§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what measures have been taken, or are under consideration, to ensure suitable housing for mentally disabled persons being discharged from hospital under the policy of caring in the community.
§ Mr. GristResponsibility for ensuring that suitable housing is provided for individuals discharged from mental illness and mental handicap hospitals rests with district health authorities and local authority social services departments, working in conjunction with other bodies such as local housing authorities, the Housing Corporation and voluntary organisations, where appropriate. We support care in the community developments with special central funding and will continue to do so.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many mentally disabled persons have been discharged from hospital under the policy of caring in the community; how many more he expects to be discharged during the coming years; and if he will give the figures by health authority area.
§ Mr. GristInformation is not available in the form requested, but tables 1.19 and 4.15 of "Mental Health Statistics for Wales (No. 6, 1986)"—a copy of which is in the Library—provide an analysis of discharges from mental illness and mental handicap hospitals by category of recommended aftercare. The resident population of mental illness hospitals and units fell from 6,227 in 1970 to 4,181 in 1985. That of mental handicap hospitals and units fell from 2,490 in 1970 to 1,906 in 1985.