§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what studies he has carried out of the incidence of autistic conditions among the school population; and what guidance he has issued to local education authorities in connection with these conditions. [123162]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 24 May 2000]: Figures are not collected on the incidence of particular types of special educational need. Provisions in the Education Act 1981, now consolidated into the Education Act 1996, require schools to submit information on numbers of pupils with special educational needs. In accordance with the recommendation of the Warnock Committee, there is no requirement for them to record the nature of the disability or learning difficulty and we have no current intention to require them to do so.
Guidance on meeting children's special educational needs is contained in the "Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs". The Department has established an Autism Working Group which is investigating examples of good practice and will be publishing practical advice on early identification and making provision for children with autism. In its advice the Group will be taking account of the work of the special educational needs regional co-ordination projects, one of which, in the West Midlands, has been concentrating on provision for children with autism.