Contents

Published: Wednesday 21 October 2020

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 20 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

1041Harlow College

Tabled: 20/10/20 Signatories: 1

Robert Halfon

That this House recognises the excellent work of Harlow College; further recognises the dedication of the teaching staff at Harlow College; commends the high quality of provision; congratulates Karen Spencer for her recent MBE which is a tribute to her work; notes that Harlow College has a deserved reputation; further notes the transformative impact that Harlow College has had upon my constituency; and calls upon the Government to praise Harlow College for its services to education.

1042Result of the Bolivian presidential election

Tabled: 20/10/20 Signatories: 10

Richard Burgon

Jeremy Corbyn

Grahame Morris

Paula Barker

Mick Whitley

Ms Diane Abbott

That this House congratulates Luis Arce and the Movement Towards Socialism party on their victory in the Bolivian Presidential election on 18 October; notes that in his previous role as Economy Minister, Luis Arce oversaw a surge in growth, a sharp reduction in poverty and substantial investment in health and education and wider public services; further notes that these elections were the first held since a military-led coup ousted legitimate President Evo Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous president, last November and forced him into exile abroad; condemns the wave of human rights abuses under the regime imposed by the military-led coup which especially targeted trade unionists, indigenous activists and Movement Towards Socialism activists; hopes that justice is done for all those whose rights were violated by the regime imposed by the military-led coup including those who lost their lives; regrets the response of the UK and US governments to the military-led coup in 2019; and calls on the Government to engage constructively with the new Bolivian government.

1043Glasgow: Global Green City 2020

Tabled: 20/10/20 Signatories: 7

Patrick Grady

Alison Thewliss

Anne McLaughlin

David Linden

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Carol Monaghan

That this House congratulates the people and city of Glasgow on its recognition as a Global Green City for 2020 by the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS); notes that the award, which is supported by the United Nation's Environment Programme, places Glasgow alongside previous recipients of the award including Vancouver, Vienna, Yokohama and many other cities in Europe, Asia and the Americas; further notes that the UN-affiliated GFSH brings together state ambassadors, UN officials, academics, city leaders, business representatives and non governmental organisations with a focus on how to deliver the UN's Sustainable Development goals; further notes that its Global Green City Award seeks to highlight prominent progress and valuable experience in search of greener and more sustainable cities, with Glasgow scoring highly in criteria including planning, transport, low carbon and energy efficiency, transportation, buildings, open spaces and the economy; believes that the award will act as a significant staging post along Glasgow's path to hosting the rearranged COP 26 climate change conference in November next year, and the city’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030; and congratulates all those in the City’s administration and wider economy and society on their efforts towards these targets and success in this award.

1044Local Government Pension Scheme

Tabled: 20/10/20 Signatories: 1

John McDonnell

That this House notes with concern that with the prospect of potentially significant further cuts in jobs in local government, the Government is seeking to drive through plans to cut the pension or severance payments to public sector members of the Local Government Pension Scheme aged 55 and above; and supports those trade unionists campaigning both to expose the implications of the Government’s plans and to oppose their imposition.

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.

973Justice for Osime Brown

Tabled: 6/10/20 Signatories: 41

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.

990Import and production of foie gras

Tabled: 8/10/20 Signatories: 10

Sir Mike Penning

Caroline Lucas

Jim Shannon

Sir Peter Bottomley

John McDonnell

Alison Thewliss

That this House condemns the production of foie gras by force-feeding ducks and geese which causes severe physical and psychological pain for the animals involved, welcomes the continued ban on production of foie gras in the UK and calls on the Government to ban the import of this so-called delicacy as of 1 January 2021.

997Extension of Furlough Scheme

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 21

Christine Jardine

Daisy Cooper

Jim Shannon

Mike Hill

Jamie Stone

Layla Moran

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.

1000Streetsport Evening Express Champion Awards

Tabled: 12/10/20 Signatories: 5

Stephen Flynn

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

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: 25

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.

1007Shelling of Shushi cathedral

Tabled: 13/10/20 Signatories: 7

Fiona Bruce

Jim Shannon

Alan Brown

Brendan O'Hara

Martyn Day

Andrew Rosindell

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.

1011Dundee Year of the Older Person

Tabled: 14/10/20 Signatories: 7

Chris Law

Stewart Hosie

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Alison Thewliss

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.

