Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to increase funding for research into mental health.

The Department funds mental health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR supports a wide portfolio of mental health research through various funding streams. In 2020/21, the NIHR spent £109 million on mental health research. We are also funding the Mental Health Research Initiative to expand mental health activity and build the capacity and capability of mental health research in regions which are currently under-represented. It is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. The NIHR’s funding is available through open competition for mental health and we encourage researchers to submit applications in this area.