Contents

Published: Wednesday 19 January 2022

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 18 January 2022

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

860War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation payments

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 1

Owen Thompson

That this House believes that the current process for claiming War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation payments is not fit for purpose and drives many veterans to give up on claims, severely deteriorates many veterans’ mental health, drives many into poverty, and increases the risk of suicides; applauds our veterans for the immense sacrifices they have made and believes that all veterans deserve to be fairly compensated for injury, illness and death caused by their time in service; but is deeply concerned about the mental health impact on veterans of the complexity, lack of transparency and lack of impartiality in the process of putting in a claim, requesting a review of evidence and engaging with the War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Tribunal, which results in too many veterans not getting the level of payment they need and then facing complex processes in order to get an increase; believes that serious questions must be answered with regards to the use of Veterans UK medical assessors in assessing claims, in particular the practice of the same medical assessor assessing a veteran’s claim at three separate stages of the process instead of separate assessors being used to ensure impartiality and a range of opinions; is deeply concerned by reports of medical evidence and paperwork being removed from veterans’ evidence bundles by Veterans UK during the tribunal process; and calls on the Government to honour its duty of care to veterans by launching an independent inquiry into the failings of the current system.

861Protecting Hindus and minorities, Indian legislation on genocide and atrocities prevention and commemoration of the 32nd anniversary of genocide of Hindu Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 1

Bob Blackman

That this House commemorates the 32nd anniversary of the attack in January 1990 by cross-border Islamic militants on the population of Jammu and Kashmir; expresses its condolences to the families of all those who were killed and injured in this massacre; condemns the desecration of the holiest sites in Jammu and Kashmir; is concerned that the Kashmiris who fled persecution have still not seen justice for the atrocities committed against them; commends the resilience and courage shown by the members of Kashmiri Pandit community who survived this gruesome ethnic genocide and who did not resort to taking up arms but instead pursued education and aspiration; deplores those sponsoring such cross-border terrorist attacks and demands that such attacks cease immediately; further notes that the international principle of the responsibility to protect obliges individual states and the international community to take effective measures to prevent the commission of genocide and crimes against humanity as suffered by the Kashmiri Hindu community; and urges the Government of India to fulfil its long-standing international commitment to recognise and acknowledge the worst form of genocide of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir and enact the proposed Panun Kashmir Genocide Crime Punishment and Atrocities Prevention Bill, therefore delivering the long awaited justice for the Kashmiri Pandits in exile; and further urges the UK Government to extend the UK’s long standing commitment to protect the victims of genocide to the Kashmiri Pandits.

862Low carbon vehicles and construction work

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 1

Claudia Webbe

That this House recognises that many businesses use Volumetric Mobile Plants (VCM) that deliver concrete to many other small local businesses and that VCM businesses contribute £386 million annually to the national economy, support 5,800 FTE jobs and an additional 9,850 jobs in the wider economy; accepts the evidence of 200 UK construction companies that reducing their weight from 38.4 and 44T to 32T damages the ability of those vehicles to supply the widest possible range of cements to the biggest number of customers in one trip, replacing single lorry journeys with multiple journeys, causing a much higher carbon footprint, with more fuel used and generating more CO, Nox, SO2, VOCs and PMs; further recognises that the Government’s decision to limit operations at 32 tonnes from 2028 means that many current mobile plants, which cost £230,000, are effectively scrap; considers the carbon impact of this policy that will add 23 million more VCM/lorry kilometres to UK roads, 598,000 more VCM/lorry journeys each year, 120,000 additional tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere and extra carbon costs in excess of £7 million per year; and thus calls on the Government to commission an up-to-date study from Highways UK on the impact of 38.4T and 44T VCMs on the road infrastructure as well as an environmental impact of the policy to use lighter VCMs with a view to make permanent the temporary 38.4T and 44T weight limits.

