§ Dr. D. Johnsonasked the Minister of Health if he will state the total number of mental defectives detained in institutions at the latest convenient date; and whether he will state the categories of defective, as defined by Section 1 of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1927, into which these fall.
§ Mr. VosperThe information is as follows:
— At 31stDecember 1954 1955 Mental defectives in the care of all hospitals and institutions 59,781 60,457 On licence (included above) 4,884 6,336 Grade of defect of patients in the care of hospitals vested in the Minister of Health (including Rampton and Moss Side): All persons 58,119 58,799 Idiots 4,511 * Imbeciles 23,308 * Feeble-minded 30,215 * Moral defectives 85 * * Not yet available for 1955. NOTE: Information about grade of defect is available only for those patients in the care of hospitals vested in me (including Rampton and Moss Side).