Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to take part and to open this debate today on the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee's report on mental health in the context of policing and police custody. 

During two Assembly committee inquiries, Assembly Members have heard from police representatives that an increasing amount of police resources are being used on managing mental health crises. The committee therefore agreed to hold a short inquiry with a focus on partnership working between the police, health and social care services, and others. We were particularly keen to see how effectively services are working together to prevent people with mental health problems from being taken into police custody, and to assure ourselves that vulnerable people in mental health crisis get the care and support that they need.

Sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 give police officers powers in relation to individuals who have, or appear to have, a mental disorder. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 made some significant changes to sections 135 and 136. These were intended to improve responses to people in mental health crises who need urgent help with their mental health in cases where police officers are the first to respond.