HC Deb 19 July 1977 vol 935 cc488-90W
Mr. Donald Stewart

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of convictions in each of the last five years in cases arising from the use of the breathalyser.

Mr. Milan

The information is not available in exactly the form requested. The following table gives the number of convictions for blood-alchohol and related offences, for which breath testing is normally an essential ingredient. However, breath tests may also have been given in some cases resulting in conviction for drunk driving—Section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1972.

spent on the mentally handicapped in Scotland within the years 1973 to 1977.

Mr. Harry Ewing

Total expenditure on hospital services for the mentally handicapped in each of the financial years 1972–73 to 1975–76 was £8.9 million, £10.4 million, £14.7 million and £19.1 million respectively. Expenditure on services for the mentally handicapped in the community is not separately identifiable.

Mr. Henderson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the services in Scotland provided for the mentally sick in the years 1970 to 1977.

Mr. Harry Ewing

Details of the health services provided are in the annual reports issued by the Scottish Home and Health Department and in the Quinquennial Report of the Scottish Hospital Advisory Service published in 1976.

We need to continue to improve the services for the mentally ill. In 1975 the Advisory Council on Social Work and the Scottish Health Service Planning Council set up a programme Planning Group on Mental Disorder to advise them on policies relating to the provision of health, social work and related services for the mentally disordered. In the foreword to the memorandum "The Health Service in Scotland—The Way Ahead" issued in April 1976 and which sets out guidelines for the development of the service for the next few years my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Scotland stressed that health hoards should take account of the need for continued improvements in hospital and community health services for the elderly, the mentally ill, the mentally handicapped and the physically disabled".

Local authority social work departments have provided facilities and services for the mentally disordered in the community such as residential accommodation, day centres and family support in terms of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1969. Voluntary organisations have also provided a range of services for the mentally disordered.

Copies of the reports and the memorandum are available in the Library.

Mrs. Rain

asked The Secretary of State for Scotland, in respect of the East Dun-bartonshire constituency and the adjacent area hospital authority region, how many hospital beds are devoted to the mentally sick and handicapped as a percentage of the total number of beds; what provision is made for after-care facilities for the mentally sick and handicapped; and how much was expended in the past three years on the various aspects of after-care for the mentally sick and handicapped.

Mr. Harry Ewing

The number of beds is as follows:

East Dunbartonshire Constituency Area
Number of mental illness and mental deficiency beds 1,185
Total number of beds 1,375
Number of hospital beds devoted to mentally ill and handicapped as a percentage of the total number of beds 86 per cent.

The figures include Woodilee Hospital (1,085 beds).

Figures are average available staffed beds for the year ending March 1977.

Details of local authority and health board provision of and expenditure on after-care facilities in the hon. Member's constituency are not available centrally. I am asking the Greater Glasgow Health Board, and Strathclyde Region to write to the hon. Member giving the relevant information.