PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES AND PERSONALITY DISORDERS IN UK PRISONS

Early day motion 1423, tabled 12 June 2002 by Alan Meale (Labour). Signed by 51 members.

That this House notes that many people with either learning difficulties or personality disorders are currently being held in United Kingdom prisons but, because of safety or security reasons, are often kept in cellular confinement for 23 to 24 hours a day; believes such a situation is both wrong and unacceptable for detainees, some of whom have not yet been found guilty by a court, and unfair to the prison staff who work in these institutions; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to act swiftly to instead provide an adequate number of beds for such people in secure accommodation other than prisons, supervised by trained mental health staff.

Signatures by party: Labour 33, Liberal Democrat 8, Labour/Co-operative 3, Plaid Cymru 3, UUP 3, Conservative 1.