HC Deb 19 October 1999 vol 336 c540W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what reply he has made to MENCAP's report on school inclusion entitled, "On a Wing and a Prayer". [94727]

Ms Estelle Morris

The DfEE is working closely with MENCAP. However, the publication of this report coincides with the publication of a DfEE commissioned report entitled "The Management, role and training of Learning Support Assistants". Both reports explore how learning support assistants work with pupils with special educational needs in inclusive settings. They each highlight good practice. The Government is already taking forward work relating to a number of the recommendations in the MENCAP report, as highlighted in the Teachers Green Paper. Specifically we areworking with the Local Government National Training Organisation to develop a national framework of training and qualifications; developing good practice materials on the effective deployment of teaching assistants, including learning support assistants; making available £350 million over this and the next two financial years to support the recruitment and training of an additional 20,000 (FTE) assistants, including learning support assistants.

In addition, we are currently in discussion with MENCAP and the authors of the two reports about the possibility of a joint conference to discuss the research findings and identify ways forward for improving practice.