863Rough sleeping in Southern Oxfordshire

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 1

Layla Moran

That this House congratulates Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils on recording zero people sleeping rough on 31 December 2021; notes the hard work of the housing team at those councils in achieving homelessness prevention rates of over 75 per cent, compared to the South East average of 55.6 per cent; recognises the effectiveness of employing a Housing First strategy to tackle rough sleeping; encourages the Government to fund and implement this nationally; notes the Government's manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament and calls on the Government to end the needless criminalisation of people still sleeping rough by fully repealing the archaic and cruel Vagrancy Act 1824.

864Cervical Cancer Prevention Week

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 1

Dr Philippa Whitford

That this House notes the week commencing 17 January 2022 is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week; recognises that, while not always easy, attending cervical screening allows diagnosis and treatment of Human Papilloma Virus, as well as early detection of Cervical neoplasia, and can therefore save lives; believes that no-one should feel alone or confused when receiving their cervical screening results; and highlights that Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust provides information and support and encourages Members to support that campaign to promote the vital importance of attending cervical screening.

865Miscarriage leave and employment policy

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 1

Angela Crawley

That this House believes that the Government should introduce a policy of paid miscarriage leave; is aware that the Government has so far been hesitant to introduce such a policy; notes that, in the UK, two weeks parental bereavement leave and pay is in place after stillbirth, however there is no such support for anyone who has experienced a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy; understands that miscarriage is an extremely traumatic experience and that more support should be provided to families that experience such a loss; considers unacceptable the Government’s position that Statutory Sick Pay or annual leave are adequate compromises for a specific miscarriage leave provision; recognises that the provision of paid miscarriage leave is in line with the need to develop a more proactive approach to workplace health and wellbeing as expressed in the Taylor review of modern working practices; assesses that this issue should be viewed under the Taylor review’s ambition of fair and decent treatment in the workplace, including health and wellbeing protections in employment law which serves the wider public interest; and calls on the Government to include paid miscarriage leave in its upcoming Employment Bill.

866East Lothian rowers cross the Atlantic in third place

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 1

Kenny MacAskill

That this House congratulates Ian Baird, Duncan Hughes, Ross McKinney, Fraser Potter and Clive Rooney of North Berwick Coastal Rowing Club, known as Five in a Row, for finishing in third place in the 2021 Talisker Atlantic Challenge; understands that the five men completed the 3000 mile journey from La Gomera in Spain to Antigua in the Caribbean in 36 days, 3 hours and 33 minutes, each taking turns to have two hours of sleep; notes that the group finished third out of thirty six boats, and describe the journey as the hardest thing they have ever done, as falling from the boat would have been fatal as the craft could not be turned around fast enough to find a crew member in the darkness; commends the fundraising efforts that the group made to get them to the starting line, with additional funds raised to be given to the charity Reverse Rett; and wishes the group the best of luck in their futures.

867Deportation of Novak Djokovic

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 1

John Nicolson

That this House commends the Australian government for the strong stand they have taken against unvaccinated celebrities attempting to bypass their entry restrictions; supports their decision to deport tennis player, Novak Djokovic; recognises how giving special treatment to anti-vaccine celebrities only legitimises their cause; and hopes that this decisive action has prevented Djokovic from becoming an anti-vaccine poster boy.

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.

822Post Office Horizon compensation scheme

Tabled: 6/01/22 Signatories: 75

Kate Osborne

Paula Barker

Wera Hobhouse

Kim Johnson

Allan Dorans

Alan Brown

That this House believes that the 555 litigants, who won civil proceedings against Post Office Ltd in 2018-19, should not be excluded from the Post Office Horizon compensation scheme; that the exclusion of these litigants from the compensation scheme is having and will continue to have a direct and devastating impact on these individuals and their families, especially as they exposed the scandal against all odds and have been left with the legal bill for doing so; resolves that all those affected by this scandal, including the 555 litigants, must receive compensation that is commensurate with the suffering they have faced; and strongly urges the Government to put in place an external compensation scheme that is outside the scope of the Post Office and provide this group with the redress they not only deserve but are entitled to.

