§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 30 March 1998,Official Report, column 403, if he will make a statement on the timetable for his Department's review of research findings on educational programmes for autistic children; what review she is making of educational provision for autistic children as a result of the Written Declaration of the European Parliament; and what action she has taken to draw the Declaration to the attention of local education authorities. [40606]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisWe have noted the European Written Declaration on the Rights of People with Autism; we believe that our policies on special educational needs are consistent with it; and we will take it into account as appropriate in our current review of provision for all children with special educational needs. The report of the autism research literature review will be published in the summer. Together with the findings of comparative research the Local Government Association is commissioning into the outcomes from some educational interventions for autism, this will help local education authorities to plan accessible and appropriate education for children with autism.