§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when Ashworth Hospital informed him that Ian Brady had handed over a large number of pills to Una Forsyth. [49413]
§ Mr. BoatengI was informed on 20 April 1998 that an allegation had been made by a woman that Ian Brady had asked her to smuggle tablets out of the hospital, and that these had been handed to a Mr. Peter Green, a former executive director of the Ashworth Hospital Authority. I was told that a search of Ian Brady's room had uncovered one tablet of the type handed over by the woman to Mr. Green, and that the police had been informed.
I was informed on 14 May 1998 that the woman, who was at that point identified to me as Mrs. Forsyth, had indicated that she no longer wanted to complain to the police about the alleged actions of Mr. Brady. I also learned that the police had decided not to proceed with criminal proceedings, and furthermore that Mr. Brady had been put under close observation.
156W
§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make public the findings of the review by Dame Fiona Caldicott into the management of Ashworth Hospital. [49347]
§ Mr. BoatengDame Fiona Caldicott was commissioned by the Chairman of Ashworth Hospital Authority to advise the authority on an internal management issue. No commitment was made to publish her findings; it is for the hospital authority to decide to what extent the advice which she has given to them should be made public.