I apologise, Madam Deputy Speaker, for not being here at the beginning of the debate. I have just come from one of my local primary schools, where the head teacher commented that the numbers of children being identified with conditions on the autistic disorder spectrum is growing, particularly among boys....

I apologise, Madam Deputy Speaker, for not being here at the beginning of the debate. I have just come from one of my local primary schools, where the head teacher commented that the numbers of children being identified with conditions on the autistic disorder spectrum is growing, particularly among boys....

I agree about the scale of the problem. I am not 100 per cent. certain in my own mind—I say this as a lay person—whether there is a greater prevalence now than there was before. I think that we are identifying more people on the spectrum than we did before....

I agree about the scale of the problem. I am not 100 per cent. certain in my own mind—I say this as a lay person—whether there is a greater prevalence now than there was before. I think that we are identifying more people on the spectrum than we did before....

It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman). I begin by saying a warm and personal thank you to my hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan). She has brought this Bill before the House today, but I know of...

It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman). I begin by saying a warm and personal thank you to my hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan). She has brought this Bill before the House today, but I know of...

That may well be the case. The promises that the Minister gives, either today or in Committee, must have statutory back-up; that is the touchstone. Whether that statutory back-up is the Bill, other regulations, or another Bill that he promises to bring forward, there must be that statutory back-up, and...

That may well be the case. The promises that the Minister gives, either today or in Committee, must have statutory back-up; that is the touchstone. Whether that statutory back-up is the Bill, other regulations, or another Bill that he promises to bring forward, there must be that statutory back-up, and...

The commitment to carry out the study was made in May last year, but I understand that it has not even been commissioned yet. As the Minister knows, my comments are not personal to him, but I want to make sure that everybody understands what our experience has been. I...

The commitment to carry out the study was made in May last year, but I understand that it has not even been commissioned yet. As the Minister knows, my comments are not personal to him, but I want to make sure that everybody understands what our experience has been. I...

My hon. Friend is speaking authoritatively, as always, on this subject. She referred to the disappointment at the fact that the prevalence study had not yet taken place. So that we understand and so that those listening outside the House to this debate know of the reason for the scale...

My hon. Friend is speaking authoritatively, as always, on this subject. She referred to the disappointment at the fact that the prevalence study had not yet taken place. So that we understand and so that those listening outside the House to this debate know of the reason for the scale...

These are very complex cases. In order to support people who fall foul of the criminal justice system—I have been involved in several of these cases—we need expert witnesses whom we can call to present the case for that person. I have raised on the Floor of the House on...

These are very complex cases. In order to support people who fall foul of the criminal justice system—I have been involved in several of these cases—we need expert witnesses whom we can call to present the case for that person. I have raised on the Floor of the House on...

The hon. Lady has made an extremely powerful point, particularly in relation to people of substantially above average intelligence. In the work that I do with those in the IT industry, I come across many highly intelligent, even brilliant people who find it very difficult to relate to what the...

The hon. Lady has made an extremely powerful point, particularly in relation to people of substantially above average intelligence. In the work that I do with those in the IT industry, I come across many highly intelligent, even brilliant people who find it very difficult to relate to what the...

I agree with the hon. Lady, whose knowledge of this subject is of extremely long standing. That brings me back full circle to where I started, with the Department of Health circular. I am concerned that in order to deliver his promises on regulation, the Minister is going to lean...

I agree with the hon. Lady, whose knowledge of this subject is of extremely long standing. That brings me back full circle to where I started, with the Department of Health circular. I am concerned that in order to deliver his promises on regulation, the Minister is going to lean...

Is not part of the issue that the hon. Lady is describing to do with the culture and leadership of the organisations and services that we are talking about? That is a real challenge for all of us in this House to try to move and shift.

Is not part of the issue that the hon. Lady is describing to do with the culture and leadership of the organisations and services that we are talking about? That is a real challenge for all of us in this House to try to move and shift.

