Contents

Published: Wednesday 24 March 2021

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 23 March 2021

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

1681Atrocities against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 1

Mr Alistair Carmichael

That this House notes the growing evidence of atrocities against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the body of opinion that the atrocities meet the legal definitions of genocide and crimes against humanity, and formal determinations of this genocide and crimes against humanity by the US Administration, and the parliaments of Canada and the Netherlands; is concerned that the UK Government failed to make the relevant determination of the nature of the atrocities against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, including an assessment of the risk factors of genocide, to determine whether there was a serious risk of genocide and to trigger its duty to prevent contrary to the 2007 judgment of the International Court of Justice, and failed to inform its responses to the atrocities, including by imposing the Magnitsky sanctions against all those most responsible for the atrocities, banning the import of products tainted in the atrocities; and calls upon the UK Government to implement the 2007 judgment of the International Court of Justice by conducting its own assessment of the serious risk of genocide and recognising the atrocities for what they are, genocide and crimes against humanity, and triggering the duty to prevent, including by imposing the Magnitsky sanctions against all those responsible for the atrocities, banning imports tainted by the atrocities, including by modern day slavery, and leading or supporting UN initiatives to establish a UN Human Rights Council or UN General Assembly's mechanism to collect and preserve the evidence of the atrocities against the Uyghurs to ensure accountability in the future.

1682Hammy Carnduff and Carnduff butchers

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 2

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

That this House congratulates Hammy Carnduff and his team in Carnduff Butchers for being awarded MTJ’s 2020 UK Butcher’s Shop of The Year as well as being named Northern Ireland’s Butcher’s Shop of The Year for the third year running; notes the tremendous work in diversification that Carnduff has carried out to enable the shop not simply to survive the recent difficult times during the covid-19 outbreak but also to thrive during that time; further notes the strong Northern Ireland presence in those awards showcasing the strength of the industry throughout the UK; and offers best wishes for continued success in the future as Carnduff goes from strength to strength in supplying safe, good quality meat and products to the people of the area.

1683Treatment of protestors in Turkey

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 2

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

That this House notes the dreadful treatment of protestors in Turkey during the last few weeks, seeing hospital treatment needed for over 5000 people; further notes the aggressive and violent conduct of the police against families and young people including the expulsion of over a hundred protestors families; highlights the disturbing decision by Turkey to pull out of the Istanbul Convention on Violence against Women; and determines to take all possible diplomatic steps to encourage Turkey to roll back from those actions and reengage with democratic processes.

1684Kidnapping and forced conversions in Pakistan

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 2

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

That this House notes with grave concern reports from Pakistan that Kavita Kumari, a 13 year-old Hindu girl was abducted at gunpoint from her home in Kandhkot, Sindh, and is further appalled that, despite her school certificate showing her to be 13-years-old, she was converted to Islam in a triumphant public ceremony by Mian Mithoo, the custodian of a Muslim shrine, Barchundi Sharif; and calls on the UK government to do everything in its power to help Kavita and all of the estimated 1,000 Pakistani Christian and Hindu girls who are kidnapped, forced to convert and marry their abductor every year.

1685Unauthorised encampments: criminalisation of trespass

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 8

Andy Slaughter

Martin Docherty-Hughes

Caroline Lucas

Deidre Brock

John McDonnell

Kim Johnson

That this House believes the response to unauthorised encampments by Gypsies and Travellers lies not in criminalising trespass but by providing sufficient permanent and temporary sites and by greater use of negotiated stopping; is concerned that Part 4 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will destroy a nomadic way of life that has existed in Britain since the early sixteenth century; notes that the local authority Gypsy and Traveller sites which currently exist in England only came into being because of the duty to provide sites established by the Caravan Sites Act 1968 but repealed by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994; further notes that the Welsh Government have reintroduced a duty to meet the assessed need for sites through Section 103 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014; urges the UK Government to accept the reintroduction of such a duty as essential to avoid breaching the human rights of Gypsies and Travellers; and requests that Part 4 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill should be withdrawn immediately and replaced with a legal duty to provide adequate permanent and temporary sites.

1686Energy cost postcode lottery

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 1

Jamie Stone

That this House recognises that people pay more for their energy bills based on the region in which they live; notes that the north of Scotland has the highest annual energy rate anywhere in the UK; notes that this amounts to an unacceptable regional disparity; acknowledges that the big six energy companies hold a monopoly over regional infrastructure; in addition recognises the profits generated by those energy companies during the coronavirus pandemic as individuals remained at home; and calls on the Government to decentralise the UK’s energy system to allow smaller companies to enter the market and provide affordable energy rates.

