Contents

Published: Tuesday 22 June 2021

Early Day Motions tabled on Monday 21 June 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

217Bereavement support payment, widowed parent's allowance and cohabitees

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House calls for the extension of the Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent's Allowance to people who were cohabiting but were not married or in a civil partnership; notes that judgments from the matter of an application by Siobhan Mclaughlin for Judicial Review (Northern Ireland) [2018] UKSC 48 and R (Jackson & Others) v SSWP [2020] EWHC 183, found that denying co-habiting parents the payments constitutes a breach of human rights and is not a proportional means of promoting marriage; further notes it has been nearly a year since the Government outlined its intention to take forward a Remedial Order to remove the incompatibilities of an extension from the legislation governing Bereavement Support Payment Widowed Parent’s Allowance; and calls on the Government to swiftly fulfil the judgments of the courts to fix this manifestly unjust situation which affects some 2,000 families with children annually.

218Israel and Palestine

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Debbie Abrahams

That this House expresses its profound concern at recent events in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel; welcomes the ceasefire which began on 21 May 2021; calls for every effort to be made to end all attacks and forms of aggression, address the underlying causes and hold those responsible fully accountable; recognises that genuine calm and de-escalation can only be achieved with the full realisation of Palestinian rights and the end of Israel’s systematic discrimination against Palestinians in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territory; and calls on the UK Government to work to end the 54 years of occupation and 14 years of the blockade of the Gaza Strip, lift the blockade of Gaza and allow the free flow of goods both way and ensure the tunnels under the Gaza-Egyptian border are closed off permanently with international monitoring, strengthen support for UNRWA and work with international partners to put it on a sustainable long-term financial footing to ensure the dignity of Palestinian refugees until such a time as a just and sustainable solution is achieved, work to ensure the holding of free and fair Presidential and Parliamentary Palestinian elections throughout the occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem, end Israel’s systematic discrimination against Palestinians including its own Palestinian citizens, ensuring all mob attacks are fully investigated and use every diplomatic method to bring about a peace process that can resolve this conflict on the basis of international law, justice and the end of all discrimination to ensure a secure and lasting peace.

219Protection of seals

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Tracey Crouch

That this House calls on the Government to bring forward proposals to amend the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 to make it an offence committed if a person (or a third party controlled by the person, including but not limited to; dogs, drones or vessels) intentionally or recklessly kills, injures, takes, disturbs or harasses a seal; recognises the importance of making legislation on disturbance of seals consistent with that for whales and dolphins; notes that seals, like nesting seabirds, are even more vulnerable to disturbance because of their need to rest, digest, moult, socialise and pup on land; further notes that disturbance includes all actions that change a seal’s behaviour or its environment, affecting its wellbeing or survival prospects; understands that seals are highly mobile marine species that swim from site to site and need protection to follow them anywhere around the UK; recognises that such an amendment to existing legislation would have protected Freddie the seal in the River Thames, who regrettably died following a dog attack in 2021; further recognises that seals make a positive contribution to local economies, providing ecosystem and health and wellbeing benefits; and further calls on the Government to amend existing legislation and continue to work with local authorities and seal conservation and welfare organisations to help educate the public on the importance of protecting the UK's globally rare and native species.

220Meeting between parliamentarians and Julian Assange

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 14

Richard Burgon

Mr David Davis

Ms Diane Abbott

Caroline Lucas

Tommy Sheppard

John McDonnell

That this House expresses its concern at the refusal of the UK Government and prison authorities to allow an online video meeting between Julian Assange and a cross-party group of British parliamentarians; notes that the request was first made in December 2020 in a letter signed by 17 British parliamentarians from four parties; believes parliamentarians must be allowed to discuss important issues relating to press freedoms and the UK-US Extradition Treaty with interested parties; and calls on the Government to facilitate this meeting between Julian Assange and a cross-party group of parliamentarians.

221Heavy Goods Vehicle Driver Shortages

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes with concern that the transport industry currently estimates the labour shortages of Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers to be between 60,000 and 76,000; recognises that whilst shortages are a longstanding issue, a combination of factors have exacerbated the situation and led to the current crisis point; these factors include the increasing number of retiring drivers, restrictions to vocational driving tests during the pandemic impacting the industry’s ability to train and recruit new drivers, and the loss of EU drivers due to uncertainty over their future rights to live and work in the UK; is concerned that haulage businesses have thousands of HGVs parked up because there are no drivers to drive them and that statistics released by the Road Haulage Association show that, as a result, lead times for deliveries have extended from an average of 24 hours to more than 80 hours; is further concerned about the knock on impact on supply chains; and calls on the UK Government to urgently add HGV drivers to the Shortage Occupation List.