831Care Quality Commission ambulance review

Tabled: 10/01/22 Signatories: 7

Daisy Cooper

Helen Morgan

Layla Moran

Wera Hobhouse

Jim Shannon

Richard Burgon

That this House notes with concern the pressures facing ambulance services and that longer waiting times are risking patient safety; further notes that all ambulance services in England have been at REAP Level 4, the highest level, for many months, meaning that ambulance services are under extreme pressure and are worried about their ability to maintain a safe and timely service; highlights public statements from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives warning of the intolerable pressures facing services across the country; recognises the heroic efforts of paramedics and all emergency medical staff that are providing care as best they can under these extreme circumstances; further recognises the increased pressures on all staff as a result of the covid-19 pandemic; believes that the public has a right to know what systemic problems underpin the pressures on ambulance services and what can be done to fix them; and calls on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to use his powers laid out in section 48 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to commission the Care Quality Commission to conduct a review of ambulance services in England without further delay.

835Human rights in Bahrain

Tabled: 11/01/22 Signatories: 44

Margaret Ferrier

Sir Peter Bottomley

Tony Lloyd

Brendan O'Hara

Jim Shannon

Kenny MacAskill

That this House is concerned by continuing serious human rights violations in Bahrain, including the ongoing arbitrary detention and inhumane treatment of prisoners of conscience, including Abduljalil al-Singace, Hassan Mushaima, Abdulwahab Hussain, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Sheikh Ali Salman; notes that Freedom House in its 2021 report rated Bahrain as not free and that Bahrain is ranked 150 out of 167 countries in The Economist’s 2020 Global Democracy Index and 168 out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index 2021; urges the Bahraini Government to release all prisoners of conscience, enable civil society representatives and human rights defenders to operate freely, permit genuine political opposition and independent media, and end the use of the death penalty; further urges the Bahraini Government to initiate a substantive and inclusive in-country dialogue on political and constitutional reform and to cooperate with human rights organisations and experts, including from the UN, to allow for, inter alia, an independent assessment of prison conditions and its reform agenda; and calls on the Government to review its funding to and other agreements with Bahrain and to meet human rights defenders and organisations, civil society representatives and non-violent opposition from Bahrain, as well as to take action to hold Bahraini officials responsible for serious human rights violations to account.

836Detention of Professor Faizulla Jalal

Tabled: 11/01/22 Signatories: 9

Patrick Grady

Jim Shannon

Caroline Lucas

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Amy Callaghan

That this House notes with concern reports that Professor Faizullah Jalal of Kabul University, Afghanistan, has been arrested by the Taliban following an appearance on a news channel in which he criticised the regime’s response to the humanitarian situation in the country; notes that many human rights organisations have expressed concern at that arrest, and that Amnesty International has described it as the latest effort by the Taliban to stifle dissent and further evidence of Taliban intimidation, harassment and violent attacks on individuals who criticise them, and that the organisation has found human rights defenders, women activists, journalists and members of academia have the greatest number of reprisals; and calls on the UK Government to condemn the behaviour of the Taliban, join efforts to press for the release of Professor Jalal, and to rapidly scale up its effort to provide asylum and resettlement support to Afghan nationals who wish to escape the Taliban regime and make their home in the UK.

838Funding for nutrition-related aid programmes

Tabled: 11/01/22 Signatories: 10

Patrick Grady

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Amy Callaghan

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House calls on the Government to urgently reconsider its decision not to pledge any new funding at the December 2021 Nutrition for Growth Summit hosted by Tokyo; notes that the Government did not set targets for its impact in this area at the summit; is concerned that the UK was previously considered a leader in combatting malnutrition but has since reduced nutrition-specific international aid by 70 per cent which is disporportionate to reductions elsewhere and has undermined the UK's international reputation in addition to putting millions of lives at risk; notes that malnutrition is still linked to 45 per cent of deaths among under fives worldwide; and calls on the Government to urgently commit to investing £120 million per year over the next five years in nutrition-specific programming and to renew its commitment to reach at least 50 million people with nutrition-specific programming by 2025 as campaigned for by international charities in the field prior to the summit.

