Contents

Published: Wednesday 21 July 2021

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 20 July 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

340Anniversary of bombings in Belfast

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House sadly notes that 21 July 2021 marks the 49th Anniversary of the Bloody Friday Bombings in Belfast by the Provisional IRA; further notes the horrific acts of violence, some of the worst carried out by the IRA, including 20 bombs exploding in the space of 80 minutes, killing nine people and injuring over 130 more; notes the impact Bloody Friday has had on the mental and physical health of many friends and families of those victims to this day; and calls for justice and closure for people affected by those bombings.

341The Death of Father Stan Swamy

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes with sadness and regret the recent passing of Jesuit Priest Father Stan Swamy who died in India at the age of 88 having spent the final nine months of his life in judicial custody; further notes that the anti-terrorism charges on which Father Swamy was arrested created significant international concern; understands that the failure of the Indian Courts to grant bail or provide timely access to medical care may have contributed to Father Swamy’s death; recognises Father Swamy’s lifelong dedication to humanitarian concerns including the rights and protections of minority groups, social justice, and helping those marginalised and disadvantaged; and sends its condolences to his friends and colleagues in their time of grief, may he rest in peace.

342Zimbabwe deportation flight

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 7

Navendu Mishra

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Mohammad Yasin

Paula Barker

Rebecca Long Bailey

Mick Whitley

That this House notes the widespread violation of political and human rights in Zimbabwe; further notes the harassment and detention of political opponents and journalists; recognises that the International Trade Union Congress places Zimbabwe in the 10 worst countries for working people; condemns the ongoing suppression of trade unions; is concerned by reports that the Government plans to deport over 50 Zimbabweans in July; calls on the Government to halt those deportation flights; notes the injustice in the deportation process, particularly given the ongoing pandemic; requests that any assessment that has been made of the political situation in Zimbabwe is made public; and calls on the Government to allow an urgent vote in the House on this subject before the summer recess.

343Aerial glyphosate fumigations in Colombia

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Tony Lloyd

That this House is concerned to learn that the Colombian Government plans to restart aerial glyphosate fumigations; notes the WHO's declaration that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans; recalls that that in 2015, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos suspended fumigations in favour of more effective strategies which would cause less harm to the environment and public health; is aware that numerous civil society organisations have been trying to block glyphosate use, a call echoed by seven UN Special Rapporteurs; is equally concerned that restarting fumigation would explicitly violate the 2016 landmark Peace Agreement between the Colombian Government and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP); knows that the agreement specifies fumigation as a last resort that should only be used if the Colombian Government unable to strike deals with local people on crop substitution; believes that the crop substitution programme outlined in that Peace Agreement has been successful in destroying 45,000 hectares of illegal crop; regrets that only 7 per cent of families of the substitution programme have been financially compensated; questions whether aerial glyphosate fumigations would make a material difference to the supply of cocaine; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Colombian Government, urging them to reconsider their decision.

344Poppyscotland Welfare Centre, Kilmarnock

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Alan Brown

That this House is disappointed that the Poppyscotland Welfare Centre in Kilmarnock is to close and pays tribute to the vital work undertaken by the staff since the premises opened to the public in 2018; appreciates that covid-19 has had an impact on how the centre’s ability to operate; further notes the pressure on finances and that the LIBOR funding awarded was only for a 3 year period, and that the UK Government need to provide more sustainable long term funding for such initiatives; further that this will create another empty unit in Kilmarnock town centre; welcomes that that all staff are being retained to continue their valuable support services for veterans; notes that Poppyscotland have highlighted that since 2016 the charity has seen a 20 per cent increase in people needing support with housing, financial issues, mental health and well-being and mobility meaning that easy access to support services is more important than ever; thanks and recognises the vital work that Poppyscotland and the Royal British legion does to support veterans while acknowledging that in an ideal world veterans would not require to rely on such support, and in the meantime hopes that Poppyscotland and the Royal British Legion continue to flourish and once again coveys thanks to the staff who were based at the Kilmarnock Welfare centre and wishes them all the best in their endeavours going forward providing lifeline support services to veterans.

345Political prisoners in Belarus

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Tony Lloyd

That this House believes there to be 570 political prisoners in Belarus; notes the credible reports of prisoners facing extreme violence, torture, and sexual assault; welcomes the decision by several honourable Members and Noble Lords to act as godparents to Belarusian political prisoners; is aware that the Noble Lord Foulkes has adopted Stepan Latipov, the honourable Member for Rochdale has adopted Darya Chultsova, the honourable Member for North East Fife has adopted Pavel Drozd, the honourable Member for Blaenau Gwent has adopted mDzianis Zhuk, the honourable Member for Edinburgh West has adopted Andrei Aliaksandrau, the honourable Member for Hornsey and Wood Green has adopted Mark Antonau, the honourable Member for West Lancashire has adopted Aliaksandr Drazdou, the honourable Member for Luton South has adopted Anton Lakishyk, the honourable Member for Kingston and Surbiton has adopted Aliaksei Ramanau, the honourable Member for Gower has adopted Kanstantsin Svidunovich, the Noble Lord Russell has adopted Ruslan Akostka, the Noble Baroness Crawley has adopted Dzmitry Zherbutovich, the Noble Baroness Smith has adopted Ryhor Hunko, the Noble Lord Griffiths has adopted Mikita Zalatarou, the Noble Baroness Massey has adopted Andrei Szauczuk, the Noble Baroness Kennedy has adopted Mikita Yemialyianau; encourages other honourable Members and Noble Lords to adopt Belarusian political prisoners; and calls upon the Lukashenka regime to look again at this outrageous and outmoded practice in modern-day Europe of holding political prisoners and to release them urgently.

