§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to sell premises used as mental hospitals; how the money from the sales would be used; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanDisposal of NHS property surplus to NHS requirements is a function delegated to health authorities. Guidance to regional health authorities in paragraph 2.3 of the handbook on land transactions, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House, makes it clear that the proceeds of sales of hospitals for the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped should be used to develop services for these groups, in the health field or, through the joint financing arrangements, in the local authority personal social services. The matter is relevant to a consultative document which I propose to issue fairly soon, examining other ways of transferring resources to the personal social services to provide for people who would be more appropriately cared for outside hospital.