§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many mentally handicapped people aged 45 to 65 years are living in (a) mental handicap hospitals, (b) local authority homes and hostels and (c) private or voluntary homes.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation is not collected centrally in precisely the form requested. The latest available information for England is:
Numbers Residents aged 45–64 years in NHS mental handicap hospitals and units as at 31 December 1982 (estimated number) 12,000 Residents aged 16–64 years financially supported by local authorities in homes for the mentally handicapped at 31 March 1983. Provisional numbers in: i. Local authority homes 10,449 ii. Private and voluntary homes 3,854
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many new hospitals for mentally handicapped people are at the development stage; what size they will be; and what is the current estimate of their total cost in each case.
§ Mr. John PattenWe know of no plans to build any new hospitals for mentally handicapped people. The health service facilities that are being planned or established as part of the new pattern of services vary considerably in size, function and hence cost.