1687Shrewsbury 24 judgement

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 2

Ian Lavery

Ian Mearns

That this House notes the historic victory of the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign in having their charges quashed by the Court of Appeal after almost half a century of injustice; notes the tireless work that has been done to get to this stage by the Shrewsbury 24 campaigners and the support they have received from the TUC and trade union movement; notes that today's verdict will be seen as a boost to working people across the UK who stand up for their rights in the workplace; further notes that whilst celebration is in order, that many of those involved saw their lives ruined by the politicisation of the charges and that some have not lived long enough to see justice done; and calls upon the Government to hold a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the dispute and the trial.

1688Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 1

Rushanara Ali

That this House celebrates the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971 and recognises the historical significance of this milestone; commemorates all those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and independence of Bangladesh and its citizens; commends and recognises the economic and social progress Bangladesh has made; celebrates the strong relationship between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom; recognises the importance of this partnership in continuing the pursuit of the ideals of the founder of an independent Bangladesh, of freedom, democracy and human rights; recognises the contributions of Bangladesh for hosting Rohingya refugees fleeing genocide in Myanmar; and urges the Government to refrain from making reductions to international aid spending in Bangladesh, in light of recent reductions to the UK aid budget following the merger of the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

1689Mr Angus McConnell

Tabled: 23/03/21 Signatories: 1

Dr Lisa Cameron

That this House pays tribute to the life of Angus McConnell who has passed away at the age of 90 and remembers his tireless commitment to the life of East Kilbride and his lifelong service to that town; highlights Angus McConnell's 74 years on the East Kilbride YM committee, his pivotal role in the founding and success of the East Kilbride Sports Council, his life membership of the Scottish Amateur Football Association and the Scottish Amateur Football League, his life-long commitment to the East Kilbride Old Parish Church both as a congregant and as a Presbytery elder and his vital contribution to the East Kilbride Twinning Association with Ballerup in Denmark; draws particular attention to Angus McConnell's role as a torch bearer in the lead up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and his commendation with a British Empire Medal for his contribution to sport; and thanks East Kilbride YM Football Club for their decision to rename one of their Kirktonholme pitches the Angus McConnell EKYM Memorial Pitch which will ensure that Angus's memory and love of support are remembered by future generations

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.

1605Public Health

Tabled: 9/03/21 Signatories: 10

Keir Starmer

Nick Thomas-Symonds

Holly Lynch

Sarah Jones

Conor McGinn

Mr Nicholas Brown

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) (Amendment) (No. 7) Regulations 2021 (S.I., 2021, No. 150), dated 12 February 2021, a copy of which was laid before this House on 12 February 2021, be annulled.

1614Pay Disparity Dispute at RAF Leeming

Tabled: 10/03/21 Signatories: 10

Grahame Morris

Rachel Hopkins

Ian Lavery

Mick Whitley

Navendu Mishra

Emma Hardy

That this House is concerned that Babcock Aerospace workers providing operational and engineering services at the RAF Leeming base near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, are presently denied shift payments of around £5,000 per annum awarded to their colleagues undertaking the same safety-critical duties at RAF Valley in Wales; believes that this pay disparity unfairly impacts on the skilled and dedicated workforce; notes that Unite the Union has sought to avoid the need to take industrial action, but the intransigence of Babcock management in refusing to address the disparity in pay has rendered this unavoidable; and therefore calls on the employer to enter into meaningful negotiations with the union to avoid any future disruption to training flights and to ensure that the workers at the base are fairly remunerated.

1628GP surgeries and the private sector

Tabled: 11/03/21 Signatories: 14

Apsana Begum

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Wera Hobhouse

Zarah Sultana

Claudia Webbe

John McDonnell

That this House expresses alarm that Operose, a subsidiary of US health company Centene, has taken over AT Medics which has a large number of APMS contracts, including 49 GP practices; is concerned that the prioritisation of profit in the provision of NHS services will lead to a loss of more GP surgeries, will hurt the quality of care patients receive, and will further undermine the pay and conditions of those who work in GP surgeries and in the NHS; and calls for all outsourcing to the profit-driven private health sector to end and for the NHS to be returned to a publicly funded, publicly provided, comprehensive health care service, available to all that is free at the point of delivery.

1632Retirement of Achahoish postmistress after 58 years of service

Tabled: 12/03/21 Signatories: 7

Brendan O'Hara

Peter Grant

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House recognises the career of Winifred Ryan, who ran the Achahoish Post Office from her home for almost 58 years; notes that on March 1st Winifred turned eighty-one and decided to retire as postmistress after 58 years in the role; thanks Winifred for her dedication to the postal service and to her local community; and wishes Winifred a restful and well-earned retirement after years of loyal service.

1633Campbeltown police officers and International Women’s Day honours

Tabled: 12/03/21 Signatories: 8

Brendan O'Hara

Steven Bonnar

Peter Grant

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates police officers in Campbeltown for receiving awards on International Women’s Day, in recognition of their work keeping the local community safe; highlights Detective Constable Lindsay Wallace, who won police officer of the year and Police Constable Karen Cairns, who won the community service award at the Scottish Women’s Development Forum on 8 March 2021; notes that the awards, held virtually due to the covid-19 outbreak, honour the contributions and achievements of police staff, officers and those who volunteer with Police Scotland; and recognises the hard work and dedication of Lindsay and Karen, alongside all women who work within Police Scotland.

