Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of whether the availability of police in south London has had an effect on the time taken to carry out sections under the Mental Health Act 1983.

We have made no such assessment.

The availability of police in local areas is a matter for the Home Department and for regional police and crime commissioners. Police powers under the Mental Health Act 1983 are limited to short term emergency sections under s135 and s136. For formal sections to hospital the police have no role, these are decisions made by Approved Mental Health Professionals on the advice of doctors.

The Government has asked Professor Sir Simon Wessely to lead an Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983, to make recommendations on legislation and practice to improve how the Act functions in a modern mental health system. The Independent review is considering how to address delays in the system. The Independent Review will report in the autumn. It published an interim report in May, which is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/703919/The_independent_Mental_Health_Act_review__interim_report_01_05_2018.pdf