ACTION FOR MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

Early day motion 2164, tabled 15 May 2006 by Edward Davey (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 75 members.

That this House congratulates the charity Action for ME on a successful Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Encephalopathy (ME) Awareness Week, which this year ran from 8th to 14th May; notes that there are 240,000 people in the UK with ME, and that a recent survey by Action for ME has estimated that 55,000 of these people are so severely affected by the illness that they are either bed-bound or house-bound; is concerned that the survey also suggests that 77 per cent. of the total 240,000 people in the UK with ME have lost their jobs because of the illness, with a cost to the nation of £6.4 billion a year; believes that there needs to be greater understanding of the illness if it is to be properly combated; and congratulates Action for ME on all the positive work they have done to raise awareness about this illness and to increase funding for research.

Signatures by party: Labour 30, Liberal Democrat 22, Conservative 12, DUP 6, Plaid Cymru 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Scottish National Party 1.