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Prisons: Population

My Lords, all offenders who are sentenced to prison and qualify for transfer to a secure mental institution are transferred. However, I agree with the underlying implication of what the noble Lord, Lord Judd, says: there are people in prison who may well not qualify under any statute for transfer to a secure mental institution but plainly require psychiatric help. That is something that we need to look at, and which the policy reviews we have been looking at over the past four months raise as a specific concern. In the context of existing legislation, however, I assure the noble Lord that all the relevant transfers are made. Equally, I share his concern and experience that many working in the Prison Service, who do an excellent job, feel what he feels about it.