§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mentally abnormal offenders are in (a) prisons and (b) other prison Department establishments; if he will list the number at each location; and how many were unsentenced.
§ Dr. SummerskillOn 30th June 1978, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 581 persons held in prison department establishments who were considered by prison medical officers to be suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree warranting their detention in hospital for medical treatment under the Mental Health Act 1959. Of these 377 were serving a sentence.
A breakdown of the figures, by category and by establishment, is given in the following table:
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INMATES CONSIDERED TO BE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL DISORDER WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 1959 IN CUSTODY ON 30TH JUNE 1978 Sentenced Unsentenced Total (including Non-Criminal) Establishments M SS S P Total M SS S P Total M SS S P Total MALES— Remand centres— Ashford … … … … … … — — — — — 4 — — 1 5 4 — — 1 5 Risley … … … … … … — — 1 — 1 1 — 1 1 3 1 — 2 1 4 Winchester … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 — — 1 — 1 1 — 1 — 2 1 — 1 — 2 5 — 2 2 9 6 — 3 2 11 Local prisons— Bedford … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 2 — 1 1 4 3 — 1 1 5 Birmingham … … … … … … 2 — — — 2 16 — 2 — 18 18 — 2 — 20 Bristol … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 — — — — — 1 — — — 1 Brixton … … … … … … — — — — — 55 — — — 55 55 — — — 55 Canterbury … … … … … … 2 — 1 — 3 5 — — 1 6 7 — 1 1 9 Cardiff … … … … … … 1 — 1 1 3 3 — — 1 4 4 — 1 2 7 Dorchester … … … … … … — — — — — 2 — — — 2 2 — — — 2 Durham … … … … … … 1 — 1 2 4 1 — — — 1 2 — 1 2 5 Exeter … … … … … … 9 — 1 6 16 — — — — — 9 — 1 6 16 Gloucester … … … … … … 2 — — — 2 3 — — — 3 5 — — — 5 Leeds … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 5 — — — 5 6 — — — 6 Leicester … … … … … … — — 1 — 1 6 — — — 6 6 — 1 — 7 Lewes … … … … … … — — — — — 3 — 1 — 4 3 — 1 — 4 Liverpool … … … … … … 6 — — 1 7 — — — — — 6 — — 1 7 Manchester … … … … … … 4 — — — 4 — — — — — 4 — — — 4 Norwich … … … … … … — — — — — 2 — — — 2 2 — — — 2 Oxford … … … … … … — — 1 2 3 6 — 2 8 16 6 — 3 10 19 Pentonville … … … … … … 1 — 1 1 3 8* — — — 8* 9* — 1 1 11* Swansea … … … … … … 3 — 2 2 7 — — 2 — 2 3 — 4 2 9 Wandsworth … … … … … … 14 — — 3 17 4 — — — 4 18 — — 3 21 Winchester … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 10 — — — 10 11 — — — 11 Wormwood Scrubs … … … … … … 10 — 1 — 11 — — — — — 10 — 1 — 11 59 — 10 18 87 131* — 8 11 150* 190* — 18 29 237*
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Sentenced Unsentenced Total (including Non-Criminal) Establishments M SS S P Total M SS S P Total M SS S P Total Adult closed training prisons— Albany … … … … … … 8 — — 22 30 — — — — — 8 — — 22 30 Blundeston … … … … … … 2 — 1 1 4 — — — — — 2 — 1 1 4 Camp Hill … … … … … … 3 — 1 — 4 — — — — — 3 — 1 — 4 Coldingley … … … … … … — — 1 — 1 — — — — — — — 1 — 1 Dartmoor … … … … … … 5 — 4 — 9 — — — — — 5 — 4 — 9 Featherstone … … … … … … — — 1 — 1 — — — — — — — 1 — 1 Gartree … … … … … … 7 — 3 43 53 — — — — — 7 — 3 43 53 Kingston (Portsmouth) … … … … … … — — — 6 6 — — — — — — — — 6 6 Long Lartin … … … … … … — — 1 — 1 — — — — — — — 1 — 1 Maidstone … … … … … … 7 — — 1 8 — — — — — 7 — — 1 8 Parkhurst … … … … … … 26 — — 45 71 — — — — — 26 — — 45 71 Reading … … … … … … — — — 1 1 — — — — — — — — 1 1 Stafford … … … … … … 2 — 1 2 5 — — — — — 2 — 1 2 5 Wakefield … … … … … … 17 — — 36 53 — — — — — 17 — — 36 53 77 — 13 157 247 — — — — — 77 — 13 157 247 YP closed training prisons— Aylesbury … … … … … … 7 — — 2 9 — — — — — 7 — — 2 9 Exeter … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 — — — — — 1 — — — 1 Onley … … … … … … — — 1 — 1 — — — — — — — 1 — 1 Swinfen Hall … … … … … … 2 — — 1 3 — — — — — 2 — — 1 3 10 — 1 3 14 — — — — — 10 — 1 3 14 Adult open training prison Ashwell … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 — — — — — 1 — — — 1 Closed borstals— Feltham … … … … … … 3 — — 5 8 — — — — — 3 — — 5 8 Rochester … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 — — — — — 1 — — — 1 4 — — 5 9 — — — — — 4 — — 5 9
