Helen was one of around 1, 000 abuse victims whose civil damages claim collapsed after two test cases failed at the Court of Session then the House of Lords in 2008.

BBC: 'Regret' over Nazareth House abuse compensation

The bill, which has been backed by mental health charities and the Royal College of Physicians, builds on the work of Lord Stevenson of Coddenham, who launched a similar bill in the House of Lords in the previous Parliamentary session.

BBC: Gavin Barwell

But in an effort to get the changes through Parliament before the end of the session, Lord Steel allowed many of the more controversial elements of his programme of Lords reform to be removed during report-stage debate on 10 February 2012.

BBC: House of Lords Reform Bill