Danny Chambers MP: speeches

Speeches

• 25 Nov 2025 · G20 and Ukraine · Hansard source

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  I, too, thank the Prime Minister for reaffirming his commitment to the Global Fund. I secured a Backbench Business debate about the fund last week, so we really do appreciate that. The Army Training Regiment Winchester trains about 20% of new recruits, putting them through basic training. I was there last week to see the passing-out parade. However, it is scheduled to close next summer, and the replacement facility at Pirbright is not due to open until 2030 at the earliest, although we have heard that the opening will be delayed. Will the Prime Minister review that decision? A four-year gap between one facility closing and another opening, at a time when we are rightly trying to increase troop numbers, does not really make sense to anyone.

• 20 Nov 2025 · Injury in Service Award · Hansard source

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  There has been a lot of discussion about police officers and other emergency service workers injured in the line of work, and there has been some mention of issues such as PTSD and other mental health issues. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to see those as being just as important? The experiences that some of these frontline servicepeople encounter on a regular basis have long-lasting effects.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Suicide: Reducing the Stigma · Hansard source

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  I will—the hon. Gentleman caught me two seconds before I finished.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Suicide: Reducing the Stigma · Hansard source

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  It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mr Mundell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney) for securing this hugely important debate. I thank all the Members who have spoken today, especially the hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury), who was vulnerable and honest, which can be difficult in a public forum. His example will help a lot of people to understand that no matter what job we do and how much support we have around us, people still have these kinds of thoughts. Many people know that I was involved in a mental health charity that offers support to the veterinary profession. Vets have a suicide rate about four times the national average. It is a tiny profession, so everyone knows everyone, and everyone has lost friends and colleagues to suicide. Vets have challenges similar to farmers, another demographic who we know struggle quite a lot. I pay tribute to Mr Pirie for being here today. The most difficult and emotional conversations that I have had since becoming an MP have been with parents who have lost children to suicide and wives who have lost husbands. Amid the frustration and anger that they all experience, they feel that if they had just known how much someone was struggling they could have done more to support them. Even worse are the cases where someone was actively trying to access support, but did not get the right type of support at the right time and so fell through the net. I think about my own friends, Sarah Brown and David Bartram, two vets who were also trustees of a veterinary mental health charity. When we lose people, it is important that the memory of their life is not defined by how they died. Sarah was one of the funniest people I have ever met. She never missed a night out. David was an ultramarathon runner and one of the best speakers I have ever seen giving lectures. He was a hugely engaging person. It is a real shame that people get remembered for the way they died and not the positive contribution and the fun and happiness that they brought when they were here. As a mental health spokesperson, I get really concerned when I hear people from other political parties, specifically Reform, belittling mental health issues and saying that it is the new back problem, it is over-diagnosed or people should man up. Are they seriously saying that farmers, who are some of the toughest people we could ever meet, working all hours in all weathers and earning a living in the hardest way possible, and veterans, who have experienced situations that most of us can only ever imagine, are a bunch of snowflakes who need to man up and toughen up? Mental health is a real problem that can affect even the hardest people on the planet, and no one is immune to those sorts of challenge. Other Members have talked about 2023 having the highest rate of suicide for 25 years. That rate, thankfully, is slightly declining. It is interesting that the World Health Organisation states that depression is the No. 1 global disease. It affects people in all countries; it is a very prevalent issue. We are much better than we used to be at talking about depression and mental health issues, but suicide is the one aspect of such issues that still carries a lot of stigma. People still do not want to talk about suicidal thoughts, or sometimes there is shame in having a relative who died from suicide. It is not talked about as openly as it could be. I thank the Minister for his diligent work over the last year on the Mental Health Bill. We have all worked closely on that, including the Opposition spokesperson, the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth (Dr Evans). It is fantastic work and I know the Minister cares very much about this issue. I also welcome the £3.6 million over three years provided under the men’s health strategy specifically for suicide prevention, although I am concerned that it is very much less than the previous £10 million-a-year suicide prevention grant fund for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. How will the £3.6 million be targeted? Will there be scope to support in other ways the many organisations and charities, such as the Samaritans, that have contacted me to say that the grant is a significant part of their funding to deliver their services to help prevent suicide? There are so many amazing community groups all over the country. I meet some quite regularly. The Farming Community Network, the Bishop’s Waltham men’s breakfast, the men’s sheds that are everywhere—we have one in Alresford and one in Hambledon—and Winchester Youth Counselling do brilliant work bringing people together. We must do everything we can to keep those organisations viable, running and thriving. It is so much more economic if people are prevented from heading down the route of depression, with a good social network and a lot of community support, than if they end up needing to engage with clinical services. I also thank all those on the frontline: the clinical staff, the nurses, the counsellors and the carers caring for people who are struggling with mental health issues. The mental health of carers is another huge issue.

