Liz Twist
MP for Blaydon and Consett · Labour · United Kingdom
“I want investment in preventive measures that affect all Departments in relation to suicide prevention and mental health. This is a really important issue and one that I come back to regularly.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As we prepare to welcome global investors, my firm hope is that the investment announced at the summit stays directly in Gateshead and the surrounding area, helping to further fund our local regeneration and economic growth, and benefiting my constituents on the Blaydon side and beyond to provide employment opportunities, so that it will…”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in today’s debate on the Budget, and to talk about some of the things that will affect my constituents. This Budget does indeed provide the breathing space needed by families, workers and small businesses across the country, built on the bedrock of fiscal discipline and helping families to deal with high…”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“There are indeed welcome moves in this Budget, and I know that the guest beer one was particularly wished for. On regional growth, I warmly welcome the new £1.5 billion borrowing facility for mayoral strategic authorities that was announced yesterday.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The North East combined authority estimates that this ambitious development will attract over 1 million visitors every year, generate a £70 million annual boost to our local economy and create 2,000 good local jobs. I want to set the record straight on the international investment summit.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“For local motorists, tradespeople and commuters, extending the 5p fuel duty cut keeps daily costs down, and many constituents have written to me about that. When talking to the North East chamber of commerce recently, I heard that our local businesses were concerned about operating with the current system of taxes.”
House of Commons29 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
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“The hon. Member might be reading my mind, because I will come on to that issue. I am sorry to hear of the death of his constituent—it is tragic.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I do agree, and I will expand more on that theme. Parity of esteem means tackling mental health with exactly the same respect, funding and clinical focus as physical conditions.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We need to make sure that we maintain the emphasis on mental health. Last year, the Department of Health and Social Care reported that the proportion of NHS funding spent on mental health is expected to decline over the next two years. We need to look at that again.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Rethink Mental Illness recently found that 83% of people said their mental health deteriorated while waiting for support, and nearly a third of those whose health worsened attempted suicide. Families are making impossible choices, with some parents reporting that they are skipping meals to pay for private therapy for their children because they cannot get the help they need. This crisis in mental health impacts on our Government’s core mission to kick-start economic growth. We are seeing a rise in economic inactivity driven by long-term sickness, and poor mental health is a primary factor. The Mental Health Foundation estimates that the economic and social costs of mental health problems reach £118 billion a year. Those figures have not arisen overnight; the previous Conservative Government have much to answer for in this crisis.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“They were removed from the waiting list entirely and, with nowhere else to turn, they attempted to end their own life. As Body and Soul rightly highlights, no patient with a life-threatening physical condition would be told they are too ill to qualify for treatment, unlike in this case. Mental health charity Mind is calling for the development of open-access mental health support pathways, ensuring that people can seek help early and directly, without facing unnecessary referral barriers or rigid clinical thresholds. When we fail to provide accessible care, the results can be fatal. People living with severe mental illness face a premature mortality gap of 15 to 20 years, compared to the rest of the population. Closing that gap by treating mental health with the same urgency as physical health must be the baseline of our approach.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We also see it in the harrowing accounts collected by Rethink Mental Illness. One patient told Rethink that their psychosis was full-on and that an attempted suicide was the only thing that got them help. That is an unacceptable threshold for care. I have heard of more experiences from the suicide prevention charity Body and Soul, with which I have worked. One young person it supported spent almost a year on an NHS waiting list for cognitive behavioural therapy. Just as they neared the top of the list, their health deteriorated into a severe crisis, and they attended A&E, battling suicidal thoughts. Instead of receiving urgent intervention, they were informed that their crisis made them “too severe” for the therapy they had waited so long to access.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Government have rightly instructed the NHS to drive down waiting times for elective physical health care, but so far mental health services have been excluded from that ambition. The situation for our children and young people is particularly concerning. Barnardo’s says that one in five children now has a probable mental health disorder, which is double the rate in 2017. Demand has increased hugely, yet around 28% of referred children are still waiting for help, with nearly 40,000 facing unthinkable waits of over two years for treatment. We see the human cost of those delays in the lives of people like Amy, a young woman diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder. She has spent over a decade isolated at home, yet she has seen a psychiatrist only once in those 10 years.