HC Deb 10 July 1979 vol 970 cc116-7W
Mr. Charles Irving

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to remove from the duties of the prison service work connected with the treatment of mentally sick offenders; and what are his plans to replace the inadequate facilities for dealing with the sick offender at Brixton Prison.

Mr. Whitelaw

No. It is plainly right for prison medical officers and other prison staff to provide such care and treatment as they are able for mentally disordered prisoners. The Mental Health Act 1959 provides for the placement in hospital and the transfer to hospital from prison of offenders suffering from mental disorder within the terms of sections 60 and 72 of the Act of a nature or degree which warrants detention in a hospital for medical treatment, subject to suitable hospital places being available. My Department and the Department of Health and Social Security are continuing to cooperate in efforts to reduce the number of cases in which such mentally disordered offenders are accommodated in prison for want of suitable hospital places. Several improvements to hospital facilities have been made in recent years at Brixton and more are proposed.