Justice For Families

Cross-Party Group: MSBP (FII)

In August 2006, a press release and a number of mailings were circulated on the internet in connection with the formation of a Cross-Party Group of MPs, Chaired by Dr Richard Taylor, MP. In October 2006, a survey questionnaire was circulated together with a covering letter signed by Dr Richard Taylor. In October 2006, an EDM [Early Day Motion: 2688] was laid down.

This Cross-Party Group was reported as including Earl Howe, and MPs Jon Cruddas, John Hemming, Nick Gibb, Tim Boswell and Damian Green; Oliver Cyriax was also associated with this project.

To the best of my knowledge, very little further information has emerged in connection with the progress of this project.

Is anyone able to tell me what the current status of this Cross-Party Group is, please, and the status of the inquiry which the Group undertook to investigate?

Has any report been published by the group?

Suzy

I too wonder from time to time what has happened with this group.

It's been eighteen months or so, Avenger, since the survey questionnaire was first circulated. I don't know about you, but I don't recall seeing anything further issued by the Group since then - but maybe I've missed something.

Perhaps John Hemming will be able to give us an update - if not, perhaps John might be prepared to approach Dr Richard Taylor, as chair of the MSBP (FII) group, for an update on the status of this project.

Suzy

It is one to ask him about directly.

OK, John, I'll contact Dr Taylor directly and request an update.

Suzy

I contacted Dr Richard Taylor, Chair, Cross-Party Group on MSBP (FII) on Friday. I will let you know what response I receive.

Suzy

Over a month ago, I contacted Dr Taylor for an update on the status of the MSbP Group.

No response.

After the parliamentary Easter break is over, I will write again, and this time I will copy in John Hemming and Earl Freddie Howe, who were listed in the initial press reports as members of this group.

The group has not registered on the Register of All-Party Groups, on either the "Approved List" or the "Not Approved" list, so I cannot establish who is currently the Secretary to this group or the names of any Vice-Chairs.

Has this group and its intentions withered on the vine?

Suzy

Thankyou for raising this Suzy because those who contributed to this review by way of case histories among other things, are entitled to know what happened to the information given.

cavvy wrote:Thankyou for raising this Suzy because those who contributed to this review by way of case histories among other things, are entitled to know what happened to the information given.

Absolutely, Cavvy. We were not affected by MSbP issues (though many families with ME children and young people are) so we did not contribute information, ourselves. But those who did have a right to know in what ways their information has been used and how long the group intends to retain the data for.

I'm not impressed wth the total lack of response from Dr Taylor, thus far.
I'll keep you posted.
Suzy

Deleted - sending glitch produced duplicate post.

Mmmm. I have just had the following in from Dr Richard Taylor, Chair, MSbP Group (I had not contacted Dr Taylor since 28 February).

From: Dr Richard Taylor
To: Suzy Chapman
Sent: 07 April 08


Dear Ms Chapman

I am sorry to be so slow replying to your email of the 28th of February, but I have waited until another meeting of our group.

Any press release that was released in 2006 did not come out with the agreement of the Committee, as right from the beginning we have been working behind the scenes and we have felt all along that press coverage would not be helpful until we feel we have achieved as much as we can.

Yours sincerely

Richard Taylor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, Dr Taylor is apparently not going to provide any answers to my questions. We must assume, however, that the MSbP Group is still extant.
Since I had not submitted any information, myself, to this project, I don't feel I have any further locus for pressing for a more transparent response from the Chair of this group - but perhaps those who had submitted information for the project might like to pursue this further if this is felt appropriate. I would not want to feel, myself, that information supplied had disappeared into a black hole.

Suzy

I suppose that there are two ways of looking at it

. either trust the people who are working on this, (after all several members are known to be commited eg Oliver Cyrax, John Hemming and Lord Howe) that perhaps it is best not to have press coverage which may be detrimental to the final report.
OR

Feel that if you have contributed your personal information to this group then they should be accountable for what they are doing with it.


In the absence of any information to the contrary, I am going to trust them for now.

I am not part of this group and have not been for over a year.

johnhemming wrote:I am not part of this group and have not been for over a year.

Thank you, John, for clarifying.
Suzy

Thakyou John.
Are you able to say why you are no longer a member?

Suzy, perhaps we need to clarify who that group actually are, where are all the case histories that were given in good faith and how exactly is that information is being used.