1013Child poverty

Tabled: 14/10/20 Signatories: 25

Apsana Begum

Claudia Webbe

John McDonnell

Jim Shannon

Stephen Farry

Ian Byrne

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.

1016Effect of sodium valproate and foetal valproate syndrome

Tabled: 15/10/20 Signatories: 6

Jon Trickett

Ian Lavery

Mick Whitley

Alison Thewliss

Paula Barker

Jim Shannon

That this House is concerned that 300 children every year are born with foetal valproate syndrome as a result of the drug sodium valproate being prescribed to women during pregnancy; expresses shock that between 1973 and 2016 no explanation of side effects linked to the drug, such as kidney and heart malformations in children, were provided to these pregnant women before they were prescribed sodium valproate; notes that despite the introduction of a Valproate Toolkit in 2016 to provide information about the drug to patients and healthcare professionals, the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review of July 2020 found that women are still becoming pregnant while on Sodium Valproate without any knowledge of the risks; pays tribute to the work of the Independent Foetal Anti-Convulsant Trust for its work raising awareness of this issue; and calls on the Government to apologise to the thousands of families affected and to immediately establish a task force in order to implement the recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review 2020 in full.

1017Dr Ken Thomson OBE and Institute of Directors Scotland Director of the Year Awards 2020

Tabled: 15/10/20 Signatories: 4

Martyn Day

Chris Law

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Forth Valley College's Principal Dr Ken Thomson OBE who has won the Regional Director, Central Scotland award at the coveted Institute of Directors Scotland Director of the Year Awards 2020; recognises that the awards acknowledge the best in business across 12 key director categories, as well as seven regional and two special awards; further congratulates Mr Thomson who was awarded an OBE for services to education, economic development and the communities of central Scotland in 2019; notes that Mr Thomson was also shortlisted for the Public Sector Director of the Year award at the event; and wishes Mr Thomson and all the winners every success in the UK finals.

1018Brass for Africa

Tabled: 15/10/20 Signatories: 6

Owen Thompson

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Brass for Africa on its inspiring work to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in Uganda, Rwanda and Liberia through brass music and life-skills education; applauds the work of the charity's Composer in Residence Alan Fernie in composing and recording a special lockdown piece called As One in support of the charity; notes the inspiring video brings together young musicians from Brass for Africa with Loanhead Brass Roots and Newtongrange Junior Band, all playing from their own homes; and welcomes the ongoing efforts of musicians to use their talents to lift spirits in these difficult times and recognises the huge educational, community and personal benefits of music.

1019East Lothian businessman appointed MBE

Tabled: 15/10/20 Signatories: 4

Kenny MacAskill

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

That this house congratulates Bruce Turner, managing director and chairman at PureMalt in Haddington on receiving an MBE; understands that the award is recognising his services to business and the economy in East Lothian; notes that Bruce started at PureMalt in 1972 and has committed ever since to his team and creating products to be enjoyed across the world; and wishes Bruce and his team at PureMalt all the best for the future.

1020Dunbar resident awarded medal for 40 years of service to the RNLI

Tabled: 15/10/20 Signatories: 4

Kenny MacAskill

Chris Law

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

That this house congratulates Dunbar resident Ian Wilson for being awarded a medal recognising his 40 years of dedication to service to the RNLI; notes that Mr Wilson has served across the UK and has taken part in a number of rescue missions including a mission in East Lothian during dangerous stormy conditions which resulted in the safe return of two young surfers; and understands that Mr Wilson's commitment and hard work as a volunteer over the years has made a positive difference to the communities he has served in and wishes Ian all the best.

1021East Lothian GP appointed MBE

Tabled: 15/10/20 Signatories: 4

Kenny MacAskill

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

That this house congratulates Dunbar resident Dr Carey Jane Lunan GP on being awarded an MBE as part of the Queen's birthday honours; understands that Dr Lunan has been recognised for highlighting that the covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected people living in Scotland's most deprived areas and advocated a need to emphasise access to general practice services and care building trust between GPs and patients to allow for greater understanding of the complex challenges that may be faced and supporting patients with the care they need; notes Dr Lunan's contribution in the role that general practice can play in addressing inequalities during the covid-19 pandemic and how her work supported many people across Scotland who required the most support during the challenges that resulted from the pandemic; and wishes her all the best in the future.

