Alison Thewliss

Northern Ireland Secretary must act to scrap rape clause

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Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, today challenged Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire to use his influence in the UK Government to protect vulnerable women in Northern Ireland and scrap the two child policy and rape clause.

The campaigning MP asked the Northern Ireland Secretary to highlight the impact that Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 has on referrals under the rape clause, as it results in automatic disclosure of rape allegations directly to the police. Concerns have been raised by women’s organisations, including the Northern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation, who Ms Thewliss met with in September following her attendance at an anti-rape clause rally in Belfast.

Third party professionals, such as doctors, midwives, social workers and support workers, can face a prison sentence of up to 10 years if they fail to disclose that a woman has been raped when completing the rape clause form – even if doing so means that women are placed in further danger of violence and sexual assault from their abusive partners.

Speaking after Northern Ireland Questions, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“I have been pursuing the UK Government on this abhorrent policy for over two years now, and it’s evident that the rape clause’s sickening impact on women in Northern Ireland is becoming clearer by the day. In addition to the repugnant position that vulnerable women are being placed in by having to disclose one of the worst experiences of their lives to make a claim for a benefit, they, and the third party professionals that support them, could face criminalisation under existing law in Northern Ireland.

“The Northern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation is the latest in a long line of women’s aid organisations, charities and trades unions to join the campaign against the two child policy and rape clause. The stakes are so high for thousands of doctors, nurses, women’s aid workers and support workers who face potential criminalisation under the rape clause.

“The Northern Ireland Secretary must now stand up for vulnerable women in Northern Ireland and ask his colleagues in the DWP to scrap the pernicious, mediaeval and unworkable two child policy and rape clause once and for all.”

Alison Thewliss MP races against service personnel in support of The Royal British Legion’s Annual Poppy Appeal

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On Wednesday 01 November the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon John Bercow MP, the Director General of The Royal British Legion, and over 90 Members of Parliament raced alongside serving members of The Armed Forces on an exercise bike to raise money for The Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal.

The 12 hour bike ride was held from 08:00 to 20:00 in Portcullis House, Parliament and aimed to raise money for the Legion’s national Poppy Appeal. Alison Thewliss MP represented her constituency of Glasgow Central by cycling as far as she could in 5 minutes, with the hope of topping the leaderboard, beating their fellow colleagues. Alison managed to cycle 2.99 miles in 5 minutes.

The bike ride was organised by the Industry and Parliament Trust (IPT) and The Royal British Legion following on from the successful bike ride held in 2016 (where 77 MPs and Peers cycled a total of 128.8 miles in 12 hours). This year’s race emphasised that The Royal British Legion will once again be asking the nation to ‘Rethink Remembrance’ and consider the meaning of the poppy as a symbol of Remembrance and hope.

MPs were encouraged to donate as they take part, with all of the money raised on the day going to help The Royal British Legion provide lifelong support for the Armed Forces community. The Central Parliament Poppy Appeal is the only charity that can fundraise in Parliament.

Commenting on the event, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“I would like to thank the Industry and Parliament Trust and The Royal British Legion for arranging this event. The Royal British Legion provides invaluable support to The Armed Forces community; I am pleased to have been able to support such a worthy cause.”

Nick Maher, CEO of the IPT, said:

“The work of The Royal British Legion is essential to the lives of the whole Armed Forces community across the UK and I am delighted that MPs and Peers are supporting us in our efforts to raise money for such a worthwhile cause. The support and enthusiasm from parliamentarians and service men and women has been fantastic”.

Alison Thewliss MP supports National Autism Project campaign

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Alison Thewliss MP supported the National Autism Project at the launch of their Autism Agenda at a recent event in Westminster.

There are an estimated 700,000 autistic people living in the UK. The Autism Agenda showcases the National Autism Project’s recommendations to highlight barriers that autistic people face and how these can be addressed. These include timely identification and diagnosis, removing barriers to accessing social care and fighting stigma and discrimination.

