Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the proposed Secure College is to be classified as a place of safety for children under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

We do not propose that the Secure College should be identified as a place of safety for children detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

The Mental Health Act Code of Practice, presented to Parliament in January this year, indicates that local authorities, NHS commissioners, hospitals and police forces should have a jointly agreed local policy in place governing the use of section 135 and 136 of the Act and that this should contain a list of identified places of safety. The Government has made clear that these should be a hospital or other health based place of safety where mental health services are provided, except in exceptional circumstances.