§ 16. Mr. Hannanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered the White Paper relating to mental illness and mental deficiency in Scotland; whether he has come to a decision to amend the law; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. J. N. BrowneA number of interested bodies have still to formulate their views on the important questions raised by this White Paper, and my right hon. Friend is, therefore, not yet in a position to make a statement.
§ Mr. HannanWill the Joint Under-Secretary of State impress on his right hon. Friend the urgency of this matter—an urgency which, in view of the latest returns, is growing and is giving great concern to the authorities?
§ Mr. BrowneMy right hon. Friend appreciates the urgency, but when the White Paper was published in December, 1955, no time-limit was fixed for sending in observations, and it is desirable that all bodies should have ample time, in view of the importance of the issues involved.