Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has the Government made on the effectiveness of CAHMS online therapies as opposed to in person support.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made a specific assessment on the effectiveness of Children and Young People Mental Health (CYPMH) online therapies as opposed to in-person support.

However, more widely, the Department draws on a growing body of evidence on the effectiveness of digital and online therapies for CYPMH, including findings from ongoing evaluations, research programmes, and clinical trials. This includes research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, international evidence on digital innovation, and evidence generated through local service evaluations.

Digital and online interventions can provide young people with flexible, timely, and accessible support, and form an important part of a modern, blended mental health offer.

The Government has committed to harnessing safe and effective digital tools across the National Health Service, including through the 10‑Year Health Plan’s focus on digitally enabled care, to improve access, increase choice, and support earlier intervention for children, young people, and families.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the effectiveness of Mental Health Support Teams in schools in respect to reducing pressure on CAHMS.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has reviewed the available evidence and operational learning to assess the impact of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). Early findings from evaluations of trailblazer and pilot sites suggest that MHSTs are supporting earlier identification and more effective management of emerging mental health needs within educational settings. By providing timely intervention, MHSTs can help prevent difficulties from escalating to a level that would otherwise require referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

In addition to this early evidence, an independent evaluation of the MHST programme is currently underway and is due to be published later this year. This evaluation will consider the broader impacts of MHSTs, including their effect on CAMHS.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of Ofcom’s ability to deploy service restriction orders or business disruption measures in cases where companies fail to pay financial penalties issued under the Online Safety Act.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.

Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.

Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that online platforms based overseas comply with Ofcom penalties issued under the Online Safety Act 2023.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.

Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.

Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement powers relating to fines issues to adult websites.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom's enforcement powers allow it to take enforcement action against a service, including directions to return to compliance, issuing fines or, where appropriate, applying to the courts for business disruption measures, regardless of where it is based. Ofcom publishes details of its enforcement action on its website.

Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023 and welcomes recent enforcement action related to non-compliance with duties on highly effective age assurance for sights hosting pornographic content and adult services.

Where services do not comply with duties, or fail to respond to penalties, Ofcom can introduce a daily fine, escalate to business disruption measures (‘blocking’ a service’s access to UK users) or apply to the courts to convert a civil fine to a court-ordered financial penalty.

Found: 1-14 Representations made I: Sean Woodcock II: Jen Craft, Dr Beccy Cooper, Danny Beales and Josh Fenton-Glynn

Found: Labour; Chelsea and Fulham) Dr Beccy Cooper (Labour; Worthing West) Jen Craft (Labour; Thurrock) Josh Fenton-Glynn

Found: the meeting Members present: Layla Moran (Chair); Danny Beales; Dr Beccy Cooper; Jen Craft; Josh Fenton-Glynn