Mental Health Bill

James Duddridge (Rochford and Southend, East) (Con)
13. What progress is being made towards producing a new draft Mental Health Bill.

The Secretary of State for Health (Ms Patricia Hewitt)
On 23 March 2006, the Government announced their intention to produce a Bill to amend the Mental Health Act 1983. This Bill will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

James Duddridge
Will the definition of mental disorder remain the same as in the 1983 Act, or will the Secretary of State use the definition that was in the two draft Bills, which would widen the group of people who could be compelled to be treated against their will?

Ms Hewitt
We will take the opportunity offered by the new Bill to replace the definition in the 1983 Act. We will introduce a new and simplified definition of mental disorder, which in turn will be linked to the new supervised community treatment.