Wednesday, June 08, 2011

PMQs - the best question ever. For Alice.

PMQs has a reputation as an aggresssive, unpleasant, macho pantomime which does nothing to hold the government to account seriously, or tackle real issues.

Occasionally, though, it can be poignant and relevant. There was a flash of that today.

It's self explanatory. From Hansard:

John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) (Lab/Co-op):
After four years, 15-year-old Alice Pyne, who lives in my constituency, is losing her battle against cancer. She has posted online her “bucket list”, a simple wish list of things that she wants to do before it is too late. She wants to meet Take That, to own a purple iPod and to enter her dog in a labrador show, but at the top of the list is a call for everyone to sign up to be a bone marrow donor. Will the Prime Minister work with the Leader of the Opposition and me to find out why too few people are currently on that life-saving register?
The Prime Minister: I will certainly do that. I am very sorry to hear about the situation facing Alice and what she is going through. Our thoughts go out to her and to her parents. She sounds like a very brave and very admirable person.
We want to get as many people as possible on to the bone marrow register. This year we are investing some £4 million of new money to improve donation processing and services for NHS patients. However, this is partly to do with a cultural and population change that we must help to drive, and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition and I can discuss that.
I'm sure everyone sends their best wishes to Alice.  And let's hope she manages to experience all that she wants to. Whoever manages Take That - you know what you have to do. The rest of us have to do our bit for Anthony Nolan 

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