HL Deb 16 May 1963 vol 249 cc1421-2

3.10 p.m.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government to state, for the latest convenient date, the total number of male inmates at Broadmoor Hospital, the area available to them for open air exercise, and the average number of hours per week that they are able to work.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HEALTH (LORD NEWTON)

My Lords, There are 691 male patients. A total of 33 acres is provided for their outdoor exercise. The time a patient spends at work depends on his mental and physical condition: 300 patients, whose treatment is more advanced, work regularly for 30 to 35 hours weekly; 369 work less regularly, for periods up to 30 hours weekly; and 22 are not fit to work.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that Answer, may I ask whether he can say if there is any difficulty in the provision of work for the employment of prisoners and, if so, whether his right honourable friend will consult with the right honourable gentleman the Home Secretary, who apparently has no such difficulty, and will be look particularly into the case of many Broadmoor patients who are not allowed into the 33 acres he mentioned, but can exercise in only a very confined space?

LORD NEWTON

My Lords, as regards the first question, I have no reason to suppose at all that there are not sufficient opportunities for work for all those who are capable of working. As regards the noble Lord's second question, every male ward has an adjoining open space of about two acres and there is also a patients' sports field which very nearly all patients are allowed to visit once or twice a week.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, I will, send the noble Lord particulars of the cases I have in mind, where many men are much under-employed, which makes me wonder whether there is difficulty of getting work, and of cases of lack of adequate exercise, which I hope he will look into.

LORD NEWTON

Yes, my Lords, but I would assure the noble Lord that there have never been any complaints at all from any patients claiming that they did not have sufficient fresh air.