Press releases

Government tries to sneak rape clause onto the statute books without vote or debate

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

A campaigning MP has accused the UK Government of trying to sneak through its medieval rape clause and pernicious two child policy without a vote or debate.

Late yesterday afternoon, the UK Government quietly published the statutory instrument – under the negative procedure – which would allow the policy to automatically become law without debate unless there is an objection from either of the Houses of Parliament.

Although Ms Thewliss has now tabled a motion of prayer for annulment, which was signed by a cross-party group of MPs, it is highly unlikely that this would be able to stop the negative procedure, and allow the policy to come into law. The last time such a statutory instrument was annulled by the Commons using a prayer for annulment was in 1979.

Part of the MP’s concern relates to the lack of training for the hundreds of thousands of healthcare and social work staff the Government intends to use as third party professionals. It is intended that they will judge whether a woman’s third child was born as a result of rape and thereby qualifies for an exemption to the two child policy. With just days until the policy comes into force, there is no evidence of sexual violence training having been given to public sector workers.

Commenting, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“Using such an underhand parliamentary tactic to railroad the rape clause into law is just the final insult this Government could possibly dish out.

“Not only did Ministers sneak out their shameful consultation response as the eyes of the world were watching Donald Trump’s inauguration, but they’re now trying to put the rape clause on the statute books without a vote or debate, let alone any detailed scrutiny by MPs.

“The Government must accept this policy is unworkable as well as immoral. With just days until nurses, doctors and social workers are expected to verify whether women had their third child as the result of rape, it’s clear there’s been no sexual violence training for those working with such vulnerable women. This is frankly astonishing, especially when you consider that the Government is trying to railroad this through using medieval parliamentary procedures.

“This fight isn’t over yet. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure Parliament gets its say on this cruel policy.”

Budget: Missed opportunity to scrap rape clause

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

Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, has expressed her “sheer desolation” following the Chancellor’s budget statement today (Wednesday).  Despite making his budget statement to Parliament on International Women’s Day, Phillip Hammond MP did not use the budget as an opportunity to scrap the Government’s controversial rape clause and two child policy.  The Glasgow MP said today’s “missed opportunity” was an insult to women all across the UK who were celebrating International Women’s Day.

In the George Osborne’s budget of July 2015 – and buried within the small print – the UK Government announced plans to restrict tax credit payments to two children per family and force women to provide evidence of exceptional circumstances, such as rape, to claim tax credits for a third child from April 2017.

Commenting from Westminster after the Chancellor delivered his budget speech to Parliament, Ms Thewliss said:

“Today’s budget was a real missed opportunity for Phillip Hammond and Theresa May to do the honourable thing and scrap the UK Government’s pernicious two child policy and medieval rape clause.

“I cannot begin to describe the sheer desolation I felt when I looked at the UK Government’s Red Book today of all days – International Women’s Day – and saw that this callous Chancellor is still intending to make women prove they’ve been raped in order to receive tax credits.

“I’ve spent over a year and a half campaigning against this appalling policy, and I still cannot believe that any Government would think it’s acceptable to put women and their families through such incredible pain and misery.

“Although they’ve not yet laid the necessary statutory instrument before Parliament, it’s looking increasingly likely that the UK Government is planning to implement the rape clause on the April 6th.  I urge the Tories, even at this late stage, to reconsider their cruel, anti-women policy.”

Use Budget to scrap the rape clause

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

On the eve of Philip Hammond’s Budget, Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, has called on the Chancellor to use this vital opportunity to ditch the UK Government’s planned two child policy and rape clause.

With just under a month left until the policy comes into force, the campaigning MP has written to the Treasury, calling upon Chancellor to seize the moment presented by Wednesday’s budget and scrap this pernicious policy, which is opposed by women’s organisations, faith leaders, trade unions, MPs and MSPs from across the political divide.

Ms Thewliss has highlighted the growing concerns regarding delivery of the policy from civil service unions and from respondents to the government’s consultation on this issue. She has also pointed out the Government’s poor preparations for implementing the policy, with no additional training offered for the thousands of healthcare professionals, police officers and social workers who will be tasked with carrying out assessments of vulnerable women and arbitrating on whether or not their circumstances are consistent with rape.

Commenting prior to the Budget Statement, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“With under a month left until the two child policy and rape clause comes into force, it remains the case that this policy is immoral and unworkable. The public have had their say and they are clear – this policy stigmatises vulnerable women and must be consigned to the Downing Street dustbin.

