That this House calls on the Government to acknowledge that 50 is the internationally-recognised optimal age at which bowel cancer screening should begin; further calls for a commitment from the Government to reduce the age for bowel cancer screening from 60 to 50 in England to bring policy in line with Scotland, and for the devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland to also follow suit; notes that bowel cancer is the UK's second biggest cancer killer and that around 41,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year, more than one in 10 of whom are in their 50s; further notes that being diagnosed early, stage 1, offers a 97 per cent survival rate, while being diagnosed late, stage 4, carries a survival rate of just seven per cent; notes the online petition in support of lowering the screening age to 50 on Change.org which has gathered the support of over 375,000 people, and counting; and welcomes the recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence that the FIT test should be used to guide referral of possible bowel cancer patients, giving GPs a clear alternative to endoscopy as a first line of investigation and potentially delivering substantial cost-savings.

That this House calls on the Government to acknowledge that 50 is the internationally-recognised optimal age at which bowel cancer screening should begin; further calls for a commitment from the Government to reduce the age for bowel cancer screening from 60 to 50 in England to bring policy in line...

That this House believes that it is the duty of the good citizen to challenge laws that oppress the sick and the powerless and deny them their medicine of choice; congratulates the United Patients Alliance for the act of mass civil disobedience in challenging the discredited, cruel and unenforceable law that criminalises thousands of seriously ill patients for using natural cannabis to relieve symptoms of severe pain and spasm; and thanks the police for its wise restraint and the Multiple Sclerosis Society, two police and crime commissioners and hon. Members for their support for a new compassionate and practical reform of medicinal cannabis use to replace the present irresponsible black market with a legal market that can be regulated, removing the threat of prosecution from those already suffering disproportionately the burdens of life's misfortunes.

That this House believes that it is the duty of the good citizen to challenge laws that oppress the sick and the powerless and deny them their medicine of choice; congratulates the United Patients Alliance for the act of mass civil disobedience in challenging the discredited, cruel and unenforceable law...

That this House notes that the Clydebank Asbestos Group (CAG) is marking its 25th Anniversary since its foundation in 1992; further notes that the CAG is a volunteer organisation set up to help provide support, advice and information for victims of asbestos and their families across the West of Scotland and beyond; believes that the legacy of asbestos is one that will continue to haunt thousands of families and that the fight for truth and justice for the victims of asbestos will go on; wishes to thank all of those involved in the CAG for their dedicated service in representing the thousands of victims of asbestos and offer them the UK's full support.

That this House notes that the Clydebank Asbestos Group (CAG) is marking its 25th Anniversary since its foundation in 1992; further notes that the CAG is a volunteer organisation set up to help provide support, advice and information for victims of asbestos and their families across the West of Scotland...

This House is gravely concerned at the news that 25 of the Kimblewick Hunt's hounds have been put down because they were infected with bovine TB and 120 others are undergoing tests; notes the very serious risk of infection for farm animals, as the Kimblewick Hunt stretches across large areas of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire; recalls advice by Chief Veterinary Officer, Mr Nigel Gibbens, on species-to-species disease transfer risk, when he warned that it is unsafe to take a pet labrador out in the woods for fear it might catch bovine TB from badgers and subsequently infect its owners; and calls on the Government to take the precautionary measure of suspending hunting activity until all hound packs are declared free of bovine TB infection.

This House is gravely concerned at the news that 25 of the Kimblewick Hunt's hounds have been put down because they were infected with bovine TB and 120 others are undergoing tests; notes the very serious risk of infection for farm animals, as the Kimblewick Hunt stretches across large areas...

That this House notes that 3 March until 12 March 2017 is Endometriosis Awareness Week 2017, aiming to draw attention to the effect of that disease on the lives of 10 per cent of women of reproductive age who are living with it; further notes that the average 7.5 years it takes to obtain a diagnosis after the first symptoms that are experienced is too long and could be reduced through increased awareness of the public and healthcare professionals; acknowledges that the aim of the Awareness Week is to encourage women and girls to seek medical help if they experience any of the symptoms, including painful, heavy or irregular periods, pelvic pain, painful bowel movements, pain when urinating, pain during or after sex, fatigue and difficulty getting pregnant; notes that even though endometriosis is the second most common gynaecological condition, there is still not enough debate and awareness about it; and congratulates Endometriosis UK on its success in putting endometriosis on the political agenda and wishes them continued success.