• 19 Nov 2025 · Suicide: Reducing the Stigma · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for intervening just in time. I reiterate how pleased we were that the Minister looked at the amendments to identify children of mental health patients. Sometimes those children are essentially carers as well, and it is really important that we know they exist and that they get the support they need.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered Government support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. It is 2025, and we find ourselves discussing whether the United Kingdom will continue supporting an organisation that has saved millions of lives. This is an important and timely debate, and it should remind us how much progress we have made, and how much we stand to lose if we step back now. When I spoke earlier this year about the US cutting funding to the World Health Organisation, I said then, and will repeat today, that global health is not charity; it is security and self-interest. Supporting international health systems does not just save lives overseas; it keeps us safer here at home. Stronger systems abroad mean fewer outbreaks reaching our shores, more stable trading partners and a healthier global economy, which Britain depends on. Investing in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is not only the right thing to do morally but the smart thing to do economically and strategically.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria · Hansard source

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  I completely agree about the importance of demonstrating international leadership on this issue. If international support declines, from us and other countries, an additional 10 million new HIV infections, including up to 880,000 in children, could occur by 2030. Those are preventable deaths—people who could be alive this time next year if we choose differently and maintain funding. Tuberculosis, often called a Victorian superbug, is on the rise again, with cases in England up 13% last year. Globally, it remains one of the leading infectious killers. It is largely preventable, treatable, and curable in the vast majority of cases, yet is too often neglected. Malaria is a microscopic parasite, spread by something as small as a mosquito, that continues to kill half a million people a year. There is a saying, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, you have never spent the night in a tent with a mosquito.” We know what works: mosquito nets, repellents, rapid tests and education. The challenge is not the science but the access. The tools exist but too many communities cannot afford or reach them. When it comes to global public health, “Nobody wins unless everybody wins.” Those are not my words but Bruce Springsteen’s. They apply just as much to global health as they do to any other struggle. If we allow international health systems to weaken and turn our backs on collaboration, we are failing not only others but ourselves. Every time we strengthen a health system abroad, we strengthen Britain’s safety at home. We reduce the risk of the next pandemic reaching our shores, protect supply chains, stabilise economies and open new opportunities for trade and innovation. If we invest now, we can cement the UK’s reputation as a global leader in health innovation, not just through our laboratories and universities, but through partnerships such as the Global Fund that translate research into real-world impact. British expertise in vaccine development, diagnostics and data science already help to shape programmes that have saved lives across the world. Continued investment allows us to share knowledge, strengthen health systems and, in doing so, build influence and resilience that benefit the UK and our global partners. We also need to be honest about the wider picture. The UK’s official development assistance budget has already been reduced from 0.7% to 0.5% of national income. The Government are now reducing it further, to around 0.3% by 2027. The Fleming Fund, which monitors and helps to tackle antimicrobial resistance, has been scaled back, and the UK’s contribution to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has fallen from about £1.65 billion to £1.25 billion for the next funding cycle, which is a real-terms reduction of roughly 40%. Taken together, those decisions risk sending a message that Britain is retreating from its proud record of global health leadership. If we are serious about being a world leader in science, public health and international development, maintaining our commitment to the Global Fund is one of the clearest and most effective ways to show it. A rushed transition from global aid to self-financing, forced by rapid funding reductions, will result in direct harm through reduced healthcare, stock-outs of essential medicines and untimely deaths. When this is done in the context of infectious disease, the long-term cost will rise in exchange for short-term savings.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria · Hansard source