1635Public Social Partnership for the Disability Employment Gap

Tabled: 12/03/21 Signatories: 23

Marion Fellows

Kirsten Oswald

Steven Bonnar

Peter Grant

Neale Hanvey

Kirsty Blackman

That this House commends the work of the Public Social Partnership for the Disability Employment Gap led by the Scottish Union of Supported Employment as lead partner; recognises it aims to increase employers’ confidence, awareness and capacity to recruit and retain disabled people in their workforce; notes the innovative ways of working the partnership is undertaking to achieve these aims; endorses the importance of employing disabled people in the workforce and reducing the unacceptable employment gap; and notes that they will contribute to the Scottish Government’s Fairer Scotland for Disabled People – Employment Action Plan’s ambition to halve the Disability Employment Gap by 2038.

1637Local Government funding (No. 2)

Tabled: 12/03/21 Signatories: 13

Jon Trickett

John McDonnell

Claudia Webbe

Jonathan Edwards

Rachel Hopkins [R]

Navendu Mishra

That this House notes with concern research by the National Audit Office which states that 25 Local Councils are on the brink of bankruptcy; notes with further concern research from the NAO which found that 94 per cent of English councils expect to cut spending next year to meet budget requirements; notes that a decade of austerity has reduced the spending power of councils by a third, leaving local government ill-prepared to cope during a health pandemic which has seen demand for local services rise; expresses disappointment that no announcement was forthcoming in the Budget regarding councils' public health grant, nor to address the need for a further £2.6 billion in funding the Local Government Association have estimated will be required to cover cost pressures faced by Councils due to Covid-19; believes local authorities have a vital role to play in rebuilding community resilience as part of a post Covid-19 recovery; and therefore calls on the Government provide the necessary funding to ensure Local Councils are able to meet all extra cost pressures and income losses and rebuild their communities without making further cuts to services.

1638Rail fares

Tabled: 12/03/21 Signatories: 15

Jon Trickett

John McDonnell

Claudia Webbe

Jonathan Edwards

Rachel Hopkins

Navendu Mishra

That this House notes the recent rise in rail fares in England and Wales of 2.6 per cent; notes with concern that this rise means rail fares have risen above RPI inflation for the first time since 2013; condemns increasing the price of train travel at a time when millions of people are suffering financially; notes that since 2010 the price of a regional season ticket has risen by 38 per cent; believes that a better way to encourage passengers back to using the railway post lockdown would be by reducing prices rather than raising them; and calls on the Government to freeze the price of rail fares whilst offering discounts to entice customers back onto trains.

1641Covid-19 deaths in Fife

Tabled: 15/03/21 Signatories: 6

Douglas Chapman

Jim Shannon

Dr Lisa Cameron

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Neale Hanvey

That this House acknowledges the first deaths officially linked to covid-19 in Fife occurred a year ago in the week of 14 March 2020; recognises hundreds of other Fife residents have tragically lost their life due to covid-19 in the year since; and pays tribute to all those who have passed, all those who are mourning a friend or a loved one and the teams of people across NHS Fife and other public services who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve our citizens.

1644Nicole Wallace, Apprentice Ambassador of the Year finalist

Tabled: 15/03/21 Signatories: 8

Neale Hanvey

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Dr Lisa Cameron

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Nicole Wallace from Lochgelly on being named as a finalist in the Apprentice Ambassador of the Year category at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards; recognises that Nicole used her own training as a modern apprentice to help her employer adapt to the challenges of the covid-19 pandemic and was involved in a project to develop learning materials for new apprentices to be able to join the business virtually; applauds Nicole for this well-deserved recognition; and wishes her every success in her future career.

1649Celebrating the work of Townhead Village Hall during the covid-19 outbreak

Tabled: 15/03/21 Signatories: 7

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Dr Lisa Cameron

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Carol Monaghan

That this House celebrates the fantastic work and dedication of the team at Townhead Village Hall in going above and beyond to support their local community during the covid-19 outbreak; appreciates that they have been vital in providing residents with free weekly food deliveries, including making deliveries on Christmas and New Years Day; recognises the success of their collaboration with Glasgow City Centre Salvation Army to deliver ready meals to the most vulnerable; further recognises the successful partnership with Human Appeal which saw them redistribute warm coats and jackets as part of the Warm-Up Glasgow campaign; and thanks the whole team for keeping spirits up with their home visits, food deliveries and online competitions, and for being a source of comfort and camaraderie during these difficult times.

