Contents

Published: Wednesday 7 October 2020

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 6 October 2020

Early Day Motions (EDMs) are motions for which no days have been fixed.

The number of signatories includes all members who have added their names in support of the Early Day Motion (EDM), including the Member in charge of the Motion.

EDMs and added names are also published on the EDM database at www.parliament.uk/edm

[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

New EDMs

969Pakistan Protection of Religious Minorities Bill

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 2

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

That this House notes that a Bill calling for the protection of religious minorities in Pakistan was rejected by the Pakistani Senate on Thursday 24 September; regrets that Senators did not take the opportunity presented by the Bill to take action against rising violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan; expresses deep concern about the worsening persecution of minority religious and belief communities in Pakistan, especially the abduction, forced conversion and marriage of thousands of young girls from those communities annually; calls on Pakistani legislators and authorities to do more to tackle these human rights violations; offers the support of this House to help Pakistan’s human rights response; and urges the UK and Pakistani Governments to do everything in their power to protect minority religious and belief communities in Pakistan.

970National Minimum Wage

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

John McDonnell

That this House notes that the Low Pay Commission (LPC) will shortly be making its recommendations to Government for the April 2021 increase in the National Minimum Wage; further notes that the LPC consulted on a 49p rise to £9.21 per hour in April 2021; is concerned by reports that this proposed increase may now be significantly reduced or minimum wage rates frozen; notes estimates that suggest 21 per cent of UK workers are paid less than the real living wage, as set by the Living Wage Foundation; believes that increasing wages for low paid workers is an essential part of reducing poverty and increasing economic demand; and therefore calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to authorise a significant increase in the minimum wage preferably to at least £10 per hour for all workers.

971TSB Closures in Midlothian

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

Owen Thompson

That this House condemns TSB Bank’s decision to close its Dalkeith and Penicuik branches; recognises that this follows a long succession of bank closures in Midlothian; notes that there are no alternative TSB branches nearby to serve the busy communities of Dalkeith and Penicuik, and that the Post Office cannot be expected to pick up the pieces; further notes that, although Midlothian is Scotland’s fastest growing region, many customers will now have to travel to Musselburgh or Cameron Toll in Edinburgh for their banking; recognises that there remains a strong need for choice between face to face and other forms of banking, and for cash and counter transactions; and calls on banks to work to do everything they can to make it easier for their local customers to access their services and not close the doors permanently during a time of crisis during which many businesses are already struggling.

972Tackling child food insecurity

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

Robert Halfon

That this House believes no child should go hungry; welcomes Government action to provide Free School Meals over the school summer holidays; recognises that families are still struggling to afford food, that 11 per cent of parents and 6 per cent of children have directly experienced food insecurity in the last month and that food bank usage is expected to be 61 per cent higher in winter 2020-21 than last year; believes that further action to protect vulnerable children is needed; calls on the Government to implement the recommendations in the National Food Strategy Part 1 to increase the value of and expand eligibility for Healthy Start vouchers, expand eligibility for Free School Meals, and extend the Holiday Activities and Food programme; and notes that alongside minimising child food insecurity these recommendations will also address inequalities, improve the long-term health and resilience of the population, reduce childhood obesity, improve children’s academic performance, support parents to stay in work during the holidays, and ease the strain on the welfare system.

973Justice for Osime Brown

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 2

Jamie Stone

Wera Hobhouse

That this House acknowledges 21-year-old Osime Brown's autism and the behavioural challenges that come with it; further acknowledges the Home Office's plans to deport Osime to Jamaica where he has not lived since he was four years old and has never returned to; notes Osime's mother's words that if they deport him, he'll die; further notes that, although a friend testified that Osime was not directly involved with the crime, Osime is currently in prison where he is self-harming to the point that he has hundreds of scars on his body; recognises the Citizen's Advice Bureau's advice which states that if one is detained despite being vulnerable, one should apply for bail; calls on the Government to acknowledge Osime's autism, dyslexia, learning disabilities, and PTSD; further calls on the Government to release Osime on bail rather than being moved to a holding facility that is not properly equipped to meet his needs, remove the call for Osime's deportation, and see that Osime finally receives the support he needs for his disabilities.

