DRAFT MENTAL INCAPACITY BILL

Early day motion 278, tabled 11 December 2003 by Ann Winterton (Conservative). Signed by 51 members.

That this House notes the criticism of the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Incapacity Bill of the failure of the Department for Constitutional Affairs to have 'adequately addressed the important, through admittedly complex, issues involving access to information to those acting on behalf of people lacking capacity' (Conclusion 97); recalls that the declared main objective of the new legislation was to improve the caring situation regarding general welfare and financial problems relating to people who become mentally incapacitated; maintains therefore, that this must be regarded as a matter of gross negligence; and calls upon the Government to ensure that when the Bill is presented to Parliament it will adequately address the general welfare and financial needs of mentally incapacitated people rather than the present draft which is being used by the euthanasia lobby as a vehicle to introduce euthanasia by omission through the withdrawal of food and fluid from patients who are not dying.

Signatures by party: Conservative 22, Labour 16, Liberal Democrat 4, Labour/Co-operative 3, DUP 2, Independent Conservative 1, Independent Ulster Unionist 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.