222Anti-Asian hate crime

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Deidre Brock

That this House congratulates the British Born Young Talent Association (BBYTA) on holding its recent seminar on Conversations on Anti-Asian Hate; notes from the seminar that many of our Asian communities, in the wake of covid-19, have experienced an increase in hate crime; appreciates BBTYA raising awareness of such an important matter; condemns racism; and encourages people to report such incidents to the police.

223Apple Daily and freedom of speech in Hong Kong

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Andrew Rosindell

That this House notes its concern over the recent arrests of a further five employees of Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily on the suspicion of national security violations; recognises the importance of a free, open and robust media for holding the powerful to account and is concerned that these arrests mean that such a media no longer exists in Hong Kong; condemns the Hong Kong authorities for using the national security law to target Hongkongers who support democracy and human rights; welcomes those Hongkongers who have arrived in the UK to make a new life for themselves and to escape the brutality of the Chinese Communist Party; and commends the bravery and resilience of those Hongkongers who continue to fight for the freedom of their homeland.

224Independent Bookshop Week 2021

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Sarah Olney

That this House celebrates Independent Bookshop Week 2021, which takes place from 19 to 26 June; notes the role of independent bookshops in sustaining and cultivating reading habits and enhancing literary skills; further notes the financial contribution that independent bookshops make to the UK’s creative economy, and acknowledges the flexible and well-paid jobs they deliver; recognises that bricks-and-mortar booksellers are responsible for the discovery of some 21 per cent of all consumer book purchases and promote a diverse and robust publishing industry by supporting new writers and less well-known books; highlights the role that independent bookshops play in providing a safe community-filled space; believes independent bookshops generate footfall on our high streets by bringing people together through book clubs, book signings and other events; laments the danger that large online retailers pose to independent bookshops; and calls on the Government to urgently recognise the social value and cultural importance of independent bookshops.

225EU Settlement Scheme

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 3

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

That this House is concerned that many resident EU citizens may lose their rights to live and work in the UK following the June 30 2020 deadline of the EU Settlement Scheme; notes that over 5 million applications have been made to the Scheme, over 90,000 coming from people in Wales; further notes that as the Government does not know the precise numbers of eligible people, it is not possible to know how many have not yet registered; acknowledges the barriers that some EU citizens and non-EU family members face in obtaining settled status, including a lack of awareness or understanding, misconceptions regarding the application process, difficulties evidencing residency or identity and confusion around deadlines; recognises that eligible applicants may lose their rights if their case is unresolved beyond 30 June 2020 and that this will likely impact upon vulnerable applicants with complicated cases; and calls on the Government to extend the application deadline beyond June 30, ensuring that nobody loses their current rights and fulfilling its commitment to fair treatment for all resident EU nationals in the UK as outlined in the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.

226The protection of black bears in Asia

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Andrew Rosindell

That this House commends the work of Animals Asia Foundation in their campaign to protect Black Bears in Asia; is horrified by the pain caused to the bears when the bile is drained from them and appalled that the bears are kept for years in rusting, cramped cages with no room to stand up or turn around; welcomes the fact that the sale of Traditional Chinese Medicines containing bile from these Bears is illegal in Britain; and calls upon the Government to ensure that the law against the sale of these medicines in the United Kingdom is properly enforced.

227Alternative student finance

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 4

Stephen Timms

Alison Thewliss

Caroline Lucas

Mohammad Yasin

That this House notes that a significant number of Muslim young people do not take up a university place because the only student finance available involves payment of interest; notes that former Prime Minister David Cameron pledged in October 2013 at the World Islamic Economic Forum in London that the UK would introduce alternative student finance so that never again should a Muslim in Britain feel unable to go to university because they cannot get a loan simply because of their religion; further notes that in 2014, the Government announced following a consultation that it would provide Alternative Student Finance based on the takaful model; regrets that this commitment has still not been delivered; and calls on the Government to reaffirm its commitment to providing alternative student finance, and to announce a clear timetable for delivering it in time for the 2022-3 academic year.

228Dr Sulaiman Tameer and animal welfare in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 1

Robert Halfon

That this House commends the determination of Dr Sulaiman Tameer, a vet from Duhok and founder of the Kurdistan Organization for Animal Rights Protection, to advance animal welfare legislation, as recently detailed by Joanne Stocker-Kelly for the Guardian newspaper; notes growing political support for him in the Kurdistan Region, which lacks a ban, for instance, on dog fighting and any standards for slaughterhouses; further notes that Dr Tameer’s proposals echo the UK’s animal welfare principles of upholding protection from hunger and thirst, discomfort; pain, injury or disease, the freedom to express normal behaviour, and freedom from fear and distress; and believes that Dr Tameer’s pioneering work illustrates the willingness, in difficult circumstances, of the Kurdistan Region to overcome various legacies of its past.