That this House notes that 3 March until 12 March 2017 is Endometriosis Awareness Week 2017, aiming to draw attention to the effect of that disease on the lives of 10 per cent of women of reproductive age who are living with it; further notes that the average 7.5 years...

That this House notes the growing concern from medical professionals and clinical experts regarding the lack of comprehensive care for people suffering from chronic pain and, in some cases, the harmful and unhelpful purchases of repeated over-the-counter opioids to treat them; observes that 40 per cent of British adults surveyed by the Chronic Pain Policy Coalition have taken opioid painkillers consecutively for three days or longer, despite NICE guidelines recommending that they should be taken for three days as a maximum; understands that there is a lack of awareness regarding the addictive quality of opioids, alternative treatments and the effect on mental health of poorly-managed chronic pain, including depression and anxiety; and calls on the Government to work with GPs, clinical commissioning groups and key stakeholder groups to increase the number of people receiving annual checks as well as care plans which will reduce avoidable GP appointments, visits to accident and emergency departments and prescription charges.

That this House notes the growing concern from medical professionals and clinical experts regarding the lack of comprehensive care for people suffering from chronic pain and, in some cases, the harmful and unhelpful purchases of repeated over-the-counter opioids to treat them; observes that 40 per cent of British adults surveyed...

That this House recognises that tick-borne infection is one of the fastest growing types of disease in the western world; acknowledges the low standard of care that is being provided to sufferers of Lyme disease in the UK; understands that death may be caused by complications associated with the disease; notes the inadequate training given to GPs, and the use of inaccurate and unreliable tests for the detection of Lyme disease in the UK, results in the misdiagnosis of many patients; is aware that patients are often forced to go abroad in search of suitable treatment; further recognises that Lyme bugs can survive the storage conditions of donated blood; calls for steps to be taken to help doctors become more aware of the symptoms of Lyme disease early on, including mandatory online courses such as the Royal College of General Practitioners' online awareness module on the disease; further calls for a system to be developed which can give accurate data on the percentage of doctors who take such online training; and urges the Government to consider plans to introduce screening for Lyme bugs in donated blood.

That this House recognises that tick-borne infection is one of the fastest growing types of disease in the western world; acknowledges the low standard of care that is being provided to sufferers of Lyme disease in the UK; understands that death may be caused by complications associated with the disease;...

That this House condemns the decision by NHS England to not commission HIV prevention drug Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), leaving this potentially life-changing drug on the shelf and inaccessible to people at real risk of HIV; regrets that this decision came after 18 months of hard work from an NHS working group, comprising clinicians and experts from across the HIV sector, which demonstrated the need for efficacy and cost-effectiveness of PrEP; notes that PrEP is already available in the US, Canada, Kenya and France, and will soon be made available in Austria, and fears that the UK risks losing its leadership role in HIV prevention; further notes that every day there are 17 new diagnoses of HIV in the UK; is gravely concerned that NHS England is sitting on something that could be the beginning of the end for the HIV epidemic in the UK; and therefore calls on the Secretary of State for Health to ensure that PrEP is commissioned for all those at significant risk of HIV.

That this House condemns the decision by NHS England to not commission HIV prevention drug Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), leaving this potentially life-changing drug on the shelf and inaccessible to people at real risk of HIV; regrets that this decision came after 18 months of hard work from an NHS working...

That this House recognises International Awareness Day for Crohn's and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); calls for further IBD nurses to be made available; and thanks all professional staff and carers who help those suffering from Crohn's and colitis.

That this House recognises International Awareness Day for Crohn's and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); calls for further IBD nurses to be made available; and thanks all professional staff and carers who help those suffering from Crohn's and colitis.

That this House supports Dementia Awareness Week; congratulates the hard work and care that Dementia UK and the Alzheimer's Society give to sufferers and their families; and urges the Government to work together with pharmaceutical companies to continue to find a cure for dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

That this House supports Dementia Awareness Week; congratulates the hard work and care that Dementia UK and the Alzheimer's Society give to sufferers and their families; and urges the Government to work together with pharmaceutical companies to continue to find a cure for dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

That this House notes that 2016 marks the centenary of the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS); acknowledges that GBS affects 1,500 people in the UK every year; recognises that although 80 per cent of all of those who are affected make a full recovery, between 12 and 15 per cent are left with severe residual effects and between five and eight per cent die as a result of the condition; commends the work of Guillian-Barré and Associated Inflammatory Neuropathies (GAIN) in supporting families of GBS patients through its provision of high-quality information and advice; highlights that GAIN depends on donations and fundraising in order to provide these services; congratulates 10 year old Jack Reid from Kilmarnock in his recent efforts to raise funds for GBS to support his older cousin, Keiran Stewart, who suffered from the disease eight years ago; understands that Keiran and many other sufferers of GBS who have recovered, continue to experience a number of residual symptoms, including physical weakness, poor stamina and bouts of chronic fatigue; and calls on the Government to ensure that sufficient support is provided to fund research into more progressive treatments for GBS with a view to eventually identifying a cure.

