HC Deb 22 November 1994 vol 250 c83W
Dr. Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether discussions have taken place between the confidential inquiry into homicides by mentally ill people and her Department to ensure that professionals in the health and social services are better informed about the inquiry's work.

Mr. Bowis

Yes.

Dr. Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy that her Department or the confidential inquiry into homicides by mentally ill people should summarise and publish annually the findings and recommendations of independent inquiries into homicides by people with a psychiatric illness.

Mr. Bowis

No. Decisions about the publication of the findings and recommendations of an independent inquiry into a homicide by a mentally ill person are taken by the health authority or social services authority which commissioned the inquiry. Departmental guidance in circular HSG(94)27, copies of which are available in the Library, makes it clear that an undertaking should be given at the start of the inquiry that its main findings will be made available to interested parties.

Dr. Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the questionnaire sent to consultant psychiatrists by the confidential inquiry into homicides by mentally ill people.

Mr. Bowis

I understand that the questionannaire will be included in the confidential inquiry's substantive report on homicides and suicides, to be published in 1995.

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