MPs hear Brianna Ghey's bereaved classmates not receiving support

An MP has raised concerns bereaved classmates of Brianna Ghey are not receiving mental health support due to needless bureaucracy.

Labour's Charlotte Nichols told MPs support for Birchwood High School had been delayed as government departments had not decided who would fund it.

The Warrington North MP said officials had made "no progress since October".

Commons leader Penny Mordaunt pledged to look into the concerns over what she said could be "nonsense bureaucracy".

Transgender teenager Brianna, 16, was found with fatal stab wounds in Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, on 11 February.

The trial of two teenagers, identified only as girl X and boy Y, both now aged 16 but 15 at the time, is taking place at Manchester Crown Court.

Both deny murder.

MPs heard Downing Street, the Treasury and the Department for Education (DfE) had agreed a package of funding would be provided to the school, but a decision has yet to be taken on whose budget will cover it.

Speaking during business questions, Ms Nichols told the House of Commons the prime minister had made a "personal commitment to me on the floor of this House that support would be made available for the bereaved classmates of Brianna Ghey".

"It was agreed in June between No 10, the Treasury, the Department for Education and Birchwood High School that this would take the form of a package of funding for the school," Ms Nichols added.

This was intended to cover the cost of mental health professionals working with students and staff, MPs heard.

"It's now December, the trial in the national media spotlight is causing enormous welfare pressures in the school community and this funding has still not been received," Ms Nichol said.

"Will the Leader of the House please intervene and ensure the prime minister's promise is upheld?"

Ms Mordaunt said: "I will most certainly do that and I think the Secretary of State for Education [Gillian Keegan] would want to cut through what sounds like nonsense bureaucracy and make sure people get what they need.

"I will do it immediately after this questions [session]."

In February, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Ms Nichols "she will have what she needs from the government".

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