Oral Answers to Questions

Graeme Downie Excerpts

Tuesday 7th January 2025 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Graeme Downie (Dunfermline and Dollar) (Lab)]

1. What steps he is taking to improve mental health services for children.

[The Minister for Secondary Care (Karin Smyth)]

The delivery of mental health services for children in Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Government. I hope that they will make the best use of the boost from the recent Budget to invest in mental health services. In England, we will support children and young people earlier by providing access to a specialist mental health professional in every school and rolling out Young Futures hubs in every community. We will also cut waiting times by recruiting 8,500 more workers across children and adult mental health services.

[Graeme Downie]

The long-term impact of the covid-19 pandemic on young people is often forgotten, with isolation leading to missed opportunities, lost life experiences and still unknown impacts on mental health. Child and adolescent mental health services referrals in Fife and across Scotland have skyrocketed, and despite a record Budget settlement from the UK Government, the SNP Scottish Government have told NHS Fife not even to bother asking for more funding to tackle this massive problem. I and colleagues will write to the Scottish Government about that. Will the Minister join me in urging the Scottish Government to reverse course and ensure that young people have the support that they deserve and need?

[Karin Smyth]

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point on behalf of young people. It is disappointing that the Scottish Government do not seem to be allocating the funding as they could. He raises a powerful case, and I know that he will work hard with the Government in Edinburgh to make the situation better for his constituents.