§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities had submitted schemes of delegation for further education to his Department for approval by the required date of 30 September 1989.
Mr. JacksonOf the 95 local education authorities required to submit schemes of planning and delegation for further education to my Department by 30 September 1989, all but one have now done so.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) in the submitted articles of government for further education colleges, how many local education authority schemes of delegation propose the inclusion of representation by special needs staff on the academic board;
(2) in the submitted schemes of delegation for further education (a) where reference is made to procedures of planning, how many of them make reference to the procedures they intend to use for planning for the needs of young people with special education needs, (b) how many schemes of delegation establish special educational needs as a specific programme area for resourcing purposes in respect of course provision for groups of students with special educational needs, (c) where a specific programme area is established for SEN, what weighting is given to it, (d) how many LEAs have followed the recommendation under item 23 of circular 9/88 to establish a development fund for the development of provision for students with SEN and (e) how many LEAs have included among their expected items of expenditure a central fund for meeting the costs of individual students with SEN, as recommended under item 27 of circular 9/88;
(3) what criteria his Department is employing in determining whether to approve the schemes of delegation submitted by local education authorities, with regard to the provision of services to students with special educational needs.
Mr. JacksonThe Department is currently considering schemes of planning and delegation for further education82W submitted for approval by LEAs other than inner London. In considering schemes for approval, my right hon. Friend will want to assure himself that all LEAs intend to take account, in planning their further and higher education provision, of the need to secure an appropriate range of education and training opportunities for those who have special educational needs. The information requested on the schemes submitted could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.