HC Deb 27 July 1960 vol 627 cc1692-3

Lords Amendment: In page 29, line 18, leave out "and" and insert: (2) Subject to the provisions of the next following subsection,".

Mr. Galbraith

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This is a drafting Amendment.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords Amendment: In page 29, line 19, leave out "subsection" and insert "section".

Mr. Galbraith

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This is a further drafting Amendment.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords Amendment: In page 29, line 21, leave out "said age" and insert "age of twenty-five".

Mr. Galbraith

I beg 'to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This is another drafting Amendment.

Mr. E. G. Willis (Edinburgh, East)

The Joint Under-Secretary is getting away with murder here, with his pleas that these Amendments are purely drafting. These Amendments appear to me to be part of one specific change in the Bill. Will he be kind enough to explain why this change is being made, and what it means?

Mr. Galbraith

The hon. Member always doubts what I say. There are drafting Amendments, consequential on the division into two of the former subsection (1) of Clause 40, which had become rather long as a result of previous Amendments. The changes also have the advantage of bringing the structure of the Clause more into line with that of Clause 39, which deals with the regular reviews of the authority in regard to detention or guardianship of patients.

Question put and agreed to.

Subsequent Lords Amendment agreed to.

Lords Amendment: In page 29, line 27, after "informed" insert "forthwith".

Mr. Galbraith

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

The Amendment makes it plain that the board of management or local health authority concerned must inform the patient and his nearest relative immediately when authority for detention or guardianship is renewed at the age of 25 since there is a limited period for appeal to the sheriff.

Mr. A. C. Manuel (Central Ayrshire)

I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Willis) in his plea for a little more information. It is rather disturbing to note that the hon. Member agrees more easily with another place, which is unelected, than he does with the elected representatives of Scotland who put forward these points in Committee. We are delighted that he has seen the light, and that the persons in another place have convinced him, but I still think that the plea made by my hon. Friend the Member for Greenock (Dr. Dickson Mabon) earlier on is still pertinent. We have struggled manfully to try to get this principle inserted.

Question put and agreed to.