§ Mr. GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new mental illness hospital beds were opened and how many mental illness hospital beds closed in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythDetails of all new hospital developments are not held centrally as minor capital projects are delegated to health boards. One major project, providing 120 new mental illness beds, was opened in 1988 at Parkhead psychiatric hospital.
Details are only held centrally on closures of complete hospitals; no mental illness hospitals were closed in 1988 but some health boards have reduced mental illness bed numbers as transfers to care in the community have taken place.
§ Mr. GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds have been specifically earmarked for the care of the mentally ill following the closure of mental hospitals in Scotland in the last year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythNo mental illness hospital has been closed in Scotland in the last year.
§ Mr. GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what figure has been indicated to health boards for 1989–90 as payments under National Health Service Circular 1988 (Gen 18) towards the cost of projects making it possible for the mentally ill to return to or remain in the community; how the funds will be applied; and how many people will benefit.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythDecisions have not yet been announced about expenditure levels in the National Health Service for 1989–90.
§ Mr. GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many residential places in the community will be provided in(a) the current and (b) the next year for those discharged from mental hospitals in Scotland.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythInformation is not available in the form requested. Data on the provision of residential places are included in annual statistical returns from local authorities on a retrospective basis but such returns do not extend to planned provision.
§ Mr. GoodladTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the mental illness hospitals scheduled to(a) open and (b) close in (i) the current and (ii) the next year.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythParkhead psychiatric hospital phase II opened in November 1988. There are no plans to 117W close any mental illness hospitals in the current and next year. Many health boards have plans to reduce the size of mental illness hospitals as places in the community become available.