Commons business papers

Contents

Published: Wednesday 18 November 2020

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 17 November 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

1150Let LIVE Thrive campaign

Tabled: 17/11/20 Signatories: 1

Jamie Stone

That this House recognises the existential crisis facing the live events industry in the UK as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; notes the significant contribution that music, theatre, sport and other live events make to the economy; recognises the potentially dire consequences for industry organisations and professionals if the necessary insurance cover cannot be obtained soon; and calls on the Government to work with the insurance sector to underwrite contingency insurance for the live events industry, as proposed by the Let LIVE Thrive campaign.

1151Misuse of fireworks

Tabled: 17/11/20 Signatories: 1

Sarah Owen

That this House notes the unplanned use of fireworks can cause considerable distress to animals and vulnerable people in communities and notes the petition supported by over 252,000 people calling for limits on the sale and use of fireworks to licensed displays; and calls for a Government review of current legislation on the sale and use of fireworks, to reduce the numbers of unplanned and random firework use each year, to reduce maximum noise levels and to license all public displays.

1152The potential merits of a Care Leaver Department for Work and Pensions marker

Tabled: 17/11/20 Signatories: 1

Anne McLaughlin

That this House recognises that Care Experienced people experience unique challenges in childhood that often mean they require additional support as they transition into adulthood; understands that when Care Experienced people leave care, they can face homelessness and financial difficulty resulting in the need to access Universal Credit; acknowledges that the process of application for Universal Credit is overly bureaucratic and complex for most; consequently appreciates that for care leavers, support to navigate this system is required; notes that under the current system there is no way to formally identify whether or not a claimant is a care leaver; and therefore calls for the Government to honour its commitment to introduce a care leaver marker into the Universal Credit system, as was present in the previous benefits system.

1153Care-Experienced bursary

Tabled: 17/11/20 Signatories: 1

Anne McLaughlin

That this House understands that Care Experienced people’s education is often interrupted in childhood as a result of being removed from home; recognises that statistically, Care Experienced people are less likely than their peers to attend further and higher education; appreciates that many Care Experienced people re-engage with education later in life, often when they have families of their own to support; notes that Care Experienced people are entitled to a Care Experienced Bursary when in further or higher education; is concerned that the Bursary is considered as an income by the Universal Credit system, leaving many Care Experienced people financially worse off in education than they were on Universal Credit; and calls on the Government to ensure that the Care Experienced Bursary is discounted as income under the Universal Credit System, thereby allowing the bursary to fulfil its ethos as a payment intended as additional to other benefits.

1154The right to breathe clean air campaign

Tabled: 17/11/20 Signatories: 1

Mr Barry Sheerman

That this House acknowledges that long term exposure to air pollution causes between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths per year; expresses the belief that people across the United Kingdom and beyond should have an inalienable right to breathe clean air; notes that poor air quality is one of the greatest public health challenges that people face in the 21st century; and recognises the need for a coordinated solution between all levels of Government and the private sector to mitigate against the negative health impacts of dangerous levels of air pollution; and further notes that the Government should make reference to the inalienable right to breathe clean air in any future legislative proposals.

1155Virtual participation in debates

Tabled: 17/11/20 Signatories: 1

Dawn Butler

That this House notes with deep concern that some Members have not been able to take part virtually in debates, which means that those Members have been disenfranchised; further notes that this, in effect, disenfranchises those constituents who are left without a voice in House of Commons debates; recognises that several Members are shielding from coronavirus or are clinically vulnerable; believes in the equal right of all Members to participate in Commons proceedings; and calls on the Government to ensure that the remote participation motion is open to debate for all Members and held as a free vote.

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.

