§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial resources he made available to local authorities in Scotland in each of the last three financial years to make provision for speech therapy for recorded children; and what level of resources has been made available for 1996–97. [38980]
§ Mr. Raymond S. RobertsonUnder arrangements which came into force in 1992, education authorities contract with health boards or other providers for the provision of speech therapy services to meet the needs of recorded children. The following sums have been included in the annual local government settlement for this purpose: in 1993–94, £2 million; in 1994–95, £3 million; in 1995–96, £3 million; and in 1996–97, £3 million.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many recorded children in each local authority area received speech therapy as a direct result of the funding made available by him for that purpose in each of the last three financial years. [38982]
§ Mr. RobertsonThis information is not held centrally.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are taken to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of expenditure incurred for the provision of speech therapy for recorded children. [38981]
§ Mr. RobertsonThe discharge of the statutory duty to make adequate provision of speech and language therapy for a recorded child, where this has been identified as one of the child's special educational needs, is the responsibility of the education authority. This is achieved by the education authority contracting with health boards and other providers of speech and language therapy services, and it is for the education authority to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this expenditure.