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Questions remain unanswered on rape clause and two child policy

Alison Thewliss MP at the Department of Work and Pensions

SNP MP Alison Thewliss has spoken of her “utter disappointment” following her meeting today (Thursday 19th May) with Lord Freud, Minister of State for Welfare Reform, at the Department of Work & Pensions.

Following months of campaigning, Prime Minister David Cameron finally relented and organised a meeting between the SNP MP and his Welfare Reform Minister, which took place this morning.

Ms Thewliss had just forty-five minutes to question Freud and his officials on their “draconian” plans for a rape clause and two child policy which she said was “tantamount to social engineering”.

Commenting after her meeting at the DWP’s Caxton House HQ in London, Ms Thewliss said:

“Today’s meeting was one of the most frustrating and soul destroying meetings I’ve ever had to endure in my nine years of elected public office, first as a Councillor and now as an MP.

“Lord Freud showed no compassion for the vulnerable women and families who will be subjected to some of the most draconian welfare reforms in the world, reforms which are tantamount to social engineering.

“The Prime Minister himself conceded the Government had “more to do” on this policy, and promised that they would consult on this. When I pressed the Minister, it turns out that the Government have consulted just four organisations on a policy which will cause unimaginable pain and distress to victims of rape.

“This Government clearly does not appreciate that the majority of rapes happen within abusive relationships, and that pushing women to claim could place them and their children in a very dangerous position. During the course of the meeting, Lord Freud suggested that women should “just flee”, without appreciating how incredibly difficult that can be. This comes at the same time when women’s refuges are under threat by Tory cuts to housing benefit. That is simply unacceptable and confirms my worst fears that this is the most uncaring, heartless and cruel UK Government yet.

“On restricting tax credits to the first two children in a family, Lord Freud made great play of the fact that 85% of families have two or less children, therefore this policy would only impact a small minority of people. He couldn’t answer why the Government is legislating to attack such a small minority. He confirmed that he had not consulted with any religious groups, who may be disproportionately affected by the restriction.

“I was further appalled to hear that they have no intention of protecting eligibility to tax credits for families composed of children from previous relationships, which further undermines the Government’s much vaunted ‘family test’.

“I am absolutely gutted by this Tory Government’s lack of compassion, but I will continue the fight to end to this policy. It’s just a shame that the UK Government are so hell bent on pushing ahead with this that they’ll be as obstructive as possible.”

Thewliss takes rape clause fight to DWP HQ

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

SNP MP, Alison Thewliss, will today (Thursday 19th May) meet with Lord Freud, UK Minister for Welfare Reform, at the Department for Work & Pension’s Caxton House HQ in London.

Further stepping up her campaign against the Government’s proposed rape clause and two child policy, Ms Thewliss will use the meeting – organised by the Prime Minister – to put forward a list of unanswered questions to the Government which, she says, “demonstrate the policies to be unworkable, let alone immoral”.

Commenting in advance of her meeting with Lord Freud, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“It is now ten months since I first raised concerns about the Tories plans to limit tax credits and introduce a rape clause, and I’m determined to keep pursuing this. The Government cannot be allowed to get away with implementing policies that are tantamount to social engineering.

“I’ve met and spoken with a number of women’s welfare and rape crisis organisations over recent months and it is clear that vulnerable women and families are deeply worried about the impact these cruel and draconian policies will have on them.

“Ministers at every level of Government, including the Chancellor and Prime Minister, have assured me that they realise this policy needs looked at again. We’ve been promised a consultation but, as yet – and not for lack of asking – we’ve still got no detail as to how or when the consultation will be undertaken, who will be consulted, how long it will run for and when it will report.

“The policy doesn’t need consultation – it needs binned. The fact that the Government has thus far been unable to answer basic questions demonstrate the policies to be as unworkable as they are immoral.”

Dying Matters Awareness Week

Alison Thewliss MP pledging her support to the Dying Matters campaign

Last week was Dying Matters Awareness Week, which provided an important opportunity to think about dying, death and bereavement and to raise public awareness of the impact of death on households across the UK. In particular, there are big, important conversations to be had about how to manage a deceased loved one’s affairs and how to prepare for the end of life.

I met with representatives of SunLife to talk about planning for death and they presented some shocking figures to me from their Cost of Dying 2015 report:

  • 41% of those surveyed had not made adequate financial arrangements to cover the costs of a funeral.
  • 31% of those surveyed did not know if their loved ones would prefer burial or cremation.
  • One in six of those surveyed had not made funeral plans solely because they felt uncomfortable discussing death.

