To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been diagnosed with mental health disorders. (103624)

A survey, Psychiatric morbidity among prisoners in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics, 1988) showed that 90 per cent. of prisoners have at least one significant mental health problem, including personality disorder, psychosis, neurosis, alcohol misuse and drug dependence. A copy is available in the Library.

Mental health services for prisoners have been a key part of the government's recent reforms of health services for prisoners. The Department of Health is now investing nearly £20 million a year in NHS mental health in-reach services for prisoners. These are community mental health teams working within prisons and are now available in 102 prisons, with some 360 extra staff employed. Every prison in England and Wales has access to these services. Information on how many prisoners receive these services is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the reasons for the overspend in HMP Wymott’s budget. (107258)

Wymott is currently forecasting an overspend of £660,000. This largely consists of increased utility costs for gas and electricity, a centrally negotiated equal pay settlement, and an excessive number of bedwatches due to prisoners’ illnesses. The Prison Service is aware of this overspend and no investigation is warranted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which prison officers on paid leave are carrying out bed watch duty and receiving payment for this duty; and if he will make a statement. (107259)

Payment is not made for bedwatch duty during paid leave, which for health and safety reasons is protected. If a bedwatch takes place, leave is cancelled and the shift re-instated and treated as if no leave had been booked.