Alison Thewliss

SNP MP calls for more guidance on breastmilk sharing

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Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, has urged the UK Government to offer guidance on milk sharing – a practice that thousands of women are already participating in through online networks across the country.

Milk sharing has become an increasingly popular method for mothers to get access to breastmilk for their babies, particularly amongst those who have encountered difficulties when breastfeeding.

The sharing of breastmilk online is unregulated and some experts are concerned that without NHS supervision or Government guidance, there is a chance that the practice could spread infection and viruses.

Commenting, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“There is a growing recognition of the unique qualities of breastmilk, and the growth of milk sharing online is to some degree a symptom of this. It is important that milk donors are following best practice to ensure breastmilk is free from any contaminants, but this will always have a degree of uncertainty when people are sharing milk online.

“Milk banks provide safe and rigorously screened donor breastmilk for those babies who need it. The model used by One Milk Bank for Scotland ensures that breastmilk can be collected from donors, processed and distributed using a well-developed network, and I would like to see this available across the rest of the UK. At the moment, milk banks are often underfunded and running as a project of individual hospitals.

“This also sits in the context of cuts to breastfeeding support projects – Unicef Baby Friendly highlighted recently that local infant feeding leads in England had reported a 47% cut in support groups, and a 58% cut in health visitors. Women who wish to breastfeed can find themselves without the valuable support and expertise they need, and may turn to online donors as an alternative to their own milk.

“I am keen for the UK Government to work with the UK Association of Milk Banks to invest in services to allow those wishing to donate breastmilk to be able to do so locally, in a safe and regulated way, and for those requiring breastmilk for their babies to be able to access it easily. I have asked to meet with Ministers to discuss how breastmilk can be shared safely.”

Alison Thewliss MP marks 200 years of Parkinson’s UK

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Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has joined the charity Parkinson’s UK to mark 200 years since Parkinson’s disease was first recognised.

At the parliamentary reception in Westminster on Tuesday 5 December, Alison Thewliss MP met with representatives from the charity and people affected by Parkinson’s to hear about the charity’s ambitions to end the fear associated with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Ms Thewliss talked to staff and volunteers about the strides that have been made in understanding the condition since James Parkinson’s Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817. She heard about the work that is still to be done to stop the disease in its tracks, as there is no cure for Parkinson’s and current medication can’t stop the condition from progressing.

Ms Thewliss heard how important it is that people with Parkinson’s disease get the right financial support to help with the extra costs of living with the condition. Shockingly, 25 per cent of people with Parkinson’s are losing some or all of this support as they are moved from Disability Living Allowance to the replacement benefit Personal Independence Payment, leaving people unable to pay for aids and adaptations, energy bills and transport.

Parkinson’s affects 1 in 500 people in Glasgow Central, and can cause a myriad of symptoms including insomnia, depression, and hallucinations, robbing people of their independence. But through more research, improved services, and empowering people with Parkinson’s to take control, their quality of life can be drastically improved. Parkinson’s UK wants to see quality services as standard for the 127,000 people with Parkinson’s in the UK. They also want people with Parkinson’s to feel empowered to take control of their lives, and to take part in clinical trials in their local area to help find better treatments and a cure in years, not decades.

After attending the event, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“I want to help ensure that people in Glasgow Central are not losing out as they are moved to Personal Independence Payment.

“I look forward to raising this issue nationally to ensure people get the support they need and feel empowered to take control of their life with Parkinson’s.”

Parkinson’s UK Chief Executive Steve Ford said:

“With 2017 marking such a significant anniversary for us, we wanted to reflect on what we have achieved and what we have yet to do in order to improve the lives of everybody affected by Parkinson’s, but we can’t do this alone.

“That’s why it’s brilliant Alison Thewliss MP has pledged to help us ensure people with Parkinson’s are getting the financial support they desperately rely on.

“We look forward to seeing the difference Alison Thewliss MP can make in Glasgow Central, and how she can help us to keep Parkinson’s on the political agenda.”

For advice, information and support, visit their website or call their free, confidential helpline on 0808 800 0303.

