Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Jake Richards

Wednesday 14th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Only a few years ago, dealing with the climate challenge was a shared endeavour across this House. It is yet further evidence of how far the Conservatives have fallen that they cannot see the significance and importance of tackling one of the major challenges of our time. I think we should rise to that challenge, not be defeatist about it. It is further evidence, as far as I can see, that the Tory project is just finished.

[Jake Richards (Rother Valley) (Lab)]

Q12.  Male suicide is a tragic epidemic in our country. Each week, almost 100 men take their own lives, and suicide is the biggest killer of men aged under 50. In my constituency, I am working with Andy’s Man Club in Maltby, the Learning Community in Dinnington and Better Today in Kiveton Park to try to raise awareness about the fantastic groups that offer support for men in the most difficult circumstances. Will the Prime Minister use this opportunity to support the campaign that we are undertaking in my constituency and also reassure those groups and my constituents that mental health services for men will be a priority for his Government?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this crucial issue. I know that Members across House will have their own personal and tragic experiences of suicide. We have launched a call for evidence on our men’s health strategy, which will improve men’s health in all parts of the country, including tackling devastatingly high suicide rates. We are also investing £26 million in new mental health crisis centres, funding talking therapies for 380,000 more people and recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Jake Richards

Wednesday 16th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Member for raising what is obviously a very important case, and she is right to do so. I am not across the individual details of it, but it obviously does need to be looked into. So we will commit to look into it, and I will make sure that she gets a meeting with the relevant Minister to lay out such details as she has and to get some answers as to our inquiries.

[Jake Richards (Rother Valley) (Lab)]

Q14. Children’s social care in this country is now in crisis. Vulnerable children are regularly placed hundreds of miles from home, often in unregulated and unsafe accommodation. Meanwhile, private companies are making record profits on the backs of struggling and desperate local authorities. Frankly, this is an issue—a national scandal—that does not get enough attention. Today, I will be presenting my private Member’s Bill, which will offer modest reform in this area, but will the Prime Minister reassure me and thousands of families across the country that it is a priority of his Government to fix the social care crisis and our family courts?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue and being a champion on it. He is absolutely right about the appalling inheritance: one in four children in absolute poverty—that is a terrible inheritance—and too many vulnerable children in unregulated accommodation. Through our children’s wellbeing Bill, we will put children and their wellbeing at the heart of the education and social care systems. We will also provide a home for all young care leavers to ensure that they are not homeless, and remove the barriers to opportunity so every child can thrive in safe and loving homes.