Contents

Published: Thursday 15 October 2020

Early Day Motions tabled on Wednesday 14 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

1010Uyghur asylum seekers

Tabled: 14/10/20 Signatories: 2

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Layla Moran

That this House notes reports from human rights groups which state that the Chinese Government is interning over one million Uyghur people in re-education camps across the Xinjiang Autonomous Region; further notes reports from the camps which allege that detainees are being kept in squalid conditions and are forced to renounce their religion or face torture; expresses serious concern at emerging research which alleges that the Chinese state is forcing Uyghur women to be sterilized; condemns the detention of Uyghur diaspora returning to Xinjiang by the Chinese Government; notes that other European Governments such as the Government of Sweden has announced that it will grant refugee status to all Uyghur asylum-seekers from China; calls on the Government to automatically grant refugee status to all Uyghur people fleeing to the UK as a result of religious persecution from the Chinese state.

1011Dundee Year of the Older Person

Tabled: 14/10/20 Signatories: 2

Chris Law

Stewart Hosie

That this House celebrates Dundee’s Year of the Older Person; commends those at Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action and Dundee City Council who have worked to bring this celebration together; notes that it is believed to be the first celebration of its kind ever in Scotland; recognises that 2020 has been particularly tough for older people; further recognises the important contributions that older people make to our society every day; and hopes that the Year of the Older Person will help involve more older people in the process of building a city that is more in touch with the needs of its older population.

1012East Lothian resident given honours for Scottish-Italian relations

Tabled: 14/10/20 Signatories: 1

Kenny MacAskill

That this House congratulates Mary Contini of Dunbar on being appointed an OBE in the Queen's birthday honours; understands that Mary has been recognised for her services to the Scottish Food Industry and Scottish-Italian Relations; notes that Mary is the Herald's Magazine food columnist and a runs a weekly column in the local East Lothian Courier sharing her expertise of the food sector and insight into the industry; further notes that her businesses which have included Valvonna and Crolla Caffe Bar focus on using ingredients sourced from artisan producers and farmers in both Italy and Scotland that support high welfare practices; notes her positive contribution to the food industry and her community; and wishes Mary all the best in the future.

1013Child poverty

Tabled: 14/10/20 Signatories: 1

Apsana Begum

That this House expresses concern that new child poverty data, published by the End Child Poverty Coalition on 14th October 2020, reveals that more than half of children in some constituencies are living in poverty after housing costs are factored in; notes that the highest rates of child poverty are in London and Birmingham and that there were high levels of children in poverty in working households before the pandemic; and calls for an urgent Government plan to end child poverty including an uprating of housing assistance in line with inflation, retaining the £20 uplift in universal credit introduced at the start of the pandemic, ending the benefit cap and the two-child limit on benefits, investing in all children with an increase to child benefit, and extending free school meals to all families in receipt of universal credit and people with No Recourse to Public Funds.

1014Democratic process and and attacks on Kurds in Turkey

Tabled: 14/10/20 Signatories: 1

Chris Stephens

That this House notes that the Turkish authorities have issued arrest warrants for 82 members of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), including current and former democratically elected mayors, and the party’s current Central Executive Board; further notes that the HDP is the third largest political party in Turkey; notes that in 2019 the HDP won 65 municipalities in local elections and that the Turkish State has arbitrarily taken control of 51 of those municipalities; is deeply concerned that at least 200 democratically elected HDP representatives including 7 MPs are imprisoned; believes that this mass incarceration amounts to a violation of fundamental rights including the rights to political association, political participation and freedom of expression; is further deeply concerned that this undermines the rights of the Turkish people to have their democratic will upheld; and calls on the Foreign Secretary to express these concerns to his Turkish counterpart as a matter of utmost urgency.

1015TSB Lochee bank branch closure

Tabled: 14/10/20 Signatories: 1

Chris Law

That this House condemns TSB’s decision to close its Lochee branch; notes that the decision will leave the proudly independent community in Lochee without a bank, following other closures over the last decade; expresses concern on the effect that the closure of the bank and removal of the cash machine may have on footfall on the local high street; expresses further concern for the many elderly or vulnerable people who may have to travel further for their banking requirements; recognises that physical banking is still the easiest method of banking for many vulnerable people; calls on TSB to reverse its decision to close the last bank in Lochee; and further calls on banks to look at alternative arrangements to ensure that local communities across the country are not deprived of access to physical banking.

