§ 24. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the dissatisfaction at the continuing lack of facilities for mentally-handicapped children and of the problems that exist in areas where no hospital accommodation can be found for the mentally sick under the age of 18 years; and what decisions he has reached following consideration of the Scott and Underwood Reports.
§ Mr. BarberFacilities provided by hospital and local health authorities are increasing; advice on child guidance, based on the Underwood Report, was issued to these authorities in 1959; decisions on the Scott Report were announced to the House by my predecessor on 30th May in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Tiley).
§ Mr. DoddsDoes the right hon. Gentleman not appreciate that the facilities available for mentally handicapped children have been woefully inadequate for all too long, and is this not a terrible thing for parents of such children? Should not we, the rest of the community, try to do our utmost to help, bearing in mind the blow that falls on any family with such a child?
§ Mr. BarberI entirely agree with the hon. Member. Long before I came to the Ministry of Health I was the president of my local branch of the Society for Mentally Handicapped Children, and I have, therefore, taken a considerable interest in this matter. As to the future, it is perfectly true that we need more local authority hostels and training centres for mentally abnormal children. We have plans for considerable expansion, as the hon. Member knows.