346Scott Martin's book entitled Before I Forget

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Alan Brown

This this House congratulates Scott Martin, who has self-published a book written during covid titled Before I forget; notes that the book is now on its third print run and that Scott has now raised over £7000 for Alzheimer's Scotland; further that sales have came as far afield as Australia and the United States; that Scott chose this charity as a tribute to his mum, Anne Martin who suffers dementia; that the title of the book is a nod to the effects of dementia and has allowed Scott to commit his marathon running efforts to print before he can forget; recognises the volunteering work that Scott has done for his local running club, Kilmarnock Harriers for over 15 years; notes that as a consequence The Harriers paid a surprise tribute to Scott in recognition of his efforts over the years and particularly his fundraising efforts with the book; congratulates Scott on his many achievements at running, including 10km; half marathons, marathons and cross country running; thanks Alzheimer's Scotland and the many volunteers for the work they do to assist people and families affected by dementia; and calls on the UK Government to make good on their pledges to prioritise funding research into this devastating disease.

347Mark Cavendish: 34 Tour de France stage wins

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Jonathan Edwards

That this House congratulates Mark Cavendish from the Isle of Man on his incredible achievement of winning 34 Tour De France stage victories, equalling the record of the greatest of cyclists Eddie Merckx; notes that Mr Cavendish, nicknamed the Manx Missile, won his first Tour De France stage in 2008; further notes that in this year’s Tour De France, Mr Cavendish won four stages and was labelled the greatest sprinter in the history of cycling by Tour de France Director, Christian Prudhomme; recognises that Mr Cavendish has won over 50 Grand Tour stages during his career; commends Mr Cavendish for the manner in which he has bounced back from adversity and for his resilience and enthusiasm for cycling as a sport; and looks forward to seeing Mr Cavendish return to the Tour de France next year to win further stages and become the record holder for stage victories.

348John Lewis's equal parenthood paid leave policy

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Alison Thewliss

That this House recognises the bold leadership shown by John Lewis in becoming the first UK retailer to introduce six months’ equal parenthood paid leave and two weeks paid leave for any partner who experiences pregnancy loss; notes that progressive practices such as this are crucial to closing the gender pay gap and encouraging less gendered and more diverse opportunities for parents; considers this a vital step in rethinking the workplace which moves society closer to creating a kinder and fairer employment sector; and encourages other business and organisations to follow the example set by John Lewis and to consider implementing similar practices for the benefit of their own workforces.

349The Barras' 100th birthday

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Alison Thewliss

That this House celebrates the 100 year anniversary of The Barras in Glasgow; recognises the market's role in shaping and reflecting Glasgow’s vibrant character and its ability to grow and adapt with a changing city; commemorates Maggie McIver, the Bridgeton native who founded the market in the 1920s and who passed away a multi-millionaire in 1958 having inspired generations of businesswomen; acknowledges the cultural contribution of the world-famous Barrowland Ballroom established in 1934, which has been a place for communities to enjoy good company and good music for generations and has attracted countless world-renowned bands to the city; also acknowledges the success of the recently redeveloped award-winning Barras Art and Design which has offered much needed art space and a place for people to come together in celebration; and looks forward whatever the next 100 years may bring.

350Sholto Carnegie's participation in the Tokyo Olympic Games for Team GB

Tabled: 20/07/21 Signatories: 1

Layla Moran

That this House congratulates Sholto Carnegie, an athlete from Oxford West and Abingdon constituency, for his inclusion in the Team GB Rowing Squad for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games; further congratulates the rest of the Team GB athletes in their selection and wishes them the very best of luck in the Games; acknowledges the hard work and sacrifice many athletes have made during the Covid-19 pandemic; and calls for the safest and most Covid-secure Games possible for the world to enjoy and generations to be inspired by.

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.

290APPG Report on UK funding facilitating human rights abuses in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

Tabled: 7/07/21 Signatories: 21

Brendan O'Hara

Marion Fellows

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Deidre Brock

That this House expresses concern at the findings of the July 2021 report by the APPG on Democracy and Human Rights in the Gulf which shows that at least £53.4 million in public funds have benefited Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states since 2016; is shocked that beneficiaries of UK-funding include institutions in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia accused of facilitating and perpetrating human rights abuses and potential war crimes; is alarmed by the considerable lack of transparency and accountability surrounding the Integrated Activity Fund (IAF), despite the government recommending a root and branch overhaul to strengthen the transparency, accountability and governance of the IAF as early as 2019; is concerned that £10 million has been allocated to GCC states through the IAF’s successor, the Gulf Strategy Fund (GSF), for 2021-22, including support for abusive Bahraini oversight bodies; maintains that funding assistance to those bodies places the Government at risk of complicity in their abuses; raises concern over claims made by Ministers regarding the IAF and GSF; notes serious problems with the Government’s human rights due diligence process which the report finds is flawed, improperly applied and entirely absent in some cases and urges that it should be replaced with binding statutory safeguards; affirms that the Government’s pursuit of closer ties with the region must not come at the expense of human rights; and asks the Government to seriously consider responding to and implementing the report’s recommendations, including suspending the GSF pending an independent investigation.