1650Support for the travel industry

Tabled: 15/03/21 Signatories: 7

Christine Jardine

Steven Bonnar

Jim Shannon

Dr Lisa Cameron

Carla Lockhart

John McDonnell

That this House acknowledges the struggle of the travel industry as one of the hardest hit sectors by the covid-19 pandemic; appreciates the estimated value of both outbound travel, £37 billion, and inbound travel, £28 billion, to the economy; expresses its concern over the lack of specific support for the thousands of businesses in the travel sector; recognises the unique status of many businesses which only receive payments from guests at the point of departure not at the point of sale; further recognises the considerable economic and personal cost of businesses having healthy savings, pre-pandemic, to having now incurred considerable debt at no fault of their own; realises that many businesses will not survive another summer of restrictions without specific support; acknowledges that businesses need clarity and time to prepare for the imposition of quarantine restrictions on international travel; notes the impact of erratic changes to Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice on consumer confidence and insurance coverage; further notes calls from the travel industry on the importance of a four nations approach when imposing restrictions; and calls on the Government to make funding available to address the specific needs of the travel sector.

1652Impact of allowing gene-editing and divergence from EU food standards

Tabled: 16/03/21 Signatories: 27

Grahame Morris

Ian Mearns

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

Navendu Mishra

Paula Barker

That this House has grave concerns over the Government’s proposal to authorise in England the use of gene-editing technologies in agriculture and food and drink manufacturing; notes that, since Brexit, any substantial regulatory divergence between the UK and EU poses a major threat to UK exports into European markets, and also for the export of goods from mainland UK ports into Northern Ireland; shares the concern of Unite the Union that such divergence from the approach of EU regulation over gene-editing would have yet more catastrophic impacts including the loss of thousands of jobs and undermining of the Northern Ireland protocol; observes that agriculture is a devolved issue within the UK context, but that, in the event of gene-editing being allowed in England, Scottish and Welsh products without gene-edited ingredients could still be denied access to EU markets; fears the impact that the aggressive commercial exploitation of gene-editing technologies would have on poor farmers in the global south, and on distracting Western governments from addressing the structural causes of climate change; and therefore believes that the Government’s approach to this issue must continue to be subject to the precautionary principle, must not be made in the absence of a robust scientific evidence-base on the long-term impacts of such technologies, must not allow multinational corporations to exert undue influence via proprietary rights, and must not pre-empt decision-making by the devolved nations or the UK's European partners.

1653Celebrating fifty years of the Campaign for Real Ale

Tabled: 16/03/21 Signatories: 15

Daisy Cooper

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Sir Mike Penning

Steven Bonnar

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), headquartered in St Albans, on their 50th anniversary; commends the organisation and its members for their tireless campaigning in support of the unique heritage of real ale, cider and perry found in the British Isles; further congratulates them for their successes over the last half century in protecting our brewing traditions and striving for greater quality and variety of cask ales; recognises their role in lobbying producers and government on behalf of consumers; celebrates their longstanding campaign to protect and enhance pubs and clubs; commends their ongoing work to provide information, education and training to all those with an interest in pubs, beer, cider and perry; extends thanks for CAMRA’s advocacy on behalf of the pub and brewing sectors, especially during the Covid-19 crisis that continues to endanger our unique pub and brewing heritage; and wishes them every success for the next fifty years.

1654Neurodiversity celebration week

Tabled: 16/03/21 Signatories: 25

Dr Lisa Cameron

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Rachel Hopkins

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House recognizes Neurodiversity Celebration week which commences on March 15th; understands 720,000 children celebrate Neurodiversity week worldwide; acknowledges that at least 15% of children in the U.K have a learning difference; notes that a lot of neurodiverse children have negative school experiences; further recognizes it’s important to change the narrative surrounding developmental difficulties, including ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia; understands that neurodiversity is a strength and applauds the creativity and innovation of our neurodiverse children; celebrates the work of the founder and campaigner Siena Castellon of neurodiversity celebration week who recently won the Commonwealth Youth Award; and further notes the importance of championing neurodiversity and challenging stigma associated with developmental difficulty.

1655Sandra Stewart, 40 years' commitment to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Tabled: 17/03/21 Signatories: 8

Patricia Gibson

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Margaret Ferrier

Steven Bonnar

That this House congratulates Sandra Stewart on her 40 year anniversary as a member of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service; understands that the Admin Team Leader joined the Strathclyde Fire Brigade immediately upon leaving school, and now provides admin support to more than forty fire stations across Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway from the area HQ in Ardrossan, North Ayrshire; and thanks her for the dedication and commitment she has shown to the communities she has served throughout her years in her vital work, and hugely appreciates her ongoing service.