974Tron St Mary's Church and the Cannae Sing Choir

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

Anne McLaughlin

That this House congratulates Tron St Mary’s church for its tireless efforts during the covid-19 lockdown to ensure that local residents did not go without; appreciates the efforts both before and during the pandemic to foster a spirit of inclusion and togetherness in the community through its work with the Chinese community and those for whom English is a second language; applauds its commitment to both community resilience and climate action with its home growers projects and repair workshops; welcomes the support from the Climate Challenge Fund and the Scottish Government’s Greener Scotland fund; thanks the church for the hundreds of wellbeing phone calls to local people; celebrates the decision to take the Cannae Sing choir online during lockdown; and looks forward to the continued success of the Wee Church with the Big Heart.

975French paternity leave

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

David Linden

That this House commends France’s doubling of paid paternity leave for new fathers to 28 days; praises the fact that seven days of this paternity leave will be obligatory; advocates longer paternity pay in the UK; believes that longer paternity leave helps to fight against gender inequality in the home, helps to prevent post-natal depression in parents and allows parents to spend valuable time with their newborns; and urges the Government to significantly increase paid paternity leave throughout the UK.

976Kilcreggan primary school UNICEF rights respecting award

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

Brendan O'Hara

That this House congratulates the pupils and staff of Kilcreggan primary school in Argyll and Bute on receiving the prestigious Silver rights respecting school award from UNICEF; notes that the award was made in recognition of the excellent progress that the school has achieved in embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into its ethos and curriculum; commends the great work of the pupils who, among a variety of activities, rewrote the words to the school songs, made posters for display around the school and wrote articles all about the importance of respecting the rights of the child; acknowledges the significant role played by the school’s steering group which organised an event on World book day to raise money for the Save the Children campaign to provide books to children throughout the world; thanks the staff of Kilcreggan primary school for the outstanding work they are doing; and wishes all the pupils every success in the future.

977Kit Tarka Foundation

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

David Linden

That this House recognises the vital work done by the Kit Tarka Foundation; notes the importance of raising awareness of neonatal Herpes virus and the effect it has on families across the UK; highlights the fact that it is estimated one baby a week will die from this preventable illness; and urges the Government to commit to funding research for neonatal Herpes and to raise awareness of this deadly virus.

978Whispering Bob's All Stars

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

Kevin Brennan

That this House notes that 27 October 2020 will see the release of Stand By Me, a recording to raise funds for Help Musicians the 99 year old charity which has continued to provide vital support to thousands of music creators during the covid-19 pandemic; further notes that the record has been co-ordinated by Whispering Bob Harris OBE former host of the famous Old Grey Whistle Test, who is celebrating his 50 years in broadcasting this year, is one of the UK's most popular and knowledgeable broadcasting icons, and who is a genuine national treasure; further believes it is absolutely fitting that he is at the forefront of a new release of this iconic song and that a huge array of artists have joined forces to create Whispering Bob’s All Stars to perform the song remotely; encourages the public to support the release and calls on the Government to do so also by providing greater financial support to musicians who cannot perform to a live audience as a result of the Government's covid-19 restrictions.

979Enable young people with learning disabilities to access their own money

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

Anne McLaughlin

That this House notes that the first Child Trust Funds, established 18 years ago, are being paid out to recipients this month; notes that many young people will receive upwards of £1,000 at an important time in their lives; expresses concern that no mechanism has been put in place to enable parents of children with learning disabilities to access their savings; understands that under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, young people with some kinds of learning disabilities are unable to make financial decisions for themselves; further understands that this leaves families with the only option of pursuing legal action; notes this has the potential to cost more than the savings; further notes that this is estimated to affect around 180,000 young people; considers these young people may face many barriers in their lives and the job of governments is to break down barriers and create equality of opportunity; and calls on the Government to help these young people to receive the funds to which they are entitled.

980Meeting the communication needs and preferences of people with hearing loss and deafness during the covid-19 outbreak

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 1

Olivia Blake

That this House recognises that the use of opaque face masks can act as a barrier to communication for the 12 million people with hearing loss across the UK; welcomes the recent approval of a transparent mask by the Department of Health and Social Care; asks the Government to issue further guidance for health and social care providers to ensure that the context in which transparent masks can be used is fully understood; urges the Government to increase the supply of transparent masks in health and social care settings and provide deaf awareness and communication tips where transparent masks are not available; further urges the Government to remind health and social care providers of their obligations under the Accessible Information Standard in meeting the communication needs and preferences of people with hearing loss and deafness; and calls on the Government to include transparent masks within the Government’s free personal protective equipment offer for social care providers.

Added Names

Below are EDMs tabled in the last two weeks to which names have been added. Only the first 6 names and any new names are included.

