Autistic Children (Hansard, 2 November 1998)

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to issue guidance on services for autistic children. [57057]

§ Dr. Kumar
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to issue specific guidance on services for autistic children; and if he will make a statement. [57051]

§ Mr. Hutton
We have no plans at present to issue specific guidance on services for autistic children. Guidance on services for children with disabilities, including those with autism, is contained in "The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 6 Children with Disabilities" published by HMSO in 1991. Local authority social services departments have a general duty, under the Children Act 1989, to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their care who are "in need". To reinforce the provision in the Children Act on children in need, the Education Act 1996 puts a statutory duty upon health authorities and local authorities to help education authorities in the assessment and support of children with special needs. We will keep the need for specific guidance on autism under review.

§ Dr. Kumar
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to collect information centrally on autistic children; and if he will make a statement. [57047]

§ Mr. Hutton
We have no plans to collect information centrally about the number of children below the age of five years diagnosed as being autistic. It is for the local statutory authorities to determine the needs of children with autism in their area and work together effectively to ensure that these needs are met.

§ Dr. Kumar
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that every health authority has sufficient funds to develop new services for autistic children; and if he will make a statement. [57049]

§ Mr. Hutton
Health authorities are given allocations for hospital and community health services to commission health care for their resident population. It is for individual health authorities to decide the level and type of services commissioned, in partnership with local416W general practitioners and through consultation with other agencies and local people, taking account of local circumstances and national policies and priorities.