Pressure grows on Government to end mental health discrimination in Parliament
13 January 2010
The aim of the amendment is to remove the discriminatory provisions in existing legislation which mean that an MP automatically loses his or her seat if detained under the Mental Health Act.
The Government is coming under growing pressure to accept this amendment, with Labour MP Lynne Jones using Prime Ministers Questions to raise this subject with the Prime Minister today. Mark Harper had previously questioned the Prime Minister on this same subject back in June 2009. In addition, the Speaker’s Conference, which published its final report on parliamentary representation earlier this week (11th January 2010) also called for Section 141 of the Mental Health Act 1983 to be ‘repealed as soon as practicable’.
Under Section 141 of the Mental Health Act 1983 an MP automatically loses his/her seat in Parliament if detained under the Act for a period of six months or more. By contrast there are no provisions to remove MPs suffering from physical illnesses which stop them from carrying out their duties and responsibilities for the same length of time.
No MP has ever been excluded from Parliament for this reason - but campaigners say it adds to the stigma for people who have mental problems by putting them in the same category as criminals, who can also be barred from the House.
A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health in July 2008 (supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Mind, Rethink and Stand to Reason) entitled ‘Mental Health in Parliament’, based on a survey of MPs, Peers and parliamentary staff, found that ‘68% (2 out of 3 MPs who responded) believed the fact that an MP will automatically lose their seat if sectioned under the Mental Health Act is wrong’.
Commenting on the issue, Mark said:
“Mental ill-health is still a taboo subject in Parliament as well as the work place and this must change. Mental ill-health affects as many as one in five of the working age population, and it is crucial that Parliament leads the way in promoting a better understanding of mental impairments.
Changing this aspect of the law will be a small but symbolic step in redressing the stigma that people with mental health problems face in the workplace. It will also make Parliament a more welcoming place for those with a mental health problem.”
