Lords continues detailed check of Mental Health Bill

The Mental Health Bill seeks to amend the Mental Health Act 1983. Changes proposed in the bill include:

• Tightening the detention criteria in the 1983 Act and providing for more frequent reviews
• Limiting the period that people with autism or a learning disability can be detained
• Removing prisons and police stations as 'places of safety' in the Act.

Line by line examination  

Committee stage is a thorough examination of the individual parts (clauses) of the bill. 

Starting from the front of the bill, members work through the clauses in order, considering changes (amendments) to the wording or proposals for new clauses. 

Five days of committee stage took place: 

• Tuesday 14 January
• Monday 20 January
• Wednesday 22 January
• Monday 27 January
• Monday 24 February*

Proposed changes

Members speaking on day five of committee stage put forward amendments to the bill (PDF) on subjects including:

• duties to promote mental wellbeing
• resources for community services
• accessibility of mental health facilities for children with physical disabilities.

Get involved 

• Watch on Parliament TV - part one and part two.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript - part one and part two.

Explore further information

Find out more about the bill in the House of Lords Library briefing.

Next steps

Report stage, a further chance to closely scrutinise elements of the bill and make changes began on Monday 31 March.

What's happened so far?

Committee stage day four: Monday 27 January

Members speaking on day four of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill on subjects including:

• protecting children from exploitation or manipulation
• recording patients escorted to A&E by police.

Catch up

• Watch on Parliament TV recording -  part one and part two.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript - part one and part two.

Committee stage day three: Wednesday 22 January

Members speaking on day three of committee stage put forward amendments to the bill on subjects including:

• creating therapeutic environments which recognise patient trauma and minimise distress
• non-drug-based forms of medical treatment
• clinician agreement to change patients' preferred treatments.

Catch up

• Watch on Parliament TV recording - part one and part two.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript - part one and part two.

Committee stage day two: Monday 20 January

Members speaking on day two of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill relating to the care of persons with autism and learning disabilities, including:

• definition of 'risk factors' for the detention of individuals
• commissioning of support services and care provider training
• access to local prescribing psychiatrists in places of residence.

Catch up

• Watch the Parliament TV recording - part one and part two.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript - part one and part two.

Committee stage day one: Tuesday 14 January

Members speaking on day one of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) to the bill on subjects including:

• patient communication difficulties
• housing needs as part of treatment reviews
• care reports for young people with learning disabilities.

Catch up

• Watch the Parliament TV recording - part one and part two.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript - part one and part two.

Second reading

Second reading, a full debate on the key principles of the bill, took place on  Monday 25 November 2024.

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