§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health if he will arrange for a survey to be taken to ascertain the number of certified mental defective patients who could be allowed out on licence or discharge if suitable arrangements could be made for their welfare outside mental hospitals.
§ Mr Walker-SmithThis appears to me to be more appropriate for local assessment by the authorities concerned.
§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health, in view of the decision in the 178W High Court on 9th March, 1956, in the case of Miss Kathleen Rutty, what action has been taken to ascertain the number of mental defective patients detained under a similar Section of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913; what is the number affected; how many of the cases have been reviewed; how many have been discharged as a result of the review; and what plan there is in operation to review every case of this type as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithAs soon as this decision was known, the Board of Control sent a circular letter to the superintendents of mental deficiency hospitals asking for the names of similar cases; 5,035 were reported. All have been reviewed and 814 discharged. The remainder are kept under review and those recommended as suitable to remain in hospital on an informal basis are being discharged from Orders.
§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health how many mental deficiency patients have been discharged as a result of the examination of certificates consequent upon the ruling in the case of Regina v. Head.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithOne.