§ Mr. Andrew BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his best estimate of the numbers of people with(a) mental handicaps and (b) mental illness who are aged 65 years and over; and what advice on services and other provisions for these groups his Department gives to health and local authorities.
§ Mr. FreemanWe have no basis upon which to estimate the prevalence of mental illness or mental handicap, neither of which is a well defined term, among the estimated 7.4 million people aged 65 years or more. I can say that at 31 December 1986, the latest date for which figures are available centrally, the number of people aged 65 years or more in NHS hospitals and units in England was as follows:
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Number (a) Mental Handicap hospitals, units and community units 5,552 (b) Mental illness hospitals and units 34,341 In recent years we have issued the following relevant guidance, copies of which are in the Library.
DHSS Study Team Report "Helping Mentally Handicapped People with Special Problems".
Health Advisory Service Report "The Rising Tide".
Government Response to the Second Report from the Social Services Committee Cmnd. No. 9674.