APPG

All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are informal cross-party groups that have no official status within Parliament. They are run by and for Members of the Commons and Lords, though many choose to involve individuals and organisations from outside Parliament in their administration and activities.

There are many All Party Groups in Parliament, however there hasn’t been an All Party Parliamentary Group for Down syndrome (APPGDS) for some years. The National Down syndrome policy group (NDSPG) took the view that an All Party Group could help improve life for the Down syndrome community. NDSPG reached out to politicians with a view to making an APPGDS a reality. Although the All Party Groups have no official status within Parliament, such a group focused on the issues affecting the Down syndrome community could be invaluable for us. The NDSPG is the Secretariat to the new All Party Parliamentary Group, organising and supporting the meetings and work of the APPGDS and providing the lived experience.

The APPG had to be disbanded ahead of the Parliamentary election in 2024, but we are delighted to report that the inaugural meeting of the new All Party Parliamentary Group on Down Syndrome took place on 8th October 2024.