§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health, in view of the concern arising from the disclosure that in two hospitals for mental defectives, Darenth Park and Littlemore, there are 190 people who could leave but for the fact there are no other places for them, if he will state the total number of such people in hospitals for mental defectives in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI regret that this information is not available and could not be obtained without a disproportionate amount of work on the part of the hospitals concerned.
§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health if he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a list of the hospitals in England and Wales for mental defectives.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am arranging for this to be done.
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§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health the number of hospitals for mental defectives in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithOne hundred and forty-seven hospitals have been the subject of a direction by the Minister of Health to receive mentally defective patients under the provisions of the Mental Deficiency Acts, 1913–38. There are also a few hospitals or units which admit mental defectives but are not the subject of a formal direction.
§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health the total number of patients in hospitals for mental defectives at the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe provisional number of patients in all hospitals for mental defectives in England and Wales at 31st December, 1959, was 59,490, of whom 2,976 were away from hospital on licence.