§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will amend the draft guidance on the transfer of responsibility for education in inner London to provide for cross-borough planning for educational provision for(a) pupils with physical disabilities, (b) delicate pupils, (c) pupils with hearing impairments, (d) pupils with visual impairments and (e) autistic pupils;
(2) what advice he has given the inner London boroughs subsequent to the publication of the draft guidance on the transfer of responsibility for education in inner London on the provision for pupils and students with special educational needs.
§ Mr. DunnThe draft guidance was published as a basis for consultation with the inner London boroughs, with ILEA and with others involved in the education service in inner London. The Department has received a number of comments on the draft, some of which relate to provision for those with special educational needs. These will be taken into account in the final version of the guidance which my right hon. Friend will publish soon after the Education Reform Bill receives Royal Assent. In the interim, the Department has been in discussion with all the inner London boroughs on a range of educational issues, and has set up a working party to discuss the future of residential special schools outside the inner-London area.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of the Inner London education authority's centre for motor and associated communication handicaps—CENMACH—following the proposed abolition of the Inner London education authority.
§ Mr. DunnI understand that the centre is based at the Charlton Park special school in Greenwich but offers a service to physically handicapped children generally in ILEA. My right hon. Friend has indicated in the draft guidance on the transfer of responsibility for education in inner London that he would expect each inner London borough council to maintain any ILEA special school which is within its area. The development plans which boroughs have been requested to provide should state clearly the borough councils' intention with respect to any maintained special school in their area which services more than a local need.
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§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library the text of the speech given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) to the conference on learning options held on 29 June and hosted by the Prince of Wales' advisory committee on disability; what further consideration he has given to the desirability of making regional arrangements in inner London for the purpose of providing special educational needs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. DunnI have arranged for a copy of the text of the speech to be placed in the Library of the House. The draft guidance on the transfer of responsibility for education in inner London makes clear the Government's view that where co-operative arrangements are considered by boroughs to be appropriate, they are likely to be most effective if they operate on a voluntary basis. Whether such arrangements are required in relation to particular aspects of provision is a matter on which discussions are continuing with the boroughs and ILEA.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has
Type of institution previously attended 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Independent school 4.6 5.1 5.2 5.6 6.1 Maintained school1 81.1 80.2 81.4 80.6 78.0 Further education 11.1 9.9 10.6 11.7 11.6 Unknown 3.2 4.8 2.8 2.1 4.3 1 Includes grant-aided schools and a small number of Scottish domiciled students attending maintained schools in England.