Committee seeks public views on proposed legislative competence for the Assembly in relation to Mental Health Services.

The Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (No.6) Order 2008 (Relating to Provision of Mental Health Services) Committee, which has been established to scrutinise the Assembly Member Jonathan Morgan’s proposed legislation on mental health, has launched a public consultation to seek the views of interested parties.

The proposed Order will provide the Assembly with the power to make its own laws, known as Measures, in the field of mental health and mental health services.  

As part of pre-legislative scrutiny, the Committee will consider the general principles and terms of the proposed Order and report to the Assembly.

David Melding AM, Chair of the Committee, said: “The aim of the proposed Order is to provide the Assembly with the opportunity to bring forward in the future Measures to provide people who are or may be mentally disordered the right to assessment, treatment and provision of independent mental health advocacy services (except for those who are detained, liable to detention or liable to recall under the Mental Health Act 1983). “

“This would be the first time that the Assembly would be asking for legislative powers to assist in this important area of mental health services and therefore it is of crucial importance that this issue receives a thorough and comprehensive scrutiny.

We would like to hear the views of people and organisations who could be affected by future legislation in this area, if these powers are conferred on the Assembly.”

The Committee would welcome views and evidence from interested parties on questions such as:

• Do you agree that the National Assembly for Wales should have legislative competence on some mental health issues?

• Would the legislative powers being sought be wide enough to cover important mental health issues?

This is the first Assembly Member proposed Order to be scrutinised by the Assembly under powers introduced by the Government of Wales Act. Jonathan Morgan AM won a ballot of AMs in October to allow him to propose the Order.

The deadline for submitting evidence is 25 April 2008. The Committee welcomes evidence in both English and Welsh. The Committee will consider responses to the written consultation during the summer term.

Further information on the Committee and the full call for evidence

Further information on the proposed Legislative Competence Order and the legislative process