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The most recent figures show that almost 1.87 million adults and over 576,000 children and young people currently hold open referrals for mental health services. If these were patients waiting for hip replacements or cardiac care, that would dominate the national discourse. NHS England has developed waiting list targets for mental health patients after referral—the longest being four weeks after referral for access to community-based services for non-urgent mental health care—but those developed standards have never been adopted. Research shows that 12 times more patients with mental health conditions are waiting longer than 18 months for treatment, compared to those with physical conditions.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Now it is time to deliver on our manifesto commitment to “give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health.” We need to look at the current waiting lists for mental health support, but before I look at the figures, I remind Members that every patient waiting to access mental health support is in urgent need of support, just as those on physical health waiting lists are. Sadly, and all too often, people see their condition worsen as they wait, which can lead to extreme consequences. Furthermore, physical illnesses frequently cause profound psychological distress, yet our services treat the physical and the mental in isolation. From my experiences of working with people who have rare conditions, I know the impact that that can have.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I agree with my hon. Friend on the importance of the mental health investment standard as one of the measures for securing good mental health support and for making mental health equal with physical health. As I was saying, parity of esteem means tackling mental health with the same respect, funding and clinical focus as physical conditions. We are here today to debate that principle, which has been discussed in this place for over a decade, yet it remains unfulfilled. We have made great strides in mental health: the Mental Health Act 2025, investment in mental health support teams for schools, which were rolled out this week, and additional mental health workers.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Three weeks ago, the interim Milburn review highlighted the unique combination of pressures faced by young people entering adulthood today, including a mental health system that cannot respond to the current level and severity of demand, a pandemic that affected their social development and an ongoing loneliness crisis.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My hon. Friend is quite right to point to those figures and to say that we need much more input into tackling that difference in funding. As I said, the proportion of NHS funding spent on mental health is expected to decline, and we need to look again at that. That is exactly why the mental health investment standard was introduced, and why we need the planned 10-year mental health strategy, when it is published, to set out the actions we need to take to ensure that mental health has parity of esteem with physical health. It is vital that the MHIS continues to protect mental health spending until a suitable long-term funding measure is firmly in place to ensure that funding matches need.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I look forward to the Minister’s response on how we will finally deliver true parity of esteem between physical and mental health services.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Thirdly, to help us to meet our shared ambitions for parity of esteem, will the Minister outline how we will work together to reverse the projected decline over the next two years in the proportion of NHS funding spent on mental health? Will the Government also commit to protecting the mental health investment standard until a long-term alternative funding plan is firmly in place? Finally, the Government have outlined an ambitious shift toward neighbourhood health services. How will the Department ensure that community mental health is a central component of this roll-out, so that patients can access multidisciplinary support before they reach crisis point? We have a historic opportunity to build a national health service that treats the mind and the body with equal respect.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“First, will she ensure that reducing waiting times for non-urgent community mental health care is included as a specific priority in NHS planning guidance? That would send a clear message to local systems that this must be tackled alongside elective physical care. Secondly, Mind, the mental health charity, says that reducing mental health care waiting times must be treated as a core test of parity of esteem; Rethink makes the same point. Will the Minister commit to fully rolling out the access and waiting time standards consulted on by NHS England in 2021 to ensure that emergency mental health care is provided within one hour, urgent care within four hours and community care within four weeks?”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, which is why I am so pleased that we set up mental health teams in schools. We need to look at preventive measures so that we do not keep getting into this position. When people are left to languish on waiting lists, their ability to participate in the workforce collapses. We must stop waiting for people to hit rock bottom before we step in: we have to deploy preventive measures. It is simply not good enough that one in three young people must wait more than 18 months for treatment after referral. I welcome the changes the Government have implemented, the extra investment for mental health support in schools, and the expansion of that support to 100% of schools by 2030, but I have some specific asks of the Minister, supported by mental health charities.”
