Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the backlog in mental health care ahead of winter 2021-22.

We have published our mental health recovery action plan to ensure that we respond to the impact of the pandemic on mental health services. This is supported by a one-off targeted investment of £500 million in this financial year, and an additional £79 million to expand children and young people’s mental health services. We are also transforming mental health services in England as part of the NHS Long Term Plan and investing an additional £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24.