Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Karl Turner and Baroness May of Maidenhead

Wednesday 26th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I know she has championed the armed forces covenant and is a great proponent of our veterans and the armed forces. It is absolutely right to say that everybody in this House owes a great debt of gratitude to our veterans and to those serving today in our armed forces for what they do to keep us safe and secure. That is why it is so important that the covenant is not just a responsibility for the Government, but a national responsibility; we should all be working to ensure that those who have served us, and served us well, do not face disadvantages. That is why we have been doing things such as putting money into a forces Help to Buy scheme to help them with houses—I believe the figure is £200 million. We must continue to do this, and I absolutely commit to ensuring that this is a Government who continue to support our veterans and the members of our armed forces.

[Karl Turner (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab)]

Q5. . Last year, my 25-year-old nephew Matty committed suicide after a very short period of depression. His GP had referred him for talking therapy counselling but warned him that it would be at least six months before he got an appointment. These treatments in the NHS are often a waiting game—a dangerous waiting game—and a postcode lottery. What is the Prime Minister doing to sort this crisis out?

[The Prime Minister]

First, I recognise and commend the hon. Gentleman for raising his personal experience of the terrible tragedy that can occur when mental health problems are not properly dealt with. He raises a very serious issue—it is a serious issue for everybody in this House—about how the NHS treats mental health. This is why we have established the concept of parity of esteem for mental health and physical health in the NHS, and why we are seeing record levels of funding. He raises the question of talking therapies, which are very effective, and we have been introducing waiting time standards in relation to them. However, I accept that there is more for us to do in this area to ensure that those with mental health problems are properly treated, and are properly given the care and attention they need. This is an issue not just for them, but for the whole of our society.