§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what preparatory measures he intends to introduce for his plans to increase the numbers of mentally-ill and mentally-handicapped patients treated in the community.
§ Sir George YoungI assume that the hon. Member is referring to "Care in the Community: A Consultative Document on Moving Resources for Care in England" to whose issue I referred in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones) on 16 July.—[Vol. 8, c.487]. While we are encouraging authorities to proceed with local experiments within the present statutory framework, some of the suggestions on which views are invited may require legislation, and the form this should take will depend on the response to the consultative documents.