To aks the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the benefits of conductive education; and if he will make a statement. [6350]

The Department of Health has not commissioned research into conductive education. The Department for Education and Employment commissioned research by the University of Birmingham, published in 1993, to evaluate the effectiveness of conductive education provided at the National Institute of Conductive Education. This found no evidence that children receiving conductive education progressed better than comparable children at maintained special schools.