Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to improve perinatal mental health services (a) during pregnancy and (b) in the first postnatal year.

We remain committed to improving perinatal mental health services for new mothers and their partners - not only during the current pandemic. From April 2019, new and expectant mothers have been able to access specialist perinatal mental health community services in every part of the country.

The NHS Long Term Plan includes a commitment for a further 24,000 women to be able to access specialist perinatal mental health care by 2023/24, building on the additional 30,000 women who will access these services each year by 2020/21 under pre-existing plans. Specialist care will also be available from preconception to 24 months after birth, which will provide an extra year of support.