1656Undercover Policing Inquiry

Tabled: 17/03/21 Signatories: 22

Richard Burgon

Ms Diane Abbott

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Caroline Lucas

Claudia Webbe

That this House notes the ongoing independent public Undercover Policing Inquiry, set up to investigate undercover policing in England and Wales since 1968; recognises the concerns raised by Non State Non Police Core Participants (NSNPCPs) and interested campaign groups (including the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance and Police Spies Out of Lives) that the inquiry is not currently properly accessible to Core Participants or to the public; supports the principle of open justice including that public inquiries should be open and accessible to the public; believes that all Core Participants should be able to fully access and participate in the Inquiry; is concerned that the decision not to have audio and visual live streaming of the inquiry prevents full engagement from participants and prevents public and press access to proceedings; and Supports the calls from the NSNPCPs for full audio and visual live streaming, for the Inquiry to sit with a diverse panel of experts alongside the Chair throughout, for the names of groups subjected to undercover police surveillance to be disclosed publicly alongside the ‘cover’ names of undercover officers to allow those who were subjected to undercover police surveillance to assist the inquiry, for NSNPCPs to receive disclosure of their registry files in full and as a matter of urgency, for the terms of reference to be extended to include Scotland and Northern Ireland, and for trade unions, alongside all participating NSNPCPs to be given funding for legal costs so they are able to fully participate in the inquiry.

1657Frank McAlister and The Tower Bar Covid Action Group

Tabled: 18/03/21 Signatories: 3

Hannah Bardell

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the work of Frank McAlister; local resident and landlord of the Tower Bar in Craighall Livingston; notes his continued support to the community, setting up the Tower’s Covid Action Group during the ongoing covid-19 crisis; commends Frank McAlister, Tower Bar staff, regulars and community volunteers for their commitment and passionate work to bring different community groups together, acknowledging the need for the continuing support of vulnerable people in the community; applauds his effort in organising the winter maintenance scheme with litter pick-up sessions and clearing paths across Craigshill; emphasises that local publicans can continue to have a positive impact in the community, despite being closed during the covid-19 outbreak; and further commends the residents of Craigshill for their selfless work, demonstrating how close-knit the Craigshill community is.

1658UK-EU veterinary agreement

Tabled: 18/03/21 Signatories: 13

Stephen Farry

Jonathan Edwards

Claire Hanna

John McDonnell

Ben Lake

Alan Brown

That this House recognises that the absence of a UK-EU veterinary agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary rules on movements of animals and food products between Great Britain and the EU and between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is creating major barriers for UK food exporters and also significantly contributes to the volume of checks in relation to the implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol; understands that a veterinary agreement can be negotiated with the EU through and building upon the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement; and calls on the Government to prioritise the negotiation of a bespoke UK-EU veterinary agreement.

1659Duty Free on arrivals stores

Tabled: 18/03/21 Signatories: 7

Christine Jardine

John McDonnell

Carla Lockhart

Jamie Stone

Dr Lisa Cameron

Jim Shannon

That this House welcomes the introduction of duty free on arrivals stores in airports, international rail and ferry terminals in Great Britain to support a safe and sustainable recovery of international travel; recognises that duty free on arrivals provides a sustainable and significant new contribution to revenues with an increase in passenger spend by up to 30 per cent, increases the international competitiveness of airports, will be cost neutral for Government, creates employment opportunities, aids carbon abatement and supports regional development; highlights the critical role retail plays in supporting regional connectivity in the UK with retail sales accounting for as much as 40 per cent of total revenue in some regional airports; notes that duty free on arrival stores does not contravene international principles of taxation; further notes that it has been successfully deployed in over sixty countries, including Australia and all EEA nations; and calls upon the Government to implement duty free on arrival stores as it will make a tangible difference to the UK’s travel sector and consequently to the economy.

1660Colombian peace process

Tabled: 18/03/21 Signatories: 13

Tony Lloyd

Margaret Ferrier

Jonathan Edwards

Jeremy Corbyn

Sir Gary Streeter

Alan Brown

That this House is concerned by the intensification of violence in rural areas in Colombia, with 76 massacres and a 65 per cent increase in armed conflict in 2020, and against human rights defenders there, with Colombian defenders representing 50 per cent of the global total killed in 2020, which threaten to undermine the peace process; notes that communities on the Pacific coast of Colombia are experiencing a humanitarian and environmental crisis; further notes that Indigenous Peoples in Alto Baudó and other communities in Choco are increasingly caught in crossfire between illegal armed groups who are expanding their territorial control, forcibly recruiting children, perpetrating sexual violence, using antipersonnel mines and creating an atmosphere of terror; is also disturbed by reports of illegal gold mining in the Rio Quito region involving armed groups, which is exacerbating violence and resulting in biodiversity destruction; is alarmed by the death threat received in February by CAJAR lawyer, Sebastian Felipe Escobar, who spoke to UK Parliamentarians at an on-line event in June 2020, as well as by serious threats directed at other human rights defenders in Colombia; and calls on the Government, further to its responsibility as the penholder on Colombia, to request the UN Security Council to create a Group of Experts with technical expertise on organised crime to examine the impact of the illegal armed groups in Colombia and provide technical advice, in order to strengthen the work of the UN Mission of Verification in Colombia.

