§ Mr. Woodhouseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to provide for a system of legal guardianship for mentally handicapped children, in order to replace the benefits of parental care in the event of the death or disability of the children's parents.
Private resident patients who have not made arrangements under Section 1(2) of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 for private treatment Private resident patients who have made arrangements under Section 1(2) for private treatment Class of Hospital Single Room Accommodation Single Room Accommodation £ Per cent. £ Per cent. £ Per cent. £ Per cent. A. Regional Hospital Board long stay hospitals 1. 00 12.6 0.90 12.3 1.00 13.3 0.80 11.6 B. Regional Hospital Board psychiatric hospitals 0.70 14.3 0.60 13.3 0.60 12.8 0.50 11.6 C. Regional Hospital Board acute and other hospitals 1.60 12.4 1.50 12.7 1.60 13.1 1.40 12.6 D. London teaching hospitals 2.30 12.2 2.00 11.6 2.10 12.0 1.90 11.9 E. Provincial teaching hospitals and Regional Hospital Board University hospitals 1.90 12.2 1.70 11 .9 1.80 12.4 1.60 12.1 On information about levels of costs at present available, it is estimated that the cost of providing hospital services will have increased by about 4 per cent. between 8th November 1972 and the year beginning 1st April 1973.
I am required by statute to determine these charges having regard to the total cost which it is estimated, on the facts available at the time of the determina-
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§ Sir K. JosephProvision for this purpose already exists in the Mental Health Act 1959. The parental powers conferred upon local authorities or individual persons by the Children Act 1948, the Children and Young Persons Acts 1933 to 1969 and the Guardianship of Minors Act 1971 are also available in the case of mentally handicapped children.