229The BBC One drama Time

Tabled: 21/06/21 Signatories: 6

Liz Saville Roberts

Dan Carden

Paula Barker

Ian Byrne

Kim Johnson

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates the creators, cast and crew of the BBC One drama Time for shining a much-needed spotlight on the poor conditions endured by prisoners and prison staff; praises the authenticity and originality of this mini-series and the mesmerising but distressing way it highlights the extreme challenges facing anyone living or working in a prison; welcomes the resulting increased public interest in this critical component of our criminal justice system and the growing understanding that, unlike redemption, rehabilitation is impossible within violent and squalid prisons; and urges Ministers to watch Time, available on iPlayer, and to use shifting public opinion as an opportunity to take all necessary steps to minimise violence and other harm against prisoners and prison staff, starting with urgent investment to raise the level of prison officer experience, which has fallen every year since 2012.

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.

176Racism in football

Tabled: 9/06/21 Signatories: 27

Clive Lewis

Navendu Mishra

Caroline Lucas

Liz Saville Roberts

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Ian Byrne

That this House applauds England football manager Gareth Southgate and his players for their principled opposition to racism; stands in solidarity with all football players and supporters who have been subjected to racism, while participating in the sport they love or in other areas of their life; recognises that those players and their manager are role models for the entire country and that their actions have a large impact on wider society; believes taking the knee to be an honourable and important act, worthy of such role models; thanks players, supporters and those in the wider football community and industry who have stood and will continue to stand against all forms of racism; condemns the booing by some fans of those that take the knee for the blatant racism it is and applauds the majority of fans who do not boo; calls on those in football management, media, sponsorship, breweries and pub landlords to stand up as anti-racists and take a robust approach to that behaviour; wishes Gareth Southgate and the England team every success in the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020 tournament; and calls on the Prime Minister to make a statement in support of anti-racism in football.

177End the young parent penalty

Tabled: 10/06/21 Signatories: 31

Wendy Chamberlain

Claire Hanna

Kim Johnson

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Christine Jardine

Wera Hobhouse

That this House notes that there are 1.8 million single parents across the UK, with nearly half of all children in single parent families living in poverty; further notes the particular impact of Covid-19 on single parents who are both the carer and income generator for their family; believes that all single parent families should receive appropriate support from the UK Government; regrets that young single parent families under the age of 25 have to claim Universal Credit at a lower rate than those aged 25 or over; further notes that until the introduction of Universal Credit in 2013 young single parent families were entitled to the higher rate of standard allowance in recognition of the cost of caring for a child alone and that this exemption still exists for claimants of legacy benefits; and urges the UK Government to end this Young Parent Penalty and reinstate the exemption for all young single parent families.

179Protect access to cash

Tabled: 10/06/21 Signatories: 15

Neale Hanvey

Claire Hanna

Wera Hobhouse

John McDonnell

Mohammad Yasin

Kenny MacAskill

That this House believes that the UK Government should implement legislation to protect access to cash a priority in this Parliamentary session as part of a proactive campaign to ensure that vulnerable people are not disproportionately affected by the move towards a cashless society.

180Pet theft reform

Tabled: 10/06/21 Signatories: 20

Dr Lisa Cameron

Allan Dorans

Wera Hobhouse

John McDonnell

Chris Law

Mohammad Yasin

That this House notes with concern the recent increase in dog thefts and associated violence; acknowledges the unprecedented levels of demand for canine companionship during the covid-19 pandemic, resulting in inflated dog prices; recognises that people have an exceptionally powerful bond with their pets, regarding them as priceless, irreplaceable family members; is aware that dogs are stolen by organised gangs and opportunistic thieves, and regardless of the perpetrator, the likelihood of being caught, charged and prosecuted is very low; notes that the intrinsic value and welfare of stolen pets is not taken into account with sentencing, and pet theft is not regarded as a specific offence in current legislation; further acknowledges the campaigning work on this issue by Dr Daniel Allen, Debbie Matthews, the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance and the Pet Theft Reform Coalition; welcomes the formation of the Pet Theft Taskforce which works with police, law enforcement, and experts to understand and tackle pet theft, considering the issue from end to end (including causes, prevention, reporting, enforcement and prosecution); urges the UK Government to make pet theft a specific offence with a sentence which is proportionate to the harm caused to pet owners and the impact on pet welfare.

