§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he is satisfied with the progress so far achieved towards setting up appropriate services for the growing number of women with severe drinking problems, in the light of the increasing number of women, particularly in the age group of 15 to 30 years, being convicted of drunkenness offences;
(2) what steps he is taking to provide appropriate services for the increasing number of women drunkenness offenders, so as to reduce the pressure on the courts and prison system imposed for want of alternative treatment and community care.
§ Dr. OwenIn 1974 there were 3,229 admissions of women to hospital in England and Wales with a primary diagnosis of alcoholism or alcoholic psychosis, as against 1,129 in 1964. These figures indicate an increase in the number of women with severe drinking problems, but also that hospital services are responding by admitting more of them for treatment. A growing range of facilities is available to both men and women with alcoholic-related problems. There are more than 20 specialist units for the treatment of alcohol dependence in England and Wales, most of them set up within the last few years, and three more are planned. Treatment is also undertaken in psychiatric hospitals and units. An experimental detoxification centre opened in Leeds in May, another is planned to open in Manchester early next 223W year to help alcoholics, including offenders, and, since 1973, my Department'a scheme to aid voluntary bodies to provide hostels for alcoholics has resulted in 25 hostels with 283 new places, in addition to the 21 hostels with 284 places previously supported by the Home Office. Grants have been made to the National Council on Alcoholism to enable it to set up co-ordinated local counselling services where the problem is particularly severe.
The Alcoholic Advisory Committee was set up last year under the chairmanship of Professor Kessel to advise on services for alcoholics of both sexes.