Supporting the National Autism Project on the day were major national charities – the National Autistic Society, Autistica and the Autism Alliance as well as the Westminster Commission on Autism.

Paradise Papers: failure to act risks deregulated Britain

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A failure by the Prime Minister – in the wake of the Paradise Papers – to fully investigate and pursue rigorous regulation risks a deregulated tax haven Britain, the SNP has said today in a letter to the Prime Minister.

In the letter, SNP MP Alison Thewliss warned that as the UK approaches a “period of long-term uncertainty” in the face of a Tory Brexit, the UK government must use the leak of 13.4 million documents as an opportunity to “create a tax system that works for everyone.”

The SNP has campaigned tirelessly for action to tackle the UK’s role in tax criminality and injustice – including through campaigning to expose and address the links between Scottish Limited Partnerships (SLPs) and criminality.

The leaks shed a light on the world’s most wealthiest and influential people and companies who have been found to be using offshore structures to protect their money from paying higher tax – the list includes one of the Tory party’s biggest donors, Lord Ashcroft, who has given more than £10m to the Tory party.

Alison Thewliss MP said:

“Theresa May pledged on taking office in 2016 that, ‘When it comes to taxes, we’ll prioritise not the wealthy, but you.’ If the Prime Minister is genuinely committed to this, she must turn hollow rhetoric and inaction into action with rigorous regulation that holds to account the wealthiest from exploiting offshore tax havens.

“In order to promote transparency and accountability, we need the beneficial ownership of companies and trusts to be made public immediately, and measures brought forward to improve the transparency of tax paid by major international companies – as was highlighted by the sweetheart deal offered to Google.

“Taxpayers in the UK have faced seven years of callous, ideologically driven austerity, as this Tory government removes the safety net from those who need it most. The government cannot sit on its hands, as the UK heads for the biggest increase in inequality since the Thatcher years.”

SNP MP calls for an end to maternity discrimination

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Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has called on the UK Government to end maternity discrimination, and joined the ‘March of the Mummies’ demonstration in London on Tuesday 31 October, an event organised by campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed to bring about positive change for working mothers across the UK. Marches also took place at five other locations across the country.

A UK Government-commissioned survey published in 2015 concluded that around 11% of women, having left their job as a result of giving birth, had reported being a victim of workplace discrimination. According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, if these results were replicated across the country, the cumulative effect would be around 54,000 women being forced out of work each year.

The ‘March of the Mummies’ campaign is lobbying the UK Government to increase the time limit for raising a tribunal claim from three months to at least six, and reports that there has been a sharp decline in women employees bringing tribunal claims against their employers since fees for doing so were increased substantially in 2013.

Alison Thewliss MP said:

“I pay credit to all who joined in today’s ‘March of the Mummies’ campaign, and to the wider work of the group, Pregnant Then Screwed.

“Every year thousands of women face the prospect of losing their jobs as a result of pregnancy. This is bad enough, but the fact that the same women then face a serious struggle in accessing justice is simply unacceptable.

“Some of the stories that I have heard first-hand from women have been truly shocking, and have ranged from women having their work-patterns changed without their knowledge, to those finding out at short-notice that there is simply no job for them to return to once their maternity has ended.

“It’s encouraging to see the Scottish Government taking steps to tackle pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace, and opening up a formal dialogue with women through the establishment of a working group. However, employment law still resides at Westminster and much more must be done by the UK Government to protect women’s rights. If they won’t, these powers must be devolved to Holyrood.”

SNP MP urges UK Government to reverse ESOL funding cuts

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Alison Thewliss MP sitting at her desk in Parliament

Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has called on the UK Government to reverse damaging funding cuts to English language courses for refugees and asylum seekers and give asylum seekers the opportunity to work whilst they wait for their claims to be heard by the Home Office.

