HC Deb 29 January 1986 vol 90 c560W
Mr. Straw

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he makes of the number and proportion of patients detained under the Mental Health Acts whose first language is not English and who lack full comprehension of English.

Mr. Whitney

No such estimates can be provided from information available centrally. We have, however, asked the Mental Health Act Commission whether it knows of any evidence which indicates that there are any significant difficulties of this kind.