293Access to cash

Tabled: 7/07/21 Signatories: 49

Marion Fellows

Owen Thompson

Kirsten Oswald

Navendu Mishra

Allan Dorans

Dr Philippa Whitford

That this House recognises the importance of access to cash for the UK population; notes that due to bank branch closures and the loss of free-to-use ATMs across the UK, millions are at risk of losing access to cash; further notes that all communities should be guaranteed a right to cash services including withdrawal and deposits to cash and that these services should be available to the penny and free at the point of use recognising the importance of cash to those most vulnerable and small businesses; supports the services offered by all Post Offices for cash withdrawals and deposits under the current banking framework; further supports the Post Office’s Save Our Cash campaign which highlights the importance of access to cash; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to ensure access to cash is protected by law.

296Access to safe and legal credit

Tabled: 8/07/21 Signatories: 10

Sir David Amess

Chris Stephens

Jonathan Edwards

Wera Hobhouse

John McDonnell

Margaret Ferrier

That this House recognises the serious harm caused by illegal money lending and a lack of access to safe and legal credit; notes the rise in vulnerable women becoming victims of sexual exploitation and being forced into prostitution by loan sharks; further notes that the demise of the home collected credit market will only see an increase in loan sharks forcing vulnerable women into debt bondage; and supports the preservation of legal and regulated credit for vulnerable people.

298VAT on sunscreen

Tabled: 8/07/21 Signatories: 21

Patricia Gibson

Marion Fellows

Chris Stephens

Deidre Brock

John Nicolson

Carol Monaghan

That this House calls for sunscreen to be reclassified as an essential healthcare item and therefore be exempted from VAT, given the important role it plays in preventing serious health conditions such as skin cancer; understands that sunscreen is currently classified as a cosmetic product in the UK and is therefore subject to 20 per cent VAT, which adds around £1.50 to the cost of each bottle; recognises that Cancer Research UK has concluded that being sunburnt once every two years can triple the risk of melanoma skin cancer, and that melanoma skin cancer incidence rates have more than doubled in the UK since the early 1990s; and calls on the Government to therefore take action to remove VAT on this essential product to make it more affordable and to encourage people to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun.

299Pride of Scotland Lifetime Achievement Award awarded to Professor Sir Geoff Palmer

Tabled: 8/07/21 Signatories: 25

Owen Thompson

Marion Fellows

Amy Callaghan

Martin Docherty-Hughes

Chris Stephens

Joanna Cherry

That this House expresses its profound congratulations to Professor Sir Geoff Palmer on being awarded a Pride of Scotland Lifetime Achievement Award; notes that Professor Sir Geoff Palmer has made significant contributions to fields as diverse as brewing and human rights activism; recognises that he discovered the barley abrasion process, which was subsequently adopted by the UK’s biggest breweries; notes that in 1998, he became the fourth person to be honoured with the American Society of Brewing Chemists Award of Distinction; further notes that he became Scotland’s first black professor in 1988 and is now serving as emeritus professor in the School of Life Sciences at Heriot-Watt University as well as the University’s chancellor; understands that he lived in Jamaica until shortly before his fifteenth birthday before moving to England to join his mother, who had moved here as a member of the Windrush generation; commends his role over the past year as a powerful voice in the movement for change prompted by Black Lives Matter, including leading the successful campaign for a reinterpretation of the Melville Monument in Edinburgh honouring Henry Dundas.

300Israel Arms Trade (Prohibition) Bill

Tabled: 8/07/21 Signatories: 30

Richard Burgon

Caroline Lucas

Liz Saville Roberts

Tommy Sheppard

Jeremy Corbyn

Tahir Ali

This House notes that the UK Government has authorised hundreds of millions of pounds worth of arms sales to Israel between 2016 and 2020; believes that the UK Government should end these arms sales as part of efforts to end Israel's militarized repression of Palestinians, violations of international law and the illegal occupation of Palestine; and therefore welcomes the presentation of the Israel Arms Trade (Prohibition) Bill laid on 7 July 2021 that seeks to stop the UK Government from authorising arms sales to Israel.