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  Yes, these are really important summits, and it is important to show international co-operation. The Global Fund has been central to the progress I have spoken about. It has helped to save millions of lives and allowed millions of babies to be born HIV-free. Yet progress is fragile and without the sustained investment mentioned by the hon. Member for Exeter (Steve Race), the gains made will unravel and history will repeat itself. The United States AIDS programme—the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief—launched more than 20 years ago, has saved around 25 million lives. It supports testing, treatment and prevention in more than 50 countries. To show the impact of cuts on these programmes, following funding cuts to that initiative earlier this year, an estimated 120,000 people have died—more than the population of a constituency.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member is completely right about the work that voluntary and church groups do on global public health.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention, and I am finishing up now, Mr Dowd. Britain has always punched above its weight when it comes to science, health and compassion. We helped to eradicate smallpox. We led on vaccine distribution. We have the knowledge, compassion and credibility to lead again, if we choose to. During the covid-19 pandemic, we all waited for the science to catch up—for a vaccine and for hope. When it finally arrived, the world changed overnight. With HIV, TB and malaria, we do not have to wait. The science is already there. The treatments already exist. What is missing is the political will and the funding.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria · Hansard source

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  I totally agree with my hon. Friend, who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee; that is an insightful point. Many of us will remember “It’s a Sin”, Channel 4’s extraordinary drama about the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s. It was joyful and heartbreaking, and it reminded us that behind every statistic was a real person—sons, daughters, friends and partners, all with lives full of love and potential. But HIV today is not a death sentence. Science has done its job. Because of one pill a day, or even a single injection every few months, people can live long and healthy lives. The UN’s 95-95-95 target—that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, that 95% of those are on treatment, and that 95% of those are achieving viral suppression—is within reach, but it will not happen by accident. It requires commitment, funding and global co-operation.

• 30 Oct 2025 · Moles: Histological Testing · Hansard source

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  I totally agree with those comments. I will finish by paying tribute to one of my friends from vet school, Polly Birch. She was diagnosed with a melanoma in 2016 and had it removed, but in 2017, a few months after giving birth to her baby girl, Ada, she discovered it was metastatic, and she passed away. Her final post on social media was beautiful and moving. A couple of days before she passed away, she said: “Appreciate the people around you, adventure with them, buy less stuff and go out and experience the world…and look after the bees.” Finally, and perhaps most poignantly, I will quote Mary Schmich: “If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.”

• 30 Oct 2025 · Moles: Histological Testing · Hansard source

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  It is an honour to serve under your chairpersonship, Ms Jardine. I congratulate the hon. Members for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) and for Isle of Wight West (Mr Quigley) on securing this debate. I wish the hon. Member for South Norfolk all the best in his treatment. I have to say, it was hugely brave of him and emotive to hear him talk about the journey he is going through at the moment, and to hear him paying such tributes to all the staff involved in his care. I also thank Zoe’s family for coming here today, because it cannot be easy to hear people talk about this disease after everything they have been through. Many of us will know, some from personal experience, how frightening it can be to face a possible or actual cancer diagnosis. When words such as “biopsy” or “diagnostic tests” enter the conversation, that provokes deep concern, and yet those tests, as everyone has been reiterating, are absolutely vital. Early diagnosis is the single most important factor in improving survival rates. The sooner any type of cancer is identified, the sooner treatment can begin, and the more likely the outcome will be favourable. The tests are very important for people’s mental health, because sometimes the test is clear: a person knows that, and knows there is no need to worry unnecessarily. In an ideal world, someone who notices a suspicious mole or mark would call their GP; be seen within two weeks, as set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines; if necessary, a biopsy would be taken; and, if cancer was confirmed, treatment would begin within 62 days. In an ideal world, that treatment would be available to everyone, regardless of their postcode. We know that is not the reality for everyone, either in Winchester or the rest of the country. We know GP access is a growing concern. In Winchester, I regularly hear from my constituents that they are waiting weeks for appointments, which means we are falling at the first hurdle. The second hurdle—treatment within 62 days—is just as worrying. In Winchester, in July 2025, only 73.6% of cancer treatments began within 62 days, well below the operational standard of 85%. The truth is that, at almost every stage of the process—from initial concern to diagnosis and treatment—we are letting too many people down. It is one of the reasons that the Liberal Democrats have been calling for a two-month cancer treatment guarantee for a long time now: a new target so that 100% of patients will start treatment within 62 days. We must also replace ageing radiotherapy machines and expand provision so no communities are left in what have rightly been called radiotherapy deserts. We do not want anyone to have to travel hours and miles when they are feeling ill for lifesaving care. The last Government’s decision to close the National Cancer Research Institute, which had co-ordinated cancer research since 2001, was a grave mistake. One oncology professor compared this to “turning off air traffic control and hoping the planes will be fine”. We owe it to patients and their families to build confidence in the system, and that means faster access to GPs, earlier diagnosis, better treatment, proper investment in research and a comprehensive long-term plan to boost survival rates. I really welcome all the comments about regulating the private medical sector to ensure they are taking biopsies, as well as the regulation of sunbeds.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Support for Disabled Veterans · Hansard source