1089Places of worship

Tabled: 3/11/20 Signatories: 34

John Spellar

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jim Shannon

Paula Barker

Claudia Webbe

Ian Lavery

That this House recognises the considerable role played by places of worship of all faiths in providing support to communities and individuals; is deeply concerned at the impact on mental health and personal wellbeing, especially on the the elderly, of the closure of places of worship during the period of new national covid-19 lockdown restrictions; calls on the Government to publish the evidence that the banning of communal worship is an effective part of controlling the covid-19 rate of infection; and urges the Government to urgently engage with faith leaders to reach a better arrangement for the period of the new national covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

1092Universal Basic Income pilots

Tabled: 3/11/20 Signatories: 53

Beth Winter

Ronnie Cowan

Jim Shannon

Kenny MacAskill

Jonathan Edwards

Claudia Webbe

That this House acknowledges that the current system of social security provision in the UK is not sufficient to provide financial security nor protect public health during the covid-19 outbreak; asserts that the provision of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) would establish a targeted system with no gaps and an income floor that nobody could fall below, with the effect of reducing poverty without reducing the incentive to work; notes that local authorities and devolved Governments across the four nations of the UK have called for pilots of UBI in their communities; and calls on the Government to provide co-operation through the Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions, in addition to financial support, to enable those pilots to take place.

1098Falkland Islands mine-free declaration

Tabled: 4/11/20 Signatories: 17

Andrew Rosindell

Sir Mike Penning

Dr Julian Lewis

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Sir Peter Bottomley

Andrew Gwynne

That this House recognises the Falkland Islands will officially be declared mine-free on November 14 2020, fulfilling the UK's commitment of its clearance obligation under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention; notes that with this declaration the entire UK and her Overseas Territories will be mine-free; pays tribute to the members of the UK armed forces who contributed to mapping, fencing and clearing the minefields between 1982 and 2009 and the de-mining team from SafeLane Global Ltd who between 2009 and 2020 have destroyed over 10,000 mines and other items of unexploded ordnance; and understands that the project has released 23 million square meters of land allowing the access to large areas of ground which had been fenced off for 38 years.

1100Support for hostels

Tabled: 4/11/20 Signatories: 25

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Patrick Grady

Ben Lake

John McDonnell

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

That this House notes that hostels have been hit particularly hard by the covid-19 outbreak; further notes that shared spaces, such as bathrooms and kitchens, are often part of a hostel's business model and that this has made operating at full capacity, and even reopening, difficult for many while operating within the necessary public health guidelines; acknowledges that many hostels had viable business models and were flourishing before the covid-19 outbreak; recognises that many hostels play a key part in the rural economy, bringing visitors who support other local businesses; further recognises that in rural areas, hostels are often used by people who intend to take part in outdoor activities and that ensuring that people can still access healthy outdoor holidays at accessible prices will be important after the covid-19 outbreak; stresses that hostels must be supported so that they are ready to open and return to full capacity as soon as restrictions can be lifted; and calls on the Government to underpin health measures with economic support and urgently put packages of support in place for the hostel sector.

1101Potential merits of a minimum wage floor in the furlough scheme

Tabled: 5/11/20 Signatories: 30

Richard Burgon

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Kate Osborne

Navendu Mishra

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Olivia Blake

That this House notes with deep concern recent data from the Office for National Statistics showing that over 2 million workers have been paid less than the National Minimum Wage this year; further notes that this is a near five-fold increase on 2019; believes that it is unacceptable that anybody is ever paid less than the National Minimum Wage; notes that the ONS figures show that the vast majority of this increase in those paid below the minimum wage is the result of workers being put onto the furlough scheme; and calls on the Government to introduce a floor in the furlough scheme to ensure that no worker is paid less than the National Minimum Wage.

