Wednesday 20 May 2009

New Letter for Lobbying the Lords

Dear All,

You can use the following letter to continue Lobbying the Lords. I've updated it and made it to reflect Lord Patel's contribution to the debate on the Coroners and Justice Bill on Monday. Many thanks for the support so many of you have shown in getting this Amendment to happen.

You can email the letter to Members of the Lords by visiting www.writetothem.com/lords. More background information can be found in the briefing I prepared which can be found here - Coroners and Justice Bill Briefing.

====TEMPLATE LETTER====

Dear xxx,

Coroners and Justice Bill - Investigating the Deaths of Mental Health Patients

I am writing to you personally to draw your attention to Section 7 of the Coroners and Justice Bill which outlines the cases in which it is proposed that a jury will be called to hear inquests.

I believe it is necessary to strengthen the clause to make sure that all deaths of mental health patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 are automatically heard before juries. Mental health patients are some of the most vulnerable people in our society and, particularly when they die whilst detained, there is a strong moral obligation on the part of the state to investigate their deaths.

The massively complex nature of psychiatric institutions mean that the deaths of mental health patients need to be investigated independently and impartially to ensure that families can have confidence in the system. Systems, procedures and the acts of individuals must be properly scrutinised and the requirement that a jury is present will not only prove that justice is being done, but that it is also being seen to be done.

Juries have consistently been shown to improve the confidence of public in our system of justice. That is why I am asking you to support an Amendment proposed by Lord Patel and Baroness Murphy to Section 7 of the Bill, requiring that juries are automatically called in these cases. Investigations into deaths in custody are currently heard before juries but Section 7 seeks to place a limit on this too - I hope you will support the case that juries must be a requirement in these inquests too.

The Bill will next be debated at the Committee Stage which is currently scheduled for the 9th and 10th June. I do hope that you will be present and feel able to support this important Amendment.

I look forward to hearing your opinions on this pressing matter of justice.

Yours sincerely,
xxxxx

1 comment:

Hugh said...

I wrote to Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer via the writetothem website