Clause 5
Mental Health Bill [Lords]
3:45 pm
Chris Bryant (Rhondda, Labour)
I am sorry. The hon. Gentleman makes a good point and it is important. As I was trying to explain, if one intended to do something that was not in the interests of the patient, clearly one would not be intending appropriate medical treatment. Obviously, that must be judgable and verifiable on the basis of evidence according to treatment that has been provided to others. But the word “likely” on its own and ofitself suggests not the one in three benefiting fromthe treatment that is provided that is a common understanding of where medical treatment will be appropriate, but one in two. That is a very high hurdle for clinicians to have to overcome to be able to propose a detention. That is why I tabled the amendment.
I realise that what is most likely to happen is that the Government’s amendment will be taken first. If that amendment is carried, there will not be an opportunity to vote on my amendment. However, I hope that, as we move towards the debates on Report, the Minister will look at whether it is something that the entire Committee can support. It would relate not only to this clause, but to clause 8, where exactly the same words have been inserted by the House of Lords.
Debate adjourned.—[Claire Ward.]