HC Deb 20 February 1991 vol 186 c150W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how his four key policy objectives for the local management of schools apply to special schools; and what benefit such schools will obtain from the implementation of these objectives.

Sir Wyn Roberts

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the feasibility study carried out by the management consultants, Touche Ross, on extending local, management to special schools, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he had with Mencap-in-Wales, with the Spastic Society in Wales and with the Wales Council for the Disabled, respectively, before publishing his draft circular of 21 December 1990, dealing with the application of LMS procedures to special schools in Wales.

Sir Wyn Roberts

The draft LMS circular was issued as a consultation document. It is open to organisations such as Mencap-in-Wales to submit their views on the proposals. The closing date for receipt of comments is 1 March 1991.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will clarify his intentions with regard to allowing special schools to apply for delegated management under the provisions of the Education Reform Act, specifying who is empowered to make such an application on behalf of a special school; and what consultation procedures have to be fulfilled by such persons before the application can be made;

(2) whether in his proposals for the application of local management of schools provisions to special schools in Wales he intends local education authorities to make charges to the special schools in its area which have opted for local management, for centrally-organised resources such as educational psychology, pre-school assessment units, peripatetic special needs assessment teams, dyslexia units and those statutory responsibilities of the Education Act 1981 which cannot be delegated to special schools; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Wyn Roberts

I am currently seeking the views of the LEAs and other interested parties on the proposals described in the LMS draft circular. It would not be proper for me to pre-empt the outcome of this consultation process.