Alison Thewliss MP supports the TUC’s Dying to Work Charter

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On Tuesday 12th December in Westminster, Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, signed the TUC “Dying to Work” Charter, to support and protect any of her employees who become terminally ill.

Since its launch in April 2016, The TUCs ‘Dying to Work’ Voluntary Charter now protects over half a million employees with companies such as Legal and General, Santander, Co-Op, Carillion, Rolls Royce and the Royal Mail joining E.On and signing up along with a number of public sector bodies including NHS trusts, police authorities and many local authorities.

The Dying to Work campaign was set up following the case of Jacci Woodcook, a 58-year-old sales manager from Derbyshire, who was forced out of her job after being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. The campaign is calling for a change in the law to prevent the same thing happening to other working people.

Alison Thewliss MP said:

“It is shocking to think that if people with terminal illnesses are dismissed or forced out of their jobs that their loved ones will lose the death in service payments that the employee has planned for and earned through a life-time of hard work.”

“That is why I am proud to have signed the TUC ‘Dying to Work’ charter to protect my employees and I will be encouraging businesses in my constituency to follow suit and sign up to the TUC’s voluntary charter.”

“In addition, I hope something will soon be done to ensure that every individual with terminal illness will receive the protection and support they deserve.”

The campaign has also been endorsed by a number of trade unions and charities, including The National Council for Palliative Care, Hospice UK, Breast Cancer Care and Second Hope.

TUC Deputy General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

“Serious illness is tough enough without having to put up with extra hassle at work. Everyone can surely agree that terminally-ill workers deserve protection.

“That’s why unions, MPs, employers and charities are coming together to ensure that workers get the support and protections they need when times are toughest.”

This broad support was demonstrated in a recent Survation poll of over a thousand people which found that 79% of respondents support a ‘protected period’ for terminally ill workers where they could not be dismissed as a result of their condition with only 3% opposing it.

Alison Thewliss MP urges women in Glasgow to attend cervical screening as attendance falls across the UK

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Glasgow Central MP Ms Alison Thewliss is supporting Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust in their call to make cervical cancer a disease of the past. Cervical screening prevents 75.5% of cervical cancers from developing, yet attendance in Scotland is falling. Only 70.0% of women in Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board are taking up their screening invitation.

Alison Thewliss MP said: “Nine women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day in the UK. Cervical screening provides the best protection against the disease so it is concerning to hear that so many women are not attending this potentially life-saving test when invited. We all have a role to play in increasing attendance and I would urge the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board to take action to tackle the declining coverage, which could ultimately save lives.”

Robert Music, Chief Executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “Thanks to the cervical screening and HPV vaccination programme, cervical cancer is a disease that can be prevented. We want to see it eradicated, however to get there we need to work together to increase uptake of cervical screening and HPV vaccination. If we do not do this, we will see more women diagnosed and more lives lost.”

Women aged 25-49 are invited for their screening every 3 years and women aged 50-64 are invited every five years. In the UK, over 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and 890 will lose their lives.

During January’s Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (22-28 January), Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, will be raising awareness of how women can reduce their risk of cervical cancer through attending regular cervical screening, being symptoms aware, knowing the risk factors and taking up the HPV vaccination if offered.

SNP MP urges UK Government to think again on safe injecting facility

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Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has once again expressed her frustration at the UK Government’s position on safe injecting facilities, following a request from the Scottish Government to devolve drug laws to Scotland.

A Safe Injecting Facility (SIF) had been approved in principle by Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership last year, and the idea had garnered consensus from a number of organisations including the Alcohol and Drug Partnership. The Home Office, which controls drug legislation, has however refused to back the plans, calling them illegal.

Commenting, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“In refusing to give credence to proposals for a Safe Injecting Facility, the Home Office is perpetuating the status quo for drug users and the wider public.

“Drug use and its associated problems are a major public health concern deserving of a forward-thinking, creative solution. Proposals for an SIF are exactly that, and have been developed by those who deal with issues relating to drug misuse and drug litter on a daily basis. SIFs give those with an addiction a safer place to use drugs, where medical staff can intervene in an emergency and also look to offer support services.

