Mentally Handicapped Persons

HC Deb 02 February 1981 vol 998 cc11-2

12. Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has completed his review of policies for persons with mental handicap.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

No, Sir. A joint Welsh Officee—area health authority working party has been set up to consider the future pattern of health care for the mentally handicapped in Wales. A considerable amount of preliminary work was done on an all-Wales plan by the Welsh Office last year. The first meeting of the working party was held on 5 January.

Mr. Thomas

Does the Minister accept that that is an unsatisfactory situation, in view of the fact that the review of better services for the mentally handicapped in England was published in December? Will he explain to the House who has been consulted in the preparation of the plan for the working party and why the personal social services departments of local authorities are not represented on the working party? Will he further explain why his policy is contrary to the community care personal social services orientation in line with the Jay report, which is the policy of the DHSS in England?

Mr. Roberts

The hon. Gentleman is suffering from a number of misunderstandings. The Welsh Office did not participate in the review that was recently published by my right hon. Friend because it was decided that the need in Wales was to look at specific problems in the pattern of services in their local context. With regard to the social service departments, when we have sorted out the health side of the problem of the mentally handicapped we shall consult the social service departments, as I told them when I addressed their chairmen last October.

Dr. Roger Thomas

Will the Minister concede that whatever cash protection the DHSS allowed for the NHS in the past year, many buildings, such as that in Allt-y-Mynydd in the heart of Dyfed, are being taken away and that we are finding great difficulty in replacing beds and facilities, which are nigh impossible to replace in these parts of West Wales?

Mr. Roberts

The hon. Gentleman has made a statement. I am not sure what the question was. However, we are very well aware, as is, I am sure, Dyfed AHA, of the problems.