§ Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if his Department has set a target for the provision of places for the mentally ill or mentally handicapped in each of the following: (a) group homes, (b) hostels and (c) day hospitals;
397W(2) whether the Government have set a Scottish target for the provision of places in full-time day centres for (a) the mentally ill, (b) the mentally handicapped and (c) the physically handicapped.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythNo formal targets for the provision of residential or day care places for any of the three groups mentioned have been set in the recent past. Suggested figures in a 1979 report by the mental disorder programme planning group of the Scottish Health Services Planning Council have served to stimulate progress but have been overtaken by more recent consideration of the subject.
Local authorities are aware of the Government's view that due priority should be given to the promotion of community care, and in consultation with health boards they are well placed to judge the particular needs of their areas. Considerable progress is being made already, for example in the provision of day care places for the mentally handicapped which have risen from 4,705 in March 1977 to a provisional figure of 6,995 in March 1986.
§ Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of group homes or hostels for the mentally ill run by or known to social work departments in Scotland and the number of places they contain.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe latest available information is as follows:
Group homes and hostels for the mentally ill at 31 March 1986 Group homes Hostels Local Authority Number of homes 25 4 Number of places 110 40 Other Number of homes 104 1 Number of places 410 20 There are, in addition, four fully staffed homes with 64 places at the same date.