Health minister John Hutton has defended the government's
decision not to accept any of the principles for reform of mental
health legislation put forward by an expert committee appointed by
ministers.
He told a House of Commons health select committee hearing on
mental health services that some of the principles proposed by the
group headed by Genevra Richardson were already enshrined in
existing laws.
"We have not rejected the principle of non-discrimination, but
it is covered by the Discrimination Act," he said.
The committee's report was submitted to the Department of Health
last November.