1105Campaign for a real living wage

Tabled: 5/11/20 Signatories: 51

Chris Stephens

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Claudia Webbe

Steven Bonnar

Andrew Gwynne

Kenny MacAskill

That this House welcomes Living Wage Week and the PCS Union campaign for a real living wage for their members working on outsourced Government facilities management contracts; applauds these front line key workers who have continued to work throughout the pandemic making workplaces safe and secure despite being some of the lowest paid workers across Government; is concerned that numerous Government Departments are yet to make the payment of the Living Wage a term of their facilities management framework agreements; is aware that the Cabinet Office Framework Schedule highlights social value and states that public authorities to have regard economic, social and environmental wellbeing in connection with public services contracts; notes that 75 per cent of businesses say the Living Wage has increased motivation and retention rates for employees; and 93 per cent of business have said that the Living Wage has benefited their business; and therefore calls on Government to meet their social value responsibilities and ensure that all Government workers on outsourced facilities management contracts are paid a real living wage.

1109Increase in violence against women in Turkey

Tabled: 9/11/20 Signatories: 11

Joanna Cherry

Chris Stephens

Jonathan Edwards

Caroline Lucas

Jim Shannon

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House is extremely concerned about the eroding of women’s rights in Turkey and notes the alarming increase of reported assaults and homicide against women over the past year; finds it concerning that that increase has occurred during a global pandemic which disproportionately impacts women economically; is concerned about the growing rhetoric of the Turkish Government and their officials including attacking women’s rights and threatening withdrawal from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention to tackle violence against women; fears that that rhetoric is leading to an acceptance of violence against women; notes that the abuse of women by security personnel is particularly a feature against Kurdish women and women active in the women’s movement, trade unions and opposition political parties; encourages Turkey to implement the four pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution and coordinated policies underpinned in the Istanbul Convention; shows solidarity to those protesting in Turkey to protect women’s rights and end the violence against women in their country; and calls on the UK Government to use its international influence to encourage the Turkish regime to end its dangerous rhetoric and fully implement the Istanbul Convention.

1110Dismissals of app-based courier and private hire driver workers

Tabled: 9/11/20 Signatories: 60

Ian Byrne

Apsana Begum

John McDonnell

Kate Osborne

Dan Carden

Zarah Sultana

That this House condemns the opaque and unjust process by which app-based couriers and private hire drivers working for companies such as UBER and Deliveroo can be blocked permanently from their accounts and thus effectively dismissed from their jobs; recognises that couriers and private hire drivers are key workers who are working on the frontline of the covid-19 pandemic and are often putting their own health at risk in the process; recognises that that practice of dismissal is leaving many key workers on low-incomes facing potential destitution; notes that transparency is lacking both in terms of what is expected of workers in those industries and around the reasons for their dismissal; further notes that workers are facing dismissal and destitution for reasons beyond their control such as technical issues with the company’s app; notes that such dismissals can be triggered by unfounded customer allegations or traffic delays, regardless of the worker’s length or quality of service; calls for all app-based companies to end unfair dismissals by implementing fair dismissal processes, including a hearing prior to dismissal, and the right to appeal a dismissal with union representation.

1113VAT on facemasks and other personal protective equipment

Tabled: 9/11/20 Signatories: 21

Ms Diane Abbott

Jonathan Edwards

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Ian Lavery

Zarah Sultana

Apsana Begum

That this House notes that the Treasury has ended VAT exemptions for face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE); is concerned that increasing the price of masks and other PPE will discourage people from buying and wearing PPE in line with Government guidance; and urges the Government to reinstate the VAT exemption for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic, as a vital public health measure.

1125Award of Chatham House Prize 2020 to Justices of Malawi's Constitutional Court