915Midlothian Young People’s Advice Service grant from BBC Children in Need

Tabled: 22/09/20 Signatories: 7

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Marion Fellows

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates MYPAS (the Midlothian Young People’s Advice Service) on its award of a £67,851 grant from BBC Children in Need’s Next Steps Fund; understands that this will fund a full-time counsellor over the next 18 months to engage with young people adversely mentally affected by the situations brought about by the covid-19 pandemic, with particular regard to LGBT+ young people; notes that MYPAS promotes the health and wellbeing of young people (aged 12 to 25) in Midlothian through the provision of drug and alcohol services, street work, art therapy, counselling, sexual health drop-ins and more; further notes the serious impact on young people’s mental health caused by the covid-19 pandemic; and commends organisations such as MYPAS which seek to address those issues.

916Ian Miller's retirement from Scotmid Co-operative

Tabled: 22/09/20 Signatories: 9

Owen Thompson

Hannah Bardell

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Marion Fellows

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

That this House sends its best wishes to Ian Miller upon retiring from Scotmid Co-operative after 17 years on the co-operative’s East Regional Committee and nine years on its central board; notes that Ian served as a branch manager in Penicuik for 15 years and has held society membership for 36 years; and commends Ian for his contribution to the community.

922Relocation of aslyum seekers and refugees from Aegean Islands

Tabled: 23/09/20 Signatories: 31

Stuart C McDonald

Jim Shannon

Margaret Ferrier

Joanna Cherry

Deidre Brock

Caroline Lucas

That this House recognises the deteriorating conditions faced by asylum seekers and refugees on the Aegean Islands and notes the recent fire at the Moria camp in Lesvos which has left 13,000 people without shelter; welcomes the fact that Germany, France and Norway have agreed to take some of those vulnerable people; and calls on the UK government to participate in relocating asylum seekers and refugees from the Aegean Islands to local authorities in the UK and to provide the necessary support to enable that relocation.

923A covid-19 recovery mental health strategy for children

Tabled: 24/09/20 Signatories: 14

Dr Lisa Cameron

Mohammad Yasin

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Sir Peter Bottomley

Allan Dorans

That this House notes that a survey by the mental health charity Re-Think found that one third of children feel more anxious, sad and stressed now than before lockdown; further notes that the charity Action for Children has asked the Government to prioritise children’s mental health in covid-19 recovery planning with sufficient funding; notes that at their press conference of 21 September 2020, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance predicted that mental health would be further jeopardised if the virus goes out of control; and calls upon the Government to publish a distinctive Mental Health Strategy for Children and Young People, focusing on the covid-19 pandemic with an accompanying commitment that the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people will be placed at the heart of the overall Covid-19 Recovery Plan.

924County lines and child criminal exploitation

Tabled: 24/09/20 Signatories: 19

Grahame Morris

Ian Mearns

Chris Stephens

Liz Saville Roberts

Claudia Webbe

Mohammad Yasin

That this House is alarmed at the expansion of county lines networks, recently exacerbated by covid-19; calls for clarification of laws to ensure that all young people who are groomed, coerced and controlled into committing crime are recognised as victims of trafficking and exploitation; advocates the adoption of a new public health approach to drug prevention that works with schools, pupil referral units and providers for those outside of mainstream education; notes the need for new local safeguarding partnerships enabling multi-agency work to identify and respond to child criminal exploitation; further notes that a system is required for seamlessly sharing data across borders and agencies and disrupting grooming and criminality that has migrated from the streets to encrypted apps; and calls upon the Government to introduce a stand-alone national strategy on child criminal exploitation that includes these recommendations as a matter of urgency.

928Abertay University, UK university of the year for teaching quality

Tabled: 28/09/20 Signatories: 7

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Stewart Hosie

Carol Monaghan

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Abertay University and all of its staff for its award of UK University of the Year for Teaching Quality in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide; further congratulates the institution for placing top in Scotland in the Guide for Social Inclusion; recognises that this followed a top placing in Europe earlier this year for its video games education in the Princeton Review; further recognises that Abertay University plays a vital role in supporting the growth of Dundee’s creative and technology industries; and wishes all the staff and students at the University, both new and returning, all the best for this student year.

