Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce farmers' suicide rates.

The Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy (2012) identified farmers as being at higher risk of suicide. We updated the strategy this year to strengthen its key areas for action. This included a commitment to use the excellent work done by organisations such as the British Transport Police and Network Rail in engaging other sectors where people may be at higher risk of suicide.

The Office for National Statistics published research this year on suicide risk in occupational groups and identified low skilled and skilled agricultural workers as being at higher risk of suicide than the general population. Therefore, we want to look at ways we can engage with the wider agricultural sector on suicide awareness and risks.