§ Lord Ashbourneasked Her Majesty's Government:
In the full consultation procedure outlined by the Lord Chancellor on 16th January 1996, which individuals and organisations will be consulted which did not previously give their views on the Law Commission's draft Bill on Mental Incapacity (Law Corn 231); and whether any of the organisations so consulted are directly or indirectly in receipt of public funds.
§ The Lord ChancellorThe Government plan to undertake a full public consultation. Any organisation or member of the public will be able to respond to consultation if they so wish. Some of these organisations will be in receipt of public funds.
§ Lord Ashbourneasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many letters from individuals relating to the proposed Mental Incapacity Bill and received by the Lord Chancellor's Department were in support of the draft Mental Incapacity Bill; how many were against it; and how many expressed opposition to the principle of medical experiments being carried out on incapacitated people who cannot give valid consent.
§ The Lord ChancellorIt is not possible to give the numbers of those who supported or opposed the proposals outlined in the Law Commission's Report and draft Bill on Mental Incapacity, as not all of the comments sent to the Lord Chancellor's Department represented an accurate understanding of the Law Commission's recommendations.
§ Lord Ashbourneasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give an undertaking that any future Mental Incapacity Bill will not make provision allowing medical experiments to be carried out on incapacitated people who cannot give valid consent.
§ The Lord ChancellorThe Government place a high priority on the protection of incapacitated people. The Government will make no decisions on the content of any Mental Incapacity Bill in advance of full public consultation, given the importance and sensitivity of this subject.