“Evidence from safe injecting facilities in other countries demonstrates that they reduce levels of drug addiction, as well as improving public safety through reducing the level of discarded needles and other items of drug paraphernalia. In 2015, Glasgow saw a 35% increase in new diagnoses of HIV among people who inject drugs in the city centre. Clearly, these figures do not suggest an improving picture.

“Doing nothing gives little hope to those injecting on our streets and fails to reassure local communities that the UK Government is taking this issue seriously. I fully support the Scottish Government’s calls to have drugs law devolved. Failure to do so it seems will let down those who clearly need support”.

SNP MP heralds multi-agency response to 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 praised the efforts of charities and organisations in coming together to condemn the two child cap and rape clause.

In a meeting held at Westminster today, UNISON, Women’s Aid, Child Poverty Action (CPAG), and representatives from a range of organisations, provided insight and testimony as to the effects being felt – in particular by women and families – as a result of UK Government changes to Universal Credit and Child Tax Credits which are now in force.

Commenting following the meeting, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“I’ve been fighting the UK Government on this issue for over two years now, and it’s clear to see from the attendance at today’s meeting that there is growing agreement that the two child policy and rape clause is a pernicious and medieval policy, and that it must be revoked.

“Analysis by CPAG and the IPPR shows that in excess of 200,000 children will be forced below the poverty line as a result of the two child policy. Indeed, working families with three children could be up to £2,780 worse off per year under the new rules.

“In addition, the UK Government is putting women in Northern Ireland in an impossible position given that they, and third party professionals, risk criminalisation if they do not disclose rape to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Women in Northern Ireland should not be forced to choose between struggling to put food on the table or going through the full process of the criminal justice system.

“It is welcome that there is such strong agreement from charities and organisations on this issue. I sincerely hope that the weight of consensus will make the government see the error of its ways, and scrap the two child policy and the rape clause.”

Coping with sudden cardiac death

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On Wednesday 22 November 2017, the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) launched a powerful new booklet for young people learning to navigate their emotions following the tragic and sudden death of a close friend from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.

The booklet, ‘A friend’s grief following a young sudden cardiac death’ has been compiled by CRY’s Founder and bereavement counsellor, Alison Cox MBE. It features 10 short chapters from 29 bereaved young people talking through their experience of coping with the gap their friend has left, trying to adapt their lives without them by their side and finding a ‘new normal’.
The booklet – which was launched during CRY’s annual Raising Awareness Week [19-26 November] – is part of a wider campaign #CRY4Friends, highlighting the grief felt by young people when they experience the death of a friend. www.cry4friends.org.uk

Alison Cox says; “This powerful and deeply sensitive booklet articulating the thoughts and feelings of the sudden death of a fit and healthy special friend explains the ferocity of the impact of the loss. We are all born into our relationships but have the freedom to choose our friends. A good friend provides a haven of security and suddenly losing them can have a catastrophic effect on a young person.”

Alison Thewliss MP, pictured with CRY supporter Irene Broughton, adds; “I was delighted to attend CRY’s Parliamentary Reception and would like to congratulate the charity for the launch of the CRY4Friends campaign which will offer support to so many young people who may otherwise have been suffering in silence following the tragic death of a good friend.”

Irene Broughton, from Beith in Ayrshire, first became involved with CRY following the sudden and tragic death of her daughter Steffani in 2007 from a previously undiagnosed heart condition. She was aged just 17. Irene is now a trained Bereavement Supporter with CRY.

Every week in the UK, 12 young people aged 35 or under die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition. 80% of these young people have no signs or symptoms and so the only way to detect a potentially sinister cardiac abnormality is by having cardiac screening. CRY believes that every young person should have the choice to be screened, and offers a national screening service where anyone aged 14-35 can access free cardiac screening.

SNP MP urges more action on measuring food insecurity

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Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, has today called on the UK Government to do more to measure the extent of food insecurity across the country, to fully illustrate the root causes of this growing problem.

Thewliss, who has campaigned on the issue of food banks and food insecurity, spoke following the introduction of a ten minute rule motion by Emma Lewell-Buck, Labour MP for South Shields, asking the Government to better report on food security through the use of official statistics.

