Backbench Business

Crosbie thanked Fletcher for the debate and acknowledged the impact of community initiatives like Amlwch Men’s Shed and Amlwch walking football team on men's mental health.

Evans noted a TikTok video showing men feeling unsupported when they have problems, highlighting the need for support in addressing men’s mental health. He also mentioned his experience as a GP and the importance of understanding gender differences in healthcare to develop a balanced men's health strategy.

Margaret Ferrier congratulated the hon. Member for Don Valley on securing the debate and thanked various organisations such as Movember and Samaritans. She highlighted issues like suicide, societal beauty standards, and eating disorders affecting men, emphasising that these are often overlooked or stigmatized. She also discussed muscle dysmorphia and OCD in relation to male mental health.

Highlights the challenge of social media, which exacerbates feelings of inadequacy. He supports the idea that forming strong networks and having a society where people help each other is crucial. Additionally, he discusses the importance of breaking down barriers in various professions to encourage more diverse participation.

Honoured her predecessor for securing the debate, discussed the unique challenges faced by men and boys in society today. She noted significant changes over the last few decades including industrial decline, a focus on higher education at the expense of vocational training, and family instability which has disproportionately affected working-class men. Emphasised the importance of celebrating male virtues while acknowledging biological differences between men and women. Highlighted issues such as the economic impact of losing skilled manufacturing jobs, the rise in loneliness among middle-aged men due to family breakdowns, and the proliferation of online pornography affecting boys' development and health. Called for reforming taxation systems to support families, pushing for secure age verification on pornographic websites, and conducting a public inquiry into the harms caused by internet pornography.

Thanks the hon. Member for Don Valley for opening the debate and stresses the importance of addressing inequality for men's opportunities to fulfil their potential, pointing out societal expectations and traditional gender roles contribute to poor mental health among men. He cites statistics from Public Health Scotland showing 75% of those who died by suicide in 2021 were male, with the highest rate occurring in the 45 to 54-year-old age group. Bonnar calls for devolution of drug policy and immigration powers to the Scottish Parliament.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Don Valley on securing the debate. I am pleased to take my place here as the shadow Women and Equalities Minister to close the debate for the Labour party. Figures reveal that suicide is the biggest cause of death in men under the age of 50, with around three quarters of deaths from suicide each year being of men. Currently, 1.6 million people are on an NHS waiting list for specialised mental health treatment and while an additional 8 million would benefit from support, they cannot even get onto a waiting list. My party would take strong action to ensure access to mental health treatment within a month for everyone who needs it by hiring 8,500 new staff so that 1 million new people could access treatment by the end of our first term in office.

She talked about the overuse of steroids by men complying with societal ideas about what a physically appealing male should look like, and the whole issue of eating disorders.

He talked about mental health issues and the use of social media and the internet which can aggravate such issues. He introduced his HOPE acronym and highlighted the importance of the Samaritans in addressing loneliness.

She discussed toxic masculinity and its link to far-right politics, as well as the issue of pornography which provides a warped view about issues of sexuality. She also shared personal anecdotes about men in her life.

I am very pleased to be able to join this year’s debate to celebrate International Men’s Day. I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting this debate so that we can join 80 countries around the world in marking this day. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Nick Fletcher) not just for leading the debate, but for his consistent campaigning on the issues that affect men, and for his work as chair of the APPG on issues affecting men and boys, which continues to shine a spotlight on issues from mental health and wellbeing to boys’ education. We heard from my hon. Friend the Member for Ynys Môn (Virginia Crosbie) about the tragic suicide of her brother. The hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Margaret Ferrier) spoke so well about the body-image issues that men face, which are rarely talked about enough. My hon. Friend the Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge (Miriam Cates) spoke about a multitude of issues that affect men, including in particular their roles and importance in family life, and pornography and how it affects young men. It is tragic and unacceptable that, on average, 13 male suicides occur every day, and that suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. About 75% of all suicides are by men, so it is so important that we tackle the mental health issues that men face. We now have self-referral to talking therapies, more than 1 million people have accessed talking therapies through self-referral and we are investing in those services by putting in an extra £2.3 billion a year to grow mental health services and meet demand. We need a whole-systems approach as the APPG highlighted in its report. We want to reduce suicide rates, and to do that we have to support men, who account for 75% of suicides currently. Not having a men’s strategy does not mean that the Government or the NHS take men’s health any less seriously. In terms of getting equality for men, I think my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley will be happy with the work being done to support fathers, particularly new fathers who want to take on a full role in family life.

My hon. Friend the Member for Watford made a moving speech on a range of issues and I will start by addressing some of the points he made about suicide. It is incumbent on all of us, across the House, to urge all men across our constituencies to reach out to the available support. We need a whole-systems approach as the APPG highlighted in its report. Phrases such as “man up” and outdated beliefs about what it means to be a man do not help men to get the help that they need. One issue that was not touched on much is domestic violence that affects men.

She spoke about the tragic suicide of her brother.

Mr Fletcher thanked the Backbench Business Committee and Members for their support in discussing the importance of a Minister for Men. He highlighted the necessity to direct people towards available help, particularly on International Men's Day, stressing the significant issue of male suicide rates with 13 men committing suicide daily.