§ 10 pm
§ Miss Anne Begg (Aberdeen, South)I beg leave to present a petition organised by the Simply Holistic Endometriosis trust, a charity working to help women who suffer from endometriosis. It has been signed by more than 3,000 people.
The petition was presented to me, in my role as chair of the all-party endometriosis group, by Diane Carlton, the chair of the SHE trust, during the recent lobby of Parliament held to raise awareness of endometriosis, which affects 2 million women in the UK. At present, there is very little public awareness of this devastating disease, and there is not enough funding available to raise knowledge among the medical community to improve early diagnosis.
§ The petition states:
"The petition of the SHE trust, and others, declares
That endometriosis is the only long-term chronic cyclical condition suffered by women, and that this devastating disease should receive higher priority for funding and treatment.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Secretary of State for Health to review the Government's policy on the care and treatment of endometriosis sufferers."
§ To lie upon the Table.