§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the number of transfers from prisons to hospitals under section 72 of the Mental Health Act 1959 has declined in recent years; and what is the number of such transfers for each year since 1964.
§ Dr. Summerskill:The numbers of persons transferred from prison to hospital under section 72 of the Mental Health Act 1959 are published annually in Criminal Statistics, England and Wales—Table 15(a) of the Volume for 1977, Cmnd. 7289.
It is not possible to say with certainty why the numbers have declined in recent years. One of the main factors must, however, undoubtedly be that prison medical officers have become less willing to recommend prisoners' transfer to hospital because, in the light of past experience or informal inquiries of suitable 756W hospitals, they have foreseen difficulties in finding a hospital vacancy.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many mentally-handicapped persons were received into prison in 1977 and 1978; and how many are currently in prison;
(2) how many prisoners were reported to be suffering from psychiatric illness under the terms of SO 14/171 in the last year for which returns were made.
§ Dr. Summerskill:Apart from the half-yearly census of inmates considered to be suffering from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959 of a nature or degree warranting detention in hospital for medical treatment, as contained in the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend on 20th November 1978—[Vol. 958, cc. 416–22]—information generally about mentally handicapped persons in prison department establishments is not recorded centrally. Reports of the number of prisoners falling within the narrow group defined in SO 14/171 have not been required in recent years. The Standing Order dates from some time ago and its revision to reflect the current situation is under consideration.