Written questions by Hayes.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce mental health waiting lists.

It is unacceptable that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long. That is why we will recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across both adult, and children and young people’s mental health services.

If he will make it his policy to reform the Mental Health Act 1983 to (a) abolish community treatment orders, (b) ensure people to have a right to appeal decisions, (c) ensure patients in a mental health hospital to automatically get an advocate and (d) ensure young people are not placed on adult wards.

The Mental Health Bill announced in the King’s Speech will deliver the Government’s commitment to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983. The reforms will strengthen the voice of patients by adding statutory weight to patients’ rights to be involved with planning for their care, and to make choices regarding the treatment they receive.The reforms will also strengthen and improve the statutory roles which protect and support those who are detained, by introducing a new statutory role, the nominated person, who is chosen by the patient, to replace the nearest relative and extend access to Independent Mental Health Advocates to informal patients and introduce an opt-out system for formal patients.

What assessment he has made of the impact of the Mental Health Act 1983 on individuals with complex mental health needs.

The independent review: Modernising the Mental Health Act, chaired by Professor Sir Simon Wessely, and published in 2018, provided an assessment of how the Act is working, its impact on those detained under the Act, including individuals with complex needs, and what improvements are needed to make it fit for the 21st century.The Act has an important role in our society, and it is crucial to get the balance right to ensure that people get the support and treatment they need when necessary, for their own protection or that of others. However, we recognise that detention under the Act can be a traumatic experience, and more needs to be done to improve this.The Mental Health Bill announced in the King’s Speech will deliver the Government’s commitment to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983. The Bill will give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment. The Bill will be published when Parliamentary time allows.

What steps he is taking to improve mental health hospitals.

The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) is currently conducting an investigation into mental health inpatient settings to identify ways we can improve mental health care for people with severe mental illness, protect patients and the public, and create a safe working environment for staff. The HSSIB’s findings will be published on a rolling basis from the autumn to drive improvements in patient safety and National Health Service mental health services, and the investigation is expected to conclude by the end of March 2025.Additionally, NHS England is taking forward a new Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme to support cultural change and a reimagined model of care for the future across all NHS-funded mental health, learning disability, and autism inpatient settings. Local health systems are currently developing three-year plans to localise and realign inpatient care in line with this vision.To improve the mental health estate, over £400 million has been spent between 2020/21 and 2023/24 to replace dormitories in mental health facilities with single ensuite bedrooms. 41 schemes had been completed by May 2024 replacing 657 beds out of 1355.As part of phase 1 of the Spending Review £26 million of capital investment has been announced to open new mental health crisis centres.Our 10-Year Health Plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, from analogue to digital and from sickness to prevention and we are currently gathering views from members of the public, staff and organisations on their experiences and ideas to reform the NHS and make it fit for the future.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Mental Health Act 1983 on black people.

We know that rates of detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 for Black people were more than three times higher than that for White people in 2023/24, with use of Community Treatment Orders for Black people being seven times higher than for White people. Black people were also the most likely to be subject to repeated detention, with 20.1 per cent of this group being detained more than once. More information is available in the NHS England Mental Health Services Monthly Statistics, Performance June 2024, which are available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-services-monthly-statistics/performance-june-2024The NHS Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework arose out of Professor Sir Simon Wessely’s Independent Review: Modernising the Mental Health Act, and became mandatory for all mental health trusts in the National Health Service from April 2024. It supports mental health trusts to improve access, experience and outcomes and reduce disparities for people from ethnic minority groups. All mental health trusts will be required to have a framework in place by March 2025.The Mental Health Bill announced in the King’s Speech will deliver the Government’s manifesto commitment to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983. It will give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment. The Bill will be published when Parliamentary time allows.Pilots are currently underway to test models of Culturally Appropriate Advocacy, which provide tailored support to hundreds of people from ethnic minorities to better understand their rights when detained under the Act.

What steps her Department has taken to deliver new Young Futures Hubs.

Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to help improve the way that children and young people can access opportunities and support in their local communities, in doing so, promoting their development, improving mental health, and preventing young people being drawn into crime.Expertise has been brought together from across government departments to deliver on this manifesto commitment, and the government will be engaging with national and local partners, local communities and children and young people to co-design and explore options for the design and delivery of the hubs.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of specialist mental health support in Bournemouth.

NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board is responsible for providing health and care services, including specialist mental health support, to meet the needs of the people of Bournemouth.Nationally we recognise that many people in Bournemouth and across England are not getting the support or care they deserve, which is why we will fix the system to ensure that mental health is given the same attention and focus as physical health, so that people can be confident in accessing high quality mental health support when they need it, wherever they live.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the integration of mental health services into existing NHS provision.

We will ensure that we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health, so that people can be confident in accessing high quality mental health support when they need it.We know wider change is needed and we have launched a national conversation, called Change NHS: help build a health service fit for the future, to develop the 10-Year Health Plan. We are inviting people to share their ideas on what needs to change across the health and care system, including: how the National Health Service could change to deliver high quality care more effectively; how other parts of the health and care system and other organisations in society could change to promote better health and improve the way health and care services work together; and how individuals and communities could do things differently in the future to improve people’s health.

