Points of Order

Apsana Begum Excerpts

Wednesday 17th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Apsana Begum (Poplar and Limehouse) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. More than 40 Members of this House, led by the right hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn), wrote to the Justice Secretary on Monday urgently requesting that he respond, intervene and meet the lawyers of the Palestine Action prisoners, who have been on hunger strike for over 45 days. Since then, one of the prisoners, 20-year-old Qesser Zuhrah, was not transferred to hospital until just a couple of hours ago, despite her urgent pleas for urgent medical treatment since yesterday afternoon.

Prisoners have the right to humane conditions, to a fair trial and to medical treatment. Given that lives are at immediate risk and that points of order have been raised by Members of this House to no avail, could you kindly advise me, Madam Deputy Speaker, what we may do to get an urgent response and intervention from the Justice Secretary before the House rises tomorrow for the Christmas recess?

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I thank the hon. Member for giving notice of her point of order. I understand that this matter was raised with Justice Ministers yesterday. The hon. Member may also wish to raise this issue during tomorrow’s debate on matters to be raised before the forthcoming Adjournment. In the meantime, if she requires further assistance in raising it with Justice Ministers directly, she may wish to seek further advice from the Clerks.