It is estimated that there are six million carers in the UK

Labour MP Hywel Francis and his wife Mair cared for 16 years for their son Sam, who had Down's syndrome.

The Aberavon MP has put forward the Carers Equal Opportunities Bill which, if passed, would ensure carers received adequate personal support and information about entitlements from local authorities.

Opening a second reading debate on a measure he refers to as Sam's Bill, he said carers needed "a life beyond their caring responsibilities."

As a country we are thoroughly dependent on the support provided by carers Hywel Francis MP

"Most of this change is about attitude, it's about culture," he said.

"It's about valuing carers and their role, not hiding them away, pretending they don't exist."

It is estimated that there are six million carers in the UK, or about 12% of the population.

Of these, 1.2m people provide more than 50 hours of care each week.

Dr Francis was second in a ballot to put forward a private members' bill

Mr Francis told MPs on Friday that the bill would ensure that the health and the well-being of carers was "enhanced by securing equal opportunities for them beyond their caring responsibilities."

He said previous legislation did not acknowledge the carer as a "whole person" who needed to balance their responsibilities with an outside life.

"As a country we are thoroughly dependent on the support provided by carers," he said.

"Their input has been estimated at a staggering �57bn per year, equivalent to the spending on the NHS. In many ways they are the alternative NHS."

Outlining the detail of his bill, he said it related to people aged over 16, as matters relating to younger carers come under the Children's Act.

The bill, which would apply to England and Wales, has cross-party backing, but will need government support to become law.