---

Prisons: Population

My Lords, I thank my noble and learned friend for very helpful and speedy Statements since he assumed responsibility. Does he agree that too many people are in prison who should not be there at all because of their psychiatric conditions and illnesses? Another major challenge is to start thinking strategically about how we can provide secure accommodation of a completely different kind that is appropriate to people who suffer from such illness. Would he not also agree that, as has been my impression from recent visits to prisons, there are a lot of excellent prison staff who are themselves exasperated by being expected to do something which they know they and the prisons are not equipped to do: caring for people with psychiatric problems?