Tabled: 12/11/20 Signatories: 26

Patrick Grady

Gavin Newlands

John Spellar

Owen Thompson

Alison Thewliss

Margaret Ferrier

That this House congratulates the judges on the Constitutional Court of Malawi, Justice Healey Potani, Justice Ivy Kamanga, Justice Redson Kapindu, Justice Dingiswayo Madise and Justice Michael Tembo, who have been awarded the 2020 Chatham House Prize in recognition of the courage and independence in the defence of democracy demonstrated in their historic February 2020 ruling that annulled the May 2019 Malawian presidential election; notes that the Chatham House Prize is awarded annually to the person, persons or organisation deemed by the institute’s members to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year; further notes that Chatham House has concluded that at a time when standards of democratic governance are under threat not only in Africa, but in many democracies, Malawi’s constitutional court judges set an example for their peers across the world by upholding the centrality of the rule of law and separation of powers; recognises that the February 2020 judgement led to fresh elections in Malawi; and believes, with the members of Chatham House, that the judges' decision has helped to rebuild the confidence of Malawi’s citizens in their institutions, and serves as encourgament for those interested in upholding standards of democracy more widely across the African continent and around the world.

112775th anniversary of UNESCO

Tabled: 12/11/20 Signatories: 29

Patrick Grady

Gavin Newlands

Owen Thompson

Alison Thewliss

Stephen Farry

Drew Hendry

That this House congratulates the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, which celebrates its 75th anniversary on Monday 16th November 2020; notes that the organisation was founded in London in 1945 to build peace through international cooperation in education, the sciences and culture; further notes that since then the organisation has built up a global network of 193 Member States and has designated 1,121 World Heritage Sites, 246 Creative Cities, 161 Global Geoparks and 701 Biosphere Reserves around the world, including 165 designations across the UK; further congratulates the wide range of of experts, stakeholders and communities who support the work of UNESCO in the pursuit of its mission to build the defences of peace in the minds of people; welcomes the various celebrations taking place to mark the anniversary, including an event on 16th November hosted by the UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts at the University of Glasgow, Prof Alison Phipps, reflecting on the cultural heritage of Eritrea; and wishes all those involved in supporting UNESCO every success as the organisation seeks to contribute to the achievement of the Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the promotion of peace around the world in the years to come.

1128Paid bereavement leave

Tabled: 12/11/20 Signatories: 9

Jonathan Edwards

Steven Bonnar

Alison Thewliss

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

That this House recognises that losing a loved one can be one of the most difficult and painful challenges that many of us face; further recognises that common symptoms of grief include feeling shocked and numb, overwhelming sadness, tiredness or exhaustion, anger and guilt; notes that an employee has the right to time off if a dependent dies but that under current legislation, statutory bereavement pay is only available to eligible parents if their children die before they turn 18, or if a baby is stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy; further notes that research commissioned by the charity Sue Ryder calculates that grief experienced by employees who have lost a loved one costs the UK economy £23 billion a year through reduced productivity, and the Treasury nearly £8 billion as a result of reduced tax revenues and increased use of NHS and social care resources; and calls on the Government to urgently consult with stakeholders on the best way to introduce paid bereavement leave, with a view to introducing a statutory right to two weeks.

1129Closure of Suicide Forums

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 18

Richard Burgon

Mick Whitley

Ian Lavery

Kate Osborne

Jeremy Corbyn

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

That this house notes with sadness the death of Joe Nihill, a popular young man and former army cadet from Whinmoor in East Leeds who, following three bereavements, tragically took his life at 23 years old after accessing online forums that encourage suicide; is concerned that these forums, which contain content that both promotes suicide and recommends methods of suicide, can constitute a real danger to people, particularly people suffering with severe mental health problems; calls on the Government to significantly expand funding for mental health treatment and support, particularly for young people; congratulates his family for their inspiring campaign to prevent what happened to Joe happening to other people; and calls on the Government to assess the harm caused by forums that encourage suicide and look at what can be done to stop such promotion by such online promotion.

1130Ryan Christie scores qualifying goal

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 5

Drew Hendry

Brendan O'Hara

Alan Brown

Ian Blackford

Margaret Ferrier

That this house congratulates former Inverness Millburn Academy pupil and former Caledonian Thistle Football Club academy graduate, Ryan Christie, on scoring the qualifying goal to take the Scotland National men's football team to a successful penalty shoot out, and to qualification for the European Championships in 2021; and finally, wishes Ryan and the rest of the Scotland team all the best of luck for that tournament.

