§ Q34. Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Home Department and the Department of Health and Social Security in transferring mentally disturbed persons from prisons to National Health Service hospitals.
§ The Prime MinisterYes. The responsibility for providing hospital places for the mentally disordered, other than places in special hospitals, rests with health authorities, which are usually approached direct when such a place is requested for a prisoner. Assistance from the DHSS is sought in cases of special difficulty and I am satisfied that both Departments make every effort to bring these cases to a successful conclusion.