840Overactive bladder syndrome

Tabled: 11/01/22 Signatories: 5

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Paula Barker

Richard Burgon

Alison Thewliss

That this House notes that overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) affects over 4.5 million people in the UK and costs the health system over £840 million per year; recognises that the serious condition impacts on physical, social and psychological wellbeing and can dominate and impose on peoples’ sense of personal freedom by interfering with daily activities; is concerned that inadequate management of this condition can lead to escalating health costs and unnecessary hospitalisations; acknowledges that the covid-19 pandemic has severely impacted on patients being able to access their GP or receive adequate care and support for continence issues; further recognises that community-based continence services have been shown to save valuable NHS resources whilst restoring dignity to people and facilitating their ability to lead full and active lives; acknowledges that effective treatment of OAB and incontinence recognises the importance of access to early assessment and diagnosis and appropriate clinical interventions at the right point in time for each patient; and calls on the Government to ensure adherence to NICE Guidelines and NHS England’s Excellence in Continence Care recommendations.

841Russian Military Studies Centre

Tabled: 12/01/22 Signatories: 14

Martin Docherty-Hughes

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Steven Bonnar

Patrick Grady

Gavin Robinson

That this House commends the work of the Russian Military Studies Centre (RMSC) at the Defence Academy of the UK (DefAc UK), particularly during time of heightened tension with the Russian Federation; notes that it contains one of the most extensive catalogues of papers, journals, books and other resources regarding military and security policy not only of the Russian Federation and the USSR, but of other former Soviet Republics, with publications predominantly in Russian and English, but also in the languages of Eastern Europe and Central Asia; further notes that the RMSC’s holding has been built up over 70 years, originating in the Soviet Studies Research Centre (SSRC) based at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; notes that following the end of the Cold War the SSRC became the Conflict Studies Research Centre (CSRC), and moved to DefAc UK in 2004; regretfully notes that the CSRC collection was almost disbanded before passing over to the care of the Barrington Library which augmented that collection with materials from the School of Languages at the Ministry of Defence; is disappointed that despite this outstanding pedigree and proven research record supporting the UK’s Armed Forces and others, that the future of the RMSC remains unclear; and is concerned to note that staff previously employed at the archive have not had their contracts renewed since September 2021, while the Ministry of Defence undertakes a study on the future of the RMSC.

845In memory of David Stuart

Tabled: 13/01/22 Signatories: 7

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Allan Dorans

John Nicolson

Patrick Grady

Alison Thewliss

Chris Law

That this House is deeply saddened by the sudden death of David Stuart, an internationally respected advocate, activist, support worker, campaigner, lecturer and researcher for LGBT+ communities; notes that David worked at 56 Dean Street for the last eight years as the Substance Misuse Lead specialising in Chem Sex, and was a true pioneer on the subject with an ability to communicate difficult issues like few others; salutes his tireless work with LGBT+ communities which he did with passion, empathy and kindness; and extends its deepest sympathies to David's family, friends, Dean Street colleagues and all who will miss him.

846Jyoti Hazra MBE

Tabled: 13/01/22 Signatories: 7

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Jim Shannon

Alison Thewliss

John Nicolson

That this House records its sadness at the passing of Jyoti Hazra MBE at the age of 91; commends Jyoti as a tireless campaigner, both in the city of Dundee and across Scotland, for an increase in racial tolerance and understanding between communities; notes that he was a former member of the then Dundee District Council’s equal opportunities committee and a past chairman of the Tayside Community Relations Council; further notes his roles as a founding member of the Bharatiya Ashram and as a founder and chairman of the Dundee Translation and Interpretation Service; recognises that his life’s work in improving race relations resulted in his receipt of an MBE in 2003; further recognises that he also received the prestigious award of Videsh Samman from the Consol General of India for his service to India-UK relations; and sends its condolences to his family and friends at this sad time.