187UK City of Culture changes

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 8

Mr Gregory Campbell

Gavin Robinson

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Sir Mike Penning

Wera Hobhouse

Jim Shannon

That this House notes recent changes being introduced for future City of Culture bids; acknowledges the significant benefits that can accrue for successful Cities; recognises that previous winners such as Londonderry the first ever UK City of Culture, Hull and Coventry were all recognised as locations that raised the profile of local people, the wider area and increased a sense of pride in showcasing their districts to a much wider audience; and expresses the hope that future regions bidding for the title will be able to maximise the benefits for all their citizens.

188Sustainability in national curriculum

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 14

Mr Barry Sheerman

Dr Lisa Cameron

Kenny MacAskill

Wera Hobhouse

Ed Davey

Mohammad Yasin

That this House considers best practice from across the United Kingdom and globally in terms of integrating sustainability into the national curriculum; recognises that the environmental challenges that we face require young people across the United Kingdom to be made more aware of the threats from climate change, environmental degradation, resource scarcity and air quality and educated in how communities can play a role facing the challenges of the future; further recognises that the education of our young people in the subject area of sustainability will assist considerably in the transition to the ‘green economy’ of the future; urges the Government to undertake an urgent and far-reaching review into the benefits of embedding the subject area of sustainability into the national curriculum; and further urges the Government to take the steps essential to ensure that young people are made aware of the environmental challenges our planet faces and are fully prepared for the transition of our country to a radically different sustainable model.

189Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 12

Layla Moran

Wera Hobhouse

Margaret Ferrier

Chris Stephens

Caroline Lucas

Jamie Stone

That this House notes that 4 June marks the 32nd anniversary of the 1989 brutal suppression of peaceful human rights and pro-democracy activists in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in which thousands died or were wounded; recognises that to this day, the family members of the victims are seeking justice for their loved ones; expresses alarm that for the first time since 1990, there was no organised in-person vigil in Hong Kong to commemorate the massacre, as the public was warned that anyone attending the vigil could face up to five years in prison; condemns the Chinese Communist Party’s continued violation of the human rights of the Chinese people; expresses concern that the human rights situation in China has rapidly deteriorated under president Xi Jinping; expresses further concern that in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, over one million Uyghurs, Kazakhs and members of other ethnic groups have been detained in re-education camps since 2017 without charge, and numerous reports have emerged from the camps of torture, ill-treatment, forced labour, systematic rape and forced sterilisation; further condemns the Chinese government's continued actions to undermine the human rights to freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly as laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and urges the Government to press the Chinese government in public and in private to end human rights violations in the country.

190Rental reform

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 11

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Apsana Begum

Jonathan Edwards

Paula Barker

Chris Stephens

Claudia Webbe

That this House welcomes the announcement in the 2021 Queen's Speech for greater protection of tenants; notes that the 2019 and 2018 Queen's Speeches contained a commitment to abolish Section 21 of the Housing Act which allows for a no-fault eviction; further notes that an estimated 694,000 private tenants have been served with Section 21 notices since the pandemic started; and calls on the Government to bring forward a bill to abolish Section 21 and provide a legal framework for more secure tenancies while also providing for more adequate avenues for dispute resolution and access to justice.

191Loneliness Awareness Week and the digital divide faced by people with a learning disability

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 14

Sir Mark Hendrick

Sir Mike Penning

Wera Hobhouse

Mohammad Yasin

Jonathan Edwards

Andrew Gwynne

That this House recognises Loneliness Awareness Week, running from 14 to 18 June; commends the charity Hft’s recent Sector Pulse Check 2020 research that highlights the digital barriers which made it difficult for people who have a learning disability to remain in touch with others during the covid-19 outbreak; encourages the Government to take steps to close the digital divide to ensure people who have a learning disability have the opportunity to make and maintain friendships through digital means; and urges the Government to set out explicit actions it will take in response to those digital barriers as part of its Loneliness Strategy.

192Refugee Week 2021

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 14

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Jamie Stone

Layla Moran

Kenny MacAskill

Wera Hobhouse

Ed Davey

That this House supports Refugee Week 2021, which takes place from 14 to 20 June with the theme entitled We Cannot Walk Alone; notes that there are an estimated 26 million refugees and 4 million asylum seekers around the world today; further notes that the UK has a proud history of providing sanctuary to those in need, and believes that this tradition must be upheld; further believes that providing refugees with safe and legal routes to the UK is the best way to combat people smuggling and human trafficking and to prevent desperate people from making dangerous attempts to cross the Channel or the Mediterranean; notes with concern that only 353 refugees were resettled in the UK in 2020-21, 93 percent fewer than the previous year; regrets that the Government has not made a new commitment to relocate unaccompanied refugee children from elsewhere in Europe following the closure of the scheme under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 in July 2020; and calls on the Government to urgently make a new long-term commitment to resettle 10,000 vulnerable refugees in the UK each year, as well as a further 10,000 refugee children from elsewhere in Europe over the next 10 years.

