On 5 June 2008 I asked:

"To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

(1) how many children in maintained schools have been diagnosed with epilepsy;

(2) what proportion of school children with epilepsy have been identified as having special educational needs."

Jim Knight, the Minister responsible, replied:

"Information on pupil's medical conditions is not collected centrally. However, a number of children who have epilepsy as a medical condition also have a special educational need (SEN) and we do collect information on children's type of SEN.

Information on the number of pupils at School Action Plus and with SEN statements by primary type of need can be found in table 9 of the Statistical First Release "Pupil Characteristics and Class Sizes in Maintained Schools in England: January 2008" which can be found at:

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000786/index .shtml

Children with epilepsy who also have SEN are likely to be included in categories such as physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulty/disability."