HC Deb 05 May 1959 vol 605 cc288-9

Amendments made: In page 26, line 5, leave out from "may" to "this" and insert: subject to the provisions of".

In line 13, leave out from "may" to "this" in line 14, and insert: subject to the provisions of".

In line 18, leave out from "patient" to first "the" in line 19 and insert: shall not be taken into custody under this section after the expiration of".—[Mr. Walker-Smith.]

Mr. Walker-Smith

I beg to move, in page 26, line 34, at the end to insert: (4) In this Act "absent without leave" means absent from any hospital or other place and liable to be taken into custody and returned under this section, and kindred expressions shall he construed accordingly. This is a drafting Amendment which adds a new subsection defining the term "absent without leave" as covering the circumstances set out in detail in the earlier provisions of the Clause. The effect is to enable the term to be used in other Clauses of the Bill instead of longer descriptions of patients to whom these circumstances apply. In that way it has been possible to improve the drafting in many parts of the Bill.

Amendment agreed to.