§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has in mind to prevent the situation arising whereby mentally subnormal teenagers accused of larceny have to be committed to Holloway Prison due to the lack of other suitable facilities.
§ Mr. JohnI understand that in the particular case the hon. Member has in mind the court decided to remand the defendant in custody only after satisfying itself that there was no place available in a hospital or a hostel for the mentally handicapped where she could stay as a condition of bail. It later proved possible to remand the girl on bail to the care of her mother.
Questions relating to hospital facilities and local authority social services accommodation for the mentally handicapped 333W are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.