Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to maintain levels of mental health spending in line with planned increases in other NHS spending in (a) the next financial year and (b) the future.
The NHS Operational and Planning Guidance for 2024/25 makes clear that integrated care boards are expected to continue to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
Further details on mental health spending for 2025/26 will be set out in the NHS Operational and Planning Guidance for 2025/26, following which we will provide an update to Parliament.