§ Mr. KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements for transfer of dowry funds with resettled mental handicap patients to local authorities have been made in each regional health authority; under what terms these payments are made; and if he will list by regional health authority the sums transferred each year on this basis.
§ Mr. DorrellPayments of dowries are made under section 28A of the National Health Service Act 1977. Guidance on such payments was given to regional health authorities in HC(83)6, HC(84)9 and HC(86)11, copies of which are available in the Library. Information on dowry payments in respect of patients resettled from mental handicap hospitals is not available in the form requested. Total health authority dowry payments to local authorities for people with learning disabilities were £6.647 million in 1988–89 and £12.283 million in 1989–90.
§ Mr. KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number, for each regional health authority, of in-patient residents in health service facilities for patients with a mental handicap for each year since 1981; and what proportion of the reduction in numbers is due to discharge and what proportion due to death, for each regional health authority.
§ Mr. DorrellThe table shows the number of patients with learning disabilities resident in national health service hospitals and units by regional health authority. It is not possible to calculate the proportions of the reduction due to discharge and deaths as the data on admissions and discharges collected centrally do not relate to individual patients.