848Compassion, respect and integrity in politics

Tabled: 13/01/22 Signatories: 29

Liz Saville Roberts

Ian Blackford

Ed Davey

Caroline Lucas

Claire Hanna

Debbie Abrahams

That this House condemns the organisation of social gatherings and events at Downing Street during the periods of covid-19 lockdown; further condemns the lack of transparency from the Government regarding the parties and reluctance to disclose attendance; believes that when Members and Ministers do not acknowledge or apologise for making statements that are not accurate and refuse to correct the record, they endanger the reputation of the House of Commons; calls for action to strengthen the values of compassion, respect, and integrity in politics; further calls for the introduction of a new law to strengthen the ability of Parliament and the public to hold politicians to account for deliberate lying and misrepresentation; recommends that Parliamentary time be allocated for a debate on such a law as soon as possible; and is concerned that failure to take action on this matter could erode confidence in our democracy.

849Healthy Start Vouchers

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 13

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Mick Whitley

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Charlotte Nichols

Apsana Begum

That this House notes that 218,002 families on low incomes in England are currently unable to access their entitlement to the Healthy Start scheme; also notes that, between November and December 2021, take-up of the scheme dropped by more than a fifth, from 65 per cent to 51 per cent, meaning that out of 449,748 potential beneficiaries, only 231,746 are enrolled on the scheme; further notes that no local authority in England has a take-up rate of higher than 62 per cent; and calls on the Government to enact Feeding Britain's proposal for an automatic registration scheme, similar to the one which sees pensioners on low incomes receive their Warm Home Discount automatically, to secure full take-up of the scheme and overcome barriers such as low awareness, bureaucracy, and stigma which prevent take-up being higher.

850Lullaby Lane Nurseries named finalists in the SME Employer of the Year category at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 5

Amy Callaghan

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House congratulates the team at Lullaby Lane Nurseries in East Dunbartonshire on being named finalists in the SME Employer of the Year category at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards 2022; understands that Lullaby Lane Nurseries has been providing quality childcare services across the community since 2013; notes how valued these nurseries are in the community; further notes the team’s focus on attachment-led practices for children which enable them to reach their full potential and how passionate the staff are about early years learning; commends Lullaby Lane Nurseries for their efforts to support families and the community throughout the covid-19 pandemic; recognises that this achievement is a testament to the team’s hard work over the years; and looks forward to seeing what more Lullaby Lane Nurseries will achieve in the future.

851Lord Castlereagh

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 6

Jim Shannon

Sammy Wilson

Carla Lockhart

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Gavin Robinson

Paul Girvan

That this House notes the programme of events at Mount Stewart Estate, Co Down to commemorate the life and death of Robert Stewart, Lord Castlereagh; further notes the chequered opinion on this man who considered himself to be Irish and an Ulsterman and was instrumental in the Act of Union 1801; highlights that the historical facts denote a complex man that will be interestingly presented in the programme of events; and urges those from all areas of the UK to come to the exhibitions to learn more about this pivotal player in the formation of the United Kingdom and Ireland at that time.

852Shareholders in firms linked to the Grenfell Tower fire or building safety defects

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 4

Sir Peter Bottomley

Apsana Begum

Kim Johnson

Ian Byrne

That this House notes that Arconic's Reynobond, Kingspan's K15 Kooltherm and Saint-Gobain Celotex foam insulation products have been found to be highly flammable and dangerously combustible; notes the statement by the Association of Residential Managing Agents that nearly £50,000 may be the average cost of remediating building safety defects including flammable cladding or insulation; understands the reason for the revocation of Kingspan's proposed sponsorship of Mercedes Formula One team; recognises the responsibilities and opportunities and interest of shareholders in companies to influence the boards of builders and component suppliers; notes Norges Bank Investment Management has been a major shareholder in Saint-Gobain, Kingspan and Arconic, together with builders including Barratt, Bellway, Berkeley, Crest Nicholson, LendLease, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey and Vistry; and asks Norges Bank to require responsible firms to resolve buildings' fire safety defects, compensate victims and to divest holdings in firms that fail to do so, as asked by the UK Cladding Action Group, End Our Cladding Scandal, Grenfell United, Action for Fire Safety Justice, the National Leasehold Campaign and the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership.