“Serious questions remain about the implementation of the policy, with hundreds of thousands of third party professionals left without the promised training in the policy, and growing opposition from civil servants’ unions. The UK Government is still to introduce the necessary legislation to allow the policy to proceed in 23 days’ time, which underlines my belief that Ministers are slowly realising that this policy is a cruel and unfeasible way to cut benefits.

“With his upcoming budget, the Chancellor has a critical opportunity to save face for this heartless Government and ditch the two child policy and rape clause. I encourage him to do so when he comes before Parliament to deliver his Budget statement.”

Under a month until rape clause – Government has no plan in place

A campaigning MP has reacted with fury in response to a series of written answers to parliamentary questions which show that – with less than a month until the controversial two child policy and rape clause comes into force – the Government is still no further forward in protecting victims of rape.

Alison Thewliss, the SNP MP who first drew attention to the Government’s ‘barbaric’ proposal, had already forced Ministers into a number of corners – first by sparking a United Nations committee probe into the policy, followed by a climb down by Ministers who had to put the policy out to public consultation, despite originally refusing to do so.

In response to the consultation, Ministers indicated it planned to implement a third party professional reporting system, whereby healthcare professionals, counsellors and social workers would be asked by the DWP to arbitrate whether or not a woman’s circumstances were consistent with having been raped.

The bombshell answers given to Ms Thewliss by Ministers indicate that no training has yet been provided to the hundreds of thousands of social workers, doctors and nurses who will be responsible for judging whether or not a woman has been raped.

Alison Thewliss MP said:

“Over a year and a half ago, I exposed this Government’s barbaric plans to limit tax credits to two children per family and ask survivors of rape – whose child had been conceived as a result of sexual violence – to prove it in order to receive tax credits. Throughout this entire time, it’s been abundantly clear that this policy is immoral and unworkable.

“Even by the UK Government’s standards, this is a total mess. These plans are due to come into force in just 27 days and hundreds of thousands of third party professionals haven’t had the training in the policy which was promised. This puts these frontline workers in an incredibly difficult position should a woman come forward to present a claim.

“Any woman making a claim under the rape clause will already have been through unimaginable trauma, and will expect officials to understand the policy and be able to support her. Without training and guidelines, this is impossible; it will only serve to make that woman feel more stigmatised and vulnerable.

“Other departments in Whitehall are openly distancing themselves from the policy and the UK Government hasn’t even laid the necessary regulations before Parliament which would enable this to happen. This is ridiculous when you consider that it’s due to be implemented in just under a month.

“I suspect UK Government Ministers know this is an unworkable, cruel, policy which will cause untold pain and stress for rape survivors. They have had quite long enough to figure this out, and if Ministers don’t voluntarily drop this policy, I’ll be submitting requests to drag Ministers before the despatch box in Parliament every day until they do.”

More cuts to disability benefits “completely unacceptable”

Alison Thewliss MP sitting at her desk in Parliament

Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, has described planned further cuts to disability benefits as “completely unacceptable” and called for an assurance that disabled people will not be left financially worse off under new proposals from the UK Government.

The UK government has announced emergency legislation to change the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payment, and overturn the decision of two tribunal rulings against the Department for Work and Pensions last year. The UK Government claims that these changes would reduce spending on disability benefits by £3.7 billion. In reality, the changes will deny over 160,000 people access to Personal Independence Payment, cutting vital support which helps people cope with the extra costs of living with disability.

These changes come on the back of the comments made by Tory MP and head of the Number 10 Policy Unit George Freeman, who said that the changes would ensure that benefits went to people who are “really disabled” rather than people “who suffer from anxiety”. Mr Freeman’s comments have drawn criticism from disability rights organisations for the insensitive way that he portrayed sufferers of anxiety.

Commenting on the legislation, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“For a Tory MP, and one of Theresa May’s most senior advisers, to suggest that people with a mental health condition are not “really disabled” is completely unacceptable and wrong. George Freeman’s words highlight this Tory government’s total lack of understanding or compassion when it comes to providing for those who are less fortunate than others.

“The Tories said there would be no further cuts to disability support during this parliament, but once again they have shown that the price of their failed austerity project is to be borne by those who are least able to afford it.

“The UK government must urgently clarify what these new proposals will mean for people who currently receive Personal Independence Payment and give a concrete assurance that any changes will not result in a reduction in financial support for disabled people.

“I have signed the “prayer” motion laid down in the House of Commons to formally object to this legislation and I call on MPs from across the House of Commons to unite in opposition against these changes.”

