§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of cases in which the courts have exercised their powers under the Mental Health Act 1983 to remand, where appropriate, accused persons to hospital for reports and treatment and as to the number of cases where places have not been found for such prisoners by regional health authorities.
§ Mr. MellorThe number of persons remanded under the Mental Health Act 1983 has been collected centrally from the courts only from the beginning of 1985 and information will not become available until 1986. A court may exercise these powers only where arrangements have been made for the person's admission to hospital and information is not collected centrally about the number of cases in which a hospital place was not available. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services expects to have later this year information about the number of admissions to hospital under these powers during the final quarter of 1984 and in the autumn of 1986 to have information on such admissions during 1985.