Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of mental health provisions in prisons.

We take mental health provision in our prisons very seriously and are committed to working closely with health partners to ensure that offenders are assessed at the appropriate time and can access the treatment and support required for their mental health needs.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning health services in English prisons and assuring the quality and provision of services provided, we support them in this. Health Needs Assessments are carried out in each prison to ensure that services are commissioned to meet the needs of each prison population.

Health is devolved to the Welsh Government and Local Health Boards commission services for the population in their locality and for public sector prisons in Wales, which includes mental health assessments and treatment. There are separate arrangements for the private prison HMP Parc. In Wales, we work in partnership with the Welsh Government and health services to support people placed in our care.