§ Mr. L. SCOTTasked the Minister of Health whether he has been able, in consultation with the Board of Control and the Treasury, to reconsider the position created by the Circular of the Board of Control of August last in relation to the financial limitation upon local authorities in regard to dealing with urgent cases of mental deficiency; and, seeing that such limitation, if adhered to, will prevent large numbers of urgent cases from being dealt with under the Act, that it is objectionable in the interest of the defectives themselves, of their families, and of the public that such cases should be uncared for, and that the expense to the State in rates and taxes for police, justice, Poor Law, and other public services, is many times greater if such defectives are at large than their whole cost of maintenance if cared for under the Act, whether he will cause the Circular in question to be withdrawn?
§ Sir A. MONDIn view of the economy which it should be possible to secure on the Mental Deficiency Service generally, I hope that local authorities can now make such provision as is essential to enable new urgent cases to be dealt with, and I am causing the Board of Control to issue a Circular accordingly.