Mental illness should be recognised as a disability

A House of Commons committee is urging better protection against discrimination for people with mental illness.

Protection should also be extended for people with progressive illnesses and given to people with severe depression that lasts for more than six months.

A joint parliamentary committee that was set up specifically to review the government's draft discrimination bill says the bill could go further to provide better opportunities for the estimated 10 million disabled adults in the United Kingdom.

In its report the committee makes 75 recommendations covering a wide range of issues, including illnesses, transport, and housing.

It says that the rules on who is …