Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication of the Inequalities in disability report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies on 23 August, what steps they are taking to address the rise in mental health issues and disability benefit claims among children, and in particular the doubling of the rate of girls aged 16 who are in contact with mental health services since 2017–18.

We are progressing work with NHS England to increase access to children and young people’s mental health services as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to increasing investment in mental health services by at least £2.3 billion a year by March 2024 so that an additional 345,000 children and young people are able to get the National Health Service-funded mental health support they need.