That this House notes that 2016 marks the centenary of the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS); acknowledges that GBS affects 1,500 people in the UK every year; recognises that although 80 per cent of all of those who are affected make a full recovery, between 12 and 15 per cent...

That this House notes that 15 to 21 May 2016 is National Epilepsy Week, and congratulates the work of SUDEP Action and other charities to raise awareness, promote research and provide information and support for those affected by the condition; further notes with concern that people with epilepsy are 11 times more likely to die prematurely than people without the condition, that many deaths are potentially avoidable, are in the young and that there have been 14,926 reported deaths since governments across the UK pledged to take action to save lives following SUDEP Action's National Audit of Epilepsy Deaths in 2002; congratulates Cornwall NHS Foundation Trust, Plymouth University, SUDEP Action and Cornwall Royal Hospital on winning the BMJ Neurology Team of the Year Award for enhanced patient safety in epilepsy for an innovative approach to tackling mortality; acknowledges the fall in the number of epilepsy-related deaths in Cornwall, with no deaths reported in the community-based learning disability service in the last five years; urges NHS England to support the dissemination of best practice across the country and the signposting of families to SUDEP Action after a death; commends innovative approaches to self-monitoring and the management of risk factors, such as the SUDEP and Seizure Safety Checklist and EpSMon, the self-monitor app; further acknowledges the Government's duty to do everything it can to improve standards of epilepsy care and take action so that lives can be saved; and therefore calls on the Government to work closely with all national epilepsy charities towards achieving this goal.

That this House notes that 15 to 21 May 2016 is National Epilepsy Week, and congratulates the work of SUDEP Action and other charities to raise awareness, promote research and provide information and support for those affected by the condition; further notes with concern that people with epilepsy are 11...

That this House notes that hepatitis C is a major cause of premature death from liver disease; further notes that the World Health Organisation has compared hepatitis C to a viral time bomb; acknowledges that the condition is entirely curable by effective new treatments; and calls on the Government to prioritise the elimination of hepatitis C by implementing national improvement measures as a matter of urgency.

That this House notes that hepatitis C is a major cause of premature death from liver disease; further notes that the World Health Organisation has compared hepatitis C to a viral time bomb; acknowledges that the condition is entirely curable by effective new treatments; and calls on the Government to...

That this House welcomes the 10 point Meningitis Action Plan put forward by Meningitis Now and Meningitis Research Foundation in light of the meningitis petition signed by over 823,000 people; notes the charities' concerns regarding the cost-effectiveness framework and adolescent carriage/intervention study; further notes the weight of evidence given to the Petitions Committee in conjunction with the Health Committee; supports the request for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to consider a one-off catch-up vaccination programme for children under five years old and utilise a fairer cost-effectiveness framework; and encourages the Secretary of State for Health to expedite implementation of the 10 point plan put forward by both charities.

That this House welcomes the 10 point Meningitis Action Plan put forward by Meningitis Now and Meningitis Research Foundation in light of the meningitis petition signed by over 823,000 people; notes the charities' concerns regarding the cost-effectiveness framework and adolescent carriage/intervention study; further notes the weight of evidence given to...

That this House acknowledges 7 April 2016 as World Health Day; commends the World Health Organization (WHO) for choosing diabetes as the day's theme; shares WHO's concerns that there is a rapidly increasing diabetes endemic in low and middle income countries; endorses World Health Day's three main goals of increasing awareness of diabetes and its consequences, of triggering specific, effective and affordable actions to prevent, diagnose and treat diabetes and the launch of the first global report on diabetes; and encourages governments around the world to acknowledge the preventability of type 2 diabetes and complications associated with the disease.

That this House acknowledges 7 April 2016 as World Health Day; commends the World Health Organization (WHO) for choosing diabetes as the day's theme; shares WHO's concerns that there is a rapidly increasing diabetes endemic in low and middle income countries; endorses World Health Day's three main goals of increasing...

