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Autism Bill

There is often a phenomenon of buck-passing between different agencies. Also, the needs of a child or young person often straddle the divide between different departments, which is precisely why we need joint strategic needs assessments—and joint commissioning to boot. Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the problems that still exists in the education service as a result of a lack of training is quite widespread ignorance among the children's work force of parts of the spectrum? I am thinking of a teacher who said to the parent of an Asperger's child, "I don't believe in Asperger's syndrome." It is not a matter of belief; it is a matter of fact.