929Pride of Scotland Awards

Tabled: 28/09/20 Signatories: 7

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Loanhead Post Office in Midlothian for being nominated for a Pride of Scotland award to recognise their outstanding community efforts during the covid-19 outbreak; welcomes the Pride of Scotland awards as an opportunity to shine a light on the extraordinary achievements of people of all ages and from all walks of life, as nominated by the public; encourages anyone who knows an unsung hero in their community to nominate them at www.prideofscotland.org; and wishes every success to this new landmark event to celebrate and honour Scotland's inspirational citizens.

930Beer Duty 2020

Tabled: 28/09/20 Signatories: 17

Jamie Stone

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Christine Jardine

Layla Moran

That this House commends the Government for freezing Beer Duty at previous Budgets; acknowledges that again the UK has the highest total Beer Duty bill in Europe at £3.4 billion and a Beer Duty rate at three times the EU average, as well as 11 times that of Germany or Spain; notes that over 40 per cent of a brewery's turnover is Beer Duty making the tax on beer feel like a tax on pubs; further notes that the added effect of covid-19 puts pubs and breweries at risk of closing and therefore threatens the approximate 900,000 jobs that this industry provides; and calls on the Government to intervene by cutting Beer Duty by 25 per cent.

933Challenge Poverty Week: 5 to 11 October 2020

Tabled: 28/09/20 Signatories: 33

David Linden

Jim Shannon

Ronnie Cowan

Margaret Ferrier

Carol Monaghan

Allan Dorans

That this House celebrates the important work being undertaken by the Poverty Alliance during their Challenge Poverty Week; supports the various events taking place across Scotland to end the stigma around poverty and build awareness for solutions to poverty; and commits to advocating for those affected by poverty to ensure that the UK is a more just and equal society.

934Online harassment and stalking of content creators

Tabled: 28/09/20 Signatories: 12

David Linden

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

John Nicolson

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

That this House condemns the harassment and stalking of online content creators on platforms such as Twitch; notes these cases of online abuse need to be taken as seriously as offline abuse; recognises that more must be done to understanding how stalkers operate online, including knowledge of methods such as doxxing and using a VPN and urges action to be taken to prevent the abuse and harassment seen online against content creators.

935Conclusion of Mahatma Gandhi 150th birth anniversary celebration

Tabled: 29/09/20 Signatories: 15

Martyn Day

Sir Peter Bottomley

Carol Monaghan

Allan Dorans

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

That this House commends the Government of India and the Indian people on the two year celebration throughout the world of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi which ends on 2 October 2020; thanks posthumously Mahatma Gandhi who made a significant contribution as a peaceful freedom fighter, father of India and an inspiration to the world; acknowledges Mahatma Gandhi is revered by many people all over the world as a symbol of unity and peace; and looks forward to ongoing strengthened peaceful relations between our nations.

938Local Legends award for Billington's Deli in Lenzie

Tabled: 29/09/20 Signatories: 10

Amy Callaghan

Allan Dorans

Margaret Ferrier

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Billington’s Deli in Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire on being chosen as the Scottish winner of Convenience Store UK’s Local Legends competition; recognises that that award is due to the resilience shown by Billington’s during the covid-19 lockdown and their tremendous effort to assist the wider community throughout the covid-19 pandemic; notes that Billington’s voluntarily delivered soup to the elderly and vulnerable in their local area; further notes that Billington's created care boxes filled with everyday essentials for delivery to those shielding in the community; and commends Billington’s on donating £500 of their prize to local charity Sporting Aces.

939Stars in their Homes nominated for a Pride of Scotland Award

Tabled: 30/09/20 Signatories: 8

Owen Thompson

Steven Bonnar

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates mother and son duo Anne and Grant Stanley of Loanhead Midlothian for being nominated for a Pride of Scotland award in the Community Spirit category; notes that the duo launched their Stars in their Homes Lockdown Entertainment group to bring entertainment and support to Midlothian residents through gathering more than 65 performers, singers and dancers; commends that duo's hard work to fundraise for good causes and entertain and support their community; welcomes the Pride of Scotland awards as an opportunity to shine a light on the extraordinary achievements of people of all ages and from all walks of life, as nominated by the public; and encourages anyone who knows an unsung hero in their community to nominate them for a Pride of Scotland Award.