301Human rights situation in Egypt

Tabled: 12/07/21 Signatories: 9

Margaret Ferrier

Hywel Williams

Kenny MacAskill

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

Jim Shannon

That this House is deeply concerned about continuing serious human rights violations in Egypt, including reports of systematic torture, enforced disappearances, unfair trials and the blatant misuse of counter-terrorism and national security legislation, following the military overthrow of the Morsi Government in July 2013; notes with profound regret that according to Amnesty International, Egypt has become among the top three countries in numbers of executions and death sentences globally, and at least 51 men and women were executed in that country in the first half of 2021, with more executions pending; further notes with alarm the relentless persecution, abuse and false criminalisation of lawyers, journalists, academics, politicians and civil society representatives, and their family members, in an attempt to silence legitimate dissent in Egypt; highlights the arbitrary detention in often harsh conditions of lawyer Mohamed El-Baqer, activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, video reporter Mohamed Ibrahim Radwan, blogger Esraa Abdel Fattah, activist Sanaa Seif, researcher Patrick Zaki, student Ahmed Samir Santawy, and defender of the Coptic Christian minority, Ramy Kamel, who are among hundreds the Egyptian authorities should release immediately and unconditionally; and calls on the Government, further to the joint statement on Egypt co-sponsored in March 2021 at the UN Human Rights Council, to suspend arms exports to and preferential trading arrangements for that country until a moratorium on the death penalty is imposed and prisoners of conscience released, and to apply punitive measures on Egyptian individuals and entities responsible for such gross abuses.

302Twelfth of July celebrations

Tabled: 12/07/21 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Carla Lockhart

Paul Girvan

That this House notes the wonderful community spirit demonstrated in the 12 July 2021 celebrations throughout Northern Ireland; thanks those Orangemen and Orangewomen who so faithfully gather with talented bands to remember and celebrate religious freedom and liberty for all; further thanks all those who organised the smaller routes and parades in deference to the current covid-19 restrictions; and looks forward to the 12 July 2022 as being a safe and loud celebration of culture, heritage, history and hope for the future.

303Congratulations to the England national football team on their Euro 2020 performance

Tabled: 12/07/21 Signatories: 7

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Tim Farron

Andrew Gwynne

Stephen Farry

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House recognises the tremendous boost given to this nation by the victories of the England national football team in the Euro 2020 tournament; thanks each player and staff member of all the home nation football squads for their hard work, grit and determination; congratulates the England team for the wonderful result in bringing the beautiful game home to a final in Wembley and back into young and old hearts throughout the nation; notes the great spectator spirit and wonderful renditions of Sweet Caroline and reminds the English fans that whilst Northern Ireland was happy to offer the loan of our footballing anthem to our brothers for the Euros that we will be taking that anthem back as we all prepare for further victory and glory in the World Cup.

304England national football team Euro 2020 runners up

Tabled: 12/07/21 Signatories: 13

Ed Davey

Tim Farron

Daisy Cooper

Andrew Gwynne

Jamie Stone

Wera Hobhouse

That this House celebrates the incredible achievements of the England men’s football team in the UEFA Euro 2020 championship, reaching the final of a major tournament for the first time in 55 years; expresses deep pride and great respect for the way that team's players and manager conducted themselves on and off the pitch; thanks those players and that manager for the way that they inspired, excited and united the nation after such a difficult 18 months; strongly condemns the racist abuse directed towards that squad’s Black players; and looks forward with anticipation to that team's future success.

305DVLA and Department for Work and Pensions' help for Personal Independence Payment claimants

Tabled: 12/07/21 Signatories: 7

John Nicolson

John McDonnell

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House recognises how difficult, long and arduous form filling can be for people with disabilities, especially when those forms are in hardcopy; and advocates for improved communication between DVLA and the Department for Work and Pensions in order to make the 50 per cent reduction in vehicle tax, for those in receipt of the standard rate mobility component on Personal Independence Payment, an automatic process.

308Dame Carol Black's independent review of drugs

Tabled: 12/07/21 Signatories: 15

Grahame Morris

Kenny MacAskill

Alison Thewliss

Jonathan Edwards

Crispin Blunt [R]

Tommy Sheppard

That this House thanks Professor Dame Carol Black for her comprehensive Independent Review of Drugs, Part 2 which outlines a clear way forward on drug treatment and recovery to bring hope and real change to the many individuals, families and communities whose lives are blighted by drug addiction and by the criminals who exploit it; welcomes her recommendations to achieve this, presented as concrete proposals deliverable within this Parliament; agrees with her analysis that the current situation is intolerable and that a whole-system approach, with cross-departmental co-ordination and commitment, is required; supports her view that substance misuse disproportionately affects our most deprived communities; acknowledges her call for improved pathways from criminal justice settings and for enabling the diversion of drug users into treatment; recognises that, although Part 1 of her review showed that the societal costs of drug misuse are £20 billion each year, in 2020 to 2021 only £650 million was spent on drug treatment; notes that every £1 currently spent on harm reduction and treatment saves £4 from reduced demands on health and justice; endorses her call for significantly increased investment in drug treatment and wider support; further notes her conclusion that ring-fenced, focused funding for treatment is absolutely necessary; notes that drug deaths are at record levels; and calls on the Government to adopt and implement the Review’s recommendations in their entirety.

