HC Deb 09 May 1960 vol 623 cc16-7
11. Mr. Lipton

asked the Minister of Health what protests he has received about the shortage of mental hospital accommodation, as the result of which men are kept in gaol while awaiting admission to mental hospitals; and what replies he has made.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I have been unable to trace any protests addressed to me. The second part of the Question therefore does not arise.

Mr. Lipton

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that there must be several hundreds of people in gaol simply because the wish of the courts to send them to mental institutions cannot be satisfied owing to the shortage of accommodation? Will he investigate the matter in association with his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to see that the gaols are not filled with people who ought to be in mental institutions?

Mr. Walker-Smith

If patients are committed to prison by the courts in the absence of an immediate place in a mental deficiency hospital, they can be, and are, transferred as soon as possible by an order made by my right hon. Friend under Section 9 of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913.

Mr. Lipton

But is the Minister aware that such transfer can take place only if there is accommodation available? Is he aware that many of these unfortunate people serve their whole sentence in gaol because there is no place for them in a mental institution within the period of their sentence?

Mr. Walker-Smith

Yes, of course, I am aware of that. There would be no point in making an order unless there was a place to which the patient could go. Although there is still a shortage of accommodation, as the hon. Gentleman will know, we have made considerable progress over the last few years and our plans will result in a considerable further increase of this type of accommodation in the next few years.