943Funding for school counselling services

Tabled: 30/09/20 Signatories: 5

Jon Trickett

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jim Shannon

Ian Lavery

Caroline Lucas

That this House notes with concern research from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy which found that 80 per cent of young people say that their mental health has worsened during the covid-19 outbreak; further notes with concern that there could be significant future human and financial costs associated with the covid-19 outbreak unless there is Government intervention to stem that growing mental health crisis among young people; believes that provision of funding for counselling in all schools and colleges in England is the best way to address that problem; acknowledges that the average wait time for counselling in schools being 21 days, compared to CAMHS having an average wait time of 188 days, supports that viewpoint; and therefore calls on the Government to allocate resources in the Comprehensive Spending Review that are aimed at tackling the growing crisis of mental health among young people through a national commitment to counselling provision for all children in England’s secondary schools.

945Black History Month 2020

Tabled: 30/09/20 Signatories: 27

Anne McLaughlin

Stuart C McDonald

Dr Philippa Whitford

Alison Thewliss

Sir Peter Bottomley

Ian Blackford

That this House notes that October is Black History Month and welcomes the many events and initiatives across these islands to mark it; resolves to encourage every single person living on these islands to take advantage of all events being online to raise their own awareness of the equal contribution made to the modern world by people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities; resolves to work towards the day when black history does not need a month of its own and is acknowledged, taught and celebrated every bit as much as white history.

946Glenkinchie Distillery Green Tourism Gold Award

Tabled: 30/09/20 Signatories: 9

Kenny MacAskill

Steven Bonnar

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates the Glenkinchie Distillery in East Lothian for its receipt of a Green Tourism Gold Award; welcomes the commitment of Diageo to improving the sustainability of its distilleries and attractions; notes that the Distillery has done significant work to achieve that award in the areas of water and energy usage, waste, nature conservation and travel; further welcomes the commitment from the team at the Distillery to continue the work of improving their environmental effect across the distillery complex and as a vital part of East Lothian’s high-quality drink and tourism economies; and looks forward to seeing that improvement in action as the distillery re-opens for business in the near future.

947SATS in the 2020-21 academic year

Tabled: 30/09/20 Signatories: 3

Daisy Cooper

Caroline Lucas

Layla Moran

That this House recognises the enormous effect that the covid-19 pandemic has had on pupils' mental health; further recognises the Institute of Education findings that 80 per cent of headteachers agree that SATs have a negative effect on pupils' wellbeing; believes that the UK’s teach to the test approach to education has led to valuing high stakes exams above other more meaningful measures of attainment; further believes that high-stakes testing, exemplified by SATs, distorts the work of schools, narrows the curriculum, increases stress on pupils, adds to teachers’ workload, and affects most severely on those who are most in need; notes that SATs do not provide teachers with any further information on their students’ progress than was not already available to them; further notes that during the covid-19 pandemic teachers are having to spend ever more time on pastoral care and that preparing students for tests that are not useful is wasting valuable time that could be used more productively elsewhere; further believes that parents want teachers to spend more time teaching and less time testing pupils; and calls on the Government to scrap SATs for primary age pupils in the 2020-21 academic year.

948Support for Further Education colleges

Tabled: 1/10/20 Signatories: 7

Robert Halfon

Sir Mike Penning

Caroline Lucas

Bob Blackman

Sir Peter Bottomley

Stephen Farry

That this House recognises the unique role that colleges play in supporting people, employers and communities to thrive and central role in rebuilding the economy; endorses the vision of the Independent Commission on the College of the Future for a strategic and expanded role for colleges in empowering people with opportunities for lifelong learning, boosting business productivity and innovation, and strengthening every community; welcomes the Government's Lifetime Skills Guarantee to allow adults to retrain and reskill through fully-funded technical college courses and the £1.5 billion capital fund to repair and upgrade college estates; but notes with concern that the recent National Audit Office report into the financial sustainability of colleges in England cites a 7 per cent real-terms decrease in funding per learner aged 16 to 19 between 2013-14 and 2018-19; further notes with concern that adult funding was cut by 40 per cent in the first half of the last decade and has been fixed in cash terms since then; recognises that colleges can only play their full role through long-term sustainable funding and a long term strategy which enjoys cross-party support; and calls on the Government to celebrate and support colleges by ensuring that colleges are empowered to deliver their full potential for people, productivity and place through adequate and sustainable funding and a new trust-based relationship with colleges seen as key strategic partners.

949Chinese, Korean and Japanese family festivals 2020

Tabled: 1/10/20 Signatories: 7

Anne McLaughlin

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Patrick Grady

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this Houses wishes a very happy Mid-Autumn Festival to our Chinese community and a happy Chuseok and Tsukimi to our Korean and Japanese communities, recognises that these are family orientated celebrations that are unfortunately being disrupted by the necessary restrictions in place across these islands; appreciates the huge cultural, economic and social benefits that diverse migrant communities have brought here; and believes they are an important and integral part of society and looks forward to celebrating future festivals with our friends and neighbours.

