Draft Mental Health Bill

That this House welcomes the publication of the Draft Mental Health Bill; applauds the aim to ensure appropriate care for people with serious mental illness within the criminal justice system, better meet the needs of people with a learning disability to include those with autistic spectrum condition, give people greater control over their treatment, especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are disproportionately detained under the provisions of the current Act and to provide funding to enable local communities to explore alternatives to hospital admission for people experiencing a mental health crisis; further understands that despite the Government’s public call for evidence to support the development of a new cross-Government 10-year plan for mental health, including supporting children and young people’s mental health, there are no current plans to bring forward specific legislative proposals to require early intervention and preventative measures to help address children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing issues at the first possible opportunity; and urges the Government to amend the Draft Mental Health Bill in accordance or give a commitment to introduce a stand-alone Bill to provide a Framework for the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People to include fully-funded early intervention and preventive strategies within schools and in the community.