Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government has central funding for support services for people who have been placed in prisons for their own protection under the Bail Act 1976.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) does not provide central funding for support services specifically for individuals who have been remanded into custody for their own protection under the Bail Act 1976.

Individuals remanded into custody (including those remanded for their own protection) have access to standard support services within prisons which may be relevant to their needs, such as the keyworker scheme and the Samaritans Listener scheme. Prisoners on remand also have additional rights and privileges beyond those afforded to sentenced prisoners, including being able to send and receive additional letters, to access additional visits and, within reasonable expectations, to have limited contact with convicted prisoners, including not sharing a cell with a sentenced prisoner, unless they choose.

Following a commitment from the Government earlier this year, we are reviewing the use of the power in the Bail Act 1976 to remand an individual for their own protection. This work is ongoing.