193The fur trade in the UK

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 12

Tracey Crouch

Sir Mike Penning

Wera Hobhouse

Sir Greg Knight

Mohammad Yasin

Jonathan Edwards

That this House welcomes the Call for Evidence on the fur trade in the UK; urges the Government to introduce legislation to ban the import and sale of fur in the UK having first banned fur farms more than 20 years ago, something that is possible now that the UK has left the European Union; believes that, in view of the UK’s recognition that fur is too cruel to be farmed here, logically it is also too cruel to be sold here; welcomes the suggestion of such a law in the Government's recent Action Plan for Animal Welfare; acknowledges recent polling showing 72% of the British public welcome a fur sales ban; recognises the widespread political support for a ban on real fur sales and imports; further notes the link between Covid-19 and fur farms reported by the WHO in February 2021 which has resulted in millions of mink being culled across the world over the last year; and believes that a fur import and sales ban represents a significant opportunity for the UK to be a world leader in animal welfare.

194Reductions in funding for conflict, peacebuilding and stabilisation efforts

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 17

Chris Law

Kenny MacAskill

Allan Dorans

Jonathan Edwards

Navendu Mishra

Paula Barker

That this House regrets the £896 million funding cut to organisations that assist the Governments work on conflict, peacebuilding and stabilisation efforts; notes that these cuts effect the most unstable and impoverished conflict zones in the world including Syria, South Sudan, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Yemen; is concerned that the cuts will have a ripple effect on organisations and communities ability to address the causes and consequences of insecurity; recognises that this will ruin the chance of hundreds of thousands to live safer lives; acknowledges that these cuts go against the objective set out in the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign policy which aims to support open societies and defend human rights and tackle conflict and instability; and calls on the Government to meet its key security objectives, abide by its manifesto promise and legal commitment to spend 0.7 percent of GNI on ODA, and reverse the funding cuts to conflict zones.

195Royal Yacht Britannia

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 12

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Wera Hobhouse

Jonathan Edwards

Paula Barker

Patrick Grady

That this House recognises the suffering that reductions in the UK aid budget will cause; acknowledges that the Government plans to go ahead with proposals for a new Royal Yacht despite continued controversy; further recognises that the Government confirmed they would return aid spending to the regular 0.7 per cent of GNI commitment when it was fiscally prudent to do so; is shocked to see priority being given to a vanity project whilst reducing aid spending; further acknowledges that any Official Development Assistance spent on the Royal Yacht would be depriving deserving projects of much needed funds; and urgently calls on the Government to confirm that no funding for the new Royal Yacht will come out of the international aid budget.

198Government review of NHS eating disorder services

Tabled: 14/06/21 Signatories: 9

Sir George Howarth

Wera Hobhouse

Jonathan Edwards

Paula Barker

Chris Stephens

Mick Whitley

That this House expresses strong concern at the lack of a coherent and effective approach to eating disorders in the UK; notes the impact of calorie labelling and other anti-obesity measures on those with eating disorders; further notes with dismay the increasing number of incidences of people experiencing eating disorders during the course of the Covid-19 pandemic; and calls on the Government to review NHS eating disorder services to ensure that resources are prioritised to help all those with eating disorders.

200Christian persecution in Nigeria

Tabled: 15/06/21 Signatories: 9

Jim Shannon

Bob Blackman

Paul Girvan

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Sir Mike Penning

Caroline Lucas

That this House notes the recent report by Intersociety Rule of Law which stated that 1,470 Christians were murdered and over 2,200 were abducted by jihadists in the first four months of 2021 in Nigeria; further notes the increase in Blasphemy cases in Northern Nigeria resulting in long prison sentences; and calls upon the Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to engage with the Nigerian Government to apply diplomatic pressure to acknowledge the scale of the persecution and address this persecution with definitive action.

201Low carbon homes, community buildings and churches

Tabled: 15/06/21 Signatories: 8

John Cryer

Claudia Webbe

Mick Whitley

Jim Shannon

Caroline Lucas

Dame Angela Eagle

That this House notes the delay to the Heat and Buildings Strategy; further notes the delay to the Future Homes Standard, the withdrawal of funding for the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme, and the discontinuation of the Renewable Heat Incentive; and encourages the Government to come forward urgently with comprehensive plans for low carbon homes, community buildings and churches, which would support job creation and greater working in the green energy sector.

