§ Baroness Masham of Iltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many patients who are either mentally ill or mentally handicapped are residing in prisons because there is no hospital bed available for them.
§ Lord BelsteadThe returns for 30th September 1981, the latest date for which information is available, show that in the opinion of the prison medical officers there were in prison department establishments in England and Wales 229 persons who were mentally ill and 24 who were mentally impaired within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959. One hundred and thirty-nine of those who were considered to be mentally ill and eight of those who were considered to be mentally impaired were unsentenced. If these prisoners were convicted, the courts would have an opportunity when passing sentence to consider disposals other than imprisonment.
Information in this form is not available for Scotland and Northern Ireland where there are not thought to be any prisoners who would be more appropriately cared for in hospital because they suffer from mental illness or mental impairment.