§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to assist local education authorities to meet their redefined duties to provide speech therapy for children who need to learn to communicate by speech, following the 1989 Court of Appeal ruling in R v. Lancashire county council ex parte CM.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe Department's circular 22/89, which was published on 29 September 1989, reminds local 289W education authorities that in the case to which my hon. Friend refers, the Court of Appeal ruled that speech therapy could be considered either educational or non-educational provision. However, the ruling does not diminish health authorities' general responsibilities under the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 to provide speech therapy, and it does not mean that education authorities are under any legal obligation to fund speech therapy.