HEPATITIS C

Early day motion 594, tabled 17 October 2013 by George Galloway (Respect). Signed by 11 members.

That this House is concerned that the number of people dying from liver disease caused by hepatitis C has quadrupled in 15 years; recalls that four years ago the Government promised a strategy to help prevent needless deaths and save millions of pounds in emergency hospital admissions; notes that in 2010-11, £22 million was spent on emergency admissions for hepatitis C complications; understands that there are an estimated 160,000 people living with the virus in England and half do not know it; and supports the Hepatitis C Trust which is calling on the Government to end the postcode lottery in treatment by unveiling a national strategy to combat this preventable and curable virus.

Signatures by party: Labour 5, Liberal Democrat 2, Conservative 1, Independent 1, Respect 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.