Liberal Democrats are to raise the serious issues connected with autism and Asperger's Syndrome in the House of Commons. Ivan Corea head of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK met with the Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Dr. Vincent Cable in parliament. Dr.Cable pledged to do more for all people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome in the UK by raising these matters in the House of Commons.

Mr.Corea presented Dr.Vincent Cable with a copy of the campaign film 'Autism Action,' DVD directed by Ian McLeod.

'Autism is a serious health and education issue. Parents, carers and people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome are looking to parliamentarians of all parties to speak out and act on these issues. People badly need public services in health, education, specialist speech therapy and respite care. I am delighted that Dr. Vincent Cable met with me to discuss autism on a day where there was tremendous activity in parliament,' said Ivan Corea. The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell resigned on Monday.

A few months ago Mr. Corea also met with the Conservative Shadow Minister for Schools Nick Gibb in the House of Commons A few weeks ago speaking at the London Conference on Autism at the Bridge Community Venue in South Woodford in Autism Awareness Week, Lee Scott MP (who is a member of the Select Committee on Health) pledged to join forces with Ivan Corea to lobby the Prime Minister on autism.

The Autism Awareness Campaign UK is calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to launch a national strategy on autism and a 10 year plan of action on autism and Asperger's Syndrome. This includes launching an AUTISM COMPACT with employers to enable those who can work to access the labour market.

Over 500,000 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum; according to estimates over 90,000 children have autism. According to UK researchers 1 in 100 children in the UK may have autism.

(London, UK) A major conference on autism was organised in London by Rita Beaumont to mark Autism Awareness Week in the United Kingdom. The London Conference was held at the Bridge Community Venue in South Woodford, London on Saturday 6th October - this was the only London Conference in Autism Awareness Week.

Autism Awareness Week was organised by the National Autism Alliance from 1st October to 7th October. The London Conference was organised by Rita Beaumont and aimed at parents, carers, volunteers and professionals who are concerned for the people who have autism and who want to promote positive action. The presentations included: autism in Redbridge; what is autism? the way forward; making a difference and raising awareness; communication and social interaction; and personal perspectives on autism. There was a choice of seminars on becoming autism friendly and in for the long haul. Speakers addressed a packed audience at the Bridge Community Venue. The conference was deemed a real success by the participants who came from all over London.

Rita Beaumont expressed the need to continue to raise awareness of the issues evolving around autism and Asperger's Syndrome not only in Redbridge but across the United Kingdom. Sue Blows, Headteacher of Hatton School shared the history of autism and looked into what autism was all about. Lee Scott MP who has been championing the cause of autism in the House of Commons revealed his plan of action and has pledged to take the issues of autism and Asperger's Syndrome further when parliament is reconvened later this month. Ivan Corea of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK urged the participants to make a difference by getting involved in campaigning. 'It is only through activism and campaigning that we could change government policy,' he said. Campaigners are calling for a national strategy on autism and a 10 year plan of action. The parents group STARR based in Redbridge shared their personal stories of courage with conference participants.

The 'Autism Action' film released by the Autism Awareness Campaign UK was shown to the audience. Councillor Chris Cummins , Sue Blows, Lee Scott MP, Ivan Corea, Maggie Widdecombe,Valda Casey and parents from STARR addressed the conference chaired by Rita Beaumont.

The song for autism, 'Open Every Door' by Birmingham based musician Rozagy who has Asperger's Syndrome was a real success and copies of the CD were sold raising funds for Professor Simon Baron Cohen's Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University. There were displays by Newham Books and other organisations.

Autism Awareness Week was from 1st October to 7th October - it was an initiative of the Autism Alliance in the UK.

(London, UK) It's Autism Awareness Week in the UK (running from 1st October to 7th October) and leading parliamentarian Lee Scott, MP for Ilford North and member of the House of Commons Select Committee on Health has joined forces with Ivan Corea, head of the Autism Awareness Campaign UK in a call to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to take firm and decisive action on autism.

There are over 500,000 people with autism in the UK, over 90,000 children are on the autism spectrum. According to UK researchers 1 in 100 children may have autism. Even in Lee Scott's constituency in Redbridge, numbers are rising.

Scott has called on the Government to provide ring fenced funding for Autism Services undertaken by local authorities in a film 'Autism Action' directed by the renowned Ian McLeod and released by the Autism Awareness Campaign UK. Copies of the Autism Action DVD containing interviews with autism campaigner Ivan Corea and Lee Scott MP, have been sent to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Leader of the Opposition David Cameron and Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell.

The Autism Action film has also been released on You Tube. Lee Scott has pledged to raise the serious issues connected with autism and Asperger's Syndrome with the Prime Minister in his interview in the Autism Action film.

Lee Scott has been championing the cause of autism in the House of Commons. Earlier this year he initiated a landmark debate on autism in Westminster Hall and quizzed the Prime Minister asking him a question on autism in Prime Minister's Questions in April.

Scott is scheduled to speak at a major autism conference in South Woodford to mark Autism Awareness Week.
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To watch the Autism Action film on You Tube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPyP-slDT6M

PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN URGED TO ACT ON AUTISM

AUTISM ACTION DVD LAUNCHED IN AUTISM AWARENESS WEEK

Autism Campaigners have launched a DVD titled 'Autism Action' calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to back a national strategy on autism and a 10 year plan of action on autism and Asperger's Syndrome. The Autism DVD has been released during Autism Awareness Week which runs from 1st October - 7th October 2007.

The 'Autism Action' DVD was released by the Autism Awareness Campaign UK, the film is directed by top film maker, Ian McLeod. Over 500,000 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum, over 90,000 children have autism. According to UK researchers 1 in 100 children may have autism.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Leader of the Opposition David Cameron and Leader of the Liberal Democrats have all received copies of the Autism Action DVD.

The soundtrack of the film also contains the moving Nimal Mendis song for autism, sung by Birmingham based musician Rozagy who was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. She is raising funds for Professor Simon Baron Cohen's Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University.

Ivan Corea said: 'Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Children's Secretary Ed Balls affirmed their commitment to disabled children at this year's Labour Party Conference in major speeches in Bournemouth. We now urge them to launch a national strategy, look at a building program of autism units in mainstream secondary schools, specialist autism schools and even consider turning special schools into SEN academies and even state of the art autism academies. Children with autism have tremendous potential they too deserve a world class education.'

'We also want the government to look at further education and higher education opportunities, an autism compact with employers and the debate on autism and the elderly,' said Mr.Corea.

Autism Awareness Week is being organised by the Autism Alliance.