MP sets goal to make football grounds breastfeeding friendly

A Member of Parliament has launched a campaign to request that all football clubs in Scotland consider declaring their stadiums as being breastfeeding friendly.

Alison Thewliss MP’s bid to secure the status for all forty-two football grounds in Scotland was sparked by the efforts of Championship side, Ayr United, which recently declared Somerset Park as being a breastfeeding friendly ground.

Thewliss – herself a lifelong Motherwell fan – has written to every football club in Scotland, encouraging them to follow in Ayr United’s footsteps. Over half of all clubs have already responded and taken up the initiative by declaring their grounds as breastfeeding friendly. Breastfeeding in public places has been a legally protected right in Scotland since 2005, following the introduction of the Breastfeeding, etc. (Scotland) Act by Labour MSP, Elaine Smith.

Speaking of her campaign, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“The 2005 Breastfeeding Act specifically makes it an offence to stop a mother or child from breastfeeding in public and that is a hugely welcome protection. What gives further reassurance to breastfeeding mums is for as many places as possible to be pro-active and declare themselves “breastfeeding friendly”.

“Football crowds have changed a lot over the years and stadiums are becoming a much more family friendly environment. The vast majority of clubs understand the need to build future generations of fans.

“I’ve been going to Fir Park with my family and supporting Motherwell for over 20 years. Once I became a mum, I took the decision to take my son to the Europa League game against Aalesund when he was a month old. I was a bit nervous about doing so, but was very much supported by my family and neighbouring fans. I’ve had a positive experience at Scotland games too, and I would encourage all clubs to play their part.

“By making a positive declaration that stadiums are breastfeeding friendly, this will go some way to letting people know that breastfeeding is normal and need not be a taboo issue.

“With the exception of one or two clubs, the initial response from the majority of Scottish football clubs has been absolutely fantastic and it’s encouraging that so many folk are uniting to make Scottish football a breastfeeding friendly environment”.

Alison Thewliss MP calls for public response on domestic abuse victim tax

Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, is calling upon her constituents to help scrap the Tory government policy to tax victims of domestic abuse for exerting their right to child maintenance.

Ms Thewliss is urging constituents to sign a petition that calls for the UK Government to remove the 4% collection charge on child maintenance payments that applies to parents using the ‘Collect-and-Pay’ service.

Payments made to the ‘Collect-and-Pay’ service are managed by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and can be removed directly from the paying parent’s bank account and have enforcement powers to ensure maintenance is paid on time and in full.

The CMS exempt victims of domestic violence from the £20 application fee, but do not make any exemptions from the monthly charges. In response to a written question tabled by SNP MP Angela Crawley, the UK Government said the charges are in place to encourage parents to pause and consider whether they require the ‘Collect-and-Pay’ service – encouraging parents to utilise the less bureaucratic ‘Direct-Pay’ scheme.

However, Ms Thewliss stressed that the ‘Direct-Pay’ service does not offer the same protections as ‘Collect-and-Pay’ and can continue the cycle of abuse. She is urging constituents to go online and sign the petition.

Commenting, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“Victims are domestic abuse should be protected by the UK government, not punished financially for their inability to engage with an abusive ex-partner.

“The UK Government advises victims of domestic abuse that they should utilise their less safe ‘Direct-Pay’ scheme, which has no powers of enforcement and allows continued communication through bank transfers.

“The Tories have shown a complete lack of compassion by introducing this charge and even worse, they actually risk putting the lives of domestic abuse victim-survivors and their children in real danger.

“The UK Government must look again at this unfair tax and listen to calls from charities, the public and MPs to scrap it – ultimately, it will be the children that child maintenance payments are intended to support who will lose out.”

Bill published to crack down on formula milk promotion

A new Bill has been published today (Tuesday 21st February) which will tackle the “excessive and misleading marketing techniques” deployed by infant formula milk companies.

The proposed law, which is due for second reading in Parliament later this week, has been welcomed by health professionals, parents and campaigning groups – including Unicef Baby Friendly.

The new legislation, drafted by Glasgow Central MP Alison Thewliss, will:

– Introduce plain packaging for all formula milks;
– Establish a body, totally independent of industry, to test all products and verify the claims of manufacturers prior to them being licensed for sale;
– Ban the use of misleading terms such as “follow-on” or “growing-up” formula milks;
– Stop companies from circumventing existing laws by introducing a ban on identical packaging for stage two and subsequent products;
– Prohibit formula companies from advertising in health journals and magazines;
– Bring forward tougher penalties for companies who flout the legislation, including greater financial fines and prison sentences for company CEOs;
– Ban advertising of formula milks on TV, social media, the internet and through parenting clubs.

