Bill receives Royal Assent
Bill Now Law
The Bill finished its passage through Parliament on 4 July 2007 and received Royal Assent on 19 July.
Several changes were agreed when the Lords considered the Commons
amendments, on Monday 2 July - to make respect for diversity an explicit
issue for the statement of principles, setting out on the face of the
legislation what must be considered when a person is placed on a community
treatment order, and a new requirement that two professionals have to
agree renewal of detention.
On 13 June, the Department of Health announced it would be proposing the following amendments to the Mental Health Bill:
- independent advocacy under the Mental Health Act 1983
- introducing new requirements around age-appropriate services for under 18s in mental health units
- extending the rights of victims to get information about mentally disordered offenders
- new safeguards in relation to the use of electroconvulsive therapy
- making explicit in the legislation the purpose of conditions attachedto the use of community treatment orders
In addition, the Government is supporting an amendment laid by Chris Bryant MP, clarifiying the meaning of the ‘appropriate medical treatment test’ by defining the purpose of medical treatment for mental disorder. The government is also supporting an amendment laid by Madeleine Moon MP, extending annual MHRT automatic referral to apply to 16/17 year olds.