Failing to prepare for death can put people in serious financial difficulty at an emotionally challenging time and I urge my constituents to use resources available to them to start conversations with their loved ones about death and make adequate arrangements which reflect their loved ones’ wishes. One resource that is available is My Perfect Send Off, produced by SunLife, which asks some simple questions about funeral preferences. The tool offers people the opportunity to record and share their final wishes with loved ones in a sensitive way, either by securely recording your wishes in a document which you can either discuss with loved ones or keep locked away in preparation for the future.

I hope that this tool can be used to start the difficult conversations that people need to have about death so that they can be fully prepared for when the time comes.

Keep the ban on bee-killing pesticides, says Alison Thewliss MP

Alison Thewliss MP supporting the campaign to ban neonicotinoid pesticides

As ministers prepare to make decision on application to lift the ban, pressure builds to keep neonicotinoids off our fields this summer.

Alison Thewliss MP has added their name to a growing list of MPs who are opposed to lifting of the ban on bee harming pesticides.

Neonicotinoids have been restricted across Europe since 2013 due to mounting evidence that they pose a risk to bees. Bees are responsible for pollinating two thirds of the food we eat. But the National Farmers Union (NFU) has applied to the government to lift the ban in some parts of the country. Ministers are currently considering their application.

Ms Thewliss took the pledge to oppose the lifting of the ban at a Parliamentary event held this week, organised by 38 Degrees and Friends of the Earth. MPs heard new evidence from scientists and from a Lincolnshire farmer who had stopped using these pesticides before the ban.

Speaking after the event, Ms Thewliss said:

“The message is loud and clear from people in Glasgow Central – keep the ban on bee harming pesticides. I have listened to their concerns and I’ll be making my opposition very clear in parliament to any plan to lift the ban.”

Amy Lockwood, Campaign Manager at 38 Degrees, said:

“38 Degrees members have come together – in our hundreds of thousands – to send a clear message to the government: the British people don’t want the ban on bee killing pesticides to be lifted.”

Sandra Bell, The Bee Cause campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

“Bees are essential for pollinating our crops – we can’t afford to gamble with their future. The Government must keep these dangerous pesticides out of our fields.”

Vote for your favourite charities!

Yesterday I cast the first vote in the Yorkshire Building Society Charity Choices campaign in Glasgow.

The Yorkshire Building Society branch in Glasgow has £1000 to distribute between three excellent charities (Clyde Cash for Kids, Kilbryde Hospice and Glasgow City Mission). How much each charity gets is up to you!

Voting takes place from now until Saturday 21st May in the Glasgow branch (54-58 Gordon Street). ‪#‎YBSCharityChoices

Davidson urged to be a “strong opposition” to Tories’ rape clause and two child policy

Alison Thewliss MP at Buchanan Street Steps

Scots Tory Leader, Ruth Davidson, has been challenged to put up a “strong opposition” to her own party’s draconian welfare reforms at Westminster.

SNP MP Alison Thewliss has written to Ruth Davidson following her party’s Holyrood election boost, saying that it’s ‘time to stand up for vulnerable women and families’ by opposing the UK Tories proposed rape clause and two child policy.

Commenting, Ms Thewliss said:

“The Scottish Conservative Party spent much of the recent election campaigning under a banner of being a “strong opposition” for Scotland.  I welcome scrutiny and constructive opposition, but Ruth Davidson needs to realise that being a strong opposition doesn’t extend just to Holyrood.

“If Ruth Davidson is serious about being an effective party leader, she can’t just be the UK Tory party’s ambassador for promoting inherently unfair policies in Scotland. Ms Davidson’s party is still absolutely hell bent on ramming through vile and draconian welfare policies, and it just underlines my view that they’re still the nasty party.

“Ruth Davidson has the opportunity to not only be a strong opposition, but to locate her moral compass, say no to penalising families and say no to demanding vulnerable women relive the trauma of being raped simply to claim tax credits.”

Alison Thewliss MP attends launch of “Too Much Information” campaign

Alison Thewliss MP at the launch of the Too Much Information campaign supported by the National Autistic Society

On Monday 11 April Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, was one of nearly 100 MPs who attended an event organised by The National Autistic Society who recently launched their Too Much Information campaign. Ms Thewliss is backing the charity’s new campaign to improve public understanding of autism.

As part of the campaign, the charity has released a report (Too Much Information: why the public needs to understand autism better) which revealed how poor public understanding of autism is pushing autistic people and their families into isolation.