309England and Euro 2020

Tabled: 12/07/21 Signatories: 35

Mr Clive Betts

Dan Jarvis

Dame Angela Eagle

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Paul Blomfield

Ian Byrne

That this House congratulates the England Football Team, manager Gareth Southgate, the players and all the back room staff for the way that they have represented the country with dignity and commitment; particularly commends that manager, those players and those staff for the clear and demonstrable opposition to racism and discrimination which they have shown before every game and throughout that whole tournament; and believes that they should be proud of themselves as this House is proud of them.

311Racism following the Euro 2020 final

Tabled: 12/07/21 Signatories: 33

Mary Kelly Foy

Andrew Gwynne

Jeremy Corbyn

Grahame Morris

Kate Osborne

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

That this House unequivocally condemns the racist abuse aimed at the England men’s football team after the UEFA European Championship Final on 11 July 2021; notes that 19 year old Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka was forced to take down his Instagram account as a result of that racist abuse; further notes that the mural of 23 year old Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford in Withington was defaced following that match; further condemns the abuse suffered by fans outside the stadium and the violence that broke out before and after that game; recognises the work of Show Racism the Red Card in its 25th anniversary year and supports its call for the Government to hold social media companies and individuals to account; and calls on the Government to display leadership on that issue and to match its rhetoric with action, to tackle the rising threats of online hate crimes and to acknowledge that some Ministerial statements on the booing of taking the knee are incompatible with eradicating racism from all walks of life.

315BBC regional political monitoring of Parliament

Tabled: 14/07/21 Signatories: 12

Ian Mearns

Jim Shannon

Kate Osborne

Paula Barker

Navendu Mishra

John McDonnell

That this House is deeply concerned by proposals to reduce the number of staff working in the BBC Regional Political Unit based at Millbank by over a third; notes that the unit is the eyes and ears of the BBC English regions in Westminster, co-ordinating political newsgathering for the BBC’s early evening regional TV news programme, as well as the regional breakfast, lunchtime and late evening TV bulletins and Sunday political programmes and across all local radio output; further notes that the unit is often the only part of the BBC watching backbench business and adjournment debates where hon. Members can raise important local issues which might not make it onto the national news; fears that such a staff reduction will have an impact on capacity to spotting stories, keeping the regions informed about what their hon. Members are doing and enabling public awareness of questions and contributions from backbench hon. Members; is concerned by BBC management’s failure to identify the activities currently undertaken which will be withdrawn or diminished as a result of staff reductions; fears that such a reduction in staff numbers will substantially reduce the monitoring of backbenchers’ contributions and threaten a substantial fall in the number of local clips of hon. Members speaking in Parliament provided for TV and radio; and therefore calls on the BBC to ensure that it continues to finance a properly staffed Regional Political Unit so that the public can be well-informed on debates in Parliament.

316Legacy of Wyn Jones (Wyn Fflach)

Tabled: 14/07/21 Signatories: 6

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Jim Shannon

Navendu Mishra

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes with great sadness the passing of Wyn Jones, a Welsh musician and producer from Cardigan, at the age of 61; celebrates the legacy of Wyn Jones who, along with his brother Richard, founded the legendary Welsh language new wave band Ail Symudiad in 1978 and Fflach Records, an influential recording company, established in 1981 in the town of Cardigan, that went on to help nurture successive generations of Welsh musical talent and which now boasts a catalogue of more than 400 titles; acknowledges his deep love for the town and people of Cardigan and his passion for the Welsh language and Wales' vibrant culture; and passes on the House’s sincere sympathy to his family and those who knew and loved him.

317Tactile paving

Tabled: 14/07/21 Signatories: 10

Sarah Olney

Jim Shannon

Jamie Stone

Paula Barker

Layla Moran

Navendu Mishra

That this House acknowledges the Rail Accident Investigation Branch report into the fatality of Cleveland Gervais, a blind passenger fatally struck by a train on 26 February 2020 after falling from platform 1 of Eden Park station; notes that 35 per cent of platforms are seriously dangerous for blind and partially sighted people due to the absence of the vital safety measure of tactile paving and that up to 15 per cent of people falling from platforms are blind or partially sighted; notes the work of Guide Dogs and Royal National Institute of Blind People in raising awareness of the importance of tactile paving; recognises Network Rail’s commitment to ensure all train platforms have tactile paving by 2029, but laments that this commitment is far too slow; urges the Government to ensure the 100 per cent provision of tactile paving across all Network Rail stations by 2025 at the very latest; and calls on the Treasury to make the necessary financial provisions available for the installation of tactile paving.

318Support for the coach industry in England

Tabled: 14/07/21 Signatories: 8

Emma Hardy

Jim Shannon

Paula Barker

Navendu Mishra

John McDonnell

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House is concerned at the level of support provided for the English coach industry during the covid-19 outbreak; notes that pre-pandemic the coach sector was a healthy sector with a viable future; recognises that sector's vital role in tourism, school transport, rural services and train and airport emergency support; further notes the sector's £14 billion total contribution to the economy; notes that unlike the bus sector, its investment in new Euro 6 emission compliant vehicles came without Government subsidy and as a result many operators had finance in place which they had to service through the pandemic restrictions; regrets that by the end of 2020, over 100 operators had closed for business and 7,000 jobs had been lost; notes the financial support which continues to be provided to the coach industry in Scotland and Northern Ireland is not matched in England; notes that the support made available to the train and bus sectors in England was not extended to coaches; notes that access to the Additional Restrictions Grant became a postcode lottery for operators; notes that the industry was excluded from Restart Grants; notes that the 12 month finance payment holidays have now ended for most operators; notes with regret the confusion and lost business arising from the Cabinet Office’s decision to over-rule the Department for Transport’s Safe Travel advice; and calls on the Government to work with the industry as a matter of urgency and to undertake necessary steps to prevent further business closures and job losses.

