§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further plans he has for ensuring that children in long-stay mental handicap hospitals are moved out of hospitals.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to his reply, 23 July 1985]: Our stated objective is that all children in long stay menial handicap hospitals should come out. Their number has dropped by at least half since December 1980 and the fall continues, helped by our children's initiative. Under this we have made £1 million central finance available from 1981 on a pound for pound basis to voluntary bodies, and £9 million over four years from 1983–84 to health authorities, to help them to move mentally handicapped children out of hospital into smaller more homelike accommodation in the community. The pace is kept up by our clear guidance to health authorities to review with local authorities the cases of the remaining children in their care every six months with a view to more suitable placement. In our examination of health authorities' plans for alternative provision we are looking for any need to raise the question of speed.