Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Male Suicide in Rotherham 2025-03-24

24 March 2025 · 7 other contributors

Opened by Jake Richards Lab Rother Valley

Mental HealthNHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Jake Richards raised concerns about male suicide in rotherham 2025-03-24 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about rising male suicide rates in Rotherham, with male suicides accounting for three out of four in England and Wales.
  • Local MP Jake Richards highlights societal issues such as deteriorating mental health provisions, weakening support networks, and societal pressures preventing men from seeking help.
  • Minister commits to publishing a men's health strategy and recruiting 8,500 new mental health workers trained to support people at risk of suicide.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Jake Richards Lab Rother Valley

In Rotherham, male suicide is a silent tragedy on the rise. As local MP, Jake Richards addresses frequent calls about suicides and their impact on communities, highlighting alarming statistics such as male suicides accounting for three out of four in England and Wales. He emphasises the broader societal issues contributing to this problem: worsening mental health provisions for men, splintering support networks, and societal pressures that discourage men from seeking help. Richards also mentions specific policy concerns like gambling addiction and the role of technology in exacerbating mental health issues among young men.

Other contributors (7)
  • Lee Pitcher Lab Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme

    In Doncaster, veterans make up a significant portion of those affected by suicide. He encourages promoting the armed forces covenant to address this issue.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Agrees that more must be done to support men across the UK, highlighting high rates of male suicides in deprived areas of Northern Ireland and the need for greater accessibility to mental health services.

  • Mark Sewards Lab Leeds South West and Morley

    Pays tribute to Veterans In Need Together, an organisation supporting veterans every Wednesday at a fire station in his constituency.

  • Danny Chambers LD Winchester

    Acknowledges the direct link between poverty and mental health issues, noting that 85% of homeless people are men with related mental health problems.

  • Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett

    Encourages considering employment-related and sectoral factors in tackling male suicide.

  • Chris Coghlan LD Dorking and Horley

    Does the hon. Member agree that when loved ones are over 18, there can be barriers in law in terms of the presumption of capacity and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 when raising alarms with public authorities?

  • Amanda Martin Lab Portsmouth North

    Suicide is the leading cause of death among males aged between 20 to 49 in Portsmouth. We need more funding for male mental health services and stronger support for at-risk groups, such as veterans and construction workers.

Government Response

To be filled by the minister

To be filled by the minister I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley for securing this debate on male suicide. Mental ill health is rising, with suicide being the biggest killer for men under 50. The Government will publish a men’s health strategy to tackle these problems head-on. We are working closely with local authorities and voluntary sectors to see progress through. For example, we are recruiting 8,500 new mental health workers trained to support people at risk of suicide. Additionally, the cross-sector suicide prevention strategy for England identifies middle-aged men as a priority group for targeted support. The Government is providing £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres. We take online safety seriously and are working closely with our colleagues at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to address harmful content shared on pro-suicide websites and forums. We are addressing the concerns regarding technology's impact on young people. We have provided significant support, including £500 million in debt relief to address budget cuts facing local authorities. Robust new protections under the Online Safety Act 2023 will be enforced by summer to protect children from harmful content and ensure an age-appropriate online experience. In addition to online safety measures, we are committed to early intervention for mental health issues. Every school is being provided with access to a mental health professional through initiatives like the With Me In Mind team in Doncaster and Rotherham. We are also rolling out Open Access Young Futures hubs across communities to deliver support for young people facing mental health challenges. The Department for Education is reviewing relationship, sex, and health education statutory guidance with a focus on children's wellbeing, considering consultation responses before setting next steps and engaging wider experts. The NHS remains committed to prioritising mental health through the mental health investment standard, ensuring funding is ringfenced for delivery of our commitments. The Secretary of State will publish an annual statement setting out expectations for NHS mental health spending in due course. We are also encouraging men to contribute their views on how to build a more effective NHS through our 10-year health plan.

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