Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people in prison or a Young Offenders Institute self-describe their ethnicity as Romany.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This information is published in Table 1_A_21 of the Offender Management Statistics ‘annual’ prison population tables.

As of 30 June 2025, the most recent date for which statistics are available, 79 of those in custody described their ethnicity as Roma.

To note, the ‘Roma’ ethnicity code is a recent addition to the prison offender management system, and the ‘as at 30 June 2025’ data is the first publication of these figures. As such, we would expect numbers to increase over time as new prisoners entering the system are able to self-identify as ‘Roma’.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish an action and implementation plan to ensure the recommendations of the report by the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody Investigating deaths under the Mental Health Act: The need for independence and parity, published in September 2025, are quickly progressed.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is very grateful to the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody for its report, which highlights the critical issue that there are still too many deaths in mental health services and provides valuable insights and recommendations for change.

The Government is currently considering the report and its recommendation to establish an independent investigative mechanism. We will consider the most suitable way to share the Government’s response to this report in due course and will continue to work with the panel to explore how we can deliver further improvements to the way deaths in mental health detention are investigated.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 25 February (HL14473), when they expect the co-produced action and implementation plan to be published.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has no plans at present to publish the action plan. The action plan is a partnership with HM Prison and Probation Service and other Government departments, and NHS England has a governance route through which it holds itself accountable.

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