House of Commons17 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I know that that is the Government’s intention, but it is about more than legislation. Where is the work to make that happen?”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Fundamentally, our worry has been—again, this goes beyond the legislation—how do you genuinely create a system where the culture is not as paternalistic as it has traditionally been, where you are empowering both staff and patients and citizens to have more say in their care, and where system leaders are not constantly looking up for permission, worried they may be held to account for quite a narrow set of metrics? Although managing money and constitutional standards is very important, if we are to deliver the 10-year plan aims and improved patient care, it is more than that. Our worry has been that the abolition of NHS England by the legislation will narrow things. We do not know, because it is broader than legislation, but how do we fundamentally shift the culture?”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We have a slight concern that, even though the Carltona principle should mean that the Secretary of State will enact powers in a way that does not slow things down, because of the broad sweep of powers given back to the Secretary of State, and the quite extensive powers of direction, politicians come under extreme pressure to intervene in certain cases or when there has been a scandal or patient safety issue, and that could lead to things clogging up.”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Q Ms Woolnough, you have talked about the abolition of NHS England, and, as I understand it, you are dealing with what the position is rather than taking a stand. Beyond the legislation, what are the key things that we should be looking at to get the transfer of functions to ICBs and DHSC right? Sarah Woolnough : We have talked quite a lot about the culture in the NHS and whether these changes enable the sort of shift that lots of people talk about wanting. Let us be really serious about devolving power and earned autonomy, and about the balance between politicians rightly being held accountable for high-level metrics but with enough operational freedom to allow local systems—services close to people and patients—to get on and do the best for them?”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“That is the only way we are going to create an NHS that will be able to cope with the number of frail, elderly people with multiple morbidities. Those people are a consequence of the success of the NHS over decades. People are living longer with cancer; the prevalence of cancer—the number of people alive with cancer—has doubled in 20 years. But that means that there are four million people who are not necessarily well. The only way to cope with that is to make a significant and radical change to the neighbourhood health plans and bring the public with us. That will happen only with proper patient and public engagement.”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“However, it can set an expectation for the ICB that, in developing its plans, it should be able to demonstrate that it has engaged with the local authorities, patient organisations and the public local to it. The legislation can set an expectation that the ICB is using population evidence to make the right commissioning choices and that, if reconfigurations, which may well be locally contentious, are to happen, engagement happens beforehand. As elected Members, the Committee will know that those conversations should start early and that local populations should not just be bounced into something. It will be incumbent on the new department to set those expectations with the ICBs about the new way of working.”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Q Sir Ciarán, the 10-year health plan, which is behind a lot of this, demands that we are really ambitious in involving patients and communities in shaping the services that they need. How can we best support ICBs, local authorities and other organisations to drive that change? Sir Ciarán Devane: I go back to our having to convince people. Many people are convinced—that is probably the first thing to say. But we have to convince people of the benefit of doing this. Delivering the ambitious neighbourhood health plans that James describes will happen only if everybody is in the room and doing it. I do not necessarily think that the legislation can mandate that belief or the way to do that.”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“That has to be the expectation: if this reform, which is huge, is to deliver value, that is the value that it has to deliver.”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Q Do you think that there are any good examples we can learn from? Sir Ciarán Devane: Yes, I do. I was in Epping recently, at St Margaret’s. I talked to the lady who runs the patient engagement: she is a volunteer and is a patient herself. They are a very good example, because they have said, “If we want to provide good services and avoid people turning up at the A&E in Harlow, we can do a neighbourhood diagnostic service.” The patient representatives got in very early. They ran some public meetings ahead of it and said, “We are thinking of doing this: what do you think? We’ll feed it back.” Everything good is happening somewhere. It is the variability that is causing the problem. We need to make sure that good practices are deployed across the sector.”
House of Commons16 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“For 14 years, the Conservatives presided over a house building crisis that locked a generation out of home ownership and left social housing in short supply. In Blaydon and Consett, my constituents have been calling for years for more social and affordable housing to be built. Will the Minister say how this Government are going the extra mile to ensure that we deliver on the calls of my constituents for more social homes?”
House of Commons15 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“People across the north-east, including in my constituency of Blaydon and Consett, have been benefiting from a £2.50 bus fare for a single journey, funded thanks to the Labour Government and Kim McGuinness, our Labour Mayor of the North East. With that fare, there have been over 100 million bus journeys and an increase in bus patronage. To build on that success, we need the national bus fare cap funding from this Government to continue. Will the Minister confirm that the Government intend to keep the £3 national cap on bus fares beyond March 2027?”
House of Commons11 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Q6. The British Standards Institution is 125 years old this year. I am proud to have been working closely with it to produce and publish BS 30480: the world’s first free standard on suicide and the workplace. The standard has now been downloaded more than 12,500 times. As we all work towards reducing the number of people who die by suicide, will the Prime Minister support more workplace adoption of the standard and work with the BSI and me to achieve that?”
House of Commons10 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The strategy said that it would “reduce the suicide rate over the next 5 years—with initial reductions observed within half this time or sooner”. However, we have now passed the halfway point, and sadly, those initial reductions have not been achieved. What is the Government’s plan to ensure that target is achieved by the end of the strategy?”
