Lords makes further checks to 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.

Further checks 

Report stage, a further chance to closely scrutinise elements of the bill and make changes, finished on 2 April.

Two days of report stage were scheduled: 

• Monday 31 March
• Wednesday 2 April

Lords votes

Following amendments put forward by members (PDF) on the first day of report stage, there were three divisions (votes) on proposed changes including:

• an independent review process for patients with learning disabilities placed in long-term segregation
• An Independent Mental Health Commissioner
• mental healthcare spending.

Members voted to disagree with these amendments, so the changes were not made.

Catch up

• Watch on Parliament TV.
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Explore further information

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

Next steps

Third reading, a chance for members to ‘tidy up' the bill, ensuring the text is effective, workable and without loopholes, is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 23 April.

What's happened so far?

Report stage day one: Monday 31

The first day of report stage took place on Monday 31 March.

Votes

Following amendments put forward by members (PDF) on the first day of report stage, there were four divisions (votes) on proposed changes to the bill. 

Members voted to agree to four amendments to the bill on:

• ascertaining and learning from patients’ experiences of hospital treatment.
• the appointment of a nominated person by an approved mental health professional.
• community treatment orders.
• removing the need for the presence of police at mental health incidents in the absence of any risk.

Catch up

• Catch up on part one and part two on Parliament TV.
• Read part one and part two of the Lords Hansard transcript.

Committee stage

Committee stage, a detailed line by line examination of the separate parts (clauses and schedules) of a bill, concluded on Monday 24 February.

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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