We were told by the Minister that there are pilots under way in Aneurin Bevan and Hywel Dda health board areas to look at non-emergency conveyance. He has also asked the NHS collaborative commissioning unit to undertake a mental health urgent access and conveyance review to look at how and where access is provided.

We therefore recommend that the Welsh Government should, as a matter of urgency, implement its conveyance review. It should also state how it will ensure that alternative patient transport will be provided for individuals experiencing mental health crises, thereby limiting the use of police vehicles in the conveyance of individuals detained under the Mental Health Act to hospital.

While I welcome the Minister’s acceptance of this recommendation, it is disappointing that, despite the committee’s calls for urgency in this area, the findings of the mental health urgent access and conveyance review will not be available until April, with further action dependent on its consideration by the MHCCC assurance group.

In conclusion, I think we would all agree that it is unacceptable to hold mentally ill individuals in police custody, and that the practice of detaining people under section 136 of the Mental Health Act should only occur in exceptional circumstances. We welcome the progress that has been made to date but we believe as a committee that greater pace is now needed. Thank you.