Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to make it easier for people with (a) learning disabilities and (b) autism to be discharged from hospital.

The NHS Long Term Plan committed to achieving at least a 50% reduction in the number of people with a learning disability and autistic people who are inpatients in mental health hospitals by March 2024. In 2022/23, we are investing more than £90 million in community services and support for discharges in England for people with a learning disability and autistic people. This includes £21 million for the Community Discharge Grant.

The Building the Right Support programme aims to strengthening community support and reduce reliance on specialist inpatient care in mental health hospitals. We will publish an action plan for the programme as soon as possible.