1661Agriculture

Tabled: 18/03/21 Signatories: 7

Keir Starmer

Luke Pollard

Stephanie Peacock

Daniel Zeichner

Ruth Jones

Mr Nicholas Brown

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 (S.I., 2021, No. 158), dated 15 February 2021, a copy of which was laid before this House on 16 February 2021, be annulled.

1662Patrick George Zaki

Tabled: 18/03/21 Signatories: 6

Chris Law

Kirsten Oswald

Hywel Williams

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

That this House is dismayed by the continued imprisonment of Egyptian student and human rights activist Patrick George Zaki; notes with concern that Mr Zaki was detained in early 2020 on a short return to his home country from his course at the University of Bologna and has now been held for over a year pending investigation; further notes that he has been accused of disseminating fake news and inciting to protest through his work and advocacy for the Cairo-based human rights group Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR); is concerned that other staff at the EIPR including Executive Director Gasser Abdel-Razek have also been targeted by the Egyptian Authorities; praises the work of organisations such as Amnesty and Scholars At Risk who have been raising international awareness of Mr Zaki’s case; and calls on the Government to make further representations to the Egyptian Government on Mr Zaki's imprisonment and welfare as a matter of urgency, and to urge the Egyptian Government to immediately and unconditionally release him.

1663Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu – HDP MP Turkey

Tabled: 18/03/21 Signatories: 8

Chris Stephens

Alyn Smith

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Jonathan Edwards

Carol Monaghan

Hywel Williams

This house is deeply concerned that Turkish HDP MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity and sentenced to two years six months in prison on terror charges; notes that Gergerlioglu’s indictment relates to a social media post in 2016 in which he called for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question; notes that Human Rights Watch has released a written statement condemning his conviction; calls on the Foreign Secretary to raise the question of this conviction with his Turkish counterpart; and calls on the Turkish Government for an immediate review and reversal of this conviction.

1664Dunbar’s online High Street trial

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 4

Kenny MacAskill

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

Joanna Cherry

That this house welcomes the decision to trial a scheme that will promote online footfall on the high streets in Dunbar, notes that the project operated by Supporting our local economy (SOLE) and the Scottish Tech Army is intended to bring together the local community and support retail and traders on the high streets; notes that research has shown local residents are eager to support their local economy during the covid-19 pandemic; and looks forward to the results of that trial and its potential for work across Scotland.

1665New defibrillators in Tranent

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 5

Kenny MacAskill

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

Joanna Cherry

That this house welcomes the contribution of local charitable group, Tranent Belters, who have enabled the purchase of two new defibrillators installed in Tranent Town centre; notes that those defibrillators are the first two 24/7 accessible devices in Tranent; and further notes that another such device is to be installed at a later date.

1666Lily-Mae Grogan

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 5

Kenny MacAskill

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

Joanna Cherry

That this house wishes luck to Lily-Mae Grogan and her family in Tranent who are raising money for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) after Lily-Mae was diagnosed with AML in 2020; notes that Lily-Mae's parents are raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust by doing 5000 lunges over the course of April 2021; and wishes Lily-Mae all the best in her treatment and commends the work of the Trust in supporting teenagers with a cancer diagnosis.

1667Steps towards disarmament

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 10

Kirsten Oswald

Wera Hobhouse

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Jeremy Corbyn

Hywel Williams

Caroline Lucas

That this House notes with concern the statement in the Government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development, and Foreign Policy that the ceiling on the number of nuclear warheads held by the UK is to increase by 40 percent, reversing the longstanding trend of gradual reductions; further notes with concern that the Review amends nuclear policy to reserve the right for the UK to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear threats; considers that increasing the UK's nuclear arsenal is contrary to obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons 1968, as stated by UN Secretary General António Guterres, and risks starting a new nuclear arms race; regrets that the proposed changes in nuclear posture run contrary to international momentum towards global nuclear abolition through the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons that entered into force on 22 January 2021; and urges the Prime Minister to demonstrate true global leadership towards a world without nuclear weapons by abandoning his planned increase in the UK’s nuclear arsenal and immoral change in nuclear weapons’ policy and by committing his government to taking further steps towards disarmament.

1668Protection of religious minorities in Bangladesh

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 2

Bob Blackman

Jim Shannon

That this House condemns the recent attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh; urges the Government of Bangladesh to take strong steps to tackle the increasing levels of violence against minority Hindu communities in that region and ensure their safety and security; and urges the UK Government to encourage the Government of Bangladesh to put perpetrators of violence against religious minorities in that region on trial as soon as possible.

