asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what books of reference are used by his Department to guide those planning and designing new buildings, and major adaptations to existing buildings, on the needs of the visually handicapped, the hearing impaired and the mentally handicapped.

Reference works have been prepared by the Department for health authorities for the specific disabilities mentioned, in the form of "Health Building Note 39, Ophthalmic Clinic", issued in 1982; "Hospital E.N.T. Services, A Design Guide" issued in 1974 and "Interim Design Guidance, Health Service Residential Accomodation for the Mentally Handicapped" issued in 1980. This latter guidance is supported by two subsequent documents—"Residential Facilities for Mentally Handicapped Children" and "Residential Accommodation for Severely Mentally Handicapped People"—both issued in December 1981. The guidance represents a distillation of information from a great variety of published and other informed sources. Some of the information relating to disability can be used for hospital building generally.To assist with the planning of space for all health buildings, current guidance contains appropriate ergonomic data which takes into account the varying needs of all types of disability as an integral part of planning.