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Mental Health Bill [Lords]

Okay, we are now down to saying, ““Let’s treat it in the same way as we treat physical illness.”” The hon. Gentleman therefore wants a new threshold, and he has now accepted that there will be people who will not be treated if the House agrees to what is proposed. Effectively, we would be saying that we did not want such people to harm others, but that it was fine that they could go away and commit suicide, even though they had a mental disorder and were a risk to themselves. It is sometimes quite difficult to work out whether somebody is a risk to themselves or to others; most clinicians will say that it is difficult to make the distinction. The hon. Gentleman is therefore introducing a difference between two groups, but I would say that that is quite difficult to do. We would be saying that, although appropriate medical treatment was available, a new test meant that people would be excluded from treatment. We need to be clear that that is what the House is now considering and what would be brought about.