Archive

Care services minister Ivan Lewis (pictured) has pledged to tackle the abuse of adults with learning difficulties.

Speaking in parliament, he said society needed to take such abuse more seriously. "We take it as read that it is evil to abuse children. We need to engender the same determination to eradicate abuse of vulnerable adults and the same level of public outrage when it happens."

Lewis also launched a scathing attack on what he described as retrograde moves to put people with learning difficulties back in institutions. He said the growing trend towards sending people with high support needs to new private hospitals was unjustified.

"No adult with learning difficulties should be in hospital unless they are ill or a serious danger to themselves.

"Even with these modern new fancy buildings I can't see why people with learning difficulties should be stuck in them."