Special Education Needs (Hansard, 4 December 1985)

§ Mr. Wigley
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the additional annual public expenditure which has arisen from the implementation of sections (4) to (10) of the Education Act 1981, relating to his identification and assessment of children with special education needs.

§ Mr. Dunn
It is not possible to identify this expenditure within the administrative expenditure of local education authorities.

§ Mr. Radice
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how much money has been spent on

£ million

England Financial year

1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85

I. Expenditure on maintained special schools and units^*. 251 314 350 382 411 n/a

^* The figures relate to tuition costs in Special Education Schools and Units for which separate accounts are kept. They do not include expenditure on special units attached to primary and secondary schools for which no seperate accounts are kept. Nor do they include non tuiton costs such as transport to school and school meals.

Thousands

January

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

II. Number of school pupils with special educational needs^*. 163.0 157.9 157.7 155.0 159.6 127.9

III. Pupils aged 16–19 in maintained special schools (excluding hospital schools). 3,160 3,648 4,312 5,536 6,267 6,862

^* Figures for 1984 and 1985 are not comparable with earlier years or with each other because of changes in the way statistics were collected after the Education Act 1981 came into force in April 1983. Figures up to 1983 give numbers ascertained by LEAs under the Education Act 1944; the 1985 figure covers those with statements under the 1981 Act; the 1984 figure is a hybrid in a transitional year.

§ Mr. Radice
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the provision of full-time education for students with special education needs aged 16 to 19 years; whether he intends to produce a circular relating to the provision; and if he will make a statement.
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special education for each year since 1979; how many children with special education needs have been educated; and how many and what percentage of students with special education needs aged 16 to 19 years have received full-time education, in each local education authority for each year since 1979;
(2) whether he will give, for each year since 1979 (a) the cost of provision of full-time education for students aged 16 to 19 years with special needs, (b) the numbers and percentages of students aged 16 to 19 years with special needs receiving full-time education, (c) the numbers of requests for full-time education for students aged 16 to 19 years with special needs and (d) the number of complaints received from parents under sections 68 and 99 of the Education Act 1944 asking him to intervene or overrule a local education authority's decision.

§ Sir Keith Joseph
The information available is given in the table. I shall write to the hon. Member with a breakdown between local education authorities of the numbers in lines II and III of the table. No information is available about the cost of provision for young people with special educational needs other than that relating to all age groups in maintained special schools and units given in line I of the table; or about those aged 16 to 19 receiving full-time education in ordinary maintained schools, in non-maintained schools or in the further education sector. It is not possible to provide the percentage figures requested relating to the 16 to 19 age group.
Requests for full-time education between the ages of 16 and 19 are made to local education authorities, and no information is collected by my Department. Since August 1983, I have received 27 complaints about issues related to the provision of full-time education for young people aged 16 to 19 with special education needs.

§ Sir Keith Joseph
I receive representations from time to time, both general and specific to certain cases. I am considering what general advice can usefully be offered.

£ million
England	Financial year
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85
I. Expenditure on maintained special schools and units^*.	251	314	350	382	411	n/a
^* The figures relate to tuition costs in Special Education Schools and Units for which separate accounts are kept. They do not include expenditure on special units attached to primary and secondary schools for which no seperate accounts are kept. Nor do they include non tuiton costs such as transport to school and school meals.

Thousands
	January
	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
II. Number of school pupils with special educational needs^*.	163.0	157.9	157.7	155.0	159.6	127.9
III. Pupils aged 16–19 in maintained special schools (excluding hospital schools).	3,160	3,648	4,312	5,536	6,267	6,862
^* Figures for 1984 and 1985 are not comparable with earlier years or with each other because of changes in the way statistics were collected after the Education Act 1981 came into force in April 1983. Figures up to 1983 give numbers ascertained by LEAs under the Education Act 1944; the 1985 figure covers those with statements under the 1981 Act; the 1984 figure is a hybrid in a transitional year.