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.

944Extension of protection measures for renters during the covid-19 outbreak

Tabled: 30/09/20 Signatories: 11

Jon Trickett

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

Ian Lavery

Caroline Lucas

Chris Stephens

That this House is concerned about the large number of tenants facing eviction as a result of the ban on evictions coming to an end as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased; notes with concern research by Shelter which found that 227,000 private renters have fallen into arrears since the start of covid-19 lockdown in March 2020; expresses concern that 1 in 6 parents who rent privately, equivalent to 458,000 people, have concerns that their family could become homeless as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; further notes with concern that while people served with an eviction notice from August 2020 have been given a six month notice period, that exemption does not apply to the estimated 55,000 people who received notice of eviction between March 2020 and August 2020; and calls on the Government to extend the ban on evicting renters during the covid-19 outbreak in order to avert a winter homelessness crisis.

945Black History Month 2020

Tabled: 30/09/20 Signatories: 28

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.

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

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 19

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.

963Down's Syndrome Awareness Month

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 14

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.

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

Tabled: 5/10/20 Signatories: 23

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.

970National Minimum Wage

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 15

John McDonnell

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Claudia Webbe

Olivia Blake

Clive Lewis

Ian Lavery

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.

973Justice for Osime Brown

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 35

Jamie Stone

Wera Hobhouse

Anne McLaughlin

Layla Moran

Clive Lewis

John McDonnell

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.

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

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 16

Olivia Blake

Claudia Webbe

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Ian Lavery

Kate Osborne

Sir Mike Penning

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.

983Financial support for football and rugby league clubs during the covid-19 outbreak

Tabled: 8/10/20 Signatories: 5

Jon Trickett

Claudia Webbe

Ian Lavery

Jim Shannon

Mike Hill

That this House is concerned about the future of football and rugby league clubs without fans being able to attend stadiums; notes that the majority of football and rugby league clubs including Frickley Athletic FC, Wakefield Trinity and Featherstone Rovers in Hemsworth Constituency are heavily reliant on gate receipts as their main source of income; pays tribute to the vital role these sporting institutions play at the heart of their communities, fostering a sense of togetherness and community spirit that spans generations, with Frickley, Wakefield and Featherstone sharing a combined 375 years of history; acknowledges that in April 2020 £16 million was provided to rugby league in Government loans; believes this is an insufficient sum that will not safeguard the long term future of the sport; notes that with England due to host the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 further financial support from the Government is imperative to both sustain and grow the sport of rugby league in England; and calls on the Government to introduce further financial support to ensure that football and rugby league clubs survive during the covid-19 outbreak.

992Clean Air Day 2020

Tabled: 8/10/20 Signatories: 8

Mr Barry Sheerman

Claudia Webbe

Caroline Lucas

Andrew Gwynne

Sir Mike Penning

Jonathan Edwards

That this House acknowledges Clean Air Day; recognises the danger that polluted air poses to the health of people across the UK; urges the Government to take more decisive and urgent action to mitigate the dangerous levels of air pollution in urban areas, further urges the Government to build partnerships with local government, schools and the private sector to seek consensus on the issue of air quality; and calls on the Government to ensure that upcoming legislation meets the highest of standards with regard to urban air quality.

993Space Week

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 5

Owen Thompson

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

That this House celebrates that 4 to 10 October 2020 marked Space Week; notes that Space Week celebrates at an international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition; notes that this year the theme was Satellites Improve Life; celebrates the contribution of satellite manufacturers and the researchers and engineers behind them to the UK and Scotland’s technological advancement; further welcomes the huge economic potential of this industry as international connectivity becomes more imperative than ever; and calls on the Government to support this industry at all available opportunities, and provide clarity on how the UK intends to replace the EU’s Galileo system after the end of the transition period.

