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Mental Health Bill [HL]

I want briefly to support the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Rix. He has said it so eloquently that, like the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, I do not want to add much. This is really about ensuring that people with learning disabilities are not discriminated against and have a proper assessment of their mental disorder. As we have already heard, they are far more likely to be suffering from serious mental disorder. Underlying some of the Government’s thinking is the notion that we must not risk people with learning disabilities being caught up in the criminal justice system when it is inappropriate for that to happen. The reason why that happens is because of the poor availability of proper consultant psychiatry to people with learning disabilities. It is a developing field, which has got much better in recent years, but there is still tremendous discrimination. The opportunity to have proper assessments and treatments is absolutely crucial. The noble Lord, Lord Rix, has said it. I support this amendment strongly.