Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS Interim People Plan, what his Department's timeframe is for achieving the target of nearly 6,500 more staff working in children and young people’s mental health services.

The Interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June 2019, sets out that an additional 25,000 staff will be employed in mental health services over the next five years. This includes nearly 6,500 more working in children and young people’s mental health services and mental health support teams in schools and colleges.

NHS England will publish a Full People Plan later in the year alongside a detailed implementation plan for the NHS Long Term Plan. This will follow the outcome of the next Spending Review.