§ 20. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health the number of patients since 1st January, 1956, who have been required to undergo in the D.1, refractory block daily duties of scrubbing stone floors for four hours, five to seven hours, and seven to eight-and-a-half hours, respectively, at the Rampton Mental Hospital.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithBetween 1st January, 1956, and 31st December. 1957, 310 patients have been in Ward D.1 for various periods and, so far as they were capable, were engaged in the normal daily cleaning operations of the ward, including scrubbing. As stated in my reply to the hon. Member on 9th December, the maximum time a patient may be employed is the normal working period of about six hours, of which about four hours might be in actual scrubbing.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes not the Minister know that for the first fourteen days of a period they are required to scrub for eight hours? Will he not hold an investigation into this matter to prove whether I am right or whether he is right? Does not he appreciate that these people—many of whom have never offended against the law—are deprived of their liberty because they are mentally retarded? Is it not inhuman that they should scrub stone floors for eight hours a day, or even four hours? Is not it harmful to them to have to do this day after day and often for weeks and months on end?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithWard D.1 is the male refractory ward for those who come within the Rampton definition of having the propensities of which the hon. Member is aware. My information as to the hours of work is that which is furnished to me by the responsible and conscientious public officers who are doing their duty in this regard, and I must ask the hon. Member to accept it.
§ Mr. PagetIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that, quite apart from the activities of my hon. Friend, there is what I might describe as an accumulation of concern and very great anxiety about Rampton? Is it not time that a rather careful investigation was made?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am in very close touch with what happens in Rampton, as is my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, and we are certainly prepared to look into any substantiated or apprehended complaints; but I would ask the hon. and learned Member and other hon. Members to bear in mind the difficult task being pursued there and the disturbing effect that it has, both upon patients and staff, to raise points constantly in a way which may turn out to be exaggerated.