According to research from the charity Refugee Action, UK government funding for ESOL classes in England and Wales has shrunk by more than £110 million in six years, leaving many applicants waiting up to three years to begin their learning. Combined with restrictions which prevent asylum seekers from working whilst in the UK, many asylum seekers and refugees face an uphill struggle to integrate into their new communities.

In Scotland, additional funding of over £1.4 million has been provided for ESOL classes as part of the Scottish Government’s New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy, which has created over 10,000 English language learning opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers.

Commenting, following a Westminster Hall debate on English language teaching for refugees, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“It is great to see the Scottish Government doing all it can to support refugees and asylum seekers integrate into Scottish society. The landmark New Scots refugee integration strategy, backed by £1.4 million of funding for ESOL classes, has improved the prospects of thousands of refugees across Scotland to access work and education opportunities.

“There are a number of organisations in my wonderfully diverse constituency offering first class English language teaching classes, at various locations across Glasgow. One such organisation is Nan McKay Community Hall, who have been providing English language support for at least fourteen years now, and the service continues to be very much in demand. Many of those who have enrolled at Nan McKay Community Hall have become part of the life of the community; they go on trips together, enjoy cookery and art, these brand new Glaswegians from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Poland, Greece, Sudan, and more besides.

“Despite considerable efforts in Scotland to improve refugee integration, it remains deeply concerning that the UK Government continues to place undue restrictions on asylum seekers who wish to contribute to society whilst their claims are being processed by the Home Office. Even modest participation in the labour market by a quarter of all asylum seekers in the UK would save the UK Government money whilst boosting economic growth and improving social cohesion.

“Supporting vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers is not just the right thing to do, it brings tangible economic benefits to society as a whole. The UK Government can start today by reversing the damaging cuts to ESOL and stop alienating refugees and asylum seekers from the communities that seek to welcome their contribution.”

Alison Thewliss MP backs campaign for better post-transplant care

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Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has backed a campaign by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, calling for better care for people recovering from a stem cell transplant.

Despite stem cell transplant patients often being known as “patients for life” due to the long-term side-effects of the treatment, many patients are not receiving adequate support for the physical, practical and psychological challenges they experience during recovery. According to research by Anthony Nolan, one in five are not offered any specialist care to help with their recovery, which includes access to physiotherapists, counsellors, and fertility experts.

Anthony Nolan is calling on health commissioners across the UK to urgently review the care arrangements they have in place for transplant recipients once they leave hospital, to ensure that patients and their families can continue to access vital support and services.

At an event in the House of Commons on Wednesday 11 October, Alison Thewliss MP heard from patient representatives about how difficult recovery can be without appropriate support.

Alison Thewliss MP said:

“A number of my constituents have got in touch to bring this issue to my attention, so I know how important it is for people in Glasgow that stem cell transplant patients and their families receive appropriate support.

“No patient’s recovery should be made more difficult by a lack of care and support, and that’s why I’m backing Anthony Nolan’s campaign, urging health commissioners to review the care arrangements they have in place once transplant patients leave hospital.”

Henny Braund, Chief Executive of Anthony Nolan, said:

“It’s vital that health commissioners carry out an urgent review into the long-term care that stem cell transplant recipients need throughout their recovery, so we’re delighted to have the support of Alison Thewliss MP in raising awareness of this issue in Parliament and in their constituency.

“Anthony Nolan is calling on health commissioners to work with us and the clinical community and make sure that post-transplant care works for every patient, to ensure they get the support they need to make a good recovery.”

Alison Thewliss MP urges households to ‘Keep a Step Ahead of Winter’

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New research from Scottish Gas has highlighted that having no heating or hot water would be the number one disaster for households in Scotland this winter. Even so, many people in Glasgow have not taken action to ensure their homes are winter-ready.

Despite the autumn chill, a national survey* shows that more than a third of households (35%) in Scotland have not checked that their central heating is working and nearly four in ten have not prepared their home for winter by getting their boiler serviced. Having an annual boiler service carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer is crucial as it detects problems with the boiler and controls, including whether it is leaking poisonous carbon monoxide.

