APPG begins new Parliament with inaugural meeting


Due to the General Election in June, the APPG on Global Tuberculosis was required to register under the new Parliament. The APPG kickstarted the year with its inaugural meeting and election of officers.

The year ahead presents many exciting opportunities for increased global commitment to developing new tuberculosis drugs, diagnostics and vaccines, building on the G20 Leaders' Declaration. Crucially, the Global Ministerial Conference in November and the UN High-Level Meeting on TB next year are vital steps towards putting this declaration into action. Parliamentary support for UK Government leadership at these meetings is critical, and the work of the APPG and its members is more important now than ever.

At its inaugural meeting in Portcullis House today, the APPG expanded its membership, elected three new officers and agreed an exciting work plan for the upcoming year.

Minutes are as below:

Present: Apologies:

Lucy Drescher (Secretariat) Baroness Suttie

Ella Hopkins (Secretariat) Lord Purvis

Nick Herbert MP Lord Collins

Virendra Sharma MP Baroness Ludford

Baroness Masham Stuart Andrew MP

Baroness Barker Jim Shannon MP

Nic Dakin MP Maggie Throup MP

Stephen Twigg MP Alex Cunningham MP

Baroness Sheehan Tommy Sheppard MP

Jim Fitzpatrick MP

Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP

Martyn Day MP

Election of officers

Those present agreed the election of the following officers unanimously:

Chair and Registered Contact: Nick Herbert MP

Co-Chair: Virendra Sharma MP

Vice-Chairs: Baroness Suttie, Baroness Masham, Nic Dakin MP, Baroness Sheehan, Jim Fitzpatrick MP

Officer: Martyn Day MP

Work programme The Group discussed the importance of its engagement with the UK Government around the Global Ministerial Conference in November and the UN High-Level Meeting on TB.

Those present agreed that over the next year the Group should continue to focus on TB in the UK and overseas, with its key areas of work over the next year being:

  • Research and development into new drugs, diagnostics and vaccines following the G20 Leaders' Declaration, particularly the enagagment around the Global Ministerial Conference and the UN High-Level Meeting.

  • Actions include: Westminster Hall or backbench business debate in the House of Commons in October, Question for Short Debate in the House of Lords, parliamentary questions from members, delegation from the APPG meeting with Minister Burt ahead of the Ministerial Conference, delegation from the APPG meeting with civil society.

  • The Collaborative TB Strategy for England and TB in the UK. The deadline for submissions will be 11th November 2017.

  • Actions include: Roundtable for tuberculosis professionals in November following inquiry submissions.

  • The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria post-replenishment.