ABSTRACT
In the twenties politicians were preoccupied with the risk to the sane of being certified as insane, a concern not shared by the professionals. In the fifties this interest largely disappeared, probably because of the increased public confidence in psychiatry. Usually MPs feel the need to participate under at least one of three conditions. They are: The theme relates directly to their constituency and there is pressure from below upon them to do something about the matter; when they are the experts or appointed spokespersons on the specific area and when an issue looks like becoming, or has already become, worthy of a public debate in the media. The proposed closure of the hospitals, the fate of the residents and the staff and the alternative service system have brought to the open the undeniable value preference implications of psychiatric policies.
