§ Mr. Allan StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in considering the possibility of opening in Scotland a new centre using conductive education.
§ Mr. LangI am glad to announce that, subject to approval of detailed proposals, we plan to go ahead with the establishment of a new centre in Scotland for the education of children with motor disorders, such as cerebral palsy. We are making provision within the Scottish education programme for £2.5 million spread over the next three years as the Government's contribution to setting up and running the centre.
The work of the centre will be based on conductive education as practised at the Peto institute in Hungary. It will have a multi-disciplinary staff and will cater initially for about 40 children in the age range two to seven years. The centre will be available to children from all parts of Scotland and we intend that residential accommodation should be provided for children and accompanying parents who live outwith daily travelling distance.
The new centre will represent a valuable new resource for Scotland. It will extend options for parents of handicapped children and provide training facilities for staff from other special schools where elements of conductive education are used. It is hoped, also, that the centre will be able to give practical support to children who are home between visits to the Peto institute itself.
811WA site has not yet been chosen but an important consideration is that the centre should be within daily travelling distance for as large a number of potential pupils as possible. We hope to open the centre before the end of 1991.