Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reasons are the for the time taken to publish Health Education England's mental health workforce strategy; and if he will set a date for its publication.

A five year workforce plan to deliver the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health is currently being finalised by Health Education England and will be published in summer 2017. Analysis and development of the workforce strategy have been completed and Health Education England is now working with arm’s length body partners to agree the associated goals, trajectories, actions, and other deliverables associated with the implementation of the strategy.