§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will take steps to compile annual statistical returns on the use by local authorities of powers of compulsory removal under the provisions of the National Assistance Act and the Mental Health Act.
§ Mr. FreemanCertain statistical information is already collected centrally about the use of the compulsory powers provided by the Mental Health Act, including the number of cases of guardianship under sections 7 and 37. (The decision to use these compulsory powers is based on the recommendations of medical practitioners). At present we do not see any need to collect statistics on the use of the compulsory removal power in section 47 of the National Assistance Act.