§ 2.38 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider giving directions to the development corporation of any future New Town that hostels for the mentally handicapped should be incorporated in the initial plans of the New Town.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)My Lords, the provision of community services for the mentally handicapped in New Towns is a statutory duty of the local authority in whose area the New Town is being built, not the responsibility of the New Town development corporation. But local authorities are consulted by the development corporation in the initial stages of the preparation of the master plan which provides the basis for the development of the New Town. This plan makes provision for major land uses such as schools and hospitals; and the siting of buildings for other services, to which my noble friend referred, such as the care of the mentally handicapped is worked out subsequently in the more detailed planning of districts and neighbourhoods.
LORD GRENFELLMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask him one supplementary question? Is he aware that, sadly, there is still a prejudice among many of the public against having hostels adjacent to their homes? Would not directions of the type referred to in my original Question ensure not only that hostels could be built without undue delay, but that after they were built the minds of the public could be set at rest as to the 814 behaviour of the mentally handicapped who were admitted to those hostels?
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, my Lords, My right honourable friend is aware of difficulties of this sort over establishments of this kind. But he is not satisfied that my noble friend's proposal would necessarily solve the problem in the way that he hopes.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he will consider even more carefully what has been said?—because the development of so-called "halfway houses" is dependent so much on voluntary action. May I therefore ask him, not to bring pressure but to continue the education and, perhaps, to stimulate both the development corporations and the other authorities to consider this matter further?
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, certainly, my Lords.
§ LORD SLATERMy Lords, will the Minister state how many New Towns have land available for the development of these hostels, as requested by local authorities up and down the country?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I can answer that question to some extent, but not perhaps to the full extent which the noble Lord would like. Local authorities overall have plans to provide additional places for 2,400 adults and for 500 children within the next three years. I can write to the noble Lord and tell him how many of those local authorities are in the New Towns.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, if the proposal of the noble Lord, Lord Grenfell, is not suitable in the circumstances described 'by the noble Lord, Lord Sandford, how is it intended to get over planning difficulties and avoid carrying a great deal of unnecessary trouble to voluntary bodies, who sometimes spend years acquiring property and are then unable to use it because they cannot get planning permission?
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, will the noble Lord agree that the overall figure of 2,000-odd which he has given is very small considering the demand for this kind of accommodation?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, it may well be insufficient, but the Government 815 have already stated that they are comitting an extra £110 million for the health and welfare services over the next four years. Part of this sum will be devoted to improving services for the mentally handicapped.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, how can the noble Lord reconcile this very small figure with the statutory responsibility which I believe was incorporated in the Mental Health Act? Surely this is evading their responsibilities.
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I would not agree that this is a small figure. It is a very considerable increase.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, does the noble Lord intend to reply to my noble friend Lord Stonham?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I am as aware as the noble Lord is of the difficulty of providing half-way hostels of all kinds—for prisoners, after-care, gipsies, mental patients and so on—but I am not satisfied, nor is my right honourable friend, that transferring responsibility from the local authorities to the development corporation is the best way of solving these problems.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, will the noble Lord say what is the best way to get over a difficulty which we are agreed affects thousands of people?
§ LORD SANDFORDThe best way, my Lords, is to persevere along the way we are now going.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that your Lordships are likely to encourage his own perseverance in this matter?