§ 14. Dr. D. Johnsonasked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the number of letters received from mental and ex-mental patients by Members of Parliament who are known to be interested in mental health; and whether he will appoint a welfare officer to the mental health section of his Department who would be available for informal consultation in regard to the problems that arise from such correspondence.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am anxious to give hon. Members all the help I can, but I do not think that an appointment of this kind would be appropriate.
§ Dr. JohnsonIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that there are many problems of this kind which come up in correspondence, many of them of a somewhat minor character, with which one does not wish to bother my right hon. Friend or even to put through the official machine? Would he not therefore reflect on the possibility of making an appointment of this kind at some time?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithIt is nice of my hon. Friend to have the time of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary and of myself so sympathetically in mind, but I assure him that we find it a very agreeable part of our duty to talk to hon. Members about these problems, and it has also the advantage, I think, of being constitutionally impeccable.