§ Lord Harris of Greenwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they propose to institute an inquiry into the case of Mr. Raymond Bush, formerly a patient at Springfield Hospital who absconded while on an unsupervised home visit; why such a visit was permitted in view of his record of violence; when the police were informed by the hospital authorities; and whether the report of the investigation into this incident will be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Baroness CumberlegeThe decision to grant unescorted leave to Mr. Raymond Bush was a clinical one, taken by his consultant forensic psychiatrist, with the consent of my right honourable friend the Home Secretary as is required in the case of patients who, like Mr. Bush, are detained subject to the restrictions under Section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983. A report was made to the police within 60 minutes of Mr. Bush's failure to return on Monday 26th July. He was returned to hospital by the local police on 28th July, there being no evidence that he had re-offended during his absence from hospital. No further investigation is proposed.