Keeping homes safe is an important part of winter preparation, yet only four in ten households in Scotland have checked that their carbon monoxide alarm is working. Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’, because the gas has no odour or taste, and is invisible. Fitting an audible alarm is the second line of defence against carbon monoxide poisoning.

Being energy efficient is particularly important during the winter months, and technology can help with this. Whilst more than half of households in Scotland (51%) acknowledge that technology could help their home to run more smoothly during winter, less than a third (32%) have smart meters.

Having smart meters installed can help keep household energy in check, as they automatically send readings to the energy supplier. Smart meters also come with a display that shows you how much energy is being used, in pounds and pence, in near real-time, and identify where savings can be made.

Alison Thewliss MP said: “It’s really important to keep a step ahead of winter. I want everyone in Glasgow to understand what help is available for them, and for their family and friends. Being energy efficient and keeping bills under control is really important, so I’d encourage people to get in touch with their energy supplier to find out what support is on offer.”

Scottish Gas engineer Stephen Cosgrove, who fixes and repairs boilers, said: “Winter can be a challenging time for households, but there are some practical steps that you can take, with our help, to make sure that you are prepared:

Get the best deal

We have been working hard to ensure buying energy is simple, transparent and fair for customers – for every customer on a standard variable tariff they will get an Annual Energy Health Check to make sure they’re on the right tariff. This will highlight other ways we can help our customers save money like replacing old and inefficient boilers or insulating their homes for free.

Get smart meters

Your energy supplier will be able to install smart meters, which mean an end to estimated bills. A smart energy monitor shows how much energy you are using, and what you are spending. Scottish Gas customers are provided with online tools to help them manage their energy usage. Find out more by visiting www.britishgas.co.uk/smartmeters

The Scottish Gas Energy Trust

This independent trust gives face-to-face advice, financial support and grants to help clear energy and household debts. The average grant is around £600 and you don’t have to be a Scottish Gas customer. Find out more by visiting: www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk.

Bleed your radiators: to make sure they are working properly. If your radiators have cold spots at the top, this means you have air in the system, so you will need to bleed them to get them working efficiently.

a. To do this, turn the system off and when cool turn the radiator key until the air stops and water runs consistently. Once you have turned the system back on, the problem should be solved.
b. Cold spots in the bottom or centre of the radiator may be an indication of sludge build up and the need for system flushing.
c. Bleeding your radiator may result in pressure dropping. If you have a pressure gauge, make sure the boiler is at the right pressure and top up as necessary.

Block the breeze: Make sure all of your windows and doors seal properly to stop warm air escaping. For those that don’t, fitting draught excluders, which you can buy from most DIY stores, is a quick and cheap way to cut down on your energy bills.

Stay safe: It’s vital to have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted and that you test it regularly.

Love your boiler: Check to make sure that your boiler is working properly before winter sets in. The older your boiler, the more inefficient it will be. If you have a pressure gauge, make sure the boiler is at the right pressure and top up as necessary.

Insulate your pipes: Burst pipes are a huge issue during winter months. To help prevent burst pipes, ensure all pipes are properly insulated by using lagging, which can be bought cheaply from most DIY shops.

Maintain your drains: If you’re trying to keep your drains outside well maintained, it’s a good idea to make sure they are clear of debris at the point at which they enter the ground. This involves checking your gullies for autumnal leaves and twigs in order to ensure that they don’t restrict water flow at any point.

Control your heating remotely with Hive Active Heating: Using Hive Active Heating means you can control your heating and hot water remotely from your smartphone with the Hive app, so you can ensure your home is warm when you need it to be. Find out more: www.britishgas.co.uk/hive

Peace of mind: Scottish Gas has a range of HomeCare products to help keep your home a step ahead of winter with protection for your boiler, heating, electrics and plumbing. With HomeCare you can have your boiler serviced every year for less than 40p a day. Find out more: www.britishgas.co.uk/homecare”

Alison Thewliss MP calls for secondary schools in Glasgow Central to teach CPR to students

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Alison Thewliss MP is urging secondary schools in Glasgow Central to teach their students CPR, following the British Heart Foundation (BHF) warning that people who have not been trained in CPR are nearly 3 times less likely to perform it.