1022Drug deaths

Tabled: 15/10/20 Signatories: 11

Grahame Morris

Ian Lavery

Jeremy Corbyn

John McDonnell

Caroline Lucas

Apsana Begum

That this House is concerned that deaths related to drug poisoning registered in England and Wales rose to a record 4,393 in 2019; notes that two-thirds of drug poisonings are due to drug misuse; further notes that half of the deaths involved an opiate, although cocaine deaths are also rising at an alarming rate; recognises that the highest death rates are in areas suffering greatest deprivation; and calls on the Government to tackle the problem through immediate increased investment in treatment services, encouragement of harm reduction initiatives and expansion of opiate-overdose antidote Naloxone provision.

1024Assassination in Malta of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia

Tabled: 16/10/20 Signatories: 4

Sir Peter Bottomley

Caroline Lucas

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

That this House again condemns the assassination of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed by a car bomb three years ago on 16 October 2017; calls again for full justice for her murder; commends her courageous investigative reporting exposing corruption in Malta and beyond; underscores the importance of protecting the independence and impartiality of the ongoing public inquiry into her assassination; urges Prime Minister Robert Abela to cease efforts to interfere with it; calls on the Maltese government to request a Europol Joint Investigation Team to assist with the case; urges the government of Malta to implement all outstanding recommendations of the 26 June 2019 resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe entitled Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination and the rule of law in Malta and beyond: ensuring that the whole truth emerges; notes with concern the fact that Malta has dropped 34 places in Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index since Caruana Galizia's assassination and is now ranked 81st out of 180 countries; and calls on the government of Malta to take immediate steps to improve the broader press freedom climate in the country.

1025Musselburgh resident receives British Empire Medal for contribution to finance sector

Tabled: 16/10/20 Signatories: 4

Kenny MacAskill

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Christopher Bell on receiving a British Empire Medal for services to the financial sector during covid-19; notes his line of work has supported many who have experienced financial hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic; understands his role extended beyond providing financial relief and included helping organise and deliver food parcels to those who needed it most and found themselves in difficulty during the coronavirus crisis; thanks Christopher for his dedication to his community and others; and wishes him all the best.

1026East Lothian video game founder awarded CBE

Tabled: 16/10/20 Signatories: 5

Kenny MacAskill

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Chris Van Der Kuhl on being awarded a CBE; notes Mr Van Der Kuhl is the co-founder and chairman of 4J Studios, a video game development studio based in East Linton and Dundee, which produced the hit Minecraft; understands the businesses presence is within East Lothian; commends his dedication, contribution to his local community and beyond; and wishes Chris Van Der Kuhl and his team all the very best in the future.

1027North Berwick RNLI volunteer given British Empire Medal

Tabled: 16/10/20 Signatories: 4

Kenny MacAskill

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates North Berwick RNLI volunteer Stewart Auld for over 50 years of service and his recent British Empire Medal award; notes Stewart has been recognised for his many years of commitment and dedication to his local RNLI through the North Berwick Lifeboat Station; recognises his commitment to his community, his fellow team members and volunteers at North Berwick RNLI; and wishes him all the very best for the future.

1028Ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Tabled: 16/10/20 Signatories: 3

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

That this House is deeply concerned at the recent escalation of tensions between the armed forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan; notes with concern the clashes that took place both in the Tavush Province of Armenia and the Tovuz District of Azerbaijan on 12 July 2020, the further skirmishes on 13 July 2020 and, with great concern, the resumption of hostilities along the Nagorno-Karabakh Line of Contact on 27 September 2020 and the resulting military and civilian casualties reported by Armenia and Azerbaijan; and urges the Government to join in the United Nation’s strong condemnation of the conflict and call on both sides to deescalate tensions with the immediate resumption of the May 1994 ceasefire and of meaningful negotiations without delay.

1029G20 Summit in Saudi Arabia and Human Rights

Tabled: 16/10/20 Signatories: 7

Kenny MacAskill

Stephen Farry

Marion Fellows

Alison Thewliss

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

That this House notes that Saudi Arabia currently holds the presidency of the G20 and will be hosting the G20 Summit virtually on 21-22 November 2020; is deeply

concerned about Saudi Arabia’s on-going serious and systematic violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, particularly the crackdown on non-violent activists and critics since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came to power in 2017, which includes the arbitrary detention and torture of women human rights defenders and the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as the apparently indiscriminate and disproportionate airstrikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure by the Saudi-led coalition in the conflict in Yemen which may amount to war crimes; and calls on the Government to publicly and privately urge Saudi Arabia to take concrete steps to improve its human rights record in the lead up to the G20 Summit, including immediately releasing all human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience, providing full accountability for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and ending the war in Yemen, and to reconsider the level of its participation in the Summit if these steps are not taken.