994Debenhams redundancies

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 22

Andrew Gwynne

Rebecca Long Bailey

John McDonnell

Dame Diana Johnson

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Yvonne Fovargue

That this House condemns the way in which Debenhams has implemented the redundancies of thousands of workers during the Coronavirus outbreak; notes that staff were told via conference call that they would be made redundant with 3 days’ notice and 3 days’ pay and that there was no consultation or criteria for redundancies disclosed to staff; further notes that Debenhams is engaging in the immoral practice of ‘Fire and Rehire’, giving workers who have been laid off little choice but to reapply for positions with worse terms of employment; stands in solidarity with all of those staff affected; believes that this is part of a worrying pattern of large employers using the pandemic as a gateway to break employment law; and calls on the Government to urgently address these practices and to defend workers from unscrupulous employers.

995All In One Education

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 14

Amy Callaghan

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

John Nicolson

Martyn Day

Brendan O'Hara

That this House congratulates newly formed charity All In One Education on gaining membership of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and achieving charitable status; notes the charity is formed of teachers, campaigners, university and cultural professionals who have come together from across Scotland to address the lack of intersectional teaching in schools across the UK; understands intersectionality refers to the nature of social categorisations such as race, class, gender and ability which create overlapping systems of discrimination in societies; commends All In One Education’s aim to develop free lesson plans for educators and pupils to bring perspectives from BAME, women’s history, LGBTQIA+, differently abled, colonial and other groups to light; recognises the importance of learning social studies from these perspectives in enabling young people to analyse complex issues and engage meaningfully with both their studies and the world they live in; thanks All In One Education for highlighting systemic inequalities and promoting diversity in education; and urges Governments across the UK to do more to support the development of teaching resources with intersectionality at the core.

996TSB Closures in Glasgow North West

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 5

Carol Monaghan

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

That this House condemns TSB Bank’s decision to close its Anniesland, Drumchapel and Partick branches; recognises that this follows a long succession of bank closures in Glasgow North West constituency; notes that there are no easily accessible TSB branches nearby to serve the busy communities of Anniesland, Drumchapel and Partick, and that the Post Office cannot be expected to pick up the pieces; 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.

997Extension of Furlough Scheme

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 4

Christine Jardine

Daisy Cooper

Jim Shannon

Mike Hill

That this House welcomes the partial U-turn by the Chancellor in extending the furlough scheme to local lockdown areas; recognises that businesses ordered to close must be supported; notes that this new support is limited to only certain parts of the UK when it is needed across the country; further notes that support offered only accounts for two-thirds of income and many in the hospitality industry will be put in precarious financial positions as a result; and calls on the Government to produce a clear and proactive support strategy and to expand furlough as a matter of urgency across the whole economy until June 2021.

998St George’s Crypt 90th Anniversary

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 2

Hilary Benn

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates St George’s Crypt in Leeds on 90 years of service to the homeless and disadvantaged; notes that the Crypt has been providing this support since the vicar of St George’s Church, the Reverend Don Robins, first opened the doors of the Crypt in 1930 to take in destitute people forced into unemployment and poverty by the Great Depression; applauds the way in which the Crypt has been working tirelessly through the lockdown to ensure the safety and security of those it accommodates who would otherwise be at risk of rough sleeping; notes its total abstinence addiction therapy project called The Growing Rooms which provides therapy sessions, volunteering and accommodation and the construction of a 14 bed scheme for people with significant alcohol dependency; and welcomes that all this work has been done in close partnership with Leeds City Council.