1132Support for small businesses with Pay for Postage Scheme

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 10

Christine Jardine

Layla Moran

Ed Davey

Sarah Olney

Jamie Stone

Mr Virendra Sharma

That this House recognises the need to support small businesses due to the continued impact of covid-19 and lockdown restrictions; welcomes the idea of a Pay the Postage Scheme to help small businesses compete with larger retailers during the lucrative Christmas season; notes that free postage offers from online shopping giants compounds an already difficult climate; further notes that postage paid by the Government would incentivise shoppers to purchase individual items from different, independent businesses and to shop small from home; and calls on the Government to remove the delivery cost burden facing small businesses and introduce this initiative as a way to stimulate traffic to their sites.

1134International Day of People with Disabilities

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 24

Dr Lisa Cameron

Sir Peter Bottomley

Mike Hill

Jamie Stone

Jim Shannon

Colum Eastwood

That this House recognises 3 December is the International Day of People with Disabilities, a day to celebrate disabled people and champion their abilities; supports the United Nation’s work surrounding this campaign, notes this year’s theme is entitled not all disabilities are visible, which aims to spread awareness and understanding of disabilities that are not immediately apparent such as mental illness, learning difficulties, head injury and other non-visible conditions; acknowledges that over 15 per cent of the world’s population live with a disability and that during these unprecedented times, they are likely to be disproportionately affected; acknowledges the work the all-party Parliamentary group on Disability has done to raise the profile of disability across the House; further acknowledges the fantastic work charities have done to support disabled people globally, including Leonard Cheshire, Sense and Sense International; encourages the wider promotion and protection of disability rights; understands the importance of combatting the stigma surrounding disability; and urges parliamentarians to work for an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable society for people with disabilities leaving no one behind in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

1136Health and safety protections for gig economy workers

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 5

Kirsten Oswald

Chris Stephens

Sir Peter Bottomley

Mike Hill

Paula Barker

That this House welcomes the finding of the High Court that the UK Government has failed to properly implement EU health and safety directives and has failed to transpose important EU health and safety protections into UK law; notes that the case was taken to court by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) because workers not classed as employees have to date been denied the right to refuse unsafe work and the right to personal protective equipment (PPE), putting them in serious danger throughout the pandemic; further notes that the judgment means that workers in the gig economy are entitled to the same EU-derived health and safety rights as employees; congratulates the IWGB for securing this ruling on the back of a public crowdfunding initiative; reminds the Government of its undertakings that it has no intention of lowering the standards of workers’ rights after the UK leaves the EU; and calls on the Government to act now to provide a clear statutory extension of health and safety protections to gig economy and other precarious workers.

1137White Ribbon Day 2020

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 4

Drew Hendry

Sir Peter Bottomley

Mike Hill

Paula Barker

That this House recognises White Ribbon Day 2020 which takes place on Wednesday 25 November; notes that this is a day for people to stand up, speak out and say no to violence against women; further recognises the significance of this day during a year which has seen an increase in violence, harassment and abuse towards women during the coronavirus pandemic; and finally urges everyone to work together to prevent violence and make sure people's homes and communities are safe for everyone.

