§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds were allocated from his Department for directly commissioned research relevant to mental handicap for each of the past five years; and whether he intends those funds to be increased over the next five to 10 years.
§ Mr. NeedhamNo research relevant to mentally handicapped people has been directly commissioned by the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services over the past five years.
The Department is soon to commission a major research project to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the policy in Northern Ireland to promote and develop community care for mentally ill and mentally handicapped people selected for discharge from long-stay hospitals. The project will monitor the progress and quality of life of individual patients and will run for at least three years.