asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that under the Mental Treatment Act patients in psychiatric hospitals cannot be paid more then 50 pence per week for work done as part of rehabilitation and industrial therapy; if he considers this a serious injustice to these patients; and, if so, the measures he proposes to take to rectify this situation.

Normally the amount paid to a patient for work done as part of rehabilitation and industrial therapy varies in relation to the amount and quality of that work. I understand that in the majority of mental hospitals payments ranging up to and over £4 a week are made. It seems, however, that there is a certain amount of confusion as to the appropriate amount to be paid to some categories of patients and I propose to have the position clarified as soon as possible.

Is it not extraordinary that this is the level still being paid to patients in mental hospitals when it is proposed to pay £2 a week to inmates in Loughan House? I am sure the Minister agrees that the Mental Treatment Act is out of date. Does he propose to have it reviewed in the near future?

This session.

Is it not true that a number of commercial firms use this type of cheap labour device in order to get around properly paid trade union rates, much the same as in the prisons?

I do not think that is true.