Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs: Misuse

Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 22 July 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Daisy Cooper Daisy Cooper Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Education), Deputy Leader, Liberal Democrats

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reforming the Mental Health Act to include mandatory care for people suffering from addiction.

Photo of Nadine Dorries Nadine Dorries Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We have not made a formal assessment. For the purposes of the Mental Health Act 1983, drug or alcohol addiction are not considered to be mental disorders. This is stated in section 1(3) of the Act. The reforms to the Act proposed in the Government’s White Paper, published in January, respond directly to the recommendations made by Sir Simon Wessely’s independent review of the Mental Health Act. The review’s terms of reference, as set by the Government, did not extend to a consideration of including addiction within the provisions of the Act.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes3 people think so

No5 people think not

Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.