§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce legislation in Northern Ireland comparable to the Education (Handicapped Children) Act 1970 and the Education (Mentally Handicapped Children) (Scotland) Act 1974 in order to end the exclusion of severely mentally handi-
Project No. of Beneficiaries 1973 Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons at Employment Rehabilitation Unit 244 1974 Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons at Employment Rehabilitation Unit and Government Training Centres 252 1975 Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons at Employment Rehabilitation Unit and Government Training Centres 260 Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons at Residential Colleges 1976 Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons at Employment Rehabilitation Unit and Government Training Centres 349 Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons at Residential Colleges 47 1976 Training of Disablement Resettlement Officers 12 Training of Trainers 3 Total 1,167 The total amount received in respect of these projects is £313,321.50.
Further allocations in respect of the handicapped have been made totalling £739,596.37. The Department of Manpower Services and the Department of Health and Social Services are currently preparing claims for the 1977 calendar year based on these allocations.
402Wcapped children from the education system; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th February 1978; Vol. 945, c. 190], gave the following answer:
The question of departmental responsibility for the education of mentally handicapped children in Northern Ireland was one of the topics raised in the Consultative Document on Services for the Mentally Handicapped which was issued by the Department of Health and Social Services in April 1976.
Consultations on this document are now complete and a policy paper on the future development of services for the mentally handicapped, including education, is to be published shortly.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the projects for the handicapped which have received assistance from the EEC Social Fund since 1973; what was the total sum received and the number of workers assisted in each case; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th February 1978; Vol. 945, c. 190], gave the following information:
The following projects for the handicapped have received assistance from the EEC Social Fund since 1973.
Applications totalling £924,957 have been made for 1978 and will be considered by the Social Fund Advisory Committee later this year.