Oral Answers to Questions

Rosena Allin-Khan Excerpts
Tuesday 1st September 2020

(3 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Helen Whately Portrait Helen Whately
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As I expect the hon. Gentleman knows, we have announced £3 billion of additional NHS funding for the winter and are continually looking at additional funding needs for social care.

Rosena Allin-Khan Portrait Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting) (Lab)
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There is a looming mental health crisis this winter, and as such it is vital to meet with experts. I know the Secretary of State believes that that is important, so I asked him several parliamentary questions wanting to know how many mental health trusts and organisations he had met during the first three months of lockdown. I was told that he “holds these meetings regularly”, but a freedom of information request revealed that he and the Mental Health Minister organised only two meetings with mental health trusts and organisations during that entire period. Can the Secretary of State confirm that he did not attend either of those two meetings? Does he think that is an acceptable track record?

Helen Whately Portrait Helen Whately
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The Secretary of State has regular meetings with stakeholders about the future of mental health.