Health and Social Care Bill

Baroness Masham of Ilton Excerpts

Wednesday 21st December 2011 Lords Chamber

Of course, your Lordships’ House would not like me to point to the fact that no Catholic may ring a bell, still, because those discriminations still exist under our laws. Every time you try to change them, someone produces a frightfully good reason why Catholics would be ill-advised to ring bells. We must all stand very strongly against these hangovers from a less attractive attitude, both in the religious case and in the case with which the amendment is concerned—mental illness. It is a small thing. I am a great supporter of the Bill of the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, and we should get rid of this discrimination now.

[Baroness Masham of Ilton]

What sort of bells are we not allowed to ring?

[Lord Deben]

No bells to summon Catholics to worship are allowed, because it was illegal at that time.

[Baroness Masham of Ilton]

My Lords, I, too, support the amendment. Having supported the Bill of the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, it would seem wrong not to do so. I hope that the Government can speed up this legislation.

[Lord Hunt of Kings Heath]

My Lords, this is a bit like Lords reform. If you deal with the bells question, you then have the Bishops. Is this part of a process of disestablishing the Church of England? I hope not.

We debated this in 2007 during the passage of the Mental Health (Amendment) Act. At the time, on behalf of the Government, I said that it was a matter for the House of Commons and that it was best that the Commons dealt with it. The fact is that the House of Commons has not dealt with it in four years. I hope that the Minister will say that the Government will accept this amendment. I am sure that the noble Baroness will find support on Report if not.

I have been looking at the draft House of Lords Reform Bill and I have quickly skimmed Part 7, which covers the whole range of disqualification of Members. I might have misread it, but I cannot find any reference to disqualification on the grounds of mental illness. Quite clearly, the Government do not think that it is relevant to an elected second Chamber. It certainly should not be relevant to the House of Commons.