improvement, I have no evidence that the local education authorities in the area are experiencing undue difficulty in making suitable provision.