House of Commons9 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We need to build in preventive measures and access to those mental health services. I would just like to comment on the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Worthing West (Dr Cooper) about building public health issues into the overall health framework. We need to look at re-establishing that public mental health function within DHSC under the new arrangements, and indeed within ICBs. We need also to link this to our mental health strategy, which we are expecting in the very near future. I welcome the Bill greatly and look forward to seeing those issues addressed in Committee.”
House of Commons1 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The second issue I wish to raise is Healthwatch. I understand that the Government’s real intention, through the Bill, is to strengthen the patient voice and the ability to raise issues, but there is real concern that an organisation inside the Department of Health and Social Care will not provide that independence. Will the Minister commit to looking again at how that independence can be built in and linked with the ability to pull the levers that Ministers have talked about, in order to make a real difference for patients? It is about getting that balance right. Finally, I want to talk about parity of esteem for mental health services. As we move from treatment to prevention services, we need to use this legislation to reinforce parity of esteem for mental health services, including in the ability to access them.”
House of Commons1 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“First of all, I very much welcome the Bill. It has been designed to deliver and work with our 10-year plan in that bigger picture. I will touch on three issues raised with me by my constituents in Blaydon and Consett. The first is the single patient record. Of course it makes absolute sense for everyone to be able to access up-to-date records when a patient is admitted. I think of the groups I have worked with who have rare conditions, for example, who find that when they are taken into a different hospital, the doctors there are unable to access the records of their specialist treatment. That is the first thing, although there is also a good deal of concern among my constituents and others about how that will be managed and brought about, and how the data will be handled and the contracts awarded.”
House of Commons1 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“T9. The latest Women’s Aid annual audit highlights that nearly 80% of domestic abuse survivors now face devastating tech-facilitated abuse and online stalking. How will the Ministry of Justice collaborate across Government to ensure that our courts and prosecutors are fully equipped to tackle digital violence?”
House of Commons19 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am proud to support the King’s Speech, which will continue to create the change that positively transforms ordinary people’s lives.”
House of Commons18 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Every child deserves the chance to succeed, regardless of their background or their needs, and inclusive education that supports children with additional needs has long-term economic benefits. I will speak briefly about the regulation of waste operators. It is time for waste operators to be regulated—many are good and reliable, but others are not using permits, and we see the results in the form of fly-tipping locally, which many of our constituents complain about. I am glad that those rules are being strengthened. Finally, I will touch on energy. In the current global context, energy security is more important than ever. The local authority in Gateshead has created a local power scheme to benefit the area, and I hope that similar community-run power schemes will be part of the Government’s agenda.”
House of Commons18 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“They are fighting an outdated and ineffective system just to get those children the support they need, which is why I am glad that the education for all Bill will reform the system and invest over £200 million in training for teachers and support staff, helping them to better understand special educational needs and inclusion, on top of other money that has been provided for capital work on schools. However, naturally, some families fear that the changes will negatively affect them. I hope that the consultation that is ending today will help the Government to improve any forthcoming legislation, ensuring that it meets the needs of parents, teachers and young people and addresses their concerns.”
House of Commons18 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am pleased to see in the King’s Speech additional support for educating children with special needs. The Government will introduce the education for all Bill, which aims to transform the way in which special educational needs and disabilities are addressed. I have recently held events in my constituency to hear from some of the parents, teachers, carers and others whom that Bill will affect. I want to understand how we can help improve the lives of parents, teachers, and the young people themselves. Parents and teachers tell me about the monumental pressures they face in supporting their children and students every day. They worry that without sufficient support, opportunities for those young people will close.”
House of Commons18 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“However, I ask the Minister to confirm that health and safety—a key issue for workers—will be up there with growth as a priority, driving safety for our employees. The UK’s long-term economic security depends on raising living standards in every part of the country. Places such as the north-east have been left behind for decades, and our young people deserve greater opportunities. We are already taking steps to address that through our action on child poverty—we cannot build a resilient economy without ending the opportunity crisis and ensuring every child has the best possible start in life. True economic growth requires an inclusive system in which every child can go as far as their talent and effort will take them, so we must build on the recently passed Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 by taking further positive steps.”
House of Commons18 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I welcome the extensive measures that this Government are taking in this King’s Speech to create and enable economic growth across the country, including in my constituency in the north-east. As we know, growth is at the heart of this Government’s agenda, and a good deal of legislation has been proposed to ensure we make the conditions right for it. Bills such as the Government’s new regulating for growth Bill will drive our economic development forward. I am also pleased to see a regulation of late payments Bill—something that small businesses have long wanted—which is an important step forward. It was welcome to hear the positive news that the IMF has increased its growth expectations, and it is pleasing to see that the priority of growth will be written into legislation.”