I rise to seek clarification from the Minister. There has been a lot of confusion in contributions on this matter. Irrespective of whether we have this Bill, there will have to be guidance in order for the Minister to fulfil his promises. With the Bill, it would be guidance issued...

I rise to seek clarification from the Minister. There has been a lot of confusion in contributions on this matter. Irrespective of whether we have this Bill, there will have to be guidance in order for the Minister to fulfil his promises. With the Bill, it would be guidance issued...

The hon. Gentleman is right. I shall say a great deal more about the guidance that we will publish, but the key question is whether it is statutory. I shall be describing the range of measures that we will introduce to ensure that best practice is replicated so that individuals...

The hon. Gentleman is right. I shall say a great deal more about the guidance that we will publish, but the key question is whether it is statutory. I shall be describing the range of measures that we will introduce to ensure that best practice is replicated so that individuals...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We can argue about which primary legislation the regulations sit under, but the fact is that we wish to introduce that statutory guidance, and I will address the detail of which Act we wish to use for that statutory guidance when I reach that...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We can argue about which primary legislation the regulations sit under, but the fact is that we wish to introduce that statutory guidance, and I will address the detail of which Act we wish to use for that statutory guidance when I reach that...

My hon. Friend was eloquent earlier in describing excellent practice not just around the country generally, but in her constituency in particular. We want that excellent practice to be replicated throughout the country, so that pockets of excellence become the mainstream norm in meeting the needs of adults with autism....

My hon. Friend was eloquent earlier in describing excellent practice not just around the country generally, but in her constituency in particular. We want that excellent practice to be replicated throughout the country, so that pockets of excellence become the mainstream norm in meeting the needs of adults with autism....

Does the Minister not accept that it is far easier to ensure that local authorities do not misunderstand or misinterpret guidance—as they often do—if it is put in a Bill that will subsequently become an Act?

Does the Minister not accept that it is far easier to ensure that local authorities do not misunderstand or misinterpret guidance—as they often do—if it is put in a Bill that will subsequently become an Act?

I intend to cover these points in detail when I am able to do so, but I will give way to the hon. Gentleman.

I intend to cover these points in detail when I am able to do so, but I will give way to the hon. Gentleman.

In the letter that he sent me on 19 February, for which I am grateful, the Minister wrote:""Legislation could make delivery of change more difficult for children"," and went on to suggest that steps could possibly be taken without recourse to such legislation. However, he has just told my hon....

In the letter that he sent me on 19 February, for which I am grateful, the Minister wrote:""Legislation could make delivery of change more difficult for children"," and went on to suggest that steps could possibly be taken without recourse to such legislation. However, he has just told my hon....

That is exactly what I intend to elaborate on, by explaining how the statutory guidance that we wish to provide, which will flow from the national strategy for adults with autism, will address key issues at local level without creating the risk of rigidity, inflexibility and inability to deliver change...

That is exactly what I intend to elaborate on, by explaining how the statutory guidance that we wish to provide, which will flow from the national strategy for adults with autism, will address key issues at local level without creating the risk of rigidity, inflexibility and inability to deliver change...

Will the Minister explain how the statutory guidance will lead to the development of more services? Last Monday I visited an excellent day facility run by Autism Initiatives in Blackpool, but there are very few such services specifically for adults with autism. How will the overall strategy and the detailed...

Will the Minister explain how the statutory guidance will lead to the development of more services? Last Monday I visited an excellent day facility run by Autism Initiatives in Blackpool, but there are very few such services specifically for adults with autism. How will the overall strategy and the detailed...

That is certainly one approach that we could take, but people are asking for two things: a strategy that has bite and a debate to take place so that we can deal with all the details. I assure the House that the adult autism strategy would not look out of...

That is certainly one approach that we could take, but people are asking for two things: a strategy that has bite and a debate to take place so that we can deal with all the details. I assure the House that the adult autism strategy would not look out of...