Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of (a) people leaving work and (b) sick days taken due to osteoporotic fractures on tax revenues.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The government does not have estimates for the impact on tax revenues of osteoporotic fractures. However, the government recognises the importance of boosting people’s health for their own benefit, as well as for the wider labour market and the Exchequer.
At the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a range of measures to support improved population health outcomes and increase the employment rate and hours worked among those with a health condition or disability. For musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in particular, this included scaling up MSK hubs in the community and ensuring digital resources such as apps for management of mental health and MSK conditions are readily available.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure funding for (a) bespoke parent-infant relationship and (b) perinatal mental health support is directed to local services.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Education)
75 local authorities in England are participating in the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme. Approximately £92.8 million of the £100 million investment for perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support is being allocated to these local authorities for them to improve their local offer. The Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme Guide sets clear expectations that the money should be used to enhance local services and funding is allocated for activities set out in agreed delivery plans. The Programme Guide is available at the following link:
The remaining funding is being held centrally to commission a series of national initiatives to support local delivery. These include training programmes for evidence-based parent infant relationship interventions to improve staff capability and a national centre for supervision that will enable practitioners to access high quality clinical supervision.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much of the £100 million for bespoke parent-infant relationship and perinatal mental health support set out in the Women's Health Strategy has been spent; and if he will publish a breakdown on that expenditure.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Education)
Information relating to the funding that has been allocated to local authorities through the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme will be published in due course.
Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme, £100 million is being invested in improving parent-infant relationships and perinatal mental health support. £92.8 million is being distributed to 75 local authorities in England participating in the Programme over the three years, from 2022/23 to 2024/25. The remaining funding is being held centrally to commission a series of national initiatives which will support local delivery, including training programmes for evidence-based parent-infant relationship interventions and access to high-quality clinical supervision for practitioners.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing suicide prevention as a compulsory part of the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Health Education became a statutory part of the National Curriculum in September 2020, for all pupils in state funded schools of compulsory school age.
The aim of teaching pupils about physical health and mental wellbeing is to provide the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing, recognise issues in themselves and others and, when issues arise, seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources.
At primary school, pupils will be taught to recognise and talk about their emotions, the benefits of exercise, and simple self care techniques. At secondary school, pupils will be taught common types of mental ill health and how to recognise the early signs of mental wellbeing concerns. Schools can teach older pupils about suicide in an age appropriate and sensitive way.
The Department has brought forward the review of the relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance. The Department will consult on an amended draft of the statutory guidance in the autumn with a view to publishing the final version in early 2024.