Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 25th April 2024 Issue no. 1111

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All-Party Parliamentary Group for cleaning & hygiene industry inaugurated: 53 MPs join 'highly-credible' group

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for the cleaning & hygiene sector was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Representing the interests of the sector in Parliament and influencing MPs, ministers and Government, it has attracted 53 MPs and three Members of the House of Lords, making it one of the bigger and most credible APPGs.

Members of six parties are taking part - the Conservative, Labour, Scottish National Party, Democratic Unionist Party, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats - and participants include some of the most prominent Parliamentarians in the country, such as the former director of Age Concern, The Baroness Greengross, OBE, former Chancellor, the Rt Hon The Lord Lamont of Lerwick and the former CEO of Mitie, The Baroness McGregor-Smith.

Nigel Mills, MP for Amber Valley, and The Baroness Greengross, were elected as co-chairs, along with a number of vice chairs and the committee running the Group.

The British Cleaning Council - sponsoring the APPG - wants it to put the status of the sector's operatives as key and essential workers, and their priority for Covid-19 vaccination, at the top of its agenda, in recognition of their role fighting the pandemic. Addressing the group at the inauguration, chairman Paul Thrupp said:

"This is a historic day for our industry. The establishment of the APPG is a major development for the cleaning and hygiene sector. I'm delighted that we have achieved this.

"The APPG will help ensure policy-makers are aware of the vital work we do and ensure the sector's voice is heard in decisions that affect it. An industry of such large scale and huge importance as ours, needs to have this kind of representation in Parliament. I'm particularly pleased that so many MPs have agreed to give the group their backing. Such widespread backing will ensure it is highly-credible and influential."

Deputy chair, Jim Melvin, added: "This groundswell of support shows that there is growing recognition of the industry's contribution and the vital work of its personnel, particularly in the fight against Covid-19. Though there are many important issues for the APPG to discuss, we'd like it to focus on the status of the sector's operatives as key and essential workers, and their need for Covid-19 vaccination as an immediate priority."

Also addressing the meeting was John Hines, from SC Johnson Professional, who updated the Group on the work being done by the Global Handwashing Partnership to promote best practise in hand hygiene.

The BCC has been working alongside former MP for Stirling, Stephen Kerr, (pictured) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Kerr ) to support the establishment of the APPG, as well as encouraging member organisations and cleaning & hygiene companies to lobby their MPs to join.

If you're unfamiliar with APPGs, they are informal cross-party groups that 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. APPG members meet to discuss a particular issue of concern and explore relevant issues relating to their topic. APPGs regularly examine issues of policy relating to particular areas, discussing new developments, inviting stakeholders and Government ministers to speak at their meetings, and holding inquiries into pertinent matters.

The BCC has 21 members from across the cleaning & hygiene sector. Research it published early this year shows that the sector is a UK top 10 industry, employing 1.63 million people and contributing over £54bn to the economy.

www.britishcleaningcouncil.org

4th February 2021