Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress the Government has made on responding to the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act; and what plans he has to ensure that people with direct experience of the Mental Health Act 1983 continue to be involved in designing future reforms.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
We have already accepted a number of the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983’s recommendations and we will publish a White Paper by the end of this year, setting out our response in full. This will pave the way for reform to the Act and tackle issues addressed by the Review.
There will be a public consultation on the reforms. We also plan to run a number of public engagement events, in particular, with those who have had direct experience of the Act.
We have also drawn on the expertise of service users, carers and professionals as we have considered the review’s recommendations.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Government will publish a full workforce strategy to (a) address shortages in the mental health workforce and (b) support the implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The interim NHS People Plan was published on 3 June 2019 and sets out the action we will take now and over the long term to address workforce shortages, strengthen education and training, and improve culture and leadership in the National Health Service. The interim NHS People Plan recognises that urgent action must be taken to increase the numbers of mental health nurses and to strengthen the training and skill mix for those working in mental health.
Mental health matters as much as physical health and the Government is prioritising resources to deliver real improvements for those who access services and work in that sector.
The final NHS People Plan is due to be published in the next few months.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made on implementing recommendation 36 in the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health on ensuring that all GPs receive core mental health training by 2020.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The Government is working to ensure that all general practitioners are suitably trained in mental health issues. Mental health care is an essential element of general practice. Mental health care is emphasised in the Royal College of General Practitioners (GP) curriculum. All GP specialty trainees receive mental health training in their 18 months in general practice and this is regarded as a core element of their training.
Health Education England is working with NHS England and Royal College of General Practitioners to further improve mental health training of GPs as part of building training capacity in primary care for multi-professional, multi-disciplinary training, clinical placements and continuing professional development.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans the Government has to strengthen protections in the Equality Act 2010 for people with mental health problems who experience discrimination.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Tacking mental health discrimination in the workplace is a priority for the Government. We are considering the scope for further support and protection for people with mental health conditions.
The Equality Act 2010 already protects people whose mental health conditions meet the definition of disability in the Act, specifically a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities’.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to allocate new capital investment to modernise the mental health estate, as recommended by the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act, published 6 December 2018.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Improving mental health is at the heart of this Government’s agenda and capital investment to modernise the mental health estate is a key part of the Government’s ambition to achieve greater parity between physical and mental health care.
The Government has announced investments of over £400 million in improving the mental health estate since July 2017. Most recently this included £72.3 million for Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust to develop a new adult mental health inpatient unit and £33 million to Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust for a 40-bed low secure unit for people with learning disabilities, both of which were included in the £850 million capital funding for 20 hospital upgrades announced by the Prime Minister on 5 August. In addition, the Department spent almost £19 million capital last year on central programmes to support mental health services. This includes schemes to deliver Perinatal Mental Health Mother and Baby Units to deliver more personalised care to expectant and new mums with serious mental ill health.
As set out in the new Health Infrastructure Plan on 30 September, the Government is committed to making further strategic investments to modernise mental health facilities, which will be confirmed when the Department receives a multiyear capital settlement at the next capital review.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average time it takes for Action Fraud call centre operators to answer calls from the public; and what is Action Fraud's target time is for answering such calls.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of people employed by Action Fraud as (a) call centre operators, (b) investigators and (c) other staff.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average time taken to investigate cases at Action Fraud; and what steps she is taking to ensure Action Fraud has the resources necessary to investigate such cases.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of Action Fraud's performance.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria must reports submitted to Action Fraud meet in order to be investigated.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
291218: All reports submitted to Action Fraud are subject to risk assessments, which take into account the following:
291223: Action Fraud is working in conjunction with Victim Support in London to identify vulnerable victims and provide them with additional advice and support to stop them becoming repeat victims.
NFIB’s Project Recall alerts banks when reports of recent fraudulent transactions are made, which often results in payments being stopped or returned to the victim.
Action Fraud is the national reporting point for fraud and cyber crime. Since April 2013, it has taken reports of these crimes on behalf of all police forces in England and Wales. Once Action Fraud has received a crime report, that information is considered by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). Where there is enough evidence available and a viable lead, actionable intelligence packages are created and sent to the appropriate police force to consider whether enforcement activity should take place. Neither Action Fraud nor the NFIB are investigatory agencies. It is still for local forces to consider enforcement activity. Both Action Fraud and the NFIB are run by the City of London Police, which is the national lead force for fraud.