Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce mandatory targets for the reduction of the number of autistic people being held in mental health hospitals.

There are currently no plans to introduce mandatory targets for the reduction of the number of autistic people who are detained in mental health hospitals. Where admission to hospital is needed, it must be therapeutic, least restrictive and for the shortest time possible.

The NHS Long Term Plan is committed to achieving a 50% net reduction in the number of autistic people and people with a learning disability who are inpatients in mental health hospitals by end of March 2024. This objective is inclusive of autistic inpatients who are not diagnosed with a learning disability.