Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Phillip Lee and Kelvin Hopkins

Tuesday 25th April 2017 Commons Chamber

[Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab)]

21. What steps she is taking to review mental health provision in prisons.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Dr Phillip Lee)]

Prisoners are more likely to have mental health problems than the broader population. We are looking at custody and community for improving the mental health offering. We are looking at a community protocol to be followed and enhancing custodial mental health services.

[Kelvin Hopkins]

There were 119 prison suicides in 2016—an increase of 32% on the previous year—and cases of self-harm were up by 19%, at more than 10,000. Does the Minister agree that these are appalling statistics? What are the Government going to do to address this human misery?

[Dr Lee]

Each and every one of those cases is a human tragedy, and I have looked at a large number of them in detail. Indeed, last week I was at HMP Downview, a women’s prison at which a suicide took place. We are investing in better healthcare facilities at that prison, and I am also looking at access to secure accommodation across the country, because that might well be an issue.