§ Mr. HainTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children of school age there are with communication autistic spectrum disorders; and how many places there are in schools appropriate to their needs. [2711]
§ Mr. RichardsAccording to returns made by schools to the January 1995 schools census, 240 pupils in Wales had statements of special educational needs in which autism was identified as the major need. All these pupils were in maintained schools: 146 were in special schools, 79 were in primary schools, 14 were in secondary schools and one was in a nursery school.