HC Deb 29 June 1976 vol 914 cc188-9
16. Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report of the interdepartmental working party on enfranchising individuals whose home address is a State-maintained mental hospital.

Mr. Ennals

Following the Government's acceptance in principle of the Speaker's Conference recommendation that for electoral registration purposes. patients in mental hospitals should be placed on the same footing as those in general hospitals, the working party has been asked to seek the views of political parties and other interested bodies on the practical issues the working party has identified in implementing this. I hope that this will not take too long and that the working party will be able to complete its report later in the year.

Mr. Evans

I thank my right hon. Friend for his answer. Will he confirm that there are about 50,000 people in this country in this category? Will he take every step to ensure that these unfortunate people, who until now have been, in my view, wrongly disfranchised, are included on this year's register, so that they will be able to vote in next year's elections?

Mr. Ennals

I cannot confirm the exact number, but it is something of the order referred to by my hon. Friend. I am afraid that I cannot give the guarantee for which he asked, because there are a number of problems. We must work these out in detail and then bring the matter before the House, so that the House may understand it. It is very unlikely that we shall be able to complete it so that it can be applicable to the next register.

Mr. Dalyell

Does my right hon. Friend agree that any hon. Member who visits mental hospitals must be struck by the fact that patients feel remarkably strongly about political rights? Could the working party take into account the arbitrariness of decisions taken at the present time?

Mr. Ennals

I agree with my hon. Friend. I know that many of those in psychiatric hospitals, who have no other home but the psychiatric hospital, feel very strongly indeed about this matter. We know of a recent court case which related to those who were living in the grounds of a psychiatric hospital but nevertheless were denied their political freedom. I feel as strongly about it as they do. As soon as the House is able to give to these people their proper electoral rights, it should do so.

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