§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to give additional financial assistance to health authorities in respect of their responsibility for mentally disordered offenders. [2702]
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§ Mr. BurnsWe recognise that mentally disordered offenders have specialised and complex needs, and that in certain areas there is greater pressure on mental health services to provide for their care and treatment. Current funding of mental health services already recognises, through the capitation formulae, the needs of this group of patients within the spectrum of care and allows individual health authorities to set their priorities for mental health expenditure based on the assessed needs of their local population.