§ Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he has considered the report of the Mental Welfare Commission on the practice of those persons suffering from mental disorders being informally placed with strangers; what action he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will introduce safeguards to ensure that patients suffering from mental disorders are not exploited by guardians in whose homes they have been sent to live, when those homes have been discovered to be unsatisfactory.
357W
§ Mr. RossLocal authorities are already required to visit periodically all mentally disordered persons under guardianship, and it is their responsibility to take remedial action where conditions are found to be unsatisfactory. The Mental Welfare Commission has a general protective function in respect of these persons, and a duty to visit them regularly. I am placing in the Library a recent circular inviting local authorities to take action on certain recommendations made by the Commission as a result of a survey of persons boarded out under guardianship, and to co-operate in a further survey of those placed informally with unrelated guardians. I shall keep the situation under review.