Richard Quigley used the debate to call for an inquiry into all eating disorder deaths and for the Department of Health and Social Care to go ‘further and faster’ in their work.
On the second day back from Parliamentary recess, Richard Quigley led his first Westminster Hall debate, focusing on the issue of preventing deaths from eating disorders.
The debate received cross-party support, with MPs from across the House attending to listen, contribute, and stand in solidarity with families affected by these devastating conditions. Richard, who has long campaigned on this issue, described the experience as “deeply moving” and said the response since the debate has been overwhelming.
“I’ve received a flood of messages from individuals, charities, and clinicians,” he said. “Each one is a powerful reminder of how widespread and urgent this crisis is. Eating disorders are complex, often misunderstood, and behind every statistic is a person fighting for their life, and a family navigating unimaginable pain. We owe it to them to do better.”
Richard used the debate to call for earlier intervention, improved training for frontline professionals, and stronger accountability when systems fail. She emphasised that this was just the beginning of a wider campaign to ensure young people receive the support they need to recover and thrive.
“I’m committed to working with experts, campaigners, and Ministers to drive meaningful change,” he added. “Together, we can prevent more lives from being lost.”
The eating disorder charity BEAT praised Richard Quigley for his “powerful leadership” in Westminster, and stated that they were pleased to be collaborating with him on this ‘important issue’
You can watch Richard’s full speech here.