Alison Thewliss MP met life saving charities BHF, St John Ambulance and British Red Cross in Westminster on Monday 16 October, Restart a Heart Day, to discuss making first aid skills a vital part of the PSHE curriculum.

There are over 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK, and devastatingly only 1 in 10 survive. The BHF estimates that 10,000 people die every year as rates of bystander CPR are very low.

Every minute without CPR or defibrillation can reduce a person’s chance of surviving a cardiac arrest by around ten per cent.

Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, said:

“It is worrying to hear the number of lives being lost because rates of bystander CPR in the UK are too low. Every second counts, and CPR really is the difference between life and death.”

“All young people should have the skills to save a life. I’m supporting first aid skills on the school curriculum as a vital part of the PSHE curriculum.”

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said:

“It’s great to have the support of Alison Thewliss MP in incorporating this life saving skill into the secondary school curriculum. The chance of surviving is almost zero if people collapse and receive no bystander CPR until the emergency services arrive.

“There is clearly a huge benefit to the public knowing life saving CPR skills, evidenced by the vastly better survival rates from cardiac arrests in countries where CPR is part of the curriculum. Thousands of deaths could be prevented if more people learn CPR.

I encourage all secondary schools in Glasgow Central to apply for the BHF’s free training kits.”

Mel Fox, Director of Training at St John Ambulance, said:

“Now’s the time for first aid education to be available to all our young people. Learning CPR and other life saving skills should be part of their passage into adulthood and with many free resources available for schools like our Big First Aid Lesson on 3rd November, there is plenty of opportunity for children to become life savers.”

Joe Mulligan, head of first aid education at The British Red Cross said:

“We want all young people to feel confident and willing to help when faced with a first aid emergency. Learning first aid helps to increase confidence levels and we believe it’s a life skill everyone should have.

“Ultimately the British Red Cross would like everyone to have the opportunity to learn first aid throughout their lives, starting at school, so that a generation of people can be equipped with the skills they need to help in an emergency.

“Our free teaching resources and workshops are designed to give young people the skills, confidence and willingness to act in an emergency.”

Campaigning MP welcomes Judicial Review of two child policy

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Alison Thewliss MP joins supporters at the launch of her campaign to scrap the rape clause

Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has today hailed the efforts of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) who have been granted permission to apply for judicial review of the two child limit.

The decision follows a claim made by CPAG to the High Court against the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, challenging the DWP’s decision to introduce the two child limit in April 2017. The rule change now means child tax credits and universal credit claims are restricted to the first two children in a family.

In addition, the policy also requires tax credit claimants, whose third or subsequent child was conceived as a result of rape, to prove this to social workers and health professionals in order to qualify for an exemption – a move that has been categorically denounced by faith leaders, women’s welfare groups, trade unions and child poverty campaigners alike.

Alison Thewliss MP – who first exposed the policy – said:

“I welcome the work that the Child Poverty Action Group have done to put pressure on the UK Government, following the introduction of the callous and heartless two child policy earlier this year.

“The sad truth is, independent analysis shows that in excess of 200,000 children will move into relative poverty as a result of the two child policy. Indeed, those families who now choose to have a third child could be £50,000 worse off under these new rules than they might have been previously.

“Forcing women whose third child was conceived as a result of rape to relive their past trauma, simply in order to make a claim for benefit, is an appalling way to treat women and it’s hardly surprising that ministers have done everything in their power to avoid being drawn into discussion on this issue.

“With the prospect of a judicial review on the horizon, I will continue to urge the UK Government to scrap the two child policy and rape clause altogether”.