Luckily, Deborah from INQUEST contacted me. But for INQUEST contacting me, Adam's case would just be another dirty blanket left unturned. It would be another dirty blanket left behind closed doors for the Government to keep quiet about. It was through INQUEST, and my solicitors and others, that we have got where we have today. At Adam's first inquest, the coroner would not tell the jury what the law allowed and didn't allow, so Adam's first inquest was totally flawed. Then we had a big fight to get that inquest overturned and to get it stated that what happened to Adam was unlawful. It has been a really hard struggle, and without INQUEST, where would people be? – Carol Pounder, mother of 14 year Adam Rickwood, who was found hanging in his room following the use of restraint at Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in 2004
As well as working with your own MP you can try to influence others in parliament in a number of different ways;
MPs on a Committee decide what issues they are concerned about and hold inquiries into these, they may ask for written and/or oral evidence from interested organisations and members of the public. Anyone can write to the Committee to tell them about their experiences if they are relevant to their current inquiries. The results of these inquiries are public. Committees will make findings and recommendations in their reports and many require a response from the government.
A full list of the Committees and links to what they do and what they are currently examining and deadlines for sending written evidence can be found on the parliament website: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z.