§ Mr. Irvingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what help he will provide to hospital managers to enable them to comply with their duties under the Mental Health Act 1983, section I 3.2 in providing patients with information leaflets and forms in their own language.
§ Mr. WhitneyI explained the background to this matter in my replies on 29 January to the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) at columns560–62. I have no reason to doubt the ability of National Health Service authorities to find a means of discharging their responsibility to give the required information to any individual detained patients who do not understand English. We have no evidence of widespread difficulties, but the Mental Health Act Commission know that we are prepared to consider evidence of difficulties which might require action centrally.