1669Belarus Freedom Day 2021

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 4

Margaret Ferrier

Jonathan Edwards

Patricia Gibson

Jim Shannon

That this House extends its greetings to the Belarusian people and Belarusians in the UK on the occasion of Freedom Day on the 25 March 2021; notes that Freedom Day commemorates the proclamation of the independence of the Belarusian People's Republic in 1918, the first independent and democratic Belarusian state; recognises the importance of that date for Belarusians in Belarus and around the world; expresses its admiration for the Belarusian people, who have protested continually demanding free and fair elections since August 2020; affirms its support for a sovereign and democratic Belarus; and expresses its hopes that the Belarusian people can celebrate the next Freedom Day in a free and democratic Belarus.

1670Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of The Indomitables' 1946 British Lions Rugby League tour of Australia and New Zealand

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 2

Judith Cummins

Jim Shannon

That this House celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the The Indomitables' 1946 British Lions Rugby League tour of Australia and New Zealand, where that team won the Ashes against Australia scoring 2 to 0 in the first major sporting series played abroad by a British side in any sport after the Second World War; notes that that team still remains the most successful Great Britain tour team of all time, a side which was graced by Rugby League greats including, Salford Centre and Captain Gus Risman, Widnes scrum-half Tommy McCue as vice-captain and Trevor Foster MBE of Bradford Northern.

1671Lilli McCullagh and competition for young writers

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 3

Kenny MacAskill

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

That this house congratulates Lilli McCullagh, from Humble Primary School, for winning the 2020 My Twist on a Tale competition for young writers; notes that Lilli’s story, Gone with the Windy-Pops features a character based on the well-loved local community hero, Al Beck, who passed away in September; echoes author and judge Jemma Wallace's comments on the story; and wishes Lilli luck in her future writing endeavours.

1672Aviation workers and green jobs

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 9

Caroline Lucas

Clive Lewis

Wera Hobhouse

Claire Hanna

Alan Brown

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House notes with concern the tens of thousands of redundancies in UK airports despite £7bn of public support and the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CRJS) a year ago; further notes that towns near airports such as Crawley, Luton and Slough experienced some of the highest rates of CRJS claims and unemployment; notes that passenger numbers are not expected to recover until 2024; welcomes the report, A Green New Deal for Gatwick, by PCS, Green House and Green New Deal UK, which found 16,000 green jobs could be created through investment in the Gatwick Diamond region; recognises that the transition to a prosperous zero carbon economy requires huge amounts of work, from insulating homes to green energy, restoring nature to health and care, expanding public transport to advancing a circular economy; recognises the wealth of skills of aviation workers and the overwhelming case for public investment to provide the opportunities and financial security needed for them to move into new roles if they desire; notes that the estimated public cost of creating 16,000 green jobs is comparable to Gatwick’s share of the 12-month Air Passenger Duty suspension called for by Airlines UK and that it would create twice the jobs in Gatwick as the latter would sustain for the whole of the UK; and urges the Government to invest urgently and at scale in secure green jobs and a just transition, supporting aviation workers in line with its ambition for a green recovery.

1673Oban residents' donations to First Aid 4 Gambia

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 2

Brendan O'Hara

Jim Shannon

That this House thanks Oban residents for their generous donations to First Aid 4 Gambia; highlights the fantastic work done by that charity and the founding trustee and chairman of that charity, Bill Nelson; notes that local people from Oban donated first aid supplies such as walkers, wheelchairs, crutches and walking sticks, which will be donated to the Edward Francis Teaching Hospital in Banjul, Gambia; further thanks the organisers of the Oban Give and Get Free Facebook page for promoting First Aid 4 Gambia and for encouraging donations to that charity.

1674Fundraising for the Royal British Legion Industries

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 3

Brendan O'Hara

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

That this House commends Lochgilphead police officer, Stuart Charnock, and his daughter Abby for raising awareness for the thousands of veterans who are currently homeless in the UK; congratulates Stuart for raising money for the Royal British Legion Industries, a charity which provides employability services to the disabled and disadvantaged in the armed forces community; and wishes both Stuart and Abby well on their fundraising efforts for the Royal British Legion Industries.

1675National Police Aviation Service

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 2

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

This House notes with concern that fixed wing aircrafts purchased by the National Police Aviation Service (NPAS) at a cost of £10 million to replace helicopters are to be decommissioned because they are unsuitable for policing requirements; further notes that before the creation of NPAS, police forces in Wales and England operated individual force services and that Dyfed Powys police force was the first to operate a dedicated helicopter support provision; notes reported concern among individual police forces in relation to the effectiveness of the pooled service and that flying hours per year have nearly halved since NPAS was created, from 29,840 hours in 2010 to 16,833 hours in 2018; recognises that Scotland and Northern Ireland have been able to maintain their dedicated helicopter services as policing is devolved in those nations; calls on the Home Secretary to urgently review the adequacy of the £42 million per annum NPAS budget and the effectiveness of the pooled service with a view to returning to individual force provisions; and further calls on the UK Government to devolve policing to Wales so that policing policy in Wales is based on the interests of Welsh citizens and communities.

