HC Deb 15 April 2003 vol 404 cc67-8W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding has been given since 1997 for mental health services per young prisoner in(a) young offender institutions, (b) secure accommodation and (c) secure training units; and if he will make a statement. [107202]

Hilary Benn

Information is not available in the form requested. A questionnaire completed in 2002–03 estimated the cost of health care for that year at those prison establishments in England that are wholly or in part young offender institutions to be over £34 million. Since it is commonly estimated that around half of the prison health care budget is spent on mental health services, this would indicate expenditure of around £17 million at such establishments. For private prisons payments are made for the contracted service and the health care element is not separately identified. In addition, the Department of Health allocated £419,000 in 2001–02 and over £1.5 million in 2002–03 to NHS commissioners for mental health in-reach teams at prison establishments with young offenders.

The cost of general health and mental health care for young people resident in local authority secure children's homes and secure training centres is not separately accounted for centrally.

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