The subject of mentally disturbed offenders and potential offenders has arisen regularly in the course of discussions between ministers from the Home Office and the DHSS, and between officials from those departments. Ministers were concerned to ensure that the mental health services and the prison system together took adequate account of the needs of those who are mentally disturbed and become offenders. The interdepartmental working group was set up at a meeting between Lord Glenarthur and Lady Trumpington on 5 June 1986 and Dr. Kilgour, director of the Prison Medical Service, was invited to be its chairman. The group's terms of reference jointly agreed by the ministers were 'To consider the problems presented by mentally disordered offenders in the prison system in England and Wales with a view to (1) minimizing the numbers of such prisoners; (2) facilitating their management and treatment in the most appropriate conditions while in custody and after; and (3) making recommendations and reporting back to ministers before the end of November 1986. The working group made four recommendations in total. These are delineated. (Author abstract modified)