M.E. in Parliament - John McDonnell MP
March 28, 2024
We were delighted to see John McDonnell MP presenting himself as an Action for M.E. Parliamentary Champion in a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday 26 March.
In support of a motion raised to discuss Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other disability benefits raised by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, John McDonnell MP highlighted our concerns surrounding the narrowness of PIP assessments, particularly how this prevents access for people with M.E.
He urged the Government to commit to meeting with Action for M.E. to co-produce a system enabling full access, also emphasising the need for a statutory duty of care on the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) towards vulnerable individuals and a call for an independent public inquiry into the harm caused by the administration of benefits.
"I’m a champion for Action for M.E.
They’ve written to a number of us to emphasise the concerns that they’ve got, with regard to the PIP assessments.
They’re simply asking for the Minister to commit to meet with them so that they can work to co-produce a system to enable (pwME) to have full access."
We were also pleased to see Mims Davies (The Minister for Disabled People, Health & Work) respond by agreeing to meet with Action for M.E. to discuss our concerns.
In addition, Vicky Foxcroft, shadow minister for Disabled People, contributed to the debate. She highlighted the importance of accessibility and championed the rights of disabled people. She suggested welfare reforms and austerity measures have disproportionately affected disabled individuals, leading to a regression in their rights over the past decade. She called for reform of the flawed benefit system, ensuring a reliable safety net for those unable to work due to disability or ill health.
You can view the full Westminster Hall (with PIP covered from 16:30:00) here: https://ow.ly/6ucZ50R42PZ