1676Immigration

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 14

John McDonnell

Claudia Webbe

Jeremy Corbyn

Beth Winter

Kate Osborne

Ian Mearns

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Immigration (Guidance on Detention of Vulnerable Persons) Regulations 2021 (S.I., 2021, No. 184), dated 23 February 2021, a copy of which was laid before this House on 25 February 2021, be annulled.

167730th anniversary of Sir John Major’s safe haven in and no-fly zone over the Kurdistan Region

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 3

Robert Halfon

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the importance for relations between the UK and the Kurdistan Region in Iraq of the 30th anniversary of Sir John Major pioneering a safe haven and no-fly zone over Iraqi Kurdistan; believes that that has saved many Kurds from the genocidal vengeance of Saddam Hussein, provided a golden opportunity to form the institutional foundations of the modern Kurdistan Region that would probably not exist otherwise and gifted the world a decent, religiously pluralistic, and tolerant Kurdistan that has proved a vital ally in resisting Daesh and extremism; further recognises that Sir John’s advocacy of a safe haven in a few hectic weeks in March to April 1991 was a fitting response to the pleas of Iraqi Kurds marooned in the sanctuary of the freezing mountains and in neighbouring countries following their legitimate uprising against a dictator who committed genocide against them in the late 1980s; praises the outcry and organised generosity of the British public who sent tons of provisions to the Kurdistanis and who, together with astute lobbying by Kurdistanis in the UK, provided the moral pressure that enhanced Sir John’s far-reaching actions, which were joined by countries including France and the USA; thanks all British and other military personnel who participated in the 12-year operation to protect Kurdistanis; and proudly marks this milestone as an example of moral and pragmatic statesmanship combined with public concern and Kurdistani appeals for international action.

1678100th Anniversary of Andrew Watson’s death

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 14

Gavin Newlands

Ian Blackford

Alison Thewliss

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Anne McLaughlin

Brendan O'Hara

That this House commemorates the 100th anniversary of the death of Andrew Watson, the world’s first black footballer who began his football career at Maxwell FC, based at Queen’s Park in Glasgow; notes his subsequent move to Parkgrove FC based at Trinidad Park, adjacent to today’s Ibrox Stadium, alongside Robert Walker, another pioneering black footballer in the early years of the game; celebrates his 3 caps for Scotland in 1881 and 1882 making Andrew the first black international player; applauds his key role in inflicting a 6-1 defeat against England at The Oval, still recognised as England's biggest ever home loss; acknowledges his position as Match Secretary at Parkgrove, making him the first black football administrator; recognises his time subsequently spent playing for Queen’s Park, the pre-eminent Scottish football team of their day and the pre-eminent club in the development of football; notes his move to London where he became the first black player in the English FA Cup and a regular in the Corinthians team and his subsequent move to Bootle FC where he became the first black professional player; and commends the work of historians over recent decades who have diligently unearthed the story of Andrew Watson’s unique place in the development of world football.

167950th Anniversary of Bangladesh Independence

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 3

Bob Blackman

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

That this House commemorates the 50th anniversary of the independence of Bangladesh; recalls the support from the UK for that country's independence; remembers the victims of atrocities by the Pakistan army in that country's war of independence; welcomes developments in Bangladesh demonstrating the restoration of the rule of law and the institutionalisation of democracy; and calls on the UK Government and other members of the international community to continue to support the Bangladeshi Government in areas of economic and social development.

1680Israeli permit system: children and parents in Gaza

Tabled: 22/03/21 Signatories: 10

Kim Johnson

Dr Philippa Whitford

Paula Barker

Rachel Hopkins

Navendu Mishra

Mr Alistair Carmichael

That this House condemns the inhumane practice of separation of children in Gaza who need medical treatment from outside the Strip from their parents, who are routinely denied accompanier passes by Israel; notes that since January 2018, Physicians for Human Rights Israel has assisted over 130 children including breastfed babies who needed to exit Gaza for medical treatment whose parents were not granted permits so could not be by their side during operations, chemotherapy and other treatments; further notes that as of October 2020, COGAT representatives noted in the Knesset that 40 per cent of children exited for medical treatment without their parents; it expresses profound concern at the serious psychological and physical implications for the children and the violation of their right to health; adds its voice to calls from the Physicians for Human Rights Israel, UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the European Academy of Pediatrics, the International Society of Social Pediatrics and Child Health and others to ensure that every child exiting Gaza will be accompanied by at least one of their parents and be able to access treatment in a speedy manner; and calls on the Government to use its multilateral and bilateral relations with Israel and do everything in its power to ensure it upholds its commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to end its horrific ongoing separation of sick children from their parents.