§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what comments he has received from social services departments of the Welsh counties in response to Welsh health circular (85)46 on "The Changing Role of Specialist Mental Handicap Hospitals in Wales"; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsNone. The circular was addressed to district health authorities, who were asked to put forward proposals in consultation with county councils.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for each of the counties of Wales the number of persons aged 16 years of age who were admitted during 1985 to mental handicap hospitals and units, other than as short-term case admissions; and if he will identify the reasons why these young people could not be cared for within the community.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe number of people aged 16 who were admitted to mental handicap hospitals and units in Wales in 1985 for periods of more than a fortnight was as follows:
Area of residence Admissions Clwyd 1 Gwent 2 Mid Glamorgan 1 WALES TOTAL 4 Information on reasons for admission is not held centrally. The aim of the all-Wales strategy for the development of services for mentally handicapped people is to prevent admission to hospital for reasons of mental handicap alone, but it will take time for services to build up to realise this aim.