§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the principal legal provisions in each member State of the EEC towards the use of psychosurgery in their countries.
§ Sir George YoungInformation on legal provisions in European Community member States is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. There are no legal provisions in England and Wales specifically directed towards psychosurgery.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence there is that the continued use of psychosurgery can be justified by the results achieved.
§ Sir George YoungThere have been a number of published studies of the benefits and risks of psychosurgery amongst which is a report of the United States National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioural Research, published in 1977. I am sending the hon. Member copies of two studies indicating the results of treatment in two English centres.
In the light of the evidence available from such studies the consultant caring for the individual patient, with the other professional staff involved, can weigh the probable benefits and risks against the benefits and risks of other treatments, or of no treatment, taking into account the wishes and condition of the individual patient.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the use of psychosurgery; and what reply he has given.
§ Sir George YoungApart from questions in the House from various hon. Members, I have received since May 1979 letters from two members of the public, together with a letter from an hon. Member on behalf of one of them, and one letter from MIND. I have also seen representations made to this House in a petition on the subject of electroconvulsive therapy and psychosurgery in July 1979. The 451W substance of the replies is contained in my right hon. Friend's observations on the petition, published in the Supplement to the Votes and Proceedings on 14 December 1979, to which I refer the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an independent inquiry into the uses of psychosurgery in the United kingdom in order to assess the continuing need for such operations and the rate of success.
§ Sir George YoungMy right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the existing controls over psychosurgery are sufficient to safeguard the interests of the patients concerned.
§ Sir George YoungWe have no evidence that this form of treatment is being used otherwise than in the best interests of the patients concerned or that doctors are not following established good practice in relation to the obtaining of fully informed consent from patients. The wider issues raised by consent to treatment on the part of patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1959 are difficult ones which we are examining in the context of the review of the Act.