HC Deb 13 July 1978 vol 953 cc679-80W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which National Health Service hospitals have refused places to imprisoned mentally-abnormal offenders and for what reason; and which hospitals have refused admission to the four sentenced prisoners mentioned in the Written Answer to the hon. Member for Ormskirk, Official Report, 22nd June, c. 270–1.

Dr. Summerskill

I regret that information about which National Health Service hospitals have refused to admit sentenced prisoners who were thought to require hospital treatment for mental disorder and the reasons for such refusals is not available. The four sentenced prisoners awaiting transfer to whom I referred in the answer of 22nd June had not been refused admission by National Health Service hospitals; their cases were still under consideration by the hospital authorities. One has now been transferred to hospital, and consultations with the appropriate regional health authorities about the other three are continuing.