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  On the Mental Health Bill Committee, we spoke repeatedly about veterans experiencing mental ill health, often linked to trauma from their service. They often end up in a system that does not recognise their trauma and what they have been through. Does my hon. Friend agree that it would be a good idea to have a dedicated role of veterans’ mental health oversight officer? The Lib Dems have been calling for such an officer, so that we can ensure that veterans receive the understanding and tailored care that they deserve.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease · Hansard source

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  I completely agree—that is hugely important. The sugar levy has been a huge success: between 2015 and 2019, the amount of sugar in soft drinks reduced by about a third, which reduced sugar intake in our collective diet by 48,000 tonnes. If we expect the Government to pay for people’s treatment when they are sick, as we rightly do, there is also an onus on them to help people to maintain their health. That is both a moral and an economic imperative. It is often not noted that as well as the direct implications of obesity, diabetes and liver issues related to genetics and diet, there are also indirect costs that affect the NHS, such as the number of hip replacements and knee replacements, and other types of expensive and intense interventions that could probably be significantly avoided if we had healthier diets. As we know, the issue with many liver problems is late diagnosis. The liver can take a huge amount of abuse in many forms until it stops functioning to the level at which it appears compromised. When symptoms are finally seen, there has often been sustained damage for quite a long period of time. The scanning that is done by the British Liver Trust and others—I encourage everyone to get their liver scanned when they come into Parliament—can pick up diseases such as fatty liver disease before the clinical symptoms are seen, which is absolutely key. The UK ought to be one of the healthiest countries in the world, but we know we are not. Winchester is a relatively wealthy constituency, yet 54% of adults are overweight or obese, along with 27% of children. We are a country with a long history of world-leading medical research, grassroots sport and high-quality food production, yet over the last 14 years people have been becoming sicker for longer. That is multi-factorial, but it is in part due to the gradual erosion of public health funding by the previous Conservative Government. The issue of improving health is multifaceted, and obesity is certainly an example of that. Factors such as poor mental health and the broken food system contribute towards the growing numbers of people who are overweight or obese. The hon. Member for Stroud talked about the importance of free school meals in helping to reduce childhood obesity, the hon. Member for Blackpool North and Fleetwood (Lorraine Beavers) talked about inequality and poverty levels, and the hon. Member for Bootle (Peter Dowd) highlighted the issues of different demographics and incomes. I spent seven very happy years in Liverpool and have very happy memories; ironically, my liver probably does not, as I was a student there for many years. There has been a political failure. As has been said, over the past 30 years successive Governments have proposed more than 700 policies to tackle obesity, yet none has ever been successful. We have never had a coherent strategy. We cannot underestimate the scope that must be taken into account when discussing how we tackle obesity. We need to look at every intervention possible, including having a robust, well-supported food production system, ensuring that everyone can afford good-quality, locally produced food, and ensuring that we expand free school meals even further to help to keep children healthy. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a really good example. When Chris Whitty gave evidence to the Bill Committee, he said not only that it was the biggest piece of public health legislation in 30 years, but that it is probably going to be the most significant piece of legislation to help to address inequalities, because smoking rates are one of the most significant reasons why there is such a difference in life expectancy between some of the more deprived postcodes and the wealthier ones. That type of intervention is not only good for health but really good for addressing inequality. As other Members have said, we cannot tackle this problem without also ensuring that food is produced to high enough standards, that we have limits on junk food advertising, and that we force big food manufacturers to reduce salt and sugar in their products and have a much better labelling system, so that people can make more informed and affordable choices. I am so impressed with the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) for being able to lose 4 stone. I have put on the best part of a stone in the last 18 months, since I was elected, partly because of my increased food intake since I have been here and also because the strange hours mean that I lack time for exercise. I used to have a fairly active job, which I do not really have any more. Yesterday I went to the Winchester Boxing Club, where a guy called Glyn Parkin gave me a really good workout—I can still feel it today. I did the Compton 10K and the Alresford 10K this year—both big fundraising 10-kilometre events. Despite trying to keep up my exercise, however, it is really hard if I am not focused on food, because about 80% of weight loss is due to diet. At best, perhaps 20% is down to exercise. I am aware that if I do not get on top of my weight, it will affect everything from knees to hips, and in some ways, exercise will become more difficult. If I end up with knee or hip pain, I will end up exercising less—and when I exercise less, I make worse dietary choices as well. We need to encourage people to stay healthy and keep exercising, but if we do not get the diet right, those two things are almost impossible to achieve. I again thank the hon. Member for Worthing West for securing this hugely important debate, and I thank the British Liver Trust for all that it does. I encourage everyone to go and get scanned by the British Liver Trust when it next comes to Parliament.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease · Hansard source