Alison Thewliss MP – who chairs the UK Parliament’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Infant Feeding & Inequalities – said:

“The Bill I have published today is a major step forward in tackling the excessive and misleading marketing techniques deployed by formula milk companies.

“For too long, these enormously powerful multi-nationals have been pushing the boundaries and circumventing existing legislation to relentlessly promote their products to parents and families. The more we see new aggressive marketing techniques, the more we see ever higher prices for formula milk, which is borne by the consumer.

“I absolutely understand and respect that some families will choose to use formula milk; this is absolutely not about breastfeeding versus bottle feeding. I want to make sure parents are protected from misleading advertising and can access impartial, trusted information when making feeding decisions for their children. The consultation I carried out demonstrated that many parents are making decisions based on marketing alone, which is deeply worrying.

“There have been examples of products being recalled or discontinued after they make it to the shelves, for example for being found to have excessive protein. Other concerns include the introduction of prebiotics, which may not be necessary. Without an independent agency to test these products and verify the claims being made by companies, we have a situation of self-policing which simply isn’t working.

“Under the current arrangement, formula companies are also banned from advertising formula milks for new babies but they simply get around this by branding their products almost identically, with packaging showing stages 1, 2, 3. “Follow-on” or “growing up” milks look the same as their baby milks, so parents are led to assume there is a progression. The reality is that there is generally no need for formula after the age of one. This loophole is costing families dear, with most formulas costing around £10 per packet.

“For too long, formula companies have been running roughshod over the 2007 legislation which is no longer fit for purpose. In addition, the consumer has been picking up the cost for an ever increasing marketing war – this Bill will go some way to ending this and ensuring that parents are free from commercial influence and pressure when making choices about how they feed their children”.

Alison Thewliss MP supports World Cancer Day 2017

Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, attended an event in Parliament yesterday (Wednesday 1 February) to show her support for World Cancer Day on Saturday 4 February 2017. Ms Thewliss met with representatives from seven of the UK’s leading charities, who have joined forces to help people affected by cancer.

Cancer Research UK, Breast Cancer Care, Breast Cancer Now, CLIC Sargent, Anthony Nolan, Bowel Cancer UK and Marie Curie are calling on people across Glasgow to show their support by wearing a Unity Band or donating. By joining forces, the charities will make a bigger impact in transforming the lives of millions who are affected by cancer. One in two people born in the UK will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime.

The Unity Bands are made of two parts, knotted together, to symbolise strength in unity and the power of what can be achieved when people join forces. The bands are available from each charity on their websites, shops and other retail outlets for a suggested donation of £2. All money raised from the Unity Bands will go towards the charities’ individual work.

Alison Thewliss MP said:

“I’m calling on people in Glasgow to join me by wearing a Unity Band, making a donation or spreading the word on social media in support of World Cancer Day, which is taking place on Saturday 4 February.

“Whatever your motivation – to remember a loved one, celebrate people who have overcome the disease, or to rally in support of those going through treatment – World Cancer Day is a chance to get involved and transform the lives of millions of people who are affected by cancer.”

Response to Formula Marketing Bill consultation published

A Member of Parliament seeking to tighten up the law around advertising of formula milk has published the results of a recent consultation on her proposed Feeding Products for Babies & Children (Advertising & Promotion) Bill.

SNP MP Alison Thewliss was given unanimous approval by MPs in November to press ahead and draft a new law which would curtail the “excessive marketing techniques” employed by the formula industry.

The Glasgow MP’s consultation ran from 5th December 2016 until 9th January 2017. She received 332 consultation responses, including from health professionals, parents and the representatives of the formula industry itself.

Commenting after publishing the consultation response document, Ms Thewliss said:

“I am incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to submit their thoughts and ideas around my proposed Bill. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the immense expertise and passion coming through in all of the responses. These have been invaluable in forming my thoughts on what to include in the Bill itself.

“Understandably there have been a great many suggestions to include certain policies in the Bill, not all of which can be included in this particular piece of legislation. I want to make explicitly clear that this Bill is about making sure parents are equipped with impartial, trusted information to make informed choices about how and what they feed their children.

“Tomorrow I will be meeting with parliamentary draftsmen to start writing the Bill, which will be published shortly.

“I look forward to publishing the Bill and seeking the Government’s support in the next few weeks.”