Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of training provided to frontline police officers on recognising and responding to neurodivergent people, including autistic people and people with ADHD.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework. All new recruits must complete this training which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.

The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action. Such principles and practices are set out in a number of college products, including the Detention and Custody Authorised Professional Practice.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council has also produced an e-learning course and a glossary of terms on neurodiversity, which are available to all police officers.

Policing is operationally independent, and it is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake.

The Home Office is a member of the National Neurodiversity Working Group chaired by the National Police Chiefs Council lead for Neurodiversity.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the National Police Chiefs' Council on improving police responses to neurodivergent (a) victims, (b) witnesses and (c) suspects.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework. All new recruits must complete this training which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.

The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action. Such principles and practices are set out in a number of college products, including the Detention and Custody Authorised Professional Practice.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council has also produced an e-learning course and a glossary of terms on neurodiversity, which are available to all police officers.

Policing is operationally independent, and it is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake.

The Home Office is a member of the National Neurodiversity Working Group chaired by the National Police Chiefs Council lead for Neurodiversity.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to introduce mandatory neurodiversity awareness training for all frontline police officers and call handlers.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework. All new recruits must complete this training which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.

The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action. Such principles and practices are set out in a number of college products, including the Detention and Custody Authorised Professional Practice.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council has also produced an e-learning course and a glossary of terms on neurodiversity, which are available to all police officers.

Policing is operationally independent, and it is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake.

The Home Office is a member of the National Neurodiversity Working Group chaired by the National Police Chiefs Council lead for Neurodiversity.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of police forces provide specialist neurodiversity training beyond the minimum national requirements.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework. All new recruits must complete this training which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.

The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action. Such principles and practices are set out in a number of college products, including the Detention and Custody Authorised Professional Practice.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council has also produced an e-learning course and a glossary of terms on neurodiversity, which are available to all police officers.

Policing is operationally independent, and it is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake.

The Home Office is a member of the National Neurodiversity Working Group chaired by the National Police Chiefs Council lead for Neurodiversity.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department collects data on complaints involving police interactions with neurodivergent people.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not collect data on complaints involving police interactions with neurodivergent individuals.

As the public body responsible for overseeing the police complaints system in England and Wales, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is responsible for collecting police complaints data.

The IOPC publishes annual statistics on police complaints, which include some information on complainants. These are available at: https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/our-work/research-and-statistics/police-complaints-statistics

Data on neurodivergence is not published within the IOPC’s police complaints statistics, however, they may hold further information that is not routinely published.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timeline is for responding to (a) the report entitled Ketamine: An updated review of use and harms published by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on 28 January 2026 and (b) the recommendations therein.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (‘ACMD’) published its review of the use and harms of ketamine on 28 January. The report provides a detailed assessment of the evidence on harms and trends in use and includes 15 recommendations.

Ministers will consider the recommendations carefully and will respond to the report as soon as possible. In advance of that, in October 2025 the Department for Health and Social Care launched a campaign to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of ketamine misuse, and law enforcement is taking action against the threat from criminal gangs supplying the drug.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to custody sergeants on determining whether a neurodivergent detainee requires an appropriate adult.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The guidance provided to custody officers is set out in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Code C and supporting College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice. This forms part of the wider framework on the safe detention and treatment of individuals in police custody, including identifying vulnerability and assessing fitness for detention. Further details can be found at: https://www.college.police.uk/app/detention-and-custody.

Under PACE Code C, custody officers must assess, as soon as practicable, whether a detainee is mentally vulnerable or mentally disordered, and therefore requires an appropriate adult. This is based on the individual’s ability to understand their rights, the procedures being applied, and to participate effectively in the investigative process.

The Code does not define eligibility by specific conditions. Instead, custody officers must make an individual assessment of vulnerability, taking into account behaviour, communication, and any known or disclosed needs. Where a detainee is neurodivergent and this may impair their understanding or communication, they may fall within the definition of mental vulnerability and require an appropriate adult.

Custody officers are expected to request an appropriate adult whenever there is any doubt about a detainee’s capacity to understand or participate effectively. An appropriate adult must be present for key procedures when a detainee has been assessed as mentally vulnerable.

The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver a service to be proud of relating to neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents. Through this working group the NPCC are seeking to pull together examples and knowledge of good practice, to help share thinking to help each autonomous force find solutions to their local challenges. They have also produced an e-learning course and a glossary of terms on neurodiversity, which are available to all police officers.

Liaison and Diversion services commissioned by NHS England operate in police custody suites to help identify and support vulnerable individuals, provide advice to custody staff, and enable referral to appropriate services

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what safeguards exist to reduce the risk of unnecessary (a) arrest and (b) restraint of neurodivergent people during police encounters.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The College of Policing set training and guidance on arrest, de-escalation and the dangers of using restraint techniques on vulnerable individuals.

Before officers can be authorised to use force they must pass a comprehensive training programme, which includes how to assess the potential vulnerability of individuals they engage with, including neurodivergent people and people with, learning disabilities or poor mental health. Officers are trained to identify and adapt their approach accordingly, in these circumstances.

When officers take the decision to use force they are accountable through the law for their actions and must be able to justify their use of force as reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to police forces on de-escalation techniques when interacting with neurodivergent people during police incidents.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The College of Policing set training and guidance on arrest, de-escalation and the dangers of using restraint techniques on vulnerable individuals.

Before officers can be authorised to use force they must pass a comprehensive training programme, which includes how to assess the potential vulnerability of individuals they engage with, including neurodivergent people and people with, learning disabilities or poor mental health. Officers are trained to identify and adapt their approach accordingly, in these circumstances.

When officers take the decision to use force they are accountable through the law for their actions and must be able to justify their use of force as reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the report entitled Ketamine: An updated review of use and harms published by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on 28 January 2026, what (a) research and (b) consultations were undertaken as part of the decision-making process.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

As the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is independent of Government, its internal and decision-making processes are matters for the ACMD.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) independence, (b) integrity and (c) expertise of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The independence of the ACMD is essential to making recommendations on the control of dangerous or otherwise harmful drugs. The ACMD’s integrity is maintained by a joint working protocol between Ministers and the Committee which governs the roles, responsibilities and expectations of the ACMD and those to whom it delivers advice. As part of this the Minister for Policing and Crime, routinely reviews ACMD advice and recommendations.

In 2024 the Home Office’s Chief Scientific Adviser initiated a review which examined and made recommendations on how the department commissions, uses and feeds back on advice from its Science Advisory Councils.

The adequacy of ACMD’s advice is assured through maintenance of a committee with comprehensive expertise. ACMD appointments are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments and are subject to the principles laid out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Membership is refreshed through regular rounds of recruitment including for a new chair appointed in 2025. Recruitment processes seek to ensure the widest possible pool of candidates are considered for roles. In accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments process, members are recruited through free and open competition and appointed following Ministerial approval.

Communications blackout and human rights in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Retirement of Tracy Thirlwall

Government response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on communication of changes to women’s state pension age

Attack on the hon. Member for Poole's constituency office

Government response to Israel’s actions in the West Bank and Gaza

Mabel Hempton Award for Bravery and HMP Frankland staff

Trade union support for Durham Pride

Prison education insourcing

Further education

Higher Education pensions

Liushenyu mining disaster and workers’ safety

48th anniversary of the murder of Altab Ali

Arsenal Football Club, Premier League champions

Job cuts planned at the BBC

Inquiry into Labour Together

US sanctions on Cuba

Burnhope Miners' Gala Centenary Celebration

Found: Representations from Members The following Member made oral representations: Grahame Morris: Birmingham