319BBC Scotland Studios at Pacific Quayside

Tabled: 14/07/21 Signatories: 7

John Nicolson

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Marion Fellows

That this House recognises the importance of BBC Scotland’s control of the studios at Pacific Quayside; congratulates BECTU and SNP colleagues who have defended Scottish based jobs against a potential London takeover thus maintaining the broadcasting ecosystem that provides employment for freelancers in Scotland; and looks forward to seeing the new Scottish based creative talent that will be nurtured in these studios.

320Studio 32 Theatre Company in East Kilbride

Tabled: 14/07/21 Signatories: 8

Dr Lisa Cameron

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

Chris Law

John Nicolson

Allan Dorans

That this House celebrates the fundraising efforts of members of the Studio 32 Theatre Company in East Kilbride; namely Colin Stewart, Darren England, Paul Gray, Adam Macguiness, Conor Meechan, Alan Dickson, Dougie Hannah, Benjy England, Aaron Hannah, Adam Stewart, Martin Docherty and Jake Docherty and pays particular tribute to the money they have already raised for the Beatson Cancer Charity in preparation for their participation in the Glasgow 10km men's event and wishes them all the best in their run which is due to take place on the 29th August; also draws attention to the additional fundraising efforts undertaken by Peter Gough over the years and recognises his contribution to the theatre and entertainment community in East Kilbride; and finally draws attention to the strength shown by Peter and John Davis in their battle with cancer and thanks Beatson’s Cancer charity for all the support they give to families in the Glasgow and Lanarkshire area.

322DSEI arms fair 2021

Tabled: 14/07/21 Signatories: 8

Caroline Lucas

John McDonnell

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Claire Hanna

This House notes that the DSEI arms fair 2021 is scheduled to take place from 14 to 17 September at London Docklands, with an anticipated 30,000 attendees; further notes that DSEI is organised by Clarion Events and the Government’s arms sales unit, Defence & Security Exports, and is expected to play host to more than 1,600 arms companies selling everything from guns and bombs to fighter jets and warships; recognises that Government support is crucial to the success of DSEI and its continued existence; is concerned by the inherent conflict between the Government's promotion of military exports and both its stated desire to help protect human rights overseas and the climate emergency demanding unprecedented international co-operation as a global priority; and therefore calls on the Government to end the promotion and export of military equipment, to withdraw its support for DSEI and to undertake a complete overhaul of security policy to replace military sales with diplomatic collaboration.

32340th anniversary of Mandela's Freedom of Glasgow

Tabled: 14/07/21 Signatories: 18

Chris Stephens

Anne McLaughlin

Patrick Grady

Alison Thewliss

David Linden

Carol Monaghan

That this House notes the upcoming 40th Anniversary of Nelson Mandela being granted the Freedom of Glasgow; further notes that 4 August 1981 was the day Glasgow City Council presented the Freedom of the City to Nelson Mandela in absentia, since he was still on Robben Island, and Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Vice-President of Nigeria, accepted the award from Lord Provost Michael Kelly on Mandela's behalf; notes this significant anniversary which the City of Glasgow plan to mark; encourages individuals to contribute to the Nelson Mandela Scottish Memorial Foundation appeal to bridge the remaining financial gap to allow the launch of the Nelson Mandela statue competition; and recognises Glasgow’s special place in the history of the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

324Lord Elystan-Morgan

Tabled: 15/07/21 Signatories: 4

Ben Lake

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Martin Docherty-Hughes

That this House mourns the recent passing of Lord Elystan Morgan who died peacefully at the age of 88; recognises him as a great figure in Welsh politics, and that his tireless campaigning in favour of devolution for several decades helped pave the way to the creation of the Scottish and Welsh parliaments; recognises his lifelong commitment and service to the people of Ceredigion, whom he represented as Member of Parliament between 1966 and 1974 prior to his elevation to the House of Lords in 1981; celebrates his contributions as both a barrister and circuit judge; recalls his capacity for kindness and good humour, even during the most divisive of political debates; remembers him fondly as a man of integrity, who argued his case with an eloquence founded on an unshakeable belief in its merits, and a masterful understanding of the detail; and conveys its deepest condolences to his family and friends in their time of grief.

327Arlington Baths Club 150th anniversary celebrations

Tabled: 15/07/21 Signatories: 6

Patrick Grady [R]

Chris Law

John Nicolson

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

Martin Docherty-Hughes

That this House congratulates the Arlington Baths Club in the West End of Glasgow as it celebrates the 150th anniversary of its opening on 1 August 1871; notes that plans for July 2020 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Club's foundation were much reduced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and looks forward to three days of free community events over 31 July to 1 August 2021 to mark the occasion; recognises the efforts of its staff, many volunteers and the commitment of club members who have helped to keep the baths afloat throughout the difficulties of lockdown and covid-19 restrictions; recognises the heritage and cultural importance of the baths as the oldest club of its kind in the world; and wishes everyone associated with the club every success in the future.