1138Potential merits of statutory bereavement leave

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 4

Patricia Gibson

Mike Hill

Paula Barker

Jonathan Edwards

That this House supports the introduction of statutory bereavement leave for those who suffer the loss of an immediate family member; recognises that bereavement has a tremendous impact on physical and mental health; acknowledges that while many employers voluntarily offer compassionate leave for staff who have lost a close relative, this decision remains entirely at the discretion of employers; notes that concerns about the introduction of statutory bereavement leave on economic grounds are unfounded, with new research commissioned by Sue Ryder revealing that the cost of bereavement to the UK economy is an estimated £22.9bn a year, due to presenteeism, absenteeism and reduced employment; understands that if just a fraction of the costs associated with bereavement could be mitigated through better support by employers it would provide a considerable boost to the economy; agrees that although statutory bereavement leave will incur some short term costs, ultimately it would lead to significant savings for the UK economy through reduced staff absence, higher employee productivity and less reliance on health and welfare support post-bereavement; welcomes the UK Government’s recent introduction of two weeks statutory bereavement leave for parents who have lost a child under the age of 18 years old which recognises the impact of grief and the need for statutory protections; and calls on the UK Government to build on this progress and introduce statutory paid bereavement leave of two weeks for those who have suffered the loss of an immediate family member.

1139Israeli annexation of Palestinian land

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 2

Tommy Sheppard

Jonathan Edwards

That this House is deeply alarmed by the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements; notes that, despite the temporary suspension of formal annexation plans, Israel has accelerated the construction of illegal settlements across the West Bank to its fastest pace since 2012; recognises that settlement expansion amounts to the de facto annexation of territory, and needs the same robust international response as formal annexation; acknowledges that Israel’s displacement of Palestinian communities to establish Jewish only settlements, with different rights allocated depending on ethnicity, is being referred to by many political analysts and legal scholars as an example of apartheid; and calls on the Government to take effective measures in response.

1140Demolition of Palestinian homes

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 2

Tommy Sheppard

Tahir Ali

That this House strongly condemns Israel’s destruction of the entire Palestinian village of Khirbet Hamsa al-Foqa; is appalled that 73 people, including 41 children, have been made homeless in the largest incident of forced displacement in the West Bank for years; notes that 2020 has seen the highest level of Palestinian home demolitions in four years, despite the covid-19 pandemic, which has left over 800 people homeless many of who are children; is alarmed that JCB equipment is being supplied to Israeli forces for the destruction of Palestinian structures, and that the UN Human Rights Office has listed the British company as sustaining illegal settlements; and calls on the Government to immediately ban all UK trade with illegal Israeli settlements, and take action to prevent equipment supplied by British companies, including JCB, from operating in them.

1143Recognition for Dental Care Professionals

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 3

Tim Farron

Sir Peter Bottomley

Mike Hill

That this House commends the work of dental nurses, dental therapists, dental hygienists, orthodontic therapists and dental care professionals (DCPs) carrying out frontline work at Urgent Care Dental Centres during the covid-19 outbreak; notes that dental nurses in particular are a focal point in the provision of dental treatment delivered by clinicians; further notes that the DCPs are the largest group within the dental team, with 68,000 dental care professionals in the UK; recognises the vital work that this, often overlooked, profession carries out, providing essential care to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in both primary and secondary care settings; urges the Government to allow dental nurses and dental care professionals to fulfil their full potential, by making the contractual changes necessary for dental hygienists and therapists to open a course of dental treatment and prescribe medication under the exemptions mechanism; further urges the Government to improve the consistency and recognition of dental nursing qualifications; calls on the Government to expand dental nurses scope of practice, enabling them to use their skills during the backlog of the covid-19 outbreak and beyond; and further calls on the Government to improve the recognition of dental technicians and the essential skills they have in supporting and delivering care for vulnerable groups and the frail.

1144A National Resilience Programme

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 2

Stephen Metcalfe

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House notes the importance of physical activity to keeping older people healthy and resilient; further notes that one in three older people did less physical activity during the first lockdown in March 2020 and that within three days of not using muscles people can experience significant decreases in muscle mass and quality which might be the difference of an older person being able to get out of a chair by themselves or not; highlights the proposal by The Physiological Society and Centre for Ageing Better for the introduction of a National Resilience Programme to bring together a package of measures to support older people through covid-19 restrictions, keeping them healthy and resilient over winter 2020; and notes that an effective programme should incorporate a tailored exercise package focused on older people with key covid-19 risk factors, clear guidance on a healthy balanced diet, support to build communities to counter loneliness in order to improve mental health, and a plan to enlist help of relatives, care workers and other professionals to re-build older adults’ confidence and support them to stay active and keep well.

