Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the role of music therapy in community mental health support.

The independent review into mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism states the value alternative evidence-based therapies, including creative therapies, can have alongside traditional cognitive behaviour therapy.

The upcoming Mental Health Strategy will set out the important role non-traditional models, such as music therapy, can play in supporting people’s mental health, and the positive role that creative arts can play in promoting positive mental wellbeing.

We also continue to support the Department for Education’s efforts to increase the take-up of music in schools, and to provide opportunities for every child to take part in enriching activities outside of school, including in music.