§ Mr. Tileyasked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take following the Report of the Sub-Committee of the Standing Mental Health Advisory Committee on the training of staff of training centres for the mentally subnormal; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PowellI propose by administrative action to establish a central council, on the lines recommended in this Report, to promote the provision of training for the staff of training centres for the mentally subnormal, and to approve courses of training. While I hope to see experiment with two-year and other types of course, I anticipate that one-year courses of training will for the present continue to be normal. The principal current need is more facilities for such courses and for training during service. I do not consider that the time has come when specific qualification should be made a condition for entering this service or continuing in it. I am sure that the recommendations of the Report generally will be of value to the new council in its work.