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National Suicide Prevention Standard
14 April 2026
Lead MP
Liz Twist
Blaydon and Consett
Lab
Responding Minister
Zubir Ahmed
Tags
NHSTaxationEmploymentAgriculture & Rural AffairsMental Health
Word Count: 3897
Other Contributors: 5
At a Glance
Liz Twist raised concerns about national suicide prevention standard in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Will the Government help promote the standard with business, public sector bodies and throughout government? Will they commit to organising a roundtable on its rollout across UK workplaces? How will small and medium-sized enterprises access trauma-informed training?
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
One in four adults has contemplated suicide, and one in 13 has attempted it. For every suicide death, at least 135 people are directly or indirectly affected. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50, accounting for 27.1% of male deaths aged 20 to 34. Male-dominated industries such as construction face severe challenges with work and mental health. Agriculture and farming workers experience social isolation and financial pressures. Healthcare workers and emergency responders deal with trauma and have access to lethal means.
Alex Easton
Ind
North Down
Asks if BS 30480 will make a difference only with ac [2D [K active business support and proposes formal Government endorsement, includi [7D [K including through health and safety guidance on work-related stress.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Commends the hon. Lady for introducing the debate, h [1D [K highlighting the difficulty small businesses face due to a lack of human re [2D [K resources departments in providing support and training to staff.
Lee Pitcher
Labour [7D [K (Labour
Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme
Emphasises proactive measures like early communicati [11D [K communication channels and mental first aid training in workplaces as part [K of a forward-thinking approach to suicide prevention.
Rachael Maskell
Lab Co-op
York Central
Supports the holistic approach for addressing mental [6D [K mental health challenges, highlighting the importance of identifying and ad [2D [K addressing workplace pressures that contribute to trauma and mental health [K issues. Rachael Maskell suggested that the Government could [K be more interventionist in adopting a programme similar to Dignity at Work, [5D [K Work, introduced by the last Labour government in 2003, which addressed bul [3D [K bullying in the workplace successfully through partnerships between trade u [1D [K unions, Government, businesses and public sector bodies.
Robbie Moore
Con
Keighley and Ilkley
Commemorates the loss of lives to suicide in the far [3D [K farming community, noting men in farming are twice as likely to commit suic [4D [K suicide compared to other workers. Celebrates the work of support networks [K like the Farming Community Network.
Government Response
Zubir Ahmed
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon and Consett for securing this debate on a topic that is especially close to her heart and for her work more generally to promote action on suicide prevention. Every suicide is nothing short of a tragedy with lasting and devastating impacts on families, friends and communities. The Government are committed to reducing the numbers of lives lost to suicide through their suicide prevention strategy for England. The BSI launched a new voluntary standard entitled "Suicide and the Workplace", which has been well received, with more than 11,000 downloads since its publication in November. Businesses across the country are putting the standard into practice. Employers should support practices that help to prevent suicides such as employment assistance programmes, line manager training and support networks in place for employees. The Government recognise the importance of public and private sector organisations reaching vulnerable people most at risk. They are committed to finding more opportunities to ensure every person requiring support can access it readily, highlighting community-based mental health centres and piloting suicide prevention initiatives like the middle-aged men's programme with up to £3.6 million over three years. The minister encourages all workplaces and employers to familiarise themselves with the Government's suicide prevention strategy and consider drawing on BSI standards as an exemplar tool.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.