§ Lord Harris of Greenwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they received Professor John Gunn's report on the psychiatric profile of the sentenced prison population and when it will be published.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)Professor Gunn, of the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, was commissioned to produce over a three-year period a definitive statement of the dimensions of the problem of sentenced mentally disturbed offenders in the prison system in England and Wales. This is an important study, which will provide a sound basis on which the department is able to consider the further development of its policies.
The report was received in the Home Office in November last year. A meeting will be held shortly with Professor Gunn to finalise the report, following which we hope he will make arrangements to publish as soon as possible. We will also place copies in the Library.