Phil Hope (Minister of State (the East Midlands), Regional Affairs; Corby, Labour)

On 30 April, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, (Mr. Hanson), announced the Government's response to my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Bradley's review of people with mental health problems or learning disabilities in the criminal justice system. The Government accepted the direction of travel set out by Lord Bradley, and committed to developing a national delivery plan incorporating a full response to the report's recommendations.

The Government stated that they would report to Parliament on the progress achieved by the end of October 2009.

The Government are pleased to report that since the publication of Lord Bradley's review, a cross-departmental health and criminal justice national programme board, chaired by David Behan (Director General for Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships in the Department of Health), has been established to consider Lord Bradley's recommendations in detail and to develop a national delivery plan. 'Improving Health, Supporting Justice'—the delivery plan of the health and criminal justice programme board—will be published in November and we will make a further written ministerial statement about this on the day of publication.

The Government also accepted Lord Bradley's recommendation for a National Advisory Group to be established to help ensure wider involvement from interested organisations. I am pleased to announce today that Keith Pearson who is currently chair of NHS East of England, has been appointed as the chair of the National Advisory Group.