328Support for bionic limbs and NHS England Prosthetics Service Review

Tabled: 15/07/21 Signatories: 12

Mohammad Yasin

Tahir Ali

John McDonnell

Wera Hobhouse

Mr Khalid Mahmood

Mick Whitley

That this House is concerned with the current prosthetic service, especially for upper limb amputees; notes the incredible skills and efforts of those working within the NHS but believes that the Government should be doing more to actively fund and support research and development into the use and supply of bionic limbs, including for people with life-altering injuries and deficiencies to their upper limbs; and calls on the Government to support the NHS England Prosthetics Service Review and the estimated 55,000-60,0000 prosthetic patients a year to access the best, most appropriate technology and that funding Hero Arms, a relatively low-cost lightweight bionic arm with multiple grips on the NHS will allow people with otherwise limited or no use of limbs to live a more independent life which would mean less reliability on social services.

329Diamond anniversary of the Stamperland Bowling Club

Tabled: 15/07/21 Signatories: 7

Kirsten Oswald

Chris Law

John Nicolson

Allan Dorans

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

That this House celebrates the 60th anniversary of Stamperland Bowling Club, which was established in 1961; notes that in this, the year of its Diamond Anniversary, the club organised a Diamond Cup tournament to celebrate this notable milestone; recognises that the past year has been extremely difficult for bowling clubs and other sports venues; praises Stamperland Bowling Club for showing resilience and expressing confidence in the future by making improvements to the club's facilities; understands that the club has been pleased to welcome old and new members onto the green as Covid-19 restrictions ease; expresses its appreciation of all the hard work done by staff, committee, and members in running a club so well-rooted in the local community, and wishes Stamperland Bowling Club all the best for another 60 years and beyond.

330Negotiating a peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 6

Ed Davey

Sir Peter Bottomley

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Layla Moran

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes the work by Congressman Brad Sherman to encourage new efforts towards formally ending the state of war on the Korean Peninsula through his Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act that was recently introduced in the US House of Representatives; recognises that that symbolic move could play a vital role in the next stage of reducing tensions on that peninsula; further notes that the Korean War hostilities were ended by an armistice in 1953, and that no formal peace treaty has been negotiated since that armistice; reiterates support for the 2018 Panmunjom Declaration in which the governments of North Korea and South Korea declared their intention to work towards negotiating a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War; acknowledges the role the UK Government has played in multilateral efforts to facilitate peace and denuclearisation on that peninsula; and calls on the UK Government to actively engage with all relevant parties and the wider international community to accelerate those efforts.

331Unsafe cladding and building safety defects

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 8

Hilary Benn

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jeremy Corbyn

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Mr Nicholas Brown

That this House notes with concern the large number of people who, four years after the Grenfell Tower fire, are still living in blocks with unsafe cladding and other building safety defects; is aware that that situation is causing great concern and distress to leaseholders who are currently unable to sell their homes; believes that leaseholders should not have to pay for the cost of replacing cladding, fixing defects, waking watches and higher insurance bills; recognises that leaseholders do not have the money to do that anyway; and calls on the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to come forward with a comprehensive plan to identify all the buildings at risk, establish a body to fund the work needed to fix those buildings and then seek to recover payment from all those responsible for that scandal.

332Wimpy Park Community Group DIY SOS

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 5

John Nicolson

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates the Wimpy Park Community Group for securing a BBC Beechgrove Garden DIY SOS project; recognises how well deserved that project is and the benefit that it will bring to the local area; and looks forward to the opening of the rejuvenated park.

333World Hepatitis Day 2021

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 6

Jim Shannon

Sir Peter Bottomley

Margaret Ferrier

Sir Mike Penning

Jonathan Edwards

Paul Girvan

That this House notes World Hepatitis Day 2021 on the 28 July which aims to raise awareness of those living with Hepatitis, a disease that causes inflammation of the liver, a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters blood and fights infections; further notes the Hepatitis Can't Wait Campaign, which raises awareness on how patients can't wait for Hepatitis testing, life saving treatment, screening and greater investment into research in that area; recognises that there are 400,000 individuals in the UK suffering today from that disease and that there are increasing calls for the Government to allocate additional resources into Hepatitis research and testing.

334Retirement of Mr Martin Humble, Head Teacher of St. Matthew's RC Primary School

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 4

Kate Osborne

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Ian Mearns

That this House applauds the outstanding contribution to education in South Tyneside by St Matthew’s RC Primary School Head Teacher, Mr Martin Humble; congratulates Mr Humble on a remarkable 20 years as Head Teacher at St. Matthew’s and an outstanding career in the local education sector in the borough; acknowledges the outstanding impact he has had in supporting and representing both teachers, pupils, teaching staff and parents at St. Matthew’s RC Primary School in Jarrow and the wider community; commends the part he has played to the whole school community during the coronavirus pandemic which has had a tremendous impact on children; notes his lasting legacy will be an outdoor space created for schoolchildren to use for learning, relaxation and prayer or meditation; sincerely thanks Mr Humble for his public service to the North East education sector; and wishes Mr Humble a very long and happy retirement.