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  Fantastic. Hopefully it will improve people’s mental health—and if they leave halfway through, it will probably improve their physical health, too. That is a fantastic initiative. Other Members have talked about the soaring rate of liver deaths, which has shot up in the last 20 years. The hon. Member for Worthing West talked about it costing the NHS £6.9 billion directly, and some studies show that it has cost the economy over £100 billion in other ways, such as from people being off work.

• 28 Oct 2025 · Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I thank the hon. Member for Worthing West (Dr Cooper) for securing this really important debate. We have a lot of medical professionals in the room. It might surprise colleagues that, although I am a rudimentary vet, we treat fatty liver disease quite commonly in animals as well. It is most commonly seen in very large, fat cats that are really cuddly and people like to have on their lap. It is really common for them to get fatty liver disease if they stop eating, and it is genuinely very serious and takes intense treatment. The other time we see it commonly in animals is in cows that are in good body-weight condition, immediately after they give birth; often, they end up with hepatic lipidosis, which can be quite difficult to manage. My first charity visit as an MP—it was the week after I was elected—was to the British Liver Trust in Winchester. I met Pam Healy, its chief executive officer, who is here today. It is a brilliant organisation. I thank everyone for all the briefings we were given; the hon. Member for Stroud (Dr Opher) mentioned how much he learned from them, despite being a trained GP. On that note, I know he is doing some social prescribing—when is the comedy show?

• 27 Oct 2025 · Carer’s Allowance · Hansard source

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  5. How many people are in receipt of carer’s allowance.

• 27 Oct 2025 · Carer’s Allowance · Hansard source

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  We all know that carers give everything to care for their loved ones—physically, emotionally and financially. The Government received the carer’s allowance report three months ago, and under Lib Dem pressure have agreed to publish it by the end of the year. Do we know how many carers will be unfairly penalised in the six months between the Government receiving the report and publishing it?

• 20 Oct 2025 · SEND Provision · Hansard source

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  In 2024, fewer than half of education, health and care plans were issued within the 20-week limit. Five months is a huge chunk of a child’s life, and parents of Winchester tell me every single week about how hard they have to fight to get the support that their child needs and is entitled to. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that EHCPs are issued in a timely manner?

• 20 Oct 2025 · SEND Provision · Hansard source

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  5. What steps her Department is taking to help improve the SEND system.

• 15 Oct 2025 · Healthcare: Bolton · Hansard source

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  It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate the hon. Member for Bolton North East (Kirith Entwistle) on securing this important debate. I also congratulate her and the hon. Member for Bolton South and Walkden (Yasmin Qureshi) on being such powerful advocates for health in their region. I was interested that both Members focused on poverty levels and inequality in health outcomes—a hugely important subject. The Opposition spokesperson, the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth (Dr Evans), and I both served on the Mental Health Bill Committee, where we discussed repeatedly the fact that people who live in poverty are three times more likely to have mental health issues than those on an average income. I also served on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill Committee, and I remember Professor Chris Whitty saying that it was not only the biggest piece of public health legislation in 30 years, but one of the biggest interventions to address inequality, because one of the significant factors in differences in life expectancy between more deprived communities and wealthier communities was smoking levels. Despite our economic troubles at the moment, we are still one of the wealthiest nations on Earth, and we can still be one of the healthiest nations on Earth if those resources are deployed in the right way. Everyone should have the right to see a doctor or dentist and to get mental health care as and when they need it. We have touched on public health. At the moment, two thirds of adults are overweight and 10% of the NHS budget is spent on diabetes and diabetes-related illnesses. That is one reason that the Liberal Democrats are so keen on closing the loopholes in the sugar levy and extending it to sugary milk and juice-based drinks, on restricting the marketing of products high in fat, salt and sugar, on reversing cuts to the public health grant and on legislating for a right to clean air. It is also why, like the Government, we are so keen on good-quality school meals. The hon. Member for Bolton North East talked about the levels of childhood obesity in primary school and their impact on not only the individual’s health, but the NHS in terms of cost. Having good-quality nutrition in all public organisations, whether schools, prisons or care homes, is an impactful way of not only helping people to have a healthier life, but reducing the burden on NHS services. I will finish by saying that health is the No. 1 issue that comes up on the doorstep. There is a lot of concern and worry that people may not get healthcare when they need it. Whether in Bolton or Winchester, people need to know that they will be able to access healthcare, free at the point of use, as and when they need it. I commend the hon. Members for Bolton North East and for Bolton South and Walkden on securing this debate and speaking so powerfully on behalf of their constituents.

