UK Tues 5 June 2:30 pm - live on Parliament TV - Carol Monaghan to ask for debate on ME

Gecko said:
@Binkie4 Yeah I'd also like to know more about parliamentary process, and do agree about momentum being vital. Definitely not set on my theory!
Click to expand...

I don't think your theory is far wrong. Basically (as Bob Blackman said) time for backbench business to be discussed in the Commons Chamber is always at a premium, because the Commons Chamber is where Government business takes place. Westminster Hall debates (which somewhat confusingly don't actually take place in Westminster Hall...) are a more recent innovation (they were only introduced around the turn of the millennium) to allow backbench MPs to raise and discuss issues of importance to them. Although a member of the Government will usually attend the debate and speak on the Government's behalf, the crucial difference with Westminster Hall debates is that there's no vote at the end of the debate - so there's no opportunity for MPs to express disapproval of the Government's position or try and pressure them to change it.

As Bob Blackman said, if all the cross-party MPs want to do is have a wide-ranging discussion to raise awareness of the issues surrounding ME, the Backbench Business Committee could quickly schedule a Westminster Hall Debate and guarantee a longer block of time for that debate to take place. On the other hand if the MPs had a specific 'ask' of the Government - a detailed request or demand that they wanted to make - then a debate in the Commons Chamber would make more sense (even if that debate ended up being shorter in length, and even if the cross-party group had to wait longer for it to happen), because then they could force a vote if they were unhappy with the Government's reply.

In a nutshell, Blackman was asking what they wanted to achieve so that he and the other Committee members could work out what would be the most appropriate debate slot to allocate them.
 
#MEAction said:
#MEAction will provide tools for you to urge your MP to attend the Westminster Hall debate to learn about ME treatment and research early next week.
Click to expand...

And, importantly:

there is still a chance that a full Chamber debate might be granted in the autumn.
Click to expand...

and

We need your help to keep the momentum going. Help us hire a full-time, on-the-ground #MEAction team member in the UK to support more work like this by donating to our UK crowdfunding campaign today.
Click to expand...
 
I must say, I'm really amazed by Nicky Morgan.

After writing her initially in thanks for her support (as an American with ME/CFS) and getting a very warm reply, I wrote her again yesterday in praise of her appearance at the Backbench Business Committee meeting and reiterating my appreciation for what she's doing for our community in the UK. And she was kind enough to respond for a second time.

I'm gobsmacked.

I do think Bob Blackman's suggestion, which initially seemed to set everyone aback, was a helpful one. The Westminster Hall debate is an opportunity to raise awareness while giving the multiparty MPs time to hone specific policy suggestions. I do hope they get a lot of support and input before they get to the debate in the Commons.

I also enjoyed hearing Stephen Pound at the hearing. Even if he may have muffed a point about the duration of time some people are bedbound, the points he raised about the impacts of ME on family and support systems were very well made. I thought to myself--while he spoke--that he's the sort of guy I'd like to have my back. So later I had a chuckle when reading up on him in Wikipedia to discover "he was a boxer in the Merchant Navy, when at sea from 1964–66, leading Private Eye magazine to refer to him as "Ealing North's tattooed bruiser." LOL.

We have some good folks here, including Carol, working across parties. Gives one hope that times are changing.

Bill
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom