Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish its response to the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act, published December 2018; and what plans he has to implement the recommendations of that Review.

We have committed to publishing a White Paper which will set out the Government’s response to Sir Simon Wessely’s Independent Review of the Mental Health Act.

We will publish our White Paper as soon as it is possible to do so. Our intention is that this White Paper will pave the way for reform to the Mental Health Act, and tackle issues addressed by the Review. We will ensure that people subject to the Act receive better care and have a much greater say in that care.

We will consult publicly on our proposals and we will bring forward a Bill to amend the Act when parliamentary time allows.