HC Deb 24 July 1978 vol 954 cc539-40W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the fact that many of the prisons in Great Britain have excellent hospital facilities including opportunities for ophthalmic, dentistry and other surgery which are at present under-used, whether he will establish to what extent such facilities can be adapted for use in the National Health Service.

Mr. Moyle

No. With the exception of three surgical units, prison hospital facilities are not suitable other than for cases of minor surgery or first aid. Thus, major resources would be required to adapt these facilities for NHS use, and

family income was below supplementary benefit level. I regret that no estimates are available for earlier years or, as yet, for later years. Further information about the estimates is given in the notes accompanying the table.

I consider it a better use of resources to develop NHS facilities.