HC Deb 14 July 1992 vol 211 cc592-3W
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications for placements have been made by people with special needs to each training and enterprise council in Wales in each year since the establishment of the councils; and how many have successfully received placements in each instance.

Sir Wyn Roberts

This information is not collected centrally.

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local education authorities requiring them to issue specific statements for children with special educational needs.

Sir Wyn Roberts

Welsh Office circular 54/89 and its addendum issued in March 1992 give detailed guidance to local education authorities on the form and content of statements of special educational needs. These advise that, if an authority considers a statement to be warranted, it should specify in detail each of a child's needs and the appropriate provision to meet those needs.

The Government have announced their proposal to issue further guidance on the criteria to which authorities should have regard in considering whether to start assessment procedures which may, in the light of the information received, lead to a statement.

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines requiring all training and enterprise councils in Wales to establish special needs advisory groups.

Sir Wyn Roberts

Training and enterprise councils in Wales have established a variety of mechanisms for consulting their local communities about special training needs. Training and enterprise councils are required to set out in their corporate and business plans how they will cater for people with special needs.

Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what improvements he will initiate to enhance access to schools by children who suffer disabilities.

Mr. David Hunt

Local education authorities are responsible for educational buildings, and for questions of access to them by disabled persons. Advice and guidance is available to authorities in Design No. 18 "Access for Disabled People to Educational Buildings" and in Building Bulletin 61 "Designing for Children with Special Educational Needs" issued by the Department for Education.

Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he proposes to cater for special educational needs in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State will be making an announcement very shortly.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he intends to introduce proposals for shortening the procedure in Wales for assessing special educational needs; what is the average cost of producing a statement of special educational needs in Wales; and what is the average length of time it takes to produce a statement of special educational needs in Wales.

Sir Wyn Roberts

The responsibility for carrying out assessments and preparing statements of special education needs rests with individual local education authorities. Information on the time taken on these processes and the associated costs is not available centrally; practice varies between authorities. The Government have announced proposals to ensure that these procedures are conducted within specific timescales. which will extend to Wales as well as England.

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