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Written Statements

Volume 637: debated on Wednesday 14 March 2018

Written Statements

Wednesday 14 March 2018

Health and Social Care

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and Mental Capacity

Subject to the written ministerial statement HCWS202 made on 30 October 2017, I am today announcing the publication of the Government’s final response to the Law Commission’s report on mental capacity and deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS), a copy of which is attached.

I welcome the publication of the Law Commission’s report and thank them for their careful, comprehensive and considered work. This Government are committed to take action to reform mental health, and transform care for people with learning difficulties and/or autism. Taking action to reform the current DoLS regime is an important contribution towards achieving these aims and providing greater protection for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

We have set out in detail our provisional view of each individual proposal in our response, and we broadly agree with the liberty protection safeguards model. As the Government have commissioned a review into the Mental Health Act, proposals that relate to the interface between the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act will be considered as part of that review. We also want to ensure that liberty protection safeguards fit with the conditions and future direction of the health and social care sector, so we will continue to work through the detail of the recommendations and engage further with stakeholders particularly on implementation. We will bring forward legislation to implement the model when parliamentary time allows.

Attachments can be viewed online at:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-14/HCWS542/

[HCWS542]

Housing, Communities and Local Government

Communities Policy Update

The Government’s manifesto said they would bring forward a new integration strategy to help people in more isolated communities to engage with the wider world, help women in particular into the workplace, and teach more people to learn English.

The “Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper”, published today, sets out the Government’s ambitious proposals to build strong, integrated communities where people—whatever their background—live, work, learn and socialise together, based on shared rights, responsibilities and opportunities.

This strategy is for England and the majority of the policy proposals set out in this Green Paper are in areas where responsibility is devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are some proposals on the immigration system, which are reserved matters.

The consultation will run from 14 March until 5 June 2018.

Copies of the Green Paper will be placed in the Library of the House and are available on the Government’s website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/integrated-communities-strategy-green-paper

An oral statement will be delivered to both Houses later today.

[HCWS543]