§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in the United Kingdom had learning difficulties in each year since 1995. [158325]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe Labour Force Survey (LFS) collects information on the long-term health conditions and impairments of working age adults. LFS estimates of those who have a current long-term impairment and whose main condition is a severe or specific learning difficulty are shown in the table below for each autumn since 1998. Comparable estimates are not available prior to 1998.
People of working age1 with a current long-term health condition or impairment2 whose main condition is a learning difficulty3
Autumn of each year Thousand Percentage of working age population
1998 128 0.35 1999 150 0.41 2000 153 0.42 2001 149 0.40 2002 187 0.50 2003 159 0.43 1Working age is defined as men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59. 2People are defined as disabled if they have a long-standing illness significantly limiting their day-to-day activities and/or they have work-limiting disability. 3Main health condition is a severe or specific learning difficulty. Source: UK, Labour Force Survey
§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the school population is categorised as having(a) severe and (b) moderate learning difficulties; and what proportion is in special schools in each case.[159389]
§ Margaret HodgeThe Department of Education and Skills began collecting data on pupils' type of special educational need from January 2004. It is not possible1734W to provide information on the proportion of the school population with severe or moderate learning difficulties until the data have been collated. We expect it to become available in the summer.
Information about the provision being made for pupils with statements of special educational need is collected from local authorities each year. In January 2003, 37.5 per cent. of pupils with a statement of special educational need were being educated in maintained, non-maintained or independent special schools.
§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding his Department provides for projects to train people with learning difficulties. [156021]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThere is no specific funding for such projects. Rather, training and education for people with learning difficulties is funded from the overall budget (£8.1 billion in 2003—04) which my Department allocates to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in order to carry out its education and training remit for young people and adults. Within this overall budget the LSC will spend £105 million this year on specialist residential college placements and considerably more supporting learners with learning difficulties in mainstream provision.
The Government have strengthened the rights of people with learning difficulties to appropriate post-16 provision through a combination of legislative change and collaborative work with key organisations representing disabled learners. Under Section 13 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000, the LSC has a specific responsibility to help young people and adults with learning difficulties. Although the LSC does not develop policies relating to specific groups of learners, its broad remit means that it can fund a wide range of provision to ensure these learners have access to suitable provision which meets their needs and, where appropriate, the additional support they require to undertake it.
The LSC has established a Forum on Learners with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities to ensure that inclusive learning is at the heart of its policies and processes. Membership includes representatives from Government, external representative bodies and learners with learning difficulties. The LSC also participates in local Learning Disability Partnership Boards, with the Department of Health and other partner agencies, to improve local inter-agency working.