§ 36. Dr. Strossasked the Minister of Health whether he has noted the case of Vivienne Donger, now at Stallington Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, who is alleged to have been certified as a mental defective at the age of 11 years, only because her parents had parted and she later was considered to be educationally backward; and if he will bring these facts to the notice of the Board of Control.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithThe grounds for certification in this case were that the girl was mentally defective and the subject of a report under the Education Acts that she had been found incapable of receiving education at school. The board of control is satisfied that for the present she needs the care and training provided under the Mental Deficiency Acts.
§ Dr. StrossHas the hon. Lady seen the type of letter which this girl is alleged to have written—that which was reproduced in a Sunday newspaper recently? If she has seen it, may I ask whether she thinks that is the sort of letter which a mental defective can write?
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithI have seen the Press item to which the hon. Member refers. This girl is being tried out in employment in domestic service and, if that is satisfactory, further consideration will be given to the case.
§ Dr. StrossIf there be substantial grounds for believing that this girl was wrongly certified, how are we to have any protection to ensure that this type of thing does not take place frequently?
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithThe hon. Member has missed the point I made in my initial reply. This girl was certified as a mental defective after being found incapable of receiving education at school, which is the normal process. The procedure was not on the basis which the hon. Member implied.