202Zero-carbon domestic renewables

Tabled: 15/06/21 Signatories: 10

Tim Farron

Layla Moran

Kenny MacAskill

Jim Shannon

Caroline Lucas

Claire Hanna

That this House recognises the UK's legal commitment to reduce carbon emissions, including those from domestic dwellings, to Net Zero by 2050; further notes that 30% of UK carbon dioxide emissions are from domestic dwellings; recognises that micro-generation of home grown energy and heating is vital to reach the Net Zero target; further recognises that VAT currently imposed on domestic renewables including Solar PV, Solar Thermal, Air and Ground/Water Source Heat Pumps, and further energy efficiency measures has previously been a legal requirement stipulated by EU Regulations; considers that leaving the EU provides an opportunity to review VAT on zero-carbon domestic renewables, installations, and energy efficiency measures; and calls on the Government to rate all VAT on zero-carbon domestic renewable products, installations, associated heating systems, and retrofitting energy efficiency measures, at 0% VAT for a period of 10 years, making Zero Carbon equal Zero VAT.

203Australian trade deal

Tabled: 15/06/21 Signatories: 25

Tim Farron

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

Andrew Gwynne

Kenny MacAskill

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes the prospective agreement of a trade deal with Australia; expresses strong concern at the potential implications of any deal on British farmers; asks that farmers across the country are properly consulted; further asks that MPs are given the time to adequately read, scrutinise and debate the agreement; and calls on the Government to bring forward a motion to Parliament on any negotiated trade deal.

204Business support after delaying Stage 4 of the covid-19 roadmap

Tabled: 15/06/21 Signatories: 18

Caroline Lucas

John McDonnell

Wera Hobhouse

Mick Whitley

Kenny MacAskill

Jonathan Edwards

This House believes the decision to delay Stage 4 of the coronavirus roadmap until 19 July 2021 was, regrettably, the right one; recognises that this will be difficult for our constituents and for businesses that continue to be affected by restrictions on their ability to operate; welcomes the support the Treasury has provided to businesses and the self employed to date; calls on the Treasury to recognise that there is a strong case for further support to protect specific sectors of our economy; therefore calls on the Government to retain full furlough, self-employed income support, and full business rates relief, for at least six-months, removing the rateable value limit on business rates relief; further calls for new sector-specific ‘recovery grants’ with expanded eligibility, the extension of the 5 percent hospitality and tourism VAT rate, a Government-backed Covid-19 events cancellation insurance scheme, an extension of the ban on commercial evictions alongside a moratorium on landlords’ right to collect commercial rent to allow a fair arbitration process to be secured, and consideration to be given to writing of Covid loans for businesses worst affected and for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to be fixed so those groups excluded to date can access support equivalent to that provided through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

205Cabinet Office clearing house and Freedom of Information

Tabled: 15/06/21 Signatories: 28

Navendu Mishra

Grahame Morris

Daisy Cooper

Caroline Lucas

Chris Stephens

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House believes that the Freedom of Information Act (2000) is a landmark piece of legislation which, when properly applied, helps to achieve democratic, public accountability and transparency across government; regrets that, too often, legitimate applications from the public are frustrated, delayed or illegitimately denied; notes that a key principle of the legislation is that requests should be treated in a “applicant-blind” process; further notes with concern indications that the Cabinet Office has been operating a secretive Clearing House, logging and scrutinising the identities of applicants, and withholding information to individuals based on their work as journalists; notes that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office went on public record to call such reports “ridiculous and tendentious”; recognises that in a recent Informational Tribunal ruling, the judge found that arguments presented in court by the Cabinet Office about the controversial Clearing House unit were ‘misleading’ and that there is a “profound lack of transparency about the operation”, which might “extend to ministers”; welcomes the vital investigations being held by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee into these matters, and joins Open Democracy and the National Union of Journalists in calling on the Committee to investigate whether any breach of the Ministerial Code has been committed; and urges that all necessary steps are taken to ensure that Freedom of Information legislation is properly applied and enforced.

206Imperial War Museum redundancies

Tabled: 15/06/21 Signatories: 15

Chris Stephens [R]

John McDonnell

Grahame Morris

Margaret Ferrier

Claudia Webbe

Kate Osborne

That this House notes the recent announcement of 49 redundancies across Visitor Services at the Imperial War Museum and its sister bodies; understands that jobs will be lost at numerous sites including the Churchill War Rooms, Imperial War Museums North and South and HMS Belfast; is aware that the contract for these roles has been outsourced since 2013 with a new contract awarded in January 2021 to ZE Global; is aware that ZE Global took over the Visitor Services contract in April 2021 and announced redundancies four weeks later on May 6th; is concerned that the loss of 49 posts across the estate will not only lead to a significant reduction in expertise and knowledge but will also pose a threat to the safety of those attending each institution; is aware that ZE Global and museum management have conducted a review and drawn up redundancy plans without consulting staff trade unions; and calls on Government to intervene to ensure jobs are retained across the estate and the safety of staff, visitors and exhibits is prioritised.

