HC Deb 11 March 1954 vol 524 cc2425-6
34 Mrs. White

asked the Minister of Health the number of mentally defective children in each of the Welsh counties and county boroughs in which no local provision is made for their training.

Miss Homsby-Smith

As the answer is in the form of a table I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mrs. White

Though the number of children concerned may be small, does not the hon. Lady agree that the present position is most unsatisfactory when in 10 counties in Wales and in one of the four county boroughs there is no local provision at all for the training of these children, and parents have sometimes to wait for years before places can be found in institutions outside their own counties where these children can be trained?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

I appreciate what the hon. Lady says, and I know that she recognises that the real difficulty is the small number of children spread over large areas. There are 260 children in the 10 counties and not more than 50 are living in one area, but we are trying to encourage reasonable and responsible developments to meet the situation.

Following is the table:

Number of mental defectives under supervision or guardianship under 16 years of age according to returns made by certain Welsh local health authorities at 31st December, 1953.

Authority. Number of Defectives.
Anglesey 26
Brecknockshire 8
Caernarvonshire 42
Cardiganshire 21
Denbighshire 40
Flintshire 20
Merionethshire 4
Montgomeryshire 9
Pembrokeshire 48
Radnorshire 7*
Merthyr Tydfil 35
*This figure relates to 31st December, 1952.