1030Ardnamurchan lighthouse brought into community ownership

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 3

Ian Blackford

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

That this house warmly congratulates Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Trustees on successfully securing ownership, through Community Asset Transfer, of the lighthouse site, which sits at the most westerly point of the UK; recognises the endeavour and achievement of trustees over the past 21 years in preserving and promoting Ardnamurchan lighthouse, both as a historical monument and as a tourist attraction for visitors to this remote rural peninsula; applauds the dynamic and enterprising plans for developing the visitor centre and cafeteria at this iconic landmark, which attracts in excess of 18,000 visitors each year, and its important role in preserving the local history and culture; acknowledges that ownership of the site will allow the Trust to access to new funding opportunities to enable these forward-thinking plans to be developed; and wishes the project well for the future.

1031Young designer creates Skye flag

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 3

Ian Blackford

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

That this house warmly congratulates 9-year-old Kilmuir schoolboy Calum Alasdair Munro on designing the first-ever official flag for the Isle of Skye which was unfurled at the Nicolson Memorial earlier this month; commends the first class design, which draws on Calum’s love of flags and interest in the island’s history and heritage, and cleverly reflects the five areas of Trotternish, Waternish, Duirinish, Minginish and Sleat/Strath as well as local clan colours; recognises the tremendous achievement of this youngster in a contest which drew many entries; and applauds contest organisers The West Highland Free Press for developing the idea to raise funds for Skye and Lochalsh Young Carers.

1032Fiona McAvoy MBE, headteacher of Newton primary school

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 3

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Fiona McAvoy, the Head Teacher at Newton Primary School, Ayr on being awarded the MBE as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to education over three decades; notes particularly her inspirational leadership and determination to reduce the effects of poverty and disadvantage by supporting children and young people in North Ayr, where she has worked tirelessly to ensure children and families receive the right help, at the right time from the right people; further notes her commitment, above and beyond her role as an educator to partnership working with parents and the wider community to ensure that before and during lockdown, that children and families had access to food, clothing, bedding, toiletries, energy top ups and essential household items; and wishes Fiona and all of the staff at Newton Primary School continuing success in reducing the impacts of poverty and disadvantage in the local community.

1033Jonathan Rea sixth straight World Superbike crown

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Jonathan Edwards

That this House congratulates Jonathan Rea on his sixth straight World Superbike crown in Portugal; highlights what many are calling his long-standing dominance of the championship; notes that he is tantalisingly close to further rewriting the record books by achieving an incredible, ground-breaking 100th race win to further cement his legacy as the most successful rider in the history of the series; and wishes him every success in the future as he continues to represent Northern Ireland at the highest level throughout the world.

1034Baby loss support

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Sir Mike Penning

That this House notes the end of baby loss awareness week UK; highlights that for so many the pain continues on; underlines the statistic that 1 in 4 suffering from loss does not include the wider pain and grief of loved ones and family; encourages women and partners to mourn as they need to and understands that their loss matters and is worthy of voicing and remembering; and further underlines that Government must enhance counselling services and other help available to families devastated by the loss of their little child and the promise of a future that will not happen.

1035Splash of Colour - Which? trusted trader of the year

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 3

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Splash of Colour, a painter and decorators based in Glasgow Central, on being named Trusted Trader of the Year at the annual Which? Awards this year; notes that this award recognises Splash Of Colour's commitment to consumers and the community; appreciates that this year's awards also took into consideration how organisations have responded to changes in consumer needs as a result of covid-19; recognises that Splash of Colour has been a Which? trusted trader for just over three years, twice receiving Trader of the Month in December 2018 and January 2020; acknowledges that Splash of Colour has been recognised with this award after receiving consistently excellent customer feedback, as well as being involved in projects and charities within the local community; and wishes Splash of Colour every success in the future.

