Lord Remtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they will take to provide continuing education for mentally handicapped people after they have reached the age of 19 years bearing in mind that at that point their mental ages will vary from about 6 to 12 years, depending on the severity of their handicap.
§ Lord EltonThe securing of provision of continuing education after 19 years for mentally handicapped young people is primarly a matter for local education authorities as part of their duties and powers under Section 41 and 42 of the Education Act 1944. The Government recognised, in paragraph 52 of the White PaperSpecial Needs in Education published in August 1980 (Cmnd. 7996), the need to clarify the law in the interest of students with special educational needs. They 1148WA also considered this should be done as part of a wider review of the legal framework governing further education. The review was carried out jointly by central and local government officials last year and the Secretary of State, as announced in another place on 17th February, is currently considering their proposals in the light of the consultations thereon. The Government have already accepted, in the White Paper just referred to, the importance attached by the Warnock Report to the transition to adult life of persons with these other handicaps; and that they should have the widest possible choice of avenues for continued education or training in accordance with their aptitudes.