§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to discourage Gwynedd health authority from building a medium secure forensic unit for mentally unstable criminal offenders in the grounds of Bryn-y-Neuadd hospital at Llanfairfechan; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodOn 29 April 1993, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales announced a £9.25 million package for new hospital facilities in Wales for mentally ill offenders. The package includes capital funding of up to £3 million for a new 25-bed medium secure unit for north Wales which will be the first purpose-built medium secure facility within the Principality. In England, over 650 places have been developed within 20 sites.
The development of such a unit in north Wales was recommended by the all-Wales advisory group on forensic psychiatry. Ten potential sites were considered and the preferred proposal for Bryn-y-Neuadd hospital, Llanfairfechan was confirmed at the meeting of Gwynedd health authority on 22 November 1993 in the light of a thorough appraisal and advice from experts in the field. The decision was and remains entirely a matter for the health authority.