950Problem drug use

Tabled: 1/10/20 Signatories: 26

Tommy Sheppard

Ronnie Cowan

Ben Lake

Alison Thewliss

Grahame Morris

Caroline Lucas

That this House is appalled by the number of people dying from drug related deaths in the UK; welcomes the reports of the Scottish Affairs and Health Select Committees following their separate inquiries; supports the presentation of the Problem Drug Use Bill; notes that its implementation would ensure the drugs crisis is tackled from a health rather than justice perspective; further supports its calls to make provision for safe drug consumption facilities and to decriminalise the possession of small quantities of drugs for personal use; and calls on the Government to declare problem drug use a public health emergency.

951Nigel Owens 100 Test Caps

Tabled: 1/10/20 Signatories: 5

Jonathan Edwards

Sir Mike Penning

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House warmly congratulates international rugby union referee Nigel Owens for being selected to officiate the forthcoming Autumn Nations Cup match between France and Italy; notes that this will be the 100th international Mr Owens has refereed, the first Official to reach the landmark; further notes that Mr Owens is the longest serving member of World Rugby’s elite international panel; congratulates Mr Owens for refereeing some of the biggest games in rugby history during his 17 year career including the 2015 World Cup final; and pays tribute to Mr Owens’ contribution to the game of rugby union and for being a global ambassador for Wales, the Welsh language and the LGBT+ community.

952International Day of Older Persons 2020

Tabled: 1/10/20 Signatories: 9

Anne McLaughlin

Patricia Gibson

Allan Dorans

Hywel Williams

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Law

That this House welcomes the establishment by the UN General Assembly of the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October each year; believes that older people have contributed greatly throughout their lives and deserve dignity and fairness in retirement; recognises the significant contribution many continue to make in retirement; acknowledges the value of wisdom and experienced gained throughout long lives; notes research by Independent Age which found Pension Credit is currently being received by just six in 10 (61 per cent) of those who should be receiving it, and which estimates that around 450,000 pensioners could move out of poverty if uptake was increased to 100 per cent; expresses concern that the UK Government is allowing billions of pounds of Pension Credit to go unclaimed; and demands decisive action from the UK Government to maximise the uptake of Pension Credit including a UK-wide campaign to raise awareness.

95460 years of Nigerian Independence

Tabled: 1/10/20 Signatories: 8

Anne McLaughlin

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Hannah Bardell

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Nigeria on 60 years of independence from the United Kingdom; understands that just before midnight on 30 September 1960, the lights at what is now Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos were switched off and the British Union Jack lowered; notes that on the stroke of midnight on 1 October 1960 the lights went on again and the green white and green of the Nigerian flag was displayed signalling Nigeria becoming a fully Independent country; is not aware of any calls from Nigerians to return to British rule; commends the contribution many Nigerian citizens make to Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland; thanks, in particular, those Nigerians assisting and leading in the efforts to tackle Covid-19 in the UK; and wishes all Nigerians celebrating across the world a very happy 60th anniversary of Nigerian Independence Day.

955Kinross Colts FC's support for local businesses

Tabled: 1/10/20 Signatories: 5

John Nicolson

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Drew Hendry

That this House commends the players and trustees of Kinross Colts FC for their innovative loyalty scheme system to help support local business during the pandemic; notes that their effort comes at a spectacularly difficult time for many businesses and for grassroots football clubs; further notes that eight businesses in the area have already signed up and more are encouraged; and finally thanks Kinross Colts for their hard work in the community, of which they are an extremely valued and integral part.

956Conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Tabled: 1/10/20 Signatories: 2

Bob Blackman

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House notes the acts of aggression by Armenia commencing on 27 September 2020 and continuing to escalate each day which further intensifies the armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan which is rooted in Armenia's illegal military control over Azerbaijan's Nagorno Karabakh region and adjacent seven districts that in the early 1990s led to the death of 30,000 people and the fleeing of more than 1 million internally displaced persons from their homes, and risks dragging both Turkey and Russia into a wider conflict; calls on the UK Government to condemn Armenia for blatantly violating the ceasefire regime signed in 1994 and for using large-calibre weapons, mortar launchers and artillery in an intensive attack on the positions of the armed forces and civilians of Azerbaijan; and further calls on the Government to urge for the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the illegally occupied territories of Azerbaijan as stated in UN Security Council resolutions adopted in 1993.

