---

Thalidomide Survivors

I thank the Minister for letting me have an advance copy of the statement, and I am sure that all Members, and everyone we represent, would want to echo the Government's sincere regret and deep sympathy for the injury and suffering endured by all those who were affected when expectant mothers took thalidomide between 1958 and 1961. I know that every Member on both sides of the House has the deepest sympathy for thalidomide survivors, and although no course of action will ever be able to make full amends for the injury that was caused by the use of this drug, I hope that the Minister's statement will offer them an increased sense of security for the future and give them the prospect of dignity as they grow older, with the extra burdens among survivors that are increasingly becoming apparent. They deserve our fullest respect, admiration and practical support. During my time as a Conservative shadow Health Minister—and also before that, when I held an industry brief—I have been in touch with a number of thalidomide survivors, and I have been in continuing dialogue with the Thalidomide Trust and the national advisory council to it. I know that I speak on behalf of all Members on both the Opposition and Government Benches in paying tribute to both organisations for the different ways in which they have persevered in highlighting the cause and the needs of thalidomiders or thalidomide survivors—people use both those phrases. The Minister's announcement to the House today, and also to the public before Christmas, of a £20 million three-year pilot scheme to support thalidomiders in meeting their health and care needs in a more personalised way, including through adaptions and preventive measures, will be welcome news to all survivors and the organisations that have represented their cause over the years. It will also be welcome news to the general public, many of whom—like me—grew up at the time of the thalidomide tragedy and remember with sadness the emotional turmoil that many families of their generation underwent and continue to undergo. Given the disability and discomfort that so many survivors have had to endure, it is absolutely vital to offer thalidomiders a firm guarantee this afternoon that the £20 million pledge announced before Christmas has been drawn from a sustainable source of funding. Can the Minister also confirm whether the £20 million will be transferred to the Thalidomide Trust in a lump sum or in instalments, and from which central budgets the money will be drawn? Thalidomide campaigners have long recognised that it is the Government who have the power to find tangible support for survivors. Over the years, many Members on both sides of the House have lobbied hard for the Government to take action, and many have done so to represent the plight of constituents who are thalidomide survivors—some of whom are here today to watch our proceedings. As my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) pointed out in the Chamber on Tuesday, it is therefore slightly disappointing that the Minister has taken so long to inform the House of his intention to make this further money available to thalidomide victims, following his announcement before Christmas. However, that is such a small point that it should not overshadow the welcome news confirmed in the statement. I and all my colleagues will be pleased to report the Government's pledge back to our constituents as evidence that their campaigning has made a difference. It is right that the Thalidomide Trust and the NAC will decide how and where this money is spent. They represent thalidomiders and they are the experts on their needs. It is the trust and the members of the NAC who can and must be trusted with that urgent and vital responsibility. I welcome the Minister's remarks. Thalidomiders have waited a long time for this. I look forward to witnessing the impact that the funds confirmed today will have in creating better prospects for the health and well-being of thousands of thalidomide survivors and their families, and I salute their courage and example.