To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what national standards exist for the level of care and support for offenders with learning difficulties while (a) in custody and (b) after release. (172304)

People with learning disabilities have the same rights as other citizens. Under the Disability Discrimination Act (1995, and as revised in 2005), all public bodies must not discriminate against disabled people or provide a poorer quality of service because of their disability. The Act extends to people with learning disabilities.

To help ensure they receive the extra support to which they are entitled under the Disability Discrimination Act, the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP), part of the Department of Health, has produced the document ‘Positive Practice: Positive Outcomes; A handbook for Professionals in the Criminal Justice System working with Offenders with Learning Disabilities’ (CSIP, 2007).

This sets out the support that must be provided by the police, the courts, in prisons and on probation.

A copy is available in the Library by and it is also available on the CSIP website at,

http://www.kc.csip.org.uk/viewresource.php?action=viewdocument&doc=98519&grp=l