§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified workers with specialist training for work with people who are deaf are currently employed in England by(a) social services departments, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) other bodies; how many have completed training in each of the last five years; what action he is taking to increase their number; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not hold information centrally on the nature of the work carried out by particular social workers. The two post-qualifying training courses for social workers with deaf people in London and Edinburgh closed in 1984 and there is at present no formal training course. However, the Department is currently providing substantial financial support towards the development of a distance learning course to be run by the Open university from 1991.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many interpreters for the deaf are employed 687W by public bodies in England; how many have been trained in each of the last five years; what action he is taking to increase their number; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not hold information centrally on the numbers of interpreters for the deaf employed by public bodies or the number trained. However, we continue to give financial support to the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People. The council arranges training courses in communication with deaf people and maintains a register of interpreters. We are also in touch with the panel of four main voluntary organisations in the deafness field about future interpreting needs.