335Protecting grasslands at COP26 and beyond

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 4

Tracey Crouch

Caroline Lucas

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises that species-rich grasslands offer ways of reducing the impact of greenhouse gases that cause climate change by reducing flooding risk, locking up pollutants and acting as critical ecosystems for pollinators and supporting sustainable and resilient farming; regrets that in the last 100 years the UK alone has lost 97 per cent of its meadows and other species-rich grasslands leading to bumblebee extinctions and butterfly population declines; welcomes the formation of Grasslands+, a growing coalition that has come together to protect and restore the planet’s grasslands, savannahs, plains, heaths, steppes and meadows; urges Government Ministers to use the opportunity of COP26 in Glasgow to seek international recognition and protections for species-rich grasslands, to lead by example in taking action to mitigate the effects of climate change and increase biodiversity and to ensure that those areas of natural beauty are preserved for future generations to enjoy.

336Opposition to Stort Valley crossing proposals

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 2

Robert Halfon

Jim Shannon

That this House understands concerns about the impacts that the Stort crossing proposals will have upon the beautiful environment of the Stort Valley in Harlow constituency; further understands the threat that those proposals pose to local wildlife and ecosystems; recognises the concerns about those proposals raised by hundreds of local residents; further recognises that the plans for that problematic development have been inherited from the previous Labour Council who agreed to the proposals in the 2020 Local Plan; notes that Harlow Conservative Councillors voted against the 2020 Local Plan; and calls on the Government to put pressure onto the developers to reassess those plans and go back to the drawing board.

337Spyware and state surveillance of journalists

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 21

Grahame Morris

Rebecca Long Bailey

Liz Saville Roberts

John McDonnell

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Chris Stephens

That this House is deeply concerned by reports that at least 180 journalists across the world have been spied on using Pegasus software, a tool developed by the Israeli cybersurveillance company NSO and sold to a number of clients, including states across the world; notes that among those who have been the targets of the global spying operations are human rights defenders, political opponents, lawyers, diplomats and heads of state; further notes that the list of the 180 journalists targeted includes reporters from global media platforms, as well as freelance investigators who appear to have been targeted by regimes determined to uncover sources, undermine research, and in some cases, stop their reporting; believes that those revelations of the use of NSO’s Pegasus software to spy on journalists shows the profound vulnerability of media freedom and illustrates the serious breach of the public's right to know; and therefore joins the National Union of Journalists in the UK and Ireland and the International Federation of Journalists in utterly condemning all attempts to interfere with journalists’ private communications, encouraging journalists to use extra vigilance to protect their data and calling on governments to enshrine in domestic law the inviolability of journalists’ communications.

338Mountbatten diaries

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 22

Dr Julian Lewis

Sammy Wilson

John Redwood

John Nicolson

Sarah Olney

Valerie Vaz

That this House notes with concern that the personal diaries of Lord and Lady Mountbatten were purchased from the family's Broadlands Archive Trust, a decade ago, by Southampton University with a substantial sum of public money including almost £2 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund; that, until the sale to the University, the Mountbatten family had made the diaries available to historians upon request; that Lady Mountbatten was never a public servant and consequently her writings are not subject to Freedom of Information restrictions; that in December 2019 the Information Commissioner's Office ordered the University to disclose the Mountbatten diaries and correspondence; that this continues to be resisted at the apparent direction of the Cabinet Office, citing FOI exemptions but refusing to identify the criteria relevant to the Mountbatten diaries; that it is 42 years since the death of Lord Mountbatten and 61 years since that of Lady Mountbatten; that it is deeply regrettable that their distinguished biographer, Dr Andrew Lownie, has so far had to pay £250,000 pursuing a campaign for the diaries' release to historians; and accordingly calls for their disclosure for publication without further obfuscation and delay.

339Human rights in Western Sahara

Tabled: 19/07/21 Signatories: 21

Jeremy Corbyn

Sir Peter Bottomley

Caroline Lucas

Paula Barker

Alan Brown

Navendu Mishra

That this House strongly condemns the attacks on human rights defenders, students, journalists and academics who publicly criticise the Government of Morocco; profoundly regrets the recent violence perpetrated in the most high profile cases including Sultana and Laura Khaya, Babuizid Muhammed, Saaed Labhi, Salek Baber and Khaled Bouvfraya; is alarmed about the incommunicado detention of journalist Mohamed Lamin Haddi; notes with concern the unjustified long term incarceration of Naama Asfari and Khatri Dadda as highlighted recently by the UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor who stated that such violations of international human rights law and standards fly in the face of the Moroccan Government's commitment to the UN system as a whole; and urges the UK Government to press the Moroccan authorities to guarantee in all circumstances that those who work peacefully toward justice for the Saharawi are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including physical abuse and judicial harassment.