999Treatment of football supporters during the covid-19 outbreak

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 24

Ian Byrne

Claudia Webbe

Apsana Begum

Kate Osborne

Ian Lavery

Mr Clive Betts

That this House is opposed to the introduction of a charge of £14.95 per game to view the 150 Premier League matches not part of the existing broadcast deal; notes that these matches are currently being televised free of charge; acknowledges that football is being played behind closed doors due to covid-19 and whilst this may be difficult economically for football clubs it is also an effective way to keep our communities safe; recognises that current measures mean that up to 380,000 match going fans are missing out on seeing their team each week which is reducing their usual social contacts and affecting their mental wellbeing; acknowledges that fans are being asked to pay to view additional games that they are legally prevented from attending; agrees that the introduction of this charge ignores the social, economic and welfare plight of many in our communities, especially those now faced with Tier 3 restrictions; recognises that the introduction of this charge ignores the magnificent initiatives set up by football fans across the country during this pandemic such as foodbank collections, shopping deliveries, PPE production and distribution; agrees that football supporters have been exemplars of public citizenship in their communities during this crisis; calls on the Government to challenge and lobby the Premier League, it’s Member Clubs and the broadcasters to provide access to the 150 fixtures on free to air channels; and further calls on the Government to commence it’s promised fan led review on football governance as a matter of urgency.

1000Streetsport Evening Express Champion Awards

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 4

Stephen Flynn

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates Streetsport, the Aberdeen-based partnership between Robert Gordon University and the Denis Law Legacy Trust, on receiving the Sport and Wellbeing Champion Award at the first ever Evening Express Champion Awards; commends all those involved with Streetsport for going above and beyond during the pandemic; notes that the partnership has been involved in a number of projects including raising and distributing £6,400 worth of dedicated food vouchers for families who needed them the most and delivering free sport sessions for the children of key workers; further notes that Streetsport teamed up with CFine and Central Coaches to deliver more than 500 food parcels to those in isolation and provided free sport sessions in communities affected by deprivation, allowing young people access to a hot meal each day and physical activity during the summer holidays; and applauds the partnerships continued dedication and commitment to helping improve the mental and physical wellbeing of young people, and wishes them all the best in their future endeavours.

1001Gift Aid Emergency Relief Campaign

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 14

Patrick Grady

Chris Law

Sir Mike Penning

Martyn Day

Owen Thompson

Stuart C McDonald

That this House marks the annual Gift Aid Awareness Day which fell on 8 October 2020; appreciates that Gift Aid Relief is the practical application of the long-established principle that donations to charities should not be taxed; recognises that the charitable sector is in the middle of the biggest financial crisis it has ever faced, with huge falls in income at the same time as increased demand for services; considers that a Gift Aid Emergency Relief Package would go a long way to keeping vital charitable services running; calls on the UK Government to increase Gift Aid from 20% to 25% for two years from the start of the 2020-21 tax year; further calls on the UK Government to introduce changes to the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme to remove barriers for entry to ensure wider access across the voluntary sector and increase the amount that can be claimed from £8,000 to £10,000; and believes that the cost of such measures need not be prohibitive given that the National Audit Office estimates that £560m of eligible Gift Aid is unclaimed each year and that charities are likely to see an overall fall in donations in the current challenging economic circumstances.

1002Planning White Paper and Communities

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 9

Layla Moran

Tim Farron

Sarah Olney

Ed Davey

Jamie Stone

Daisy Cooper

That this House condemns the deeply problematic Planning White Paper published by Her Majesty's Government; recognises that the proposed legislation will push for a top-down planning approach, leave the problem of land banking unresolved, and risk environmental standards being lowered; notes the importance of pushing for developers to build homes that have already been approved which are more accessible to the most vulnerable in our society; and therefore urges the Government to build at least 100,000 homes for social rent each year, while increasing overall house building to 300,000 a year, substantially help finance the large increase in the building of social homes, build new houses to zero-carbon standards, and devolve full control of Right to Buy to local councils.

