HC Deb 09 June 1995 vol 261 cc332-3W
Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the dates when consultations took place between her Department and the Royal College of Psychiatrists prior to the publication of the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Bill. [27406]

Mr. Bowis

The college gave written and oral evidence to the Department's review of legal powers on the care of mentally ill people in the community. It was one of the bodies invited to comment on the report of the review which was published in August 1993, and responded on 27 October 1993. Officials have had regular meetings with the college since then.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates she has made of the number of people who will be subject to a supervised discharge order under the proposals of the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Bill. [27408]

Mr. Bowls

A survey commissioned by the Department in 1993 suggested that at any one time there might be about 3,000 patients in England who would be considered suitable for a provision of this kind.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of whether any of the new powers proposed in the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Bill are inconsistent with the European convention on human rights; and if she will make a statement. [27411]

Mr. Bowis

The provisions of the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Bill take full account of advice to us on the effect of the European convention on human rights in this area and we are satisfied that they are entirely consistent with the convention.