Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, has held the first ever across party and across house All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Medomsley Detention Centre.
Those attended the meeting included all Conservative MPs from County Durham and Darlington and senior Labour figures, including Baroness Armstrong, a previous MP for North West Durham. Kevin Hollinrake MP, with whom Richard has had meetings about Medomsley alongside senior Government Ministers, and Andy McDonald, Labour MP for Middlesbrough, attended the meeting and thanked Richard for establishing the APPG, stressing its importance and relevance across the North East and the wider UK.
Commenting, Richard said:
“I am absolutely delighted that so many parliamentarians attended the first ever cross-house and cross-party APPG – what happened to young lads from our communities should never be able to happen again.
“I have already held meetings with victims of the abuse and the lawyers who are representing them, as well as Parliamentary colleagues and the Lord Chancellor and Ministers from the MoJ. The APPG I lead will seek to ensure that this work is expanded upon and that more victims have the ability and the space to come forward and speak about their experiences in a way that is appropriate for them, and make sure that they are able to receive the necessary support.
I am delighted to be Chair of this APPG and will work hard with people from both houses and all parties to ensure that we do the right thing for all victims of the abuse.”
If you have been affected by the abuse and would like to speak with someone about it or receive advice, please email Richard at richard.holden.mp@parliament.uk.
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