§ Mr. MayhewI present to the House the humble petition of Sir Arthur Bliss, Honor Blackman, Spike Milligan, Theo Crosby, Elspet Gray, Dickie Henderson, David Jacobs, Doris Lessing, David Mercer, Penelope Mortimer, Naomi Mitchison, Valerie Profumo, Brian Rix and Dame Margaret Rutherford, who have faced the problems of mental sickness or mental handicap either in their own lives or in their families and who are some of the more than 50,000 signatories to the petition.
The petition sheweth
That widespread and acute suffering is caused in our society by mental sickness and handicap and that much can be done to alleviate this suffering and lighten the burden on patients, their families and friends.Wherefore your petitioners pray that greater respect and generosity be shown to those who are mentally disordered: and that the House of Commons, Her Majesty's Government, local government authorities, and all other responsible bodies in the field of mental health may give the utmost support to the objectives of the M.I.N.D. Campaign, and in particular to
- (i) The improvement of conditions in mental hospitals;
- (ii) The provision of increased support in the home and in the community for the mentally sick and handicapped and their families; and
- (iii) Increased research into mental illness and mental handicap.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.