Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Clarke Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I told the Secretary of State privately before, and I say it publicly now, that if he intends to devote part of his answer to talking about what happened under the previous Government, he can abandon that plan now and resume his seat. I suggest he resumes his seat.

[Mr Tom Clarke (Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill) (Lab)]

As part of this openness and transparency, will the Government improve their relations with the police and prison services, so that we can have a clearer idea of why people with mental illnesses are spending time in police cells or being sent to prison?

[Mr Hunt]

I am pleased to tell the right hon. Gentleman that we are working closely with the police to try to ensure that some of the people held in police cells are given much faster access to mental health services. That includes a street triage pilot, which has had early and promising results.