1003Future of Hull-Zeebrugge Ferry Jobs and Services

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 8

Ian Mearns

Paula Barker

Ian Lavery

Grahame Morris

Kate Osborne

Jim Shannon

That this House is concerned by P&O Ferries’ plans to close the Hull-Zeebrugge route on which it is the sole operator and sell four roll-on roll-off ferries with the potential loss of eighty-one seafarer jobs in Hull and Dover; notes that P&O Ferries signed Critical Freight Grant contracts with the Government worth £14.5m to maintain six roll-on roll-off ferry routes during the Covid-19 lockdown, including a £1.2m payment to keep the Hull-Zeebrugge route running; further notes that over six million passengers and an estimated twenty million road freight units have been moved on P&O’s Hull-Zeebrugge fleet since 2001; is concerned by the lack of investment by the Port of Hull owner, ABP in lock and other infrastructure that would improve the viability of Hull-Zeebrugge freight and passenger services; recalls that P&O Ferries cut 1,000 maritime jobs from their UK operations in the summer; believes that the loss of this route would have dire economic and environmental consequences for Hull and the UK’s continental supply chain; and calls on the Government to use all policy levers, including a re-designed Waterborne Freight Grant to save UK seafarer jobs and critical freight capacity by attracting a new operator on this route.

1004Service Medal for British nuclear test veterans

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 7

Carol Monaghan

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

That this House honours the UK service personnel who participated in the British nuclear testing programme in Australia and the South Pacific from 1952 to 1967; notes that over 20,000 British personnel were present during the atomic tests and were exposed to ionising radiation with little or no personal protective equipment; acknowledges that British nuclear test veterans have long campaigned for the official recognition of their great and ongoing sacrifice, and compensation for health conditions resulting from exposure to the high-levels of ionising radiation; understands that the UK is the only country which performed nuclear tests that is yet to formally recognise the contribution of its nuclear test veterans; and urges the Government to award service medals, without delay, to our nuclear test veterans, whose numbers are now sadly dwindling.

1006National Hate Crime Awareness Week

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 6

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Claudia Webbe

Bob Blackman

Sir Mike Penning

Allan Dorans

That this House notes the commencement of National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2020; takes the opportunity to remind people that there is always a choice to be kind and further encourages an understanding that a gentle answer turns away wrath; underlines our intention to ensure that social media platforms grasp the responsibility to prevent bullying and hate speech by any means possible whilst balancing the right to free speech; and supports the aims of saying no to hate crime and supporting our communities.

1007Shelling of Shushi cathedral

Tabled: 13/10/20 Signatories: 5

Fiona Bruce

Jim Shannon

Alan Brown

Brendan O'Hara

Martyn Day

That this House expresses concern on reports of the shelling of Shushi cathedral in Nagono-Karabakh by the Azerbaijan military; condemns this attack on a civilian site; further condemns the military targeting of a cultural heritage site, an act which constitutes a war crime under international law; expresses great relief that the children in the cathedral were not physically harmed, although they suffered great stress; sends thoughts and prayers to the journalists who were hospitalised by later shelling and all those who have suffered due to the conflict; and urges the Government to condemn those attacks and to make representations on them to the Government of Azerbaijan.

1008Kinghorn RNLI lifeboat crew

Tabled: 13/10/20 Signatories: 5

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Jonathan Edwards

That this House pays tribute to the heroic efforts of Kinghorn RNLI lifeboat’s volunteer crew Mike Chalmers, Matthew Mulligan, Blair Henderson, Fraser Soutar, Kim Chapman, Rob Douglas and Joanne Wibberley in the recent rescue of two men who got into difficulty in a small sailing dinghy and a kayak 2.5 miles out to sea; welcomes the recovery and safe return of the two men who were then assisted by Kinghorn coastguard at Pettycur; notes the importance of RNLI volunteers in continuing to save lives at sea; and commends the Kinghorn crew, in particular, for their continued hard work, courage and selfless efforts over 55 years to keep people safe whilst in Fife’s waters.

1009Covid-19 impact on mental health

Tabled: 13/10/20 Signatories: 7

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Sir Mike Penning

Wera Hobhouse

Allan Dorans

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on mental health; further notes the concerns of mental health charities on the level of isolation of many; thanks the churches and voluntary organisations who have put phone call and garden visits into operation, where permissible, for people who are isolated and lonely; calls on the general public to take note of those in their family and neighbourhood that are struggling and to make frequent contact, also remembering that there are helplines that can be called for advice such as Samaritans and Nightline; further calls upon the Government to make additional funding available for those vital charities who step in at times of crisis to provide a listening ear; and thanks all those who volunteer and help others in their community in this difficult time.