MENTAL HEALTH IN PRISONS

That this House welcomes the NAO report, Mental Health in Prisons, published on 29 June 2017; notes that 37 per cent of the average month's prison population are reported to have mental health or well-being illness and that 7917 prison inmates were recorded by NHS England as having received treatment for mental health issues in March 2017; is aware that 120 self-inflicted deaths occurred in prisons in 2016 as well as 40,161 incidents of self-harm, making these the highest figures ever recorded; further notes the report's findings that 40 per cent of prisons did not provide refresher mental health awareness training for prison staff in the three years leading up to 2016; is concerned that the report indicates that NOMS, NHS England and Public Health England have set ambitious objectives for mental health care in prisons but have not been clear how they will achieve these in practise; is alarmed by the report's findings which suggest that the Government does not collect enough data regarding mental health in prisons making it difficult to accurately plan services across the estate; understands that the prison estate is under increasing pressure due to overcrowding, staff cuts and the increased use of undetectable psychoactive substances; and calls on the Government to urgently review mental health care across the prison estate and ensure that prisons in England and Wales are properly funded, adequately staffed and safe for staff and inmates.