Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that waiting times for mental health treatment are no longer than waiting times for treatment for physical health conditions.

Too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need when they need it, which is why we are committed to ensuring we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health, so that people can be confident in accessing high quality mental health support when they need it.

This includes recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers, introducing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, rolling out Young Futures hubs, and modernising the Mental Health Act.

We have also committed £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, reducing the pressure on busy emergency mental health and accident and emergency services and ensuring people have the support they need when they need it.