§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health what is the total number of hospital beds; and what is the percentage occupied by patients with mental and nervous illnesses.
§ Mr. Walker-Smith508,228 on 31st December 1956, 482,553 of them staffed. The number occupied at that date by patients with mental and nervous illnesses is not available but of the average daily number of occupied beds in 1956 (423,818) 48.2 per cent. were occupied by patients suffering from mental illness and mental deficiency.