Oral Answers to Questions

Angela Rayner Excerpts

Tuesday 7th July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook (Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab)]

6. What progress the Government have made on achieving parity of esteem for physical and mental health services.

[Angela Rayner (Ashton-under-Lyne) (Lab)]

7. What progress the Government have made on achieving parity of esteem for physical and mental health services.

[Pat Glass (North West Durham) (Lab)]

15. What progress the Government have made on achieving parity of esteem for physical and mental health services.

--- Later in debate ---

[Angela Rayner]

Mental health budget cuts have hit us hard locally. I hope that the Minister will join me in paying tribute to the work of the Anthony Seddon Fund, which has raised thousands of pounds for mental health and wellbeing projects in Tameside and Failsworth? Will he promise real parity of esteem and pledge to increase mental health spending, not to cut it?

[Alistair Burt]

I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Matthew Pennycook). Mental health funding is increasing, and parity of esteem is demonstrated by having access targets and targets for waiting times for the first time. Those measures could have been introduced by a previous Government but they were not, and the demonstration of parity of esteem shown by that legislation and by the increase in investment should help to reassure the hon. Lady’s constituents. I pay tribute to those who work in a voluntary capacity to assist those with mental health issues.