{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-act-1959/section-131",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-act-1959/section-131.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/72",
  "legislation_title": "Mental Health Act 1959",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-act-1959",
  "path": "section/131",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "131",
  "heading": "Prosecutions by local authorities.",
  "text": "(1) A local social services authority may institute proceedings for any offence under this Part of this Act, but without prejudice to any provision of this Part of this Act requiring the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for the institution of such proceedings.\n(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words substituted by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), Sch. 23 para. 9(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Ss. 44, 77, 78, 131(2), 134, 144(2), 146, Sch. 7 Part II entry relating to: Representation of the People Act 1949 (c. 68) repealed by Mental Health (Amendment) Act 1982 (c. 51, SIF 85), Sch. 4 Pt. I"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/72/section/131",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:11:36.620169+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}