• 15 Oct 2025 · Ukraine · Hansard source

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  Earlier this year, I joined a brilliant organisation called Mighty Convoy to drive some refurbished ambulances full of medical supplies to Ukraine. While we were there, we bumped into another organisation called FIRE AID that takes refurbished fire engines to Ukraine from the UK. That equipment is vital for the war effort, but in addition the Ukrainians we met said that it is a great morale boost to know that not only are the British Government behind their war efforts, but the British public are too. Will the Foreign Secretary join me in thanking all the volunteers from the UK who drive equipment to Ukraine to help with that war effort?

• 14 Oct 2025 · Mental Health Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  I begin by thanking colleagues across the House who have worked so constructively on this long-awaited Bill. There has been a shared recognition that the current mental health system is failing too many people and that reform is urgently needed. I thank the Minister for engaging with us so constructively throughout the process, including as recently as yesterday; it is much appreciated. When I speak to people in Winchester—I know that hon. Members have very similar stories—mental health is one of the issues that comes up the most. We have families waiting months or even years for treatment, we have parents watching their children deteriorate, and we have people languishing on waiting lists when they would rather be working or studying. The Bill represents the biggest reform of mental health care in over 40 years. It strengthens patient autonomy, modernises detention procedures and rightly removes police stations from the definition of places of safety. These are vital and much needed steps forward and I know that Members on all sides welcome them. I will speak briefly to several new clauses tabled in my name, each aimed at strengthening the Bill’s impact for some of the most vulnerable people it seeks to protect. New clause 26 would ensure that every hospital has a dedicated liaison service for the carers of patients detained under the Mental Health Act. This is a vital step to support carers during what can be an unimaginably difficult time and to close blind spots that too often exist when someone is caring for a loved one with serious mental illness. We know that parental mental health concerns are now the most common factor in children’s social care assessments, and that those children are at much higher risk of developing mental ill health themselves. Yet only about a third of mental health professionals in in-patient settings ask whether a patient is a parent. These children and the carers who support them are too often invisible. By identifying and supporting carers properly, new clause 26 would help close those gaps and ensure that no family has to struggle in silence.

• 14 Oct 2025 · Mental Health Bill [Lords] · Hansard source

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  The Liberal Democrats support the Bill, which makes mental health law much fairer and more compassionate. However, reforming detention law is only half the job, because without investment in prevention and community care, the Bill risks becoming an improved way of managing failure rather than preventing it. Without proper early intervention, people deteriorate until crisis is the only door open to them. Melbury Lodge in my Winchester constituency shows what a good partnership can look like: NHS teams working with citizens advice to help patients sort out debts, bills and benefits before discharge—recovery is impossible if patients return home to a pile of threatening letters and bills. Yet schemes like that are the exception, not the rule. Debt, insecure housing, domestic abuse and bereavement are not side issues—they are often root causes—and care plans that ignore them are not truly caring. Before I bring my remarks to a close, I pay tribute to the extraordinary people working at the frontline of mental health care—nurses, doctors, counsellors, therapists, support workers, carers and charities—who hold up a system that too often feels as if it is collapsing around them. Their compassion and professionalism are the reason so many people make it through their darkest moments. They deserve much more than just thanks; they deserve a system that supports them as much as they support others. In my years of campaigning for better mental health, including as a trustee of a mental charity and, in the past year, as the Liberal Democrat mental health spokesperson, I have become more convinced that mental health cannot be seen as the responsibility of NHS services alone. It must be embedded across society, in education, healthcare, housing, farming and even in the way we support small businesses. I thank the Minister and his team for all their work on the Bill and their cross-party engagement, as well as everyone who served on the Bill Committee and the Members who have turned up repeatedly to these debates. One thing that does unite the House is improving mental health care. Question put and agreed to. Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed , with amendments.