Read moreAlison Thewliss MP attends launch of “Too Much Information” campaign

Alison Thewliss MP pledges to raise awareness of screening in Bowel Cancer Awareness Month

Alison Thewliss MP calls on Glasgow residents to take the bowel cancer screening test

As April marks Bowel Cancer Awareness Month Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, is supporting a call by leading research charity Bowel Cancer UK, urging more people to take part in bowel cancer screening and help save lives.

Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK, affecting both men and women. Every year over 41,000 people (one every 15 minutes) are diagnosed with bowel cancer and 16,200 people die of the disease.

Bowel cancer screening can save lives but at the moment in some areas of the UK only a third of those who receive a test complete it. Thousands of people are missing out on the chance to detect bowel cancer early when it is easier to treat.

Alison Thewliss MP said:

“As the MP for Glasgow Central, I am committed to improving uptake rates for bowel cancer screening, both locally and nationally.”

“I would urge my constituents who are sent a bowel screening test to use it. Taking part in bowel cancer screening is the best way to get diagnosed early. If you are over 50, take the test when you receive it in the post. If you are younger, tell the people over 50 in your life to take the test. Early diagnosis really can save lives.”

Deborah Alsina, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said,

“I’d like to thank Alison Thewliss for supporting our campaign during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month to raise participation levels for bowel cancer screening. One in 14 men and one in 19 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime but it is treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed early.”

The Scottish Bowel Screening Programme can detect bowel cancer at an early stage in people with no symptoms when it is easier to treat. Since its launch, it has been proven to save lives. If you’re registered with a GP and aged 50-74, you will receive a test in the post every two years. You carry out the simple test at home in private and it comes with step by step instructions. The test looks for hidden blood in your poo, which could be an early sign of bowel cancer.

Visit Bowel Cancer UK’s website to find out how you can get involved in their campaign for Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

Thewliss demands new Work & Pensions Secretary scraps rape clause

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

As Stephen Crabb starts his new job as Work & Pensions Secretary today, SNP MP Alison Thewliss is calling upon him to make it an “urgent priority to unequivocally scrap the tax credits rape clause”.

Stephen Crabb takes over as Secretary of State for Work & Pensions following the dramatic resignation of Iain Duncan Smith MP at the weekend.

Ms Thewliss said a change in leadership at the DWP was the ideal opportunity for the Government to review its policy agenda and scrap the two child policy and the rape clause with immediate effect.

Commenting, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“Since July 2015, the UK Government has stuck rigidly to its pernicious policy agenda which will seek to limit tax credits to just two children per family. They have been unable to explain how this will work, or how it fits with equalities legislation and the “family test”. Also contained within last year’s budget is an appalling statement which suggests that women whose third child, born as a result of rape, would have to justify this to DWP staff in order to receive benefits. That’s simply not on.

“Before Iain Duncan Smith suddenly found his moral compass and resigned, he seemed to think that this was a perfectly sensible policy; however it’s one which causes serious concern amongst women’s welfare and rape crisis charities.

“As Stephen Crabb gets his feet under the desk at Caxton House today, I believe he needs to give urgent priority to this issue and unequivocally scrap the tax credits rape clause”.

SNP hails tampon tax victory

Alison Thewliss MP at Buchanan Street Steps

SNP MP Alison Thewliss has warmly welcomed news tonight that a deal has been reached which will finally see the 5% VAT rate on women’s sanitary products – otherwise known as the tampon tax – scrapped.

The SNP was the only party in the 2015 election to commit in its manifesto to scrapping the deeply unjust tax on periods.

SNP MP Alison Thewliss introduced an amendment in July 2015 at the Finance Bill Committee stage to try and end the tax but was rebuffed by Tory Ministers who insisted the tax could only be abolished with the permission of the European Commission.Tampon tax in the manifesto

News is emerging from Brussels tonight that a deal has finally been secured which will end the 5% tax which generates around £15 million in tax for HM Treasury.

Alison Thewliss MP welcomed tonight’s news, saying:

“This is a victory for the tens of thousands of women in the UK who’ve signed petitions, lobbied their MPs and kept up the pressure over many years to scrap this totally unjust tax on an absolutely essential product.

“I am proud that the SNP was the only party at last year’s election which had the ambition to commit to this in its manifesto. It was a privilege to be able to kick start the debate during the Finance Bill deliberations last summer and I am glad that this has culminated in action which will finally put an end to the tampon tax”.