asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to ensure that schools promote disability equality.

My Lords, the Government have taken a range of actions including the production of two sets of guidance, Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in Schools and Early Years Settings and Safe to Learn: Embedding Anti-bullying Work in Schools. We have also made available new units for the primary teacher training undergraduate programme that will develop understanding of the Disability Discrimination Act.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. However, I am sure she is aware of a Mencap survey published last week that revealed that fewer than one in 10 schools has a disability equality scheme in place, despite now having a legal duty now to do so. What are the Government's intentions here, not least because eight out of 10 children with a learning disability are still being bullied at school? What further action do the Government intend to take to inform and support school heads and governors with regard to their disability equality responsibilities and to ensure that all teachers receive sufficient training and retraining to support the full range of children with special needs in our schools?

My Lords, the Government's intention is that all schools should comply with their legal duties and that all schools should publish a disability equality scheme and an accessibility plan. We believe that schools are working towards achieving that and doing better year on year, but there is still a long way to go. Much needs to be done to support head teachers and governors, whose roles are key, to promote further and better teacher training. The Government are using all channels available to us to promote this important development.

My Lords, why do the Government continue to close down special schools, which are a lifeline for a great number of children and young people with both learning and physical disabilities?

My Lords, the Government are committed to providing world-class education to all children and young people, whatever the appropriate setting for them. We work to ensure that appropriate education is available to children in mainstream settings and specialist schools. The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 is an important step towards mainstreaming equality for all young people who experience disability.

My Lords, despite the actions of the Government in trying to implement the Act and to stop bullying, many children are still bullied. Many of them are unable even to think of equality because of the way in which they are dealt with by bullies in schools. Can we have a more vigorous implementation of the Act by the Government and more pressure on head teachers to ensure that children have a degree of equality?

My Lords, I support the sentiments expressed so eloquently by my noble friend. Disabled children experience far too high a level of bullying in schools. Last week was National Anti-Bullying Week and we issued new guidance on the bullying of children with special educational needs and disabilities. We also issued a DVD to raise awareness of the effects of bullying in schools because that is where children, ultimately, have a real opportunity to change attitudes.

My Lords, the main focus has been on children with disabilities in schools, but have the Government taken any initiatives to attract adults with disabilities into teaching? Many people with disabilities are perfectly capable of holding down such a very challenging job as teaching and they would, of course, provide tremendous role models within schools for children with disabilities, teaching them that they can do anything.

My Lords, the noble Baroness is absolutely right that the DDA applies not just to schools and the delivery of education but also to employers. That is why an accessibility plan is very important for children and for adults. The new teacher-training units which we are developing are about creating awareness of schools' responsibilities in the widest possible sense with regard to disability discrimination and the role of the Act in promoting an inclusive school community.

My Lords, are the Government satisfied that Ofsted is taking sufficient action through inspection to ensure that schools are properly implementing their duties? How many primary and secondary schools published disability equality scheme annual reports in December last year?

My Lords, Ofsted plays a key role in inspecting schools' compliance with the disability discrimination duties. We know from Ofsted that 75 per cent of schools feel confident that they are complying fully with their duties. However, that is not good enough and we aspire to see a much higher number, Ofsted being in a position, in the future, to report a much higher and more successful achievement of compliance in our schools.

My Lords, what the Minister said in response to my noble friend Lady Verma was an interesting reaction but did not amount to an answer. Can she tell us the reason for the closure of the special schools to which my noble friend referred?

My Lords, to give a detailed reason, I would need to know to which special school in particular the noble Baroness was referring. If that is required, I should be happy to do that.

My Lords, what percentage of schools are fully wheelchair accessible?

My Lords, I cannot give the noble Lord that answer, but I am happy to do my best to find an appropriate answer for him.