§ Mrs. Helen Clark:To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information is collected centrally on the health of prisoners; [131894]
(2) if he will set targets to achieve improvements in the health of prisoners; [131895]
(3) if he will make it his policy to collate centrally information regarding prisoner health sufficient to establish baselines from which improvements in performance can be measured. [131896]
§ Dr. Ladyman:Information is routinely collected centrally on self-harm incidents, suicides and undetermined deaths and information on communicable diseases, such as hepatitis B, in the prison population. Survey work periodically captures further information on specific aspects of prisoner health, such as the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity.
Prisoners are included within the scope of the Government's overall targets for improving the health of the population.