HC Deb 11 December 1941 vol 376 cc1662-4
40 and 41. Mr. Charleton

asked the Minister of Health (1) the number of visits made by the Commissioners of the Board of Control to mental defectives under statutory guardianship in the administrative area of the county of London during each of the 12 months ended Michaelmas in the years 1939 and 1940, respectively;

(2) the number of visits made by the inspectors of the Board of Control to mental defectives under statutory guardianship in the administrative area of the county of London during each of the 12 months ended Michaelmas in the years 1939 and 1940, respectively?

Mr. E. Brown

The numbers of visits by Commissioners were 98 and 0 in the years ended Michaelmas, 1939 and 1940, respectively, and the numbers of visits by inspectors in the same periods were 35 and 4 respectively. Article 83 of the Mental Deficiency Regulations, 1935, permits but does not require visits by Commissioners or inspectors and arrangements have been made to visit all cases placed under guardianship in the years 1940 and 1941 and establishments where there are a number of mental defectives under care. I am informed by the London County Council that their officers have duly made the visits prescribed by Article 86 of the Regulations.

Mr. Charleton

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the figures he has given reveal a serious evasion of duty by the Board of Control? How can the Commissioners carry out their duties to these unfortunate people if they do not see them and understand their condition? Is he aware that there is evidence that some have not been visited for a number of years? Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the figures in 1939 should have been in the neighbourhood of 550 and in the next year 500, and does he not see that this is a very serious evasion of the duties imposed upon the Commissioners by Parliament?

Mr. Brown

The hon. Gentleman will realise that the Commissioners were working under great difficulty and, as he knows, the inspectorate has other duties to perform in addition.

Mr. Charleton

Does the right hon. Gentleman not see that the first duty was during a pre-war period when there were no difficulties?

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