The Mirror has been campaigning to change the law , externalon organ donation. It held a reception in Parliament last night where MPs met people who have benefited from organ donation.

The campaign is backed by England footballer Andy Cole.

The Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price announced at the Mirror reception that the government would be backing the bill.

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Conservative Philip Davies, scourge of private members' bills, says Geoffrey Robinson has "glossed over Wales". He says the Welsh Assembly has found that the introduction of "opt out" organ donation there has had "no impact" with some organisations saying there has been a reduction in donation. He asks what has been learned from "flaws" in the system in Wales.

Geoffrey Robinson says that Mr Davies is looking at old statistics and that the "situation has evolved". He says the situation in Wales is now "very hopeful".

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It's very unusual to see the leader of the opposition in the Commons chamber on a Friday for private members' bills.

But the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn is present for this morning's debate.

He intervenes to call the bill "wonderful...I hope today the house can pass it and save an awful lot of people's lives in the future".

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Geoffrey Robinson begins his speech by thanking the Health Minister Jackie Doyle Price for the government's support for the bill.

He also thanks the Prime Minister Theresa May and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. He says he's "seldom seen such a unanimous range of support" for a piece of legislation.

The bill has sponsorship, he says, from members of all seven parties represented in the Commons.

He says the UK has the "lowest rates of consent and donation in western Europe and low family rates of consent...in effect preventing one third of available organs from being used".

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Image source, NHS Blood and Transplant

The first of today's private members' bills is now being debated in the Commons.

The Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill would turn the organ donation system from 'opt in' to an 'opt out' system. It has been introduced by the Labour backbencher Geoffrey Robinson.

Currently if someone dies without having opted in to organ donation, families must make the decision on behalf of the deceased.

There is a persistent shortage of organs for transplant. In 2016/17, 456 adults and 14 children died whilst on the transplant list.

The bill would amend the Human Tissue Act 2004 to mean that unless someone expresses their wish to opt out of donating after their death, their organs can be donated.

The change would apply in England only.The government has indicated support for an opt-out system, which already applies in Wales.

The Scottish Government has also pledged to introduce legislation in this parliamentary session.

Welcome to our live coverage of Friday in Parliament.

Both the Commons and the Lords are sitting today to debate private members' bills.

The Commons gets down to work at 9.30am with Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson's Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill, which would introduce a presumption that organs will be donated, unless an individual declares otherwise.

The Lords starts at 10am with Lord Deben's Ecumenical Marriage Bill, which enables the Church of England to host marriage ceremonies for other Christian denominations.

Thursday afternoons are dedicated to debates initiated by backbench MPs and today the focus was on the contribution of disabled people to the UK economy and on NHS England's cancer strategy.

Several MPs argued that, as well as the social benefits, there is a clear economic case for using the talents of disabled people.

In the debate on England's cancer strategy, several MPs shared personal stories about their experience of cancer.

Karen Lee, whose daughter Lynsey died of breast cancer aged 35, urged MPs to support her aspiration that, by 2050, everyone diagnosed with the disease will live.

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SNP MP Lisa Cameron closes what she calls a "profound" debate, which featured many personal stories from MPs.

Tomorrow, the House of Commons is sitting to debate private members' bills from 9:30am.

First up is Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson's Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill, external, which applies to England only and would allow people to withhold consent for organ donation and transplantation.

The House of Lords will also debate private members' bills from 10am, starting with Conservative peer Lord Deben's Ecumenical Marriage Bill, external, which would allow Church of England chapels to host marriage ceremonies for other Christian denominations.

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Image source, HoC

Health Minister Steve Brine says there are now many people "living with and living beyond cancer".

Cancer care is a "huge priority" for him and other ministers, he insists.

The government has accepted all the recommendations in the cancer strategy,, external which is "two years into its implementation", he says.

Prevention measures to reduce the incidence of cancer are important alongside treating those who already have it, Mr Brine adds, pointing to the government's smoking reduction and air quality plans.

Turning to early diagnosis, the minister says "multi-disciplinary diagnostic centres" are being piloted. Patients can be referred by their GP for tests, leading to a diagnosis or the all-clear "on the same day".

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Shadow health minister Sharon Hodgson calls for more work to diagnose cancer earlier.

She says many lung cancer sufferers are diagnosed "after presenting as an emergency".

Ms Hodgson says research suggests that, if lung cancer was diagnosed earlier, 73% of patients would have a chance of surviving for five years or more, yet the five-year survival rate currently is just 10%.

"These are shocking statistics," Ms Hodgson adds.

The Labour frontbencher also says that health service staff are "under pressure due to underfunding and understaffing by this government".

She calls on ministers to "fully support the workforce".

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SNP spokesman Ronnie Cowan asks the government to "strongly consider the introduction of a duty of care" for people recovering from cancer, to ensure they are given support by employers, banks and others.

He also hopes that mechanisms are in place in the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to "share best practice" across the UK.

Image source, HoC

Labour MP Karen Lee speaks about how her daughter Lynsey died in 2011 from breast cancer at the age of 35 - when her children were two, four and seven.

Lindsay had chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a mastectomy. She survived for 13 months after being diagnosed with cancer.

Karen Lee is an ambassador for the charity Breast Cancer Now, which stresses the important role played by a clinical nurse specialist (CNS).

"We know that access to a CNS can make a big difference to the way people with cancer experience their care, providing people with support, and helping them manage their systems.

"This is especially important for people with incurable - like my Lindsay - secondary breast cancer who have particularly complex needs."

She says the aspiration of Breast Cancer Now is that, by 2050, everyone with breast cancer will live.

"As parliamentarians we've got the power to influence this and change it," Mrs Lee says.

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Conservate MP Michelle Donelan says there needs to be action to address falling rates of cervical screening tests among women.

"We seem to be very British about cervical smear tests and we don’t like to talk about them much," she says.

"Yes, it's not nice. It hurts a little, it's awkward and it is a bit embarrassing - but it could save your life."

She adds that "we need to promote cervical screening from school age" so that women know the importance of attending tests from the age of 25.

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Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire, who underwent treatment for breast cancer, says she "could speak about how horrible chemotherapy is and how deeply a girl can feel the loss of her eyelashes".

She also urges women "to check their breasts properly" as many don't know how to do this.

But the main focus of her speech is children with cancer.

"Childhood cancers are thankfully rare," she says, but this also means they are difficult to diagnose.

Children and their parents may have to travel long distances for specialist treatment, which can be "unpleasantly aggressive", she adds.

She also praises the work of childhood cancer care charity CLIC Sargent., external

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Labour MP Nic Dakin, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pancreatic Cancer, says treatment has progressed to the extent that patients are now "more likely to survive cancer than die from it".

However, earlier diagnosis and "symptom recognition" are "areas where we need to up our game", he adds.

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Baroness Jowell received a standing ovation in the House of Lords after making an emotional speech on cancer.

She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2017.

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Conservative MP David Tredinnick refers to an "impassioned speech" by Labour peer and former minister Baroness Jowell in the House of Lords, after it was announced she had brain cancer.

Mr Tredinnick tells MPs that his sister died of a brain tumour, and recalls that Baroness Jowell said patients need access to "the best and latest science" but also need a support "community" around them.

Mr Tredinnick chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Integrated Healthcare which, he says, has been looking at "how to support cancer patients in a broader way".

"Additional therapies" including aromatherapy and massage can help with the side effects of cancer treatment, he argues.

Mr Tredinnick also says he has used Chinese medicine for many years and claims that acupuncture can extend a patient's life.