What steps his Department has taken to deliver specialist mental health professionals in every school.

The Department is working across the Government to consider how to deliver our commitment of a specialist mental health professional in every school. We need to ensure any support meets the needs of young people, teachers, parents, and carers. This includes considering the role of existing programmes of support with evidence of a positive impact, such as Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges.

What steps his Department has taken to improve mental health support for veterans.

NHS England commissions Op COURAGE, the integrated mental health and wellbeing service for veterans. Veterans can self-refer to Op COURAGE. The service has been designed to support veterans from all areas, including rural areas, and is delivered from a range of locations, including National Health Service trusts, general practices, Poppy Shops, veteran hubs, and drop-in centres. Elements of the service may also be provided online if this is clinically appropriate.Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations, taking into account local considerations such as access to services in rural areas. The Government recognises that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services are too long. The Government is determined to change that and ensure mental health has the same focus as physical health, to help people in rural areas to access high quality mental health support when they need it.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the 20-hour work limit on student visas in the context of increases in the cost of living.

All students applying to study within the UK are required to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves financially throughout their studies.Working hour limits are in place to ensure students have sufficient time to devote to their main purpose coming to the UK: to study. We currently have no plans to increase these working hour limits. There are alternative routes available for individuals who wish to come to the UK to work.Students are not currently permitted to be self-employed or engage in business activity. There are currently no plans to change this policy.

Whether she plans to review the self-employment restriction on student visas.

All students applying to study within the UK are required to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves financially throughout their studies.Working hour limits are in place to ensure students have sufficient time to devote to their main purpose coming to the UK: to study. We currently have no plans to increase these working hour limits. There are alternative routes available for individuals who wish to come to the UK to work.Students are not currently permitted to be self-employed or engage in business activity. There are currently no plans to change this policy.

What steps she is taking to improve mental health inclusion within the national curriculum.

In health education, part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education, there is a strong focus on mental wellbeing, including a recognition that mental wellbeing and physical health are linked. It is important pupils understand that good physical health, for both men and women, contributes to good mental wellbeing. The aim of teaching pupils about mental wellbeing and physical health is to give them the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing, recognise signs of poor health or wellbeing in themselves and others and, when issues arise, seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources. The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy, including curriculum and social inequality. The review is looking at the whole of the curriculum and how it fits together to ensure that there is space for schools to provide a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative.

If she will review Part 5 Modern Slavery of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.

The Government is committed to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the current modern slavery system alongside consideration of long-term reform with a focus on improving support and increasing prosecutions. Consideration of all longer-term reform options could also include legislation. The Government's legislative plans will be published in due course.

What proportion of North Sea operators invest solely in oil and gas extraction.

We recognise that various oil and gas operators are part of integrated energy companies that invest across a range of technologies in the UK and elsewhere. The department does not measure or track investments in the energy transition made by private sector oil and gas companies operating in the UK Continental Shelf.

What estimate his Department has made of the proportion of veterans who left service before December 2018 who have a veteran ID card.

The Armed Forces Veteran Card Scheme was launched in two phases. Phase one is complete, with all Service leavers since December 2018 being automatically issued with a card as part of their discharge process. Phase two extended access to veterans who left service before December 2018. The new digital application and verification service launched at 00:01 on 28 January 2024 allowing pre-2018 veterans to apply for the card. The Ministry of Defence does not collect or hold information on all veterans, so it is not possible to make an estimate specifically on the proportion of pre-18 veterans who now have a card. However, I can confirm that as of 15 October 2024, 139,328 Phase two cards had been dispatched to pre-2018 veterans who had applied, and we continue to receive approximately 270 applications per day. These figures exclude duplicates.

When she plans to bring forward legislation to make anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime an aggravated offence.

The Government is absolutely committed to tackling all forms of hate crime and has already committed to protect LGBT+ and disabled people by making all existing strands of hate crime an aggravated offence.We will set out next steps in due course.

If she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to develop a national action plan to tackle hate crime.

The Government is absolutely committed to tackling all forms of hate crime and has already committed to protect LGBT+ and disabled people by making all existing strands of hate crime an aggravated offence.We will set out next steps in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage offshore oil and gas companies to (a) transition from fossil fuels and (b) increase their level and proportion of investment in renewable carbon energy sources.

Making Britain a clean energy superpower is one of the five missions of this Government, and oil and gas companies will have an important role to play in the transition. We have begun the biggest ever investment in offshore wind and are moving ahead with new industries including carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen which will attract further private investment. Great British Energy will play a key role in driving the private investment needed to deliver our mission, acting as a partner to industry by co-investing in leading technologies of the future.

What estimate his Department has made of the investment by oil and gas operators in the UK’s energy transition.

We recognise that various oil and gas operators are part of integrated energy companies that invest across a range of technologies in the UK and elsewhere. The department does not measure or track investments in the energy transition made by private sector oil and gas companies operating in the UK Continental Shelf.