957Black History Month and the British Hotel and the Scots Jamaican Nurse Mary Seacole

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 11

Anne McLaughlin

Patrick Grady

Sir Peter Bottomley

Owen Thompson

Brendan O'Hara

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes October is Black History Month; welcomes the opportunity to highlight some of those people largely forgotten in history but who have made a significant contribution nonetheless; celebrates the tale of Scots Jamaican nurse Mary Seacole who set up her own convalescent home named The British Hotel, to tend wounded soldiers with traditional herbal remedies in the Crimean war of the 1850s; considers it all the more impressive that she did so after being rejected by the War Office and by fundraising for the costs herself; understands she was so well loved for the voluntary work she carried out that when she returned to London in 1857, destitute, and a fundraising gala in her honour on the banks of the River Thames attracted 80,000 guests; understands that Mary Seacole then disappeared from history books for over a century; finds it inexplicable that when her contribution began to be acknowledged in more recent times, there were campaigns against doing so; and considers it fitting that she is now considered one of the greatest black role models and has been remembered with a community hospital named after her in Surrey and a statue erected in her honour outside St Thomas’ Hospital.

958Scotland Malawi Partnership virtual AGM 2020

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 4

Patrick Grady [R]

Owen Thompson

Drew Hendry

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates the Scotland-Malawi Partnership on its 2020 Annual General Meeting event, held virtually for the first time; notes that over 280 participants joined the event from Scotland, Malawi and elsewhere, the largest gathering for an AGM in the organisation's history; thanks the President of Malawi, Dr Lazarus Chakwera, and the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, for presenting keynote addresses to the meeting, as well as the many participants who led discussions on the impact of coronavirus in Malawi and how the two countries can build back better from the pandemic; notes that the event closed with a performance from Malawian comedian Daliso Chaponda; thanks all the staff and volunteers of the partnership who contributed to a successful event; and looks forward to ongoing use of virtual and remote technology to enable as many people from both countries as possible to contribute to the work of the Partnership in the future.

959Reopening of social care day centres

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 2

Apsana Begum

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

That this House has concerns regarding the re-opening of social care day centres; notes that no specific guidance has been issued by the Government on reopening such centres; further notes that disproportionate amounts of funding have been made available to commercial and retail sectors in comparison to public services such as social care; is concerned that, due to devolved responsibilities in reopening day centres, there will be a postcode lottery created; recognises the aims of charity Headway, the UK-wide charity that works to improve life after brain injury, to advocate that survivors of brain injury are afforded the same opportunities as anyone else in society, as values that should be supported; recognises that after a nationwide lockdown earlier this year, many who rely on social care infrastructures will have been without support for some time; calls on the Government to issue specific guidance to assist with the reopening of social care day centres; and further calls on the Government to allocate proportionate funding in order for local authorities to reopen such centres evenly across the country.

960Support for Learning Service

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 5

Apsana Begum

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Mick Whitley

Kate Osborne

Zarah Sultana

That this House notes that Support for Learning Services provide early intervention, assessment and support for children with SEND from birth to 25, working with families, nurseries and schools to enable all children to be fully included in their local settings and communities and to achieve positive outcomes; further notes that evidence shows that the covid-19 outbreak has hit disabled children and their families disproportionately and deepened inequalities; is therefore concerned at the proposal to reduce Tower Hamlets Support for Learning Service by about 50 percent which will force schools to take on more responsibilities and work; is alarmed that at a time when there is a spike in need, the capacity of schools, central services and local authorities are being undermined by underfunding and cuts; and calls on the Government to immediately increase funding levels for SEND to ensure provision is maintained and expanded where necessary.

961Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for Stephen Fuller

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 3

Drew Hendry

Ian Blackford

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Stephen Fuller for recently receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service as part of his ongoing work for Green Hive, a not-for-profit charity based in Nairn which delivers projects that benefit the environment and the people of Nairn; notes that the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteers in the UK to recognise outstanding work done in the community; and finally wishes Stephen and Green Hive continued success for the future.