1036Anniversary of the invasion of Famagusta

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 2

Bob Blackman

Sir Mike Penning

That this House supports the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem based on a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant Security Council Resolutions and the High Level Agreements; endorses the Declaration of the European Parliament of 14 February 2012 on the return of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants; notes that the city of Famagusta in the Republic of Cyprus was captured by the invading Turkish forces in August 1974, that a section of Famagusta was then sealed off and remains uninhabited, under the direct control of the Turkish military, and that the return of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants would facilitate efforts toward a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem; further notes the 1979 High Level Agreement and UN Security Council Resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992) and the 2008 Report of the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament on Petition 733/2004; calls on the government of Turkey to act according to those UN Security Council Resolutions and Report Recommendations and return Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants, who must resettle under conditions of security and peace; agrees to forward this Resolution to President Nicos Anastasiades, Mr Mustafa Akinci, the UN Secretary General and the government of Turkey; and urges the Government, as a guarantor power of Cyprus, to call for Turkey’s cooperation.

1037Tax-free shopping

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 3

Jon Cruddas

Jim Shannon

John Spellar

That this House expresses its alarm at the decision to end the VAT Retail Export Scheme commonly known as Tax-free shopping at the end of 2020, apparently without any assessment of the direct and wider impact on the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors in Edinburgh and across Scotland; notes that visitors to Edinburgh and Scotland from international destinations such as China, USA and other countries make a valuable contribution to our economy including through the purchase of iconic Scottish goods and holidaying here; further notes that the UK would be the only country in Europe not to operate tax free shopping if the scheme ends; acknowledges that the Scottish Retail Consortium, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Essential Edinburgh business improvement district and others have voiced their concerns over the end of tax free shopping; and calls on UK Ministers to reconsider or postpone the ending of the tax relief until a full impact assessment is undertaken and discussions are held with industry on possible alternative solutions.

1038Minister for Travel

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 5

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Rachel Hopkins

Ian Lavery

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises that the travel trade is a crucial sector of the British economy and furthermore an industry now facing an existential threat as a result of the coronavirus pandemic; regrets that many travel businesses have closed with many more on the brink of collapse due to the Covid-19 crisis with at least 90,000 jobs already lost or at risk across high street travel agents and the wider travel trade sector; welcomes the recent call by the TSSA transport and travel union and others for the creation of a Minister for Travel to arrest this trend and champion the industry; and calls on the Government to act without delay to save Britain's travel trade by providing bespoke sector-specific government support while reconsidering an extension of furlough for the industry.

1039Unionlearn

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 18

Grahame Morris

Mike Hill

Ian Mearns

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Ian Byrne

Kate Osborne

That this House recognises the exemplary and invaluable role played by Unionlearn in helping people acquire skills and qualifications to boost their job prospects and make a valuable contribution to the economy; applauds Unionlearn for aiding hundreds of thousands of learners at all levels, from basic numeracy and literacy to degree level qualifications; notes that during the past 12 years more than 40,000 Union Learning Representatives have been trained, and over a quarter of a million people are being given training and learning opportunities through their union every year; is appalled that the Government intends to axe this vital resource at such a challenging time for education, employment and the economy; and calls upon the Government to reconsider and reverse this damaging decision.

1039A1 [Amendment]

Tabled: 20/10/20 Signatories: 1

At end add 'and urges the Secretary of State for Education to consider the value Unionlearn offers in promoting skills and opportunities and to reinstate the scheme.'

1040Support for tourism, leisure, hospitality and the arts

Tabled: 19/10/20 Signatories: 5

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the importance of the tourism, leisure, hospitality and arts sectors; further recognises the severe impact Covid-19 has had on their earnings; acknowledges that many of the businesses in these sectors had viable business models and were flourishing before the pandemic and must be supported so that they are ready to open as soon as restrictions can be lifted; notes that outdoor education centres are a specific example of a sector which has been forced to shut down during this crisis; further notes that outdoor education centres are reliant on school residential visits for significant amounts of their funding and so will continue to struggle whilst necessary precautions are in place; recognises the essential role of outdoor education centres in promoting children's health and the necessity of ensuring that such facilities survive the Covid-19 emergency in order to be able to improve young people's opportunities to experience the well-being and health benefits of outdoor activities in future; and calls on the UK Government to underpin health measures with economic support and urgently put packages of support in place to support these sectors, including a further targeted expansion of the furlough scheme.