Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new mothers experiencing (a) anxiety, (b) postnatal depression and (c) other difficulties after birth are routinely referred to local third-sector or community-based support services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that supporting women’s mental health is a crucial aspect of care at all stages of pregnancy and post-partum.
General practitioners (GPs) can offer initial support for mild to moderate mental health problems including depression and anxiety. If a pregnant woman needs further support, a range of specialist mental health services have been made available to access during the perinatal period. For women with or at risk of more serious mental health problems, such as severe depression, who are planning a pregnancy, pregnant or have a baby up to two years old, specialist perinatal mental health services provide care in all 42 integrated care system areas of England. As of June 2025, Maternal Mental Health Services are now available across all areas of England. They are available for women experiencing mental health difficulties directly arising from, or related to, their maternity or neonatal experience, such as post-natal depression. Women can be referred to these services, which are often community-based, by any healthcare professional, including midwives, health visitors, GPs, hospital-based teams, mental health services and social workers. Self-referrals are accepted by some services.
Additionally, 165 Mother and Baby Unit beds have now been commissioned, with 153 currently operational. These units provide inpatient care to women who experience severe mental health difficulties during and after pregnancy, including postpartum psychosis. A mother could be admitted to a mother and baby unit for treatment of severe depression or an anxiety disorder.
NHS England guidance sets out that all women who have given birth should be offered a postnatal check-up with their GP after six to eight weeks. This check-up provides an important opportunity for women to be listened to by their GP in a discreet, supportive environment, and for women to be assessed and supported not just in their physical recovery post-birth but also their mental health. In line with the National Health Service guidance, during this appointment, GPs have a duty to ask every woman about her mental health, and to prioritise identifying and addressing serious mental health concerns such as severe depression. This means any woman needing extra mental health support can be referred to primary care mental health support including Talking Therapies or to a specialist perinatal mental health team, if appropriate.
On 17 July 2025, the Prime Minister also announced the launch of Diagnosis Connect, a new service that will better-connect patients to both local and national charities. This will ensure that patients are referred directly to trusted charities and support organisations as soon as they are diagnosed, providing personalised advice, information and guidance to help them manage their condition and feel more in control. This support will include physical and mental wellbeing in the perinatal period.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a duty to refer new mothers experiencing mental distress to appropriate local services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that supporting women’s mental health is a crucial aspect of care at all stages of pregnancy and post-partum.
General practitioners (GPs) can offer initial support for mild to moderate mental health problems including depression and anxiety. If a pregnant woman needs further support, a range of specialist mental health services have been made available to access during the perinatal period. For women with or at risk of more serious mental health problems, such as severe depression, who are planning a pregnancy, pregnant or have a baby up to two years old, specialist perinatal mental health services provide care in all 42 integrated care system areas of England. As of June 2025, Maternal Mental Health Services are now available across all areas of England. They are available for women experiencing mental health difficulties directly arising from, or related to, their maternity or neonatal experience, such as post-natal depression. Women can be referred to these services, which are often community-based, by any healthcare professional, including midwives, health visitors, GPs, hospital-based teams, mental health services and social workers. Self-referrals are accepted by some services.
Additionally, 165 Mother and Baby Unit beds have now been commissioned, with 153 currently operational. These units provide inpatient care to women who experience severe mental health difficulties during and after pregnancy, including postpartum psychosis. A mother could be admitted to a mother and baby unit for treatment of severe depression or an anxiety disorder.
NHS England guidance sets out that all women who have given birth should be offered a postnatal check-up with their GP after six to eight weeks. This check-up provides an important opportunity for women to be listened to by their GP in a discreet, supportive environment, and for women to be assessed and supported not just in their physical recovery post-birth but also their mental health. In line with the National Health Service guidance, during this appointment, GPs have a duty to ask every woman about her mental health, and to prioritise identifying and addressing serious mental health concerns such as severe depression. This means any woman needing extra mental health support can be referred to primary care mental health support including Talking Therapies or to a specialist perinatal mental health team, if appropriate.
On 17 July 2025, the Prime Minister also announced the launch of Diagnosis Connect, a new service that will better-connect patients to both local and national charities. This will ensure that patients are referred directly to trusted charities and support organisations as soon as they are diagnosed, providing personalised advice, information and guidance to help them manage their condition and feel more in control. This support will include physical and mental wellbeing in the perinatal period.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2025 to Question 62990 on House of Lords Appointments Commission, what the Government’s policy is on the number of Non-Party Political Life Peers proposed by HOLAC who will be created each individual year of this Parliament.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Prime Minister will continue to invite nominations from HOLAC, and future appointments will be announced in the usual way.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Number 10 has an operational Bloomberg terminal.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
HMT has Bloomberg terminals and subscriptions to support the provision of economic advice to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of the attendees at the Plan for Change launch event on 5 December 2024 were invited by the Government.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
All invitations were sent by the Government.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the timeliness of payments of compensation to the victims of infected blood.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government is committed to ensuring that all those eligible to receive compensation receive an award as quickly as possible. As of 15 July, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has contacted 2,215 people to begin their claim for compensation, with 1,934 having started the claim process. 808 offers of compensation have been made, with a total value of over £602 million. 587 people have accepted their offer and received payment, with over £411 million paid in compensation. This means approximately 60% of infected people registered with a support scheme have been contacted to begin their claim.
For other groups, IBCA will continue their test and learn approach, bringing different people in at different stages to start their compensation claim. They set out further details of this in their community update on 21st July.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with Ofcom on the potential impact of the Supreme Court ruling in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers on the guidance it issues.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
None.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking through the Growth and Skills levy to introduce greater flexibility for blended and modular learning.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The growth and skills offer will introduce greater flexibility to employers and learners in England, creating routes into good, skilled jobs in growing industries, aligned with the government’s industrial strategy.
Initially, the department will introduce new short courses in areas such as digital, artificial intelligence and engineering, funded through the growth and skills levy, to support Industrial Strategy sectors from April 2026, with more courses added as they are developed. The skills needs to be addressed by short courses will be informed by Skills England’s engagement with employers and key stakeholders.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to support the development of local industrial strategies for financial and related professional services in Essex.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Greater Essex is part of the Devolution Priority Programme, which aims to see a new Mayoral Strategic Authority established by spring 2026. If a Mayoral Strategic Authority is established, it will need to develop a Local Growth Plan to provide a long-term strategic framework for growth in the region. Foundation Strategic Authorities and Local Authorities in non-devolution are also encouraged to set out a vision for growth in their area that builds on existing local economic strategies where possible. The Industrial Strategy Sector Plans for Financial Services and Professional and Business Services include measures to grow these sectors across the UK.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in Essex to deliver place-based foreign direct investment strategies in line with the Harrington Review recommendations.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) promotes investment across the UK. At the International Investment Summit, we announced a major overhaul of how DBT will implement the Harrington Review - strengthening the Office for Investment (OfI) and aligning government efforts under a single strategic delivery plan.
We have established an expanded OfI at the heart of government to reduce duplication, offer a clearer 'single door' for investors, and increase our influence on regulation and policy across HMG. We continue working with local partners, including Essex Council, to support and showcase investment opportunities aligned with industrial and infrastructure strategies to global investors.