Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that students who are self-isolating as a result of covid-19 have access to counselling for anxiety and mental health problems.

We are doing our utmost to ensure that our mental health services are there for everyone who needs them during the pandemic. The National Health Service has worked hard to keep mental health services going during the first peak, using technology where needed but also face to face appointments where appropriate. Talking therapies will continue to be available remotely so people can access help safely from home and the NHS will work to ensure the option of face-to-face support is provided to people with serious mental health illnesses across all ages where it is clinically safe to do so.