Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of people who died by suicide during the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps his Department is taking on suicide prevention.

We have not made a formal estimate.

We are investing an additional £57 million in suicide prevention from 2019/20 to 2023/24 through the NHS Long Term Plan. This will see investment in all areas of the country to support local suicide prevention plans and the development of suicide bereavement services. In addition, we are providing an extra £5 million in 2021/22, to be made available specifically to support suicide prevention voluntary and community sector organisations.