Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 17 October 2019.
Vincent Cable
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Health and Social Care)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress the Government has made on responding to the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act; and what plans he has to ensure that people with direct experience of the Mental Health Act 1983 continue to be involved in designing future reforms.
Nadine Dorries
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care
We have already accepted a number of the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983’s recommendations and we will publish a white paper by the end of this year, setting out our response in full. This will pave the way for reform to the Act and tackle issues addressed by the Review.
There will be a public consultation on the reforms. We also plan to run a number of public engagement events, in particular, with those who have had direct experience of the Act.
We have also drawn on the expertise of service users, carers and professionals as we have considered the review’s recommendations.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
A document issued by the Government laying out its policy, or proposed policy, on a topic of current concern.Although a white paper may occasion consultation as to the details of new legislation, it does signify a clear intention on the part of a government to pass new law. This is a contrast with green papers, which are issued less frequently, are more open-ended and may merely propose a strategy to be implemented in the details of other legislation.
More from wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_paper
