Minister of State congratulates APPG Treasurer on Global Poverty and Pneumonia Speech (15 Jul 2010)

The Rt Hon Alan Duncan MP, Minister of State for International Development has congratulated Stephen McPartland, new MP for Stevenage and Treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Global Action Against Childhood Pneumonia, on his maiden speech on the subject of global poverty and pneumonia.

Mr Duncan said that he had "much noted" Mr McPartland's "thoughtful comments on international development" and hoped that his interest in the issue continued.

Mr McPartland spoke of the dreadful burden of pneumonia in the developing world and its close link with global poverty. He highlighted that pneumonia is the leading killer of children under 5 globally and claims the life of one child every 15 seconds.

Mr McPartland went on to state that pneumonia could be tackled "relatively simply, if the resources are available" and commended the important work of GAVI and IVAC , who have both worked closely to implement the Advance Market Commitment, which will help supply vaccines at lower prices to the developing world.

In the same debate Dr Eilidh Whiteford, the new MP for Banff and Buchan and APPG member, also highlighted Millennium Development Goal 4, a two thirds reduction in child mortality by 2015, and spoke of the need for stronger action to meet the target.

Jim Dobbin MP, Chair of the APPG, said that Mr McPartland and Dr Whiteford's speeches "have helped to further raise the issues of MDG 4 and pneumonia with the new Government. The APPG are pleased that the new Government has committed to maintaining international development funding and we hope that they will maintain the UK's position as a driver of international action on Pneumonia, as was so successfully achieved with the passing of the WHA Resolution in May."

The full text of the speech can be found here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100701/debtext/100701-0014.htm#10070132001337