That this House recognises Purple Day 2016, which takes place on 26 March; notes that this is an awareness day dedicated to highlighting sufferers of epilepsy; acknowledges that more than half a million people in the UK have the condition, whilst it affects around 50 million people worldwide; further recognises that epilepsy is the most common neurological condition, which can result in seizures that start in the brain; highlights that the aims of Purple Day are to end the stigma attached to the condition, improve healthcare and resources for those who need assistance and show solidarity so that those with epilepsy should not suffer from the condition alone; commends the charities, such as the British Epilepsy Association, Epilepsy Research UK, the National Society for Epilepsy, Epilepsy Scotland and the many others that work to help sufferers of epilepsy, often making life-changing contributions to people's lives; and calls on the Government to ensure that those who suffer from epilepsy are given the amount of support that they need and deserve.

That this House recognises Purple Day 2016, which takes place on 26 March; notes that this is an awareness day dedicated to highlighting sufferers of epilepsy; acknowledges that more than half a million people in the UK have the condition, whilst it affects around 50 million people worldwide; further recognises...

That this House raises serious concerns over the recent decision by NHS England to delay the national roll-out of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV; notes that this decision was made despite overwhelming evidence of the effectiveness of PrEP in reducing infection with HIV in high-risk groups, including the PROUD study which showed that PrEP reduced the risk of infection by 86 per cent; further notes that HIV transmission rates are increasing not only in the men who have sex with men population but also among BME communities and heterosexual women; affirms that PrEP, which is already available in other countries such as France, the US, Canada, Kenya and Israel, is a crucial part of the armoury in the fight against HIV and could prevent 7,400 new cases of the infection by 2020; believes that NHS England's announcement of PrEP test sites over the next two years is unnecessary in light of the clinical evidence available, and is concerned that this may be intended to avoid acceptance of responsibility for commissioning HIV prevention treatments rather than local authorities; further believes that, as an essential treatment, responsibility for commissioning PrEP should lie with NHS England rather than local authorities; and urges the Government to intervene as a matter of urgency to ensure that NHS England takes the steps necessary for PrEP to be considered as part of the next annual CPAG prioritisation process so that all high-risk groups are able to access the treatment as soon as possible.

That this House raises serious concerns over the recent decision by NHS England to delay the national roll-out of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV; notes that this decision was made despite overwhelming evidence of the effectiveness of PrEP in reducing infection with HIV in high-risk groups, including the PROUD study...

That this House welcomes the announcement by NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK that by 2020 up to 100,000 people in England will be offered places on a nationwide diabetes prevention programme; acknowledges that those referred will receive personalized help on how to reduce their risk of Type 2 diabetes; notes that 3.5 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes; further notes that by 2025 it is estimated that 5 million people will have diabetes in the UK; and commends NHS England for introducing this preventative measure.

That this House welcomes the announcement by NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK that by 2020 up to 100,000 people in England will be offered places on a nationwide diabetes prevention programme; acknowledges that those referred will receive personalized help on how to reduce their risk of Type...

That this House is aware that sufferers of epilepsy carry a greater risk of premature death, with many experiencing other serious health conditions in their lives; recalls that the last National Sentinel Audit took place 14 years ago and identified many deficiencies in the care of 54 per cent of adults where epilepsy was the probable cause of their deaths; notes, however, that since this important survey was undertaken, no adequate action to halt these alarming figures has been forthcoming, with the Department of Health even removing two of the main epilepsy indicators used to evaluate by local commissioners; and believes it to be urgent that the Government immediately commissions a new national audit to identify the main causes of these avoidable deaths, to eliminate any regional disparities found and to refocus efforts and resources to greater effect.

That this House is aware that sufferers of epilepsy carry a greater risk of premature death, with many experiencing other serious health conditions in their lives; recalls that the last National Sentinel Audit took place 14 years ago and identified many deficiencies in the care of 54 per cent of...

That this House recognises the work of researchers at the University of Dundee who have identified a key mechanism that damages the cornea in Meesmann epithelial corneal dystrophy, a rare blinding disorder which is passed from parents to their children; notes the collaboration of scientists at the University of Dundee, University of Ulster and colleagues in Denmark who have discovered that faults in a gene that is responsible for corneal cell structure and stability lead to protein misfolding and cell death; commends Fight for Sight, Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council whose funding in the UK has made this discovery possible; and welcomes this crucial evidence which is a key factor in determining whether gene or stem cell therapies can be developed.

That this House recognises the work of researchers at the University of Dundee who have identified a key mechanism that damages the cornea in Meesmann epithelial corneal dystrophy, a rare blinding disorder which is passed from parents to their children; notes the collaboration of scientists at the University of Dundee,...