§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEasked the Minister of Health whether the number of mentally deficient persons in this country has increased in recent years; if so, to what extent; and what is his present estimate of their number?
§ Mr. GREENWOODDuring the last five years the total number of mental defectives ascertained by local authorities under the Mental Deficiency Act has increased from 48,778 to 71,439 (Le. from 1.29 to 1.81 per 1,000 of the total population of England and Wales). The ascertainment is not complete and results vary in different areas. In these circumstances, it is impossible to say whether the number of defectives is increasing in proportion to the total population, or to frame a conclusive estimate of the present number; but in certain areas the ascertainment by local authorities has reached five per 1,000.