207Jailing of Darya Polyudova

Tabled: 16/06/21 Signatories: 9

John McDonnell

Jim Shannon

Kate Osborne

Marion Fellows

Carol Monaghan

Claudia Webbe

That this House notes with great concern the jailing of Darya Polyudova leader of the Left Resistance movement in Russia; further notes that on 31 May 2021 the Western District Military Court in Moscow sentenced the 32-year-old activist to six years in a prison colony for postings on social media, with a four-year ban on working in the media, organising mass events or posting information on the internet; notes that human rights organisations including the Memorial Human Rights Centre and Amnesty International consider Polyudova as a prisoner of conscience; notes that Polyudova has consistently opposed Russia’s war against Ukraine and defended of Crimean Tatar and other Ukrainian political prisoners held in occupied Crimea and Russia; considers that she has been peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression; and urges the Russian Federation to release Polyudova without delay.

208Kashmiri Hindus and World Refugee Day

Tabled: 16/06/21 Signatories: 7

Bob Blackman

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Mr Virendra Sharma

Wera Hobhouse

Brendan O'Hara

That this House pays tribute to the resilience of the persecuted minorities, victims of Jehad, living as refugees, fighting for their rights, the world over; empathises with the plight of those people; highlights the special case of Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits) who continue to live as refugees in their own country as their genocide is yet to be acknowledged; urges the Government of India to ensure that the legal recognition of genocide of Kashmiri Hindus is followed by due action to deliver justice to that hard working, resilient community of nation builders; and hopes that the Kashmiri Hindus are able to return to their homeland, Panun Kashmir, and see an end to being refugees in their own country.

209Historical literary documents

Tabled: 16/06/21 Signatories: 5

Mr Barry Sheerman

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

John McDonnell

Mick Whitley

That this House recognises the cultural significance of maintaining historical literary documents within the UK for the enjoyment and education of future generations; notes that the Honresfield collection is set to be auctioned later in 2021; further notes that allowing that collection to move into private ownership hampers scholarly access and removes those documents from the heritage landscape in West Yorkshire; asserts that the Honresfield collection would make an ideal centrepiece collection for the proposed British Library North, a potential cultural hub in the North of England; urges the Government to work in collaboration with The Brontë Society to ensure that that collection remains in its place of origin; and further urges the Government to introduce legislative proposals to establish minimum standards of heritage conservation and curation for items of historical literary significance.

210Scotland coronavirus tracker

Tabled: 16/06/21 Signatories: 5

Brendan O'Hara

Jim Shannon

Marion Fellows

Carol Monaghan

Allan Dorans

That this House commends the work of Dunoon resident John Frace, a student at the University of the Highlands and Islands, who set up the Scottish and UK covid-19 tracking website; recognises John's hard work during the covid-19 pandemic, collating data and statistics on that pandemic, including more recently his tracking of the vaccination programme; congratulates John on his website which has received acclaim from both scientific experts and the wider public, attracting 14.5 million views, with more than 1,000 people logging on every day to see the updates; applauds John's dedication to his Coronavirus tracking website, which he has continued to run alongside his university studies; thanks John for his commitment to providing up to date data and analysis on the pandemic and the recovery; and wishes John every success in his future studies.

212Support for the music sector and the covid-19 roadmap

Tabled: 16/06/21 Signatories: 11

David Warburton

Jim Shannon

Caroline Lucas

Jamie Stone

Kevin Brennan [R]

Paula Barker

That this House notes that stage four of the covid-19 roadmap has been moved from 21 June to 19 July 2021; further notes that many music businesses and freelance workers have been without work since March 2020 and that, in 2020, 70 per cent of musicians lost over three quarters of their work due to covid-19 restrictions; believes that the covid19 outbreak presents a profound challenge to music businesses and music workers in the UK’s world leading music sector; further believes that those workers and businesses are a national asset who will be critical to the recovery; and therefore calls on the Government to match the extension of restrictions with the extension of additional support to the music sector including a Government backed insurance scheme, 100 per cent business rate relief for 2021-22 for businesses in England to match the rate in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, a VAT freeze at five per cent for cultural tickets for 2021-22, additional support for freelancers and an extension to the commercial evictions moratorium.