1145Contribution of John Hays to the North East

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 11

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Julie Elliott

Sir Peter Bottomley

Mike Hill

Kate Osborne

Catherine McKinnell

That this House recognises the sad passing of John Hays, the founder of the UK's largest independent travel agent, Hays Travel; notes that he was not only a successful businessman but a hugely popular, highly respected and well-loved figure in the North East, being recognised not only for his business acumen but his philanthropy supporting many local charities and community organisations; further notes that when Mr Hays learnt of the Thomas Cook collapse last year, he bravely took on 2,000 of their staff to protect their livelihoods and that of their families leading many to name him a high street hero; and offers its deepest sympathies to his wife Irene and their family at this difficult time.

1146World Children's Day: Support for children in conflict zones during covid-19

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 8

Layla Moran

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jamie Stone

Munira Wilson

Sarah Olney

Wera Hobhouse

That this House recognises that 20 November 2020 is World Children’s Day; notes with deep concern the plight of the 149 million children caught up in high-intensity conflict zones who now face the additional threat of the covid-19 pandemic; recognises that no-one is safe from covid-19 until everyone is, and that the collective response to the global pandemic will only be as strong as the protection for the most vulnerable; urges the Government to work together with international partners to ensure humanitarian assistance responding to the covid-19 crisis reaches the most vulnerable in conflict zones; calls upon the Government to lead in providing support to ensure refugee settlements are provided with the necessary sanitation and medical services they need to respond to covid-19; and further calls upon the Government to work together with international partners to ensure children in fragile states are able to continue their education.

1147Vitamin D and covid-19

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 4

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Sir Peter Bottomley

Paula Barker

That this House notes the growing body of evidence on the positive role vitamin D can play in mitigating against the incidence and severity of covid-19; encourages the Government to undertake further research into the relationship between vitamin D, immune health and covid-19; acknowledges the already high levels of vitamin D deficiency in the UK, and the potential for a winter lockdown to exacerbate this issue; notes growing support in the scientific community for increased daily intake of vitamin D supplements; and further urges the Government to ensure the increased intake of vitamin D among the UK population through increased public communications and direct provision to vulnerable cohorts.

1148World Kindness Day

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House notes World Kindness Day was celebrated on 13 November 2020; further notes that whilst the day has passed the sentiment must continue; encourages hon. Members to act with kindness and gentleness in how we treat those we agree with and those we disagree with alike; and further urges hon. Members to exemplify love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in this place and in our day to day lives as we encourage the general public to carry on the sentiments of kindness day throughout the rest of 2020.

1149Scotland and the Euro 2020

Tabled: 16/11/20 Signatories: 49

Gavin Newlands

Ian Blackford

Alison Thewliss

Alan Brown

David Linden

Drew Hendry

That this House congratulates the Scottish National Men’s Team for their qualification to Euro 2020; welcomes the team qualifying for their first major finals tournament since World Cup 1998; notes that the team have now gone nine games unbeaten, with that streak beginning in October 2019; praises David Marshall for his save in the penalty shoot-out against Serbia in the Nations League play-off, ensuring the team’s qualification; applauds Ryan Christie on his 52nd minute goal to put Scotland ahead, and for his post-match interview which received widespread acclaim and respect in Scotland; thanks Sky Television for broadcasting the game on Freeview allowing the vast majority of the Scottish public to watch the game; further notes the widespread appreciation of the work done by Stevie Clarke as manager and his team in securing a hugely significant achievement; and wishes the team well, not only in its forthcoming games against Slovakia and Israel which could secure promotion to the top tier of the UEFA Nations League, but in the Euro 2020 tournament itself when Scotland will face the Czech Republic and Croatia at Hampden, and will be looking to exorcise the demons of 1996 when they face the “Auld Enemy” at Wembley.