§ Commander Nobleasked the Minister of Health how many mental cases who ought to have been admitted to hospital in 1946 were refused admission because of lack of accommodation; and how many hospitals are at present granting admission only to those cases certified as suicidal.
§ Mr. BevanI regret that the information is not available. I am, however, aware that some mental hospitals have been compelled to restrict admissions, though this has been due to shortage of nursing staff rather than to lack of actual accommodation. So far as my information goes, where restrictions have been imposed admissions have been limited to acute cases and not to suicidal cases only.