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Mental Health Bill [HL]

I hope this is a matter that all of us on the Committee can sign up to, at least in principle, without serious argument. We are dealing here with a proposal that, par excellence, could deliver a step change in patient empowerment for those with mental illnesses. When the Government responded to the Joint Scrutiny Committee report in 2005, they sounded quite positive about advance statements and decisions. They said that they were carefully considering how a provision of some sort could be placed on the face of the Bill. It is really quite disappointing that nothing has appeared, but it is not too late to find a way through. I hope that the Minister will be receptive.