§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the current arrangements for the mentally handicapped in Scotland; and if he will undertake a review of accommodation, staffing and financing in respect of their care.
§ Mr. FairgrieveThe Peters report on services for the mentally handicapped in Scotland, entitled "A Better Life", published in 1979 as one of a series of reports from the programme planning group on mental disorder set up jointly by the Scottish Health Service Planning Council and the Advisory Council on Social Work, dealt thoroughly with the current arrangements for the mentally handicapped in Scotland, and I do not think a further review is necessary. Relevant recommendations were also made in the reports of the committees of inquiry into mental handicap nursing and care—the Jay report, Cmnd. 7468—and into the education of handicapped children and young people—the Warnock report, Cmnd. 7212—presented to Parliament in March 1979 and May 1978, respectively. The Government have urged that priority should be given to the accommodation and care of the mentally handicapped in the community rather than in large hospitals, but this is a matter for health boards and local authorities to determine jointly having regard to the resources available to them.