§ Major HUNTasked the Home Secretary whether the building of any new asylums is in progress or in contemplation; whether it is intended to make further use of institutions under lunacy control, with a view to providing for the care and treatment of uncertifiaible cases of nerve strain while still retained in the Army; or whether he has considered the desirability of removing such cases from suspicion of the taint of lunacy?
Mr. SAMUELThe completion of the new Hampshire Asylum is being expedited with a view to its use by the military authorities as a hospital for sick and wounded soldiers. No work is now in progress or, so far as the Board of Control are aware, is contemplated in connection with any new asylum. There is no intention, at present of converting any more institutions which are now under the Lunacy Authorities into military hospitals for the purpose indicated in the question. The greater part of the institutions handed over to the military authorities are used for the reception of sick and wounded soldiers, and not for mental cases, but in two instances the hospitals thus provided are utilised for the care and treatment of soldiers still retained in the Army who are suffering from nerve strain but are not certifiable. As previously stated, these institutions are entirely under the control of the War Office, and are not in any way under the jurisdiction of the Board of Control for the Care of Lunatics.
§ Major HUNTasked the Home Secretary whether Commissioners appointed to deal exclusively with mental deficiency are now performing the work of Lunacy Commissioners who have undertaken the oversight and care of war hospitals both for the wounded and for transient cases of nerve-shock; and when it is intended so to arrange matters that Commissioners shall 235W revert to their normal function or that, alternatively, some of the savings in this Department recently recommended by the Retrenchment Committee shall be carried into effect?
Mr. SAMUELNone of the Commissioners are appointed to deal exclusively with mental deficiency. Under the Mental Deficiency Act of 1913 the former Commissioners in Lunacy and the additional Commissioners then appointed form one Board, which deals both with lunacy and mental deficiency. The war hospitals mentioned in the question are under the control and supervision of the War Office, though the two Commissioners who carried out the transfer of the institutions still assist in the administration. These Commissioners continue to discharge so much as they can of their normal duties, and their colleagues assist with the remainder. This arrangement will continue so long as the War Office require the assistance of the Commissioners.