213Royal Society of Biology's Parliamentary Links Day

Tabled: 16/06/21 Signatories: 4

Stephen Metcalfe

Jim Shannon

Carol Monaghan

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House congratulates The Royal Society of Biology on organizing this year’s Parliamentary Links Day on Tuesday 22 June 2021 on behalf of the science and engineering community; applauds the timely theme of Science and Climate Change; welcomes the Society’s continuing commitment to serve the public interest by improving the access of all Members to scientific information and a better understanding of science; notes the involvement of the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Council for the Mathematical Sciences, British Pharmacological Society, Biochemical Society, Physiological Society, Geological Society, British Ecological Society, Nutrition Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, British Society for Immunology, Anatomical Society, Society for Applied Microbiology, Society for Experimental Biology and many others; notes that the event will be launched by the Deputy Speaker Rt Hon Member for Epping Forest, and will include contributions from the Rt Hon Member for Reading West, the Rt Hon Member for Tunbridge Wells and the Hon Member for Newcastle Central; notes further the contributions from eminent scientists including Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, Monica Dean and Dr Mahvash Siddiqui from the US State Department, and Sunan Jiang from the People’s Republic of China, as well as Sir Patrick Vallance, Government Chief Scientific Adviser; notes that Parliamentary Links Day is an established and respected event on the annual Parliamentary calendar; and welcomes the continuing contribution that Parliamentary Links Day makes to strengthening the dialogue between Parliament and the science and engineering community.

214Retirement of East Lothian teacher Sheila Laing after 45 years' service

Tabled: 17/06/21 Signatories: 3

Kenny MacAskill

Carol Monaghan

Margaret Ferrier

That this House applauds the dedicated work of East Lothian's first virtual headteacher Sheila Laing, who is retiring after 45 years as a teacher; pays tribute to her outstanding supportive and innovative work with care experienced young people; acknowledges the recent challenging time for teachers and their incredible hard work in continuing to provide excellent education and experiences for all of East Lothian pupils throughout the covid-19 outbreak; notes in particular Sheila's commitment to listen and discover what is important to care experienced children and help them find ways to achieve their ambitions; and wishes Sheila a long and happy retirement.

215Windrush Day 2021

Tabled: 17/06/21 Signatories: 29

Helen Hayes

Florence Eshalomi

Caroline Lucas

Sir Peter Bottomley

Paula Barker

Dame Margaret Hodge

That this House notes that 22 June 2021 will be the 73rd anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Dock and the fourth annual Windrush Day; supports the commemorations across the country recognising the immense impact that the Windrush generation has had on the UK's society and culture since 1948; further notes that during the covid-19 outbreak the important role of Windrush citizens and their descendants in the NHS; deeply regrets the Windrush scandal and condemns the suffering caused by the Home Office to Windrush citizens, which led to many being wrongfully deported, losing their homes and livelihoods and being denied access to healthcare and public services; notes the excessive delays in the Windrush Compensation Scheme and the tragic deaths of at least 21 people before their compensation was paid; notes that many Windrush citizens continue to face extreme hardship and trauma as a consequence of their treatment by the Home Office; and calls on the Government urgently to speed up the processing of claims and fully implement the recommendations of the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to provide justice for the Windrush generation and deliver the change in culture, practice and policy that is needed to prevent any future similar scandal.

216Serena Baker, Britain’s best amateur sewer 2021

Tabled: 17/06/21 Signatories: 4

Kirsten Oswald

Marion Fellows

Carol Monaghan

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates former Mearns Castle High School student Serena Baker for gaining the title of Britain’s best amateur sewer by winning the Great British Sewing Bee 2021; applauds Serena for her fantastic final garments, in particular her striking acid yellow tulle evening gown inspired by Villanelle from the BBC TV Series Killing Eve, which stole the show and garnered high praise from the judges; recognises that Serena has made history as the youngest ever champion of the Great British Sewing Bee with top fashion designer Esme Young calling Serena a "really, really, really talented sewer"; celebrates the sewing talent all over East Renfrewshire including local resident Jenn Hogg, a Great British Sewing Bee semi-finalist in 2019 with her memorable scuba fabric tracksuit; recalls the admirable work of volunteers at East Renfrewshire Nifty Home Stitchers who used their sewing skills to make scrubs and washable scrub bags for NHS Scotland keyworkers and for key workers and volunteers supporting the work of IncludeMe2club, Barrhead Rotary Club, Angelic Threads 2020, Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire, and Neilston Development Trust in producing low-cost face coverings; and wishes Serena every success as she finishes her studies in medicine and continues to follow her passion for sewing, knowing that her win will be celebrated at Mearns Castle High School and across East Renfrewshire.