asked the Minister of Health how many patients are awaiting admission to psychiatric hospitals in the area of the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board; what is the average length of time on the waiting list prior to admission to such hospitals; and what steps the regional board are taking to increase the accommodation in hospitals for sub-normal patients.

Two hundred and fifty-nine sub-normal and severely subnormal patients are awaiting admission. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available. The hospital programme provides for 180 more beds for sub-normal patients at Church Hill House, Bracknell and Normansfield, Teddington.