§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. David Lammy)My Department will announce tomorrow the publication of a draft Bill on Mental Incapacity (CM 5859). This draft Bill proposes ways to empower and protect vulnerable adults who find it difficult to make their own decisions. It would also promote choice by enabling people to appoint someone they trust to manage all their financial, welfare and healthcare affairs if they should lose capacity in the future.
The draft Bill will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee of both Houses, which intends to report later this year. This will provide an opportunity to listen to people's views and ensure that our proposals would work in practice.
Copies of the announcement and draft Bill will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, the Vote Office and the Printed paper Office. The announcement and draft Bill will also be made available on the Department for Constitutional Affairs website at http://www.lcd.gov.uk/