§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the number of primary school age children(a) who are dyslexic and (b) whose condition has been helped by special provision; and if she will make a statement. [6962]
§ Mr. Timms[holding answer 15 October 2001]The information requested is not held centrally.
Since 1981, following the Warnock recommendation, information about pupils' special educational needs categorised by disability or learning difficulty has not been collected centrally. We are looking into the feasibility of collating such information. A pilot study was carried out in June and this is currently being evaluated.
Session 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Commons named day PQs answered: on the named day1 714 532 235 183 up to two days after 124 172 129 41 between three days and one week after 68 167 129 16 between one and four weeks after 50 111 102 6 between four weeks and three months after 9 32 25 0 over three months after 0 2 0 0 Total 965 1,016 620 246 1In accordance with Standing Order 22(4) (usually three days from date of tabling) 1184W
Session 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Commons Ordinary Written PQs answered: within five days of tabling1 703 588 185 184 up to two days after 200 107 91 8 between three days and one week after 165 210 215 11 between one and four weeks after 155 154 134 5 between four weeks and three months after 6 23 22 1 over three months after 0 5 0 0 Total 1,189 1,087 557 209 1In accordance with guidance on answering of Ordinary Written PQs set out in parliamentary paper HC 393 (1971–72) If the pilot is successful—and subject to consideration of the burden on schools and LEAs—the new data collection arrangements will be introduced nationally from 2003 as part of the Department's new Common Basic Data Set (CBDS) arrangements.