Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to recognised local authority mental health services as a key service alongside the NHS and to ensure that the statutory functions of local authority mental health services are adequately funded.

Local authorities (LAs) have a statutory duty to take the steps that they decide are appropriate to improve the physical and mental health of the people in their areas. It is for individual LAs to identify and address the particular needs of their population. Many of the services they arrange have the potential to benefit mental health and wellbeing, including drug and alcohol misuse treatment. LAs will receive £16 billion over the current five-year spending review period to fund their health improvement activity.

Local authorities also have statutory responsibilities to do with the Mental Health Act. The Care Quality Commission monitors the operation of the Act, and reports to Parliament each year on its findings. The Independent Review of the Mental Health Act will also examine current practice and look at how the Act is working for patients, and how it can be improved.