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Sentenced Unsentenced Total (including Non-Criminal) Establishments M SS S P Total M SS S P Total M SS S P Total FEMALES— Remand centres— Pucklechurch … … … … … … 2 — — — 2 6 — — 3 9 8 — — 3 11 Risley … … … … … … 1 — — — 1 4 — 1 — 5 5 — 1 — 6 3 — — — 3 10 — 1 3 14 13 — 1 3 17 Closed prisons— Durham … … … … … … 1 — 3 3 7 — — — — — 1 — 3 3 7 Holloway … … … … … … 1 1 1 2 5 15 — 2 14 31 16 1 3 16 36 Styal … … … … … … 2 — — — 2 — — — — — 2 — — — 2 4 1 4 5 14 15 — 2 14 31 19 1 6 19 45 Total (male) … … … … … … 152 — 25 183 360 136* — 10 13 159* 288* — 35 196 519* Total (female) … … … … … … 7 1 4 5 17 25 — 3 17 45 32 1 7 22 62 Total (male and female) … … … … … … 159 1 29 188 377 161* — 13 30 204* 320* 1 42 218 581* * Includes four Non-Criminal mental cases. Category of Mental Disorder— M—Mental Illness. SS—Severe Subnormality. S—Subnormality. P—Psychopathic Disorder.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mentally abnormal prisoners are currently awaiting transfer to NHS hospitals; and how long they have been waiting.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe cases of five prisoners, reported to be suffering from mental disorder warranting their detention in hospital for treatment, are currently unresolved following approaches to the relevant regional health authority. The approach was made in July 1978 in two cases, and in September 1978 in three cases. Hospitals have agreed to admit two further prisoners, once a bed is available, following approaches made to them in June.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that mentally abnormal persons should have to be in prison.
§ Dr. SummerskillWe are concerned about those cases where a prisoner is suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree warranting detention in hospital for medical treatment under the Mental Health Act 1959, but where my right hon. Friend cannot make an order directing transfer to hospital because a suitable hospital place cannot be found. The majority of mentally abnormal prisoners are not mentally disordered to this degree and it is for the courts when passing sentence on such persons to decide whether imprisonment or some other penalty or order is appropriate.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he remains satisfied that mentally abnormal offenders are adequately cared for in prison.
§ Dr. SummerskillPrison medical officers and other prison staff care for mentally abnormal offenders to the best of their ability within the resources and powers available to them. But where the offender is suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree warranting detention in hospital for medical treatment under the Mental Health Act 1959 it is clearly desirable that he should be in a suitable hospital rather than cared for under the constraints imposed by the prison environment.
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§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give a full account of the steps he has taken to transfer mentally abnormal prisoners to NHS hospitals and the difficulties he has encountered;
(2) if he will list those hospitals that have refused to take mentally abnormal prisoners.
§ Dr. SummerskillWhen it is decided to seek the transfer to an NHS hospital under section 72 of the Mental Health Act 1959, of a sentenced prisoner reported to be suffering from a mental disorder warranting detention in a hospital for medical treatment, the health authority for the prisoner's home area is sent details of the case and asked to make a bed available in a suitable hospital.
I am not aware of any NHS hospitals which have refused to take mentally disordered prisoners in principle. In those instances where the health authority has not felt able to accept the prisoner the grounds for refusal are often that the available resources are insufficient to cater for the particular case. The general problem is the subject of continuing discussion between the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Security.