§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the outstanding appeals under section 70 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, relating to children with special educational needs, will be expedited.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonWork is proceeding as quickly as possible on complaints to the Secretary of State under section 70 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Such complaints are made by parents of children with records of needs alleging that an education authority has failed to discharge its duty.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to issue revised guidance to education authorities on records of needs for children with special educational needs.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonI hope to do so later this year.
§ Mrs. Fyfes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce reforms to the records of needs procedure for children with special educational needs, so as to (a) provide for an appeal to an independent tribunal and (b) specify a time limit for completing records of needs.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe incidence of appeals against the terms of records of needs—around five per annum—is insufficient to justify the setting up in Scotland of a statutory tribunal to hear them.
The Scottish Office education department has issued guidance specifying the timescale within which a record of needs should normally be completed. Research by Edinburgh university in 1989 showed that over one half of all records of needs in Scotland are completed in under six months and nearly three quarters in under eight months. I regard that as a sound achievement, but I shall continue to encourage education authorities to improve on this performance.