HL Deb 01 July 1986 vol 477 cc760-2

3.11 p.m.

Read a third time.

Clause 7 [Persons discharged from hospital]:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)

moved Amendments Nos. 1 to 3:

Page 13, line 19, leave out ("is") and insert ("are")

Page 13, line 21, leave out ("its") and insert ("their")

Page 13, line 25, leave out ("is") and insert ("are")

The noble Baroness said: My Lords, if it is agreeable to your Lordships, I should like to move Amendments Nos. 1 and 3 and speak to Amendments Nos. 4 to 7 on behalf of my noble friend Lord Davidson. These are all drafting amendments. I should like to move them en bloc I beg to move.

On Question, amendments agreed to.

Clause 13 [Disabled persons leaving special education Scotland]:

Baroness Trumpington moved Amendments Nos. 4 to 6:

Page 17, line 28, after ("child") insert ("or young person")

Page 17, line 30, after ("child") insert ("or young person")

Page 17, line 34, after ("child") insert ("or young person")

On Question, amendments agreed to.

Clause 15 [Co-operation in planning]:

Baroness Trumpington moved Amendment No. 7:

Page 20, line 30, at end insert—

("(2) The foregoing provisions of this section extend to Scotland only ")

On Question, amendment agreed to.

Baroness Masham of Ilton

My Lords, I beg to move that the Bill do now pass. In moving this Motion, I should like to say just a few words of thanks to everyone who has helped in improving this Bill as it has passed through your Lordships' House. There are two key principles which have been strengthened.

First, disabled people are likely to be able to exert more control over their own lives as a result of more detailed elaboration of their rights to have a represen-tative (that is in clauses 1 and 2) and strengthen their influence over the assessment of their needs (that is in Clause 3); and the introduction of a new clause, Clause 4, confirms the duty on the social services to make an assessment under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

Secondly, the principle of crisis prevention has been enhanced. The arrangements in Clause 7 which need to be made before discharge from mental handicap or psychiatric hospitals have been substantially improved, with separate duties laid on the health authorities and the local authorities. In respect of this clause in particular I should like to pay tribute to the Association of County Councils, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the National Association of Health Authorities. Their support for the principle of adequate assessment before discharge was crucial to the amendments that were made in your Lordships' House. Even in the original Bill the sponsors had only envisaged a social services assessment. Last Christmas when the Bill was first printed, no one could possibly have envisaged the Bill that we see today.

My last and most deserved tribute for the success of this Bill must go to the Bill's sponsor in another place, Mr. Tom Clarke. Without his good fortune in the ballot, his decision to use that good fortune to advance the status of disabled people and the tenacity with which he fought for his Bill, this Bill would not have been here today. I hope that it will not be long before the Bill, when it becomes an Act, will be brought into force, with all the necessary resources. I hope also that it will be extended to Northern Ireland. I beg to move.

Moved, That the Bill do now pass.—(Baroness Masham of Ilton.)

Baroness Trumpington

May I first turn the thanks on to the noble Baroness, Lady Masham? I should like to congratulate her on all the hard work that she has done on this Bill and on the skilful way in which she has piloted it through your Lordships' House. On this as on other occasions she has shown herself to be a doughty champion of the interests of disabled people themselves and those who care about their needs. All of them owe her a debt of gratitude.

Finally, I should just like to thank all the noble Lords on whatever Benches they sit who have taken such a positive interest in this Bill and contributed so helpfully to our debates.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, I want to do no more than be associated with the congratulations to both the noble Baroness, Lady Masham and the original sponsor of the Bill in another place, Mr. Tom Clarke. It is very rarely that a Bill such as this, which appears in the end to be of such importance, is actually presented by a Private Member's Bill, and it owes a lot both to the Government and to the voluntary organisations which entered into very serious discussion and negotiation with them. To them also I want to offer congratulations and thanks.

Lord Banks

My Lords, from these Benches I too should like to congratulate the sponsors of the Bill: in another place, Mr. Tom Clarke, and in this House the noble Baroness, Lady Masham. We are also grateful for the part which has been played in the piloting of this Bill through this House by the Government, and in particular by the noble Baroness, Lady Trumpington. We on these Benches welcome this measure and look forward to it coming into force.

On Question, Bill passed, and returned to the Commons with amendments.

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