NUFFIELD SPEECH AND LANGUAGE UNIT

Early day motion 1822, tabled 15 March 2006 by Edward Davey (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 229 members.

That this House notes that the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit at the Royal Free Hospital is a national centre of excellence, providing diagnosis and treatment of hearing, speech and language disorders in children with needs that cannot be properly met by local provision; further notes that the Unit requires only 14 children to remain financially viable; expresses extreme concern that the distinct lack of referrals for the 2006-07 academic year may lead to the Unit's closure; believes that local NHS and neighbouring education authorities have failed to take enough proactive action to ensure the Unit is known about by parents, doctors and speech therapists; and urges the Government to do all it can to support the Unit and promote sufficient awareness to guarantee that the UK does not lose this important national resource.

Signatures by party: Conservative 101, Labour 71, Liberal Democrat 46, DUP 7, Plaid Cymru 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2.