§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the number of mentally handicapped prisoners in prisons at the present time; and how many were received into prisons during 1980.
§ Mr. MayhewOn 31 December 1980 there were 25 persons in prison department establishments whom the medical officer considered to be subnormal or severely subnormal within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959. During 1980 there were 140 diagnoses of subnormality or severe subnormality. A new diagnosis is recorded if the medical officer who has assumed responsibility for an inmate on reception from the courts or on transfer from another establishment considers the inmate to be mentally handicapped.