House of Commons18 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I recently had the chance to speak to air cadets at 1509 (Blaydon) Squadron, my local air training corps, where I received a good grilling on the job of an MP and on a wide range of issues affecting the cadets. They told me how they are learning practical and social skills, as well as being provided with training and outdoor pursuits by the RAF. Can we have a debate in Government time on how we can continue to build on the work of our cadet services to benefit our young people?”
House of Commons23 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Consett is full of great community-focused organisations. Recently, I met those at Shadows of Light CIC, which offers dog-assisted therapy for care homes, young people, those at risk of suicide and veterans. I met them at the Foundation For Good, another charity in Consett, which focuses on wellbeing and support across the community. Can we have a debate in Government time on the vital role that social enterprises and charities play in strengthening and building our communities?”
House of Commons16 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“For every suicide death, at least 135 people, including colleagues, clients and communities alike, are directly or indirectly affected. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50. According to the Office for National Statistics, it was the leading cause of death for males and females aged 20 to 34 in the UK for all years observed, accounting for 27.1% of male deaths. Suicide touches nearly every workplace, yet most organisations lack the tools to address the emotional aftermath.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I beg to move, That this House has considered Government support for businesses implementing National Suicide Prevention Standard BS 30480. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. This debate is about a risk we often overlook in our workplaces, but which can have a great impact on families, work colleagues and a much wider group of people. We have rigorous standards for fire safety and electrical wiring, and for hard hats on construction sites. We accept those as the cost of doing business safely yet, until now, we have had no such road map for the most complex safety risk of all: the mental health and lives of our employees. Research shows that one in four adults has contemplated suicide, and one in 13 has attempted it.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Of course small and medium-sized enterprises are in a difficult position without large resources, but there are lots of things we can do. As the hon. Member suggests, I will ask the Minister what we can do to ensure that SMEs also have the ability to take part in this training.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“This standard, informed by research, data and lived experience, aims to provide organisations with practical, evidence-based recommendations to help plan for, respond to and support people affected by suicide, or those with thoughts of suicide, in the workplace and beyond. The standard is designed to help workplaces support people who might be on the frontline of dealing with the stresses and strains of life.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Suicide has a profound effect on every workplace it touches, whether through the loss of a colleague, supporting someone in crisis or managing the complex emotional and operational aftermath. Yet organisations are not necessarily equipped to address this issue openly and effectively. For employees without proper support, the trauma and grief of exposure to suicide significantly damages workplace attendance, retention, performance and productivity. Colleagues often experience profound feelings of guilt, inadequacy and confusion. Because people fear saying the wrong thing, they often do or say nothing, which leads to further distress and emotional toll.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Indeed, I will be pushing the Government to do all they can to support the implementation of the standard, and to recognise those psychological risks. As we know, male-dominated industries such as construction face severe historical challenges with work and mental health. Agriculture and farming workers face extreme social isolation and financial pressures, and have access to lethal means. Healthcare workers and emergency responders experience severe trauma alongside having ready access to pharmaceuticals. The economic impact of suicide is clear. In the UK, it is estimated at nearly £1.46 million per death. Nationally, this costs the UK economy nearly £10 billion per year, factoring in the cost of lost productivity, healthcare and emergency services.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank the hon. Member for that question. I had great pleasure in working with his constituents on the quilt exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall; it was a tremendous experience, and they do tremendous work. Farming is indeed one of the industries most affected by these circumstances. I certainly commend the work being done on the agricultural side, by organisations such as Yellow Wellies, to ensure that those issues are addressed.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The standard itself calls for assigning a named senior leader to take responsibility for the organisation’s suicide prevention strategy and provide targeted training so that line managers are confident in spotting warning signs.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I thank colleagues from the BSI for being here in the Public Gallery today to raise awareness of their organisation’s hard work, particularly on the new standard BS 30480: “Suicide and the Workplace”. I know that the BSI has a positive impact on society through its work. As chair of the APPG on suicide and self-harm prevention, I am pleased to have supported work on that standard. I am also delighted that the House has endorsed the standard and is seeking to adopt it following internal consultation. The publication of the world’s first standard on suicide and the workplace represents a significant milestone in supporting mental health and wellbeing at work across the UK and beyond. The BSI, acting as convenor, brought together many leading individuals and organisations to develop it.”
House of Commons14 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