§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the result of his consideration of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland Report of 1975 "No Place to Go".
§ Mr. McElhoneOfficials of my Department met the commission in August of last year to discuss the matters raised in the report.
The criticisms of the supervision of boarded-out patients has been followed up by my Department with the local authorities concerned, and a number of other recommendations will be dealt with in advice which is in the course of preparation for issue to local authorities. The Government have already accepted in principle a recommendation of a Speaker's Conference that patients in mental hospitals should be able to use the hospital as their qualifying address for the purpose of electoral registration.
Receipt is awaited of the Law Society's report on the deliberations of its Law Reform Committee on the need for a power in Scotland to make a will for an incapax.
The need for other legislative changes, including the question of safeguards against the improper detention of mentally disordered patients and the safeguarding of their property, will be kept in mind when the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1960 comes to be reviewed.