Following the general election, Action for M.E. and the ME Association have provided the following update, as joint-Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on ME.
“We understand the need to ensure that ME is kept firmly on the agenda of the new Government and that the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on ME plays an important part in this.
“As is parliamentary procedure, all APPG's are required to disband following the call of a general election and must then be reconstituted, once the election has concluded, and a new Government is in place.
“Sadly, the APPG's previous Chair, Carol Monaghan, was not re-elected as MP for Glasgow North West and therefore, we will now work to identify and secure a new Chair.
“Sonya Chowdhury, CEO of Action for M.E. and Charles Shepherd, Honorary Medical Advisor to the ME Association, will meet in the coming weeks to discuss this further.
“Whilst these discussions can take place, ministerial appointments are still ongoing and therefore, with summer recess approaching, now is not an appropriate time to look at reconstituting the APPG.
“Instead, whilst appointments are still being made, we will use this time to review the APPG's communication strategy to ensure that once it is reconstituted, we can share information relating to the APPG's work and outcomes more effectively.
“As part of this, we will ensure that any updates on the reconstitution of the APPG on ME and its incoming Chair, are shared as soon as possible.”