§ 4. Mr. Peter Morrisonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement on her policy for licensing private hospitals and nursing homes.
§ The Secretary of State for Social Services (Mrs. Barbara Castle)Not yet, Sir. I am at present preparing for the consultations I undertook to initiate with those most directly concerned.
§ Mr. MorrisonAs regards the licensing of private hospitals, will the Secretary of State's criterion be the test of quantity as well as quality? If so, will she admit that this is yet another example of a Socialist Government taking away freedom from the individual?
§ Mrs. CastleAs I said in my statement to the House on this matter, it is the Government's intention to consider the extent and scope as well as the quality of these facilities. I am not in a position to give any further details because, as I told the House, it is right that we should have consultations with the profession at a formative stage.