962TSB branch closures and financial inclusion

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 5

Patricia Gibson

Patrick Grady

Owen Thompson

Drew Hendry

Chris Stephens

That this House condemns the decision of TSB Bank to close its branches in Kilbirnie, Largs and Saltcoats in North Ayrshire; recognises that this follows the closure of Royal Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank branches across North Ayrshire and Arran; understands that local communities, particularly elderly and disabled residents, will suffer because of this decision; notes that the commitment to ensure 94 per cent of customers remain within 20 minutes travel time of a branch does not consider those without access to private vehicles; is concerned that forcing customers into lengthy journeys by public transport in order to bank places people at greater risk during a global health pandemic; believes these branch closures will adversely affect local businesses and town centres at a time when many are already struggling; further understands the impact for bank staff who may face redundancy at a time when the economy is damaged by the uncertainty of Brexit and the global health pandemic; and is extremely disappointed by the lack of action from the Government in working with high street banks to deliver banking hubs for communities and thereby ensure financial inclusion and urges TSB Bank to reconsider these closures, so that North Ayrshire and Arran communities are not deprived of the opportunity to bank locally.

963Down's Syndrome Awareness Month

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 7

Dr Lisa Cameron

Patrick Grady

Sir Peter Bottomley

Brendan O'Hara

Jonathan Edwards

Drew Hendry

That this House celebrates World Down's Syndrome Awareness Month, which commences on October 1st 2020; recognises the remarkable contribution people with Down’s syndrome bring to our families, workplaces, communities and society at large; and welcomes the support of organisations, such as Down’s Syndrome Scotland, for raising awareness and providing help, encouragement and advice to families, schools and wider institutions to make sure that every citizen has the right to reach their full potential and campaigns tirelessly to end discrimination against individuals with Down’s syndrome.

964Anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 11

Apsana Begum

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jonathan Edwards

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Stephen Farry

Chris Stephens

That this House marks the 84th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street on 4 October when in 1936, Oswald Mosley and members of the British Union of Fascists were blocked from marching through East London by the Jewish community, trade unionists, socialists and others; recognises the continuing importance of the Battle of Cable Street in inspiring communities uniting together in solidarity in the fight against the far right; pays tribute to the rich cultural and political history of the Jewish community in East London; and reaffirms its commitment to the fight against racism, fascism and antisemitism.

965Supporting open-access rail operators during the covid-19 outbreak

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 17

Ian Mearns

Caroline Lucas

Apsana Begum

Kate Osborne

John McDonnell

Mick Whitley

That this House notes that, unlike the franchised train operating companies, the UK’s open-access rail operators, including Hull Trains and Grand Central, have received no financial support package from the Government; further notes that passenger footfall and revenue across the railways remains below pre-covid 19 outbreak levels; is concerned that as a result of the covid-19 outbreak, Grand Central has announced the closure of its North West Project and commenced a restructure which puts a number of posts at risk of redundancy; and calls on the Government to agree a support package as a matter of urgency for open-access rail operators to enable those operators to continue to operate and to protect the jobs and conditions of all their staff.

96710th anniversary of Woodlands Community Garden Project

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 3

Patrick Grady

Drew Hendry

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Glasgow-based Woodlands Community Development Trust in celebrating the 10th Anniversary of its Woodlands Community Garden Project; recognises that their original project to clear a derelict site in Glasgow’s Woodlands area has grown into a thriving community space; notes that in addition to their flourishing garden, they have also developed a community café serving free healthy and nutritious meals, and a community workspace building that is currently being utilised to aid the Woodlands Community’s response to the covid-19 outbreak; commends the enormous contribution Woodlands Community Garden has made to the community through initiatives focused on conservation, education, and creativity; respects the cafe's focus on a positive model of participation by actively involving beneficiaries in the preparation, cooking and serving of food; is grateful to all the staff and volunteers who work hard to provide a sanctuary in the garden and who bring the community together, especially during the current pandemic; and wishes Woodland Community Development Trust every success for the future.

968Graham's The Family Dairy

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 3

Neale Hanvey

Patrick Grady

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Graham’s The Family Dairy on becoming Scotland’s number one chosen brand, overtaking the iconic Irn Bru which has held the top spot for decades, as well as surpassing Nestle, Cadbury’s and Pepsi in Scotland’s global food brand preferences; notes that 70 per cent of Scottish households now buy Graham’s products; celebrates the family-run firm’s 80-year history, growing from delivering by horse-drawn cart the milk produced by just 12 cows, to a respected Scottish business with 700 employees across seven Scottish sites, including Cowdenbeath, and 100 farming partners; and recognises the steps taken by the business in response to climate change, including working with Scottish Government through their flagship Low Carbon Innovation Transition Programme to utilise process waste at their Fife dairy for heat production - a first for Scotland's dairy industry.