Mental Health (Discrimination) Act 2013

The Mental Health (Discrimination) Act 2013 (introduced into Parliament as the Mental Health (Discrimination) (No. 2) Bill)^[1] is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom introduced to the House of Commons by Gavin Barwell, the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Croydon Central.

Mental Health (Discrimination) Act 2013

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to make further provision about discrimination against people on the grounds of their mental health.
Citation	2013 c.8
Introduced by	Gavin Barwell MP (Commons) Lord Stevenson of Coddenham (Lords)
Territorial extent	United Kingdom
Dates
Royal assent	28 February 2013
Other legislation
Relates to	Mental Health Act 1983 Juries Act 1974
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through Parliament
Text of statute as originally enacted

Legislative passage

The bill passed its House of Commons second reading on 14 September 2012.^[2][3]

Provisions

There are four sections of the act.

Section 1 ("Members of Parliament etc") removes from the Mental Health Act 1983 the provision that disqualifies from the House of Commons a member sectioned for over six months under that Act.^[4] Section 2 ("Jurors") qualifies the restrictions of jury members who are receiving mental health treatment. Section 3 ("Company directors") modifies regulations in relation to the employment of director's appointments.^[4] The final section gives the Secretary of State power to determine when the section relating to juries take effect; the other provisions came into force with royal assent.

Other developments

At the same time as the legislation was being passed the Commons Members Estimate Committee approved funding for mental health services to be provided for members of Parliament.^[5]

Reception

The then Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband, said the bill would bring public understanding of mental health "into the 21st century".^[6] The Government supported the legislation.^[7]