Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to assess the long-term impact of the covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns on the (a) mental health and (b) suicide rates of young people.

Through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Department has funded various studies into the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Three projects will focus on children and young people, including assessing the impact of the pandemic and related social restrictions on the mental health of teenagers.

We will continue to monitor suicide rates, including those of young people, through data published by the Office for National Statistics. The National Child Mortality Database, funded by NHS England and NHS Improvement, also monitors data for all children aged under 18 years old in England. In addition, we will continue to consider the potential impact of the pandemic on groups, including children and young people, through the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group and its COVID-19 sub-group.