Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what her policy is on the treatment of women with mental health problems in the justice system.

Addressing the treatment of women with mental health problems in the justice system is vital. Liaison and Diversion services in the community enable clinicians to assess and refer those who have mental health needs to treatment and support at the earliest opportunity, ideally at their first point of contact with the criminal justice system. These services are currently being rolled out across the country. In prison, all new prisoners are assessed by a health care professional on arrival and, where appropriate, referred to a range of individual or group mental health interventions or substance misuse treatment interventions.