Commenting, Ms Thewliss said:

“I was disappointed – but far from surprised – to see The Trussell Trust report earlier this month that outlined that food bank use in Scotland has risen by 20% in the last year. Not only that, the research indicated that problems processing benefit claims represented the biggest cause for referrals to food banks in Scotland, making up around 42% of cases. This is completely unacceptable, and the UK Government should be ashamed that its actions are driving people further into food poverty.

“I fully support Emma Lowell-Buck’s Bill – measuring the scale of this problem is a necessity, and is a move supported by organisations including the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), Oxfam and the UK Food Poverty Alliance, amongst many others. The UK Government continues to deny there is a problem, and seem unwilling to act on the testimony of charities and those having to visit food banks. I am hopeful that a formal measurement will force them to take notice.

“They would do well to follow the steps taken by the Scottish Government who last year set up an independent working group on food poverty, and whose findings are now being built on by the ‘Menu for Change’ partnership – an alliance of charities who have come together to evolve the response to food poverty in Scotland.

“The local response in Glasgow to the issue of hunger has been admirable – for example, Dalmarnock Primary School hosted a summer club where parents and children could eat a hot meal together during the summer holidays, offering key support for many families struggling to make ends meet.

“It is a scandal that the UK Government is forcing people into desperate situations, I will continue to challenge their failure to acknowledge the root causes of food poverty.”

Budget 2017: A missed opportunity to scrap rape clause

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

Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, has voiced her exasperation following the Chancellor’s budget statement today, which once again failed to address the shortcomings of the mediaeval two child policy and rape clause. The Glasgow MP noted that the omission only served to further illustrate the Government’s reluctance to do the right thing by women and families.

The two child cap restricts tax credit payments to the first two children per family. At the same time, it forces women who want to claim an exemption for a third child – for example as a result of rape – to do so by submitting evidence and navigating a laborious administrative process.

Commenting following the Chancellor’s budget speech, Ms Thewliss said:

“I am sorely disappointed and exasperated that the Chancellor has missed yet another opportunity to do the right thing and scrap the UK Government’s pernicious two child policy and rape clause, which will push 200,000 children into poverty.

“I have been pursuing the UK Government on this abhorrent policy for over two years now, and its sickening impact on women and families across the country is becoming clearer by the day.

“On top of this, the Government is continuing to fail women in Northern Ireland who – along with third party referrers – could face prosecution under existing laws in Northern Ireland if they apply for an exemption, as I highlighted recently in parliament. The fact that these women are being forced to choose between struggling to put food on the table or going through the criminal justice system is unthinkable.

“Clearly the Chancellor does not think the plight of women and families is an important enough issue to receive the attention it deserves. I, and my colleagues in the SNP, could not disagree more, and I will continue to urge the Government to reconsider their approach.”

Northern Ireland Secretary passes buck on rape clause

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Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has highlighted that Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has sidestepped serious concerns raised about the operation of the two child policy and rape clause in Northern Ireland.

On Wednesday, the campaigning MP challenged the Northern Ireland Office on the interaction between Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 and referrals under the rape clause, as existing law in Northern Ireland results in automatic disclosure of rape allegations directly to the police.

The following day, the Northern Ireland Office issued a written statement which passed responsibility to the devolved Department for Communities in Northern Ireland, despite there being no Minister for that department since the Northern Ireland Executive collapsed in January 2017.

Speaking after the written statement was issued, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“The Northern Ireland Secretary clearly wasn’t listening carefully to the criticisms of the rape clause from groups such as the Northern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation, doctors, nurses, social workers and midwives, that I highlighted to him in Parliament on Wednesday.

“It is beyond farcical that the UK Government has passed the buck to a non-existent Northern Ireland Assembly; the reality remains that women and third party professionals risk criminalisation if they do not disclose rape to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Women in Northern Ireland should not be forced to choose between struggling to put food on the table or going through the full process of the criminal justice system.

“Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office cannot hide behind devolution – the only way to remove the risk of criminalisation is to ask their colleagues in the DWP to scrap the pernicious and mediaeval two child policy and rape clause once and for all.”