853Tamil Heritage Month 2022

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 5

Ed Davey

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Apsana Begum

Jamie Stone

That this House recognises January as Tamil Heritage Month; acknowledges the tremendous contributions that Tamils make to British society, particularly the vital role the Tamil community has played in helping the UK tackle covid-19 as healthcare workers, teachers, and vaccine researchers; celebrates the richness of Tamil culture; notes that the Canadian Government has already recognised January as Tamil Heritage Month; further notes that January is an important month for Tamils as it marks Thai Pongal, the Tamil Harvest Festival; recognises the importance of increasing awareness about the accomplishments of the Tamil diaspora; and calls on the UK Government to formally establish January as Tamil Heritage Month.

854Bronwyn Brodie's charity trek

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 2

Kenny MacAskill

Jim Shannon

That this House commends the fundraising efforts of Bronwyn Brodie of Dunbar, a Learning Support Assistant at Musselburgh Grammar School, who trekked through the Wadi Rum in Jordan, also known as Valley of the Moon, and raised over £1,500 for cancer charity Maggie's; congratulates Bronwyn on completing the 100km journey in scorching weather alongside a group of a dozen other walkers who were equipped with just a backpack containing food, water, a first aid kit, and other essentials; understands that Bronwyn herself was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and that some of the group had been though cancer personally or had been touched by cancer through family members; notes that the fundraiser had originally been organised to trek through the Sahara desert in 2020 but was postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic; and wishes Bronwyn the very best with her future and any future fundraising opportunities.

855Pencaitland Youth Football Club Fundraise for Defibrillator

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 2

Kenny MacAskill

Jim Shannon

That this House commends Pencaitland Youth Football Club for working alongside Pencaitland Bowling Club to raise funds for a defibrillator; congratulates the club on their success of raising over £1,000 by covering 204 miles by walking round the village's park before Christmas 2021 with their parents and coaches for the life-saving device; notes that the defibrillator will be sited at Pencaitland Bowling Club for use by members of the public in an emergency; and wishes Pencaitland Youth Football Club the best of luck with their futures.

856Bridges Project to receive gift thanks to North Berwick pupils

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 2

Kenny MacAskill

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Elena Callander and Ruby Clark, pupils at North Berwick High School, on securing £3,000 for the Bridges Project in Musselburgh through the school's Youth and Philanthropy Initiative competition; understands that groups of pupils had to research a social issue and deliver a presentation; notes that the Bridges Project, which works with young people in East Lothian and Midlothian to help them manage the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, was named the success thanks to Elena and Ruby's research and presentation; and wishes Elena, Ruby, and everyone involved in the Bridges Project the best of luck with their future.

857Richard Gallacher and Keith Courtney Raise £22,000 for charity

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 2

Kenny MacAskill

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Richard Gallacher and Keith Courtney on raising an admirable £22,037.93 in aid of the Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation for the Haematology Centre at the Western General Hospital, and St Columba's Hospice, by cycling more than 1,300 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats, and then cycling from one of Scotland's most northerly points back to their home town of Dunbar; understands that Keith was taking part in the fundraiser in memory of his mother Fiona who sadly passed in 2014 after being diagnosed with leukaemia, and Richard was taking part in the fundraiser in memory of his father David who sadly passed in 2015 after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare type of cancer related to asbestos exposure; notes that the raised money will be split equally between the two causes; and wishes Richard and Keith the best of luck with their futures.

858Diagnosis of Liver Disease

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 6

Tracey Crouch

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Mohammad Yasin

Jonathan Edwards

That this House welcomes the British Liver Trust’s campaign to make early diagnosis of liver disease routine, to be launched in Parliament on Tuesday 26 April 2022; is concerned that the UK is facing a liver disease crisis as a result of the seriously late diagnosis of liver disease across the UK; notes that delays in diagnosis have worsened during the covid-19 outbreak; and calls for urgent action to ensure effective patient pathways are commissioned and implemented.

859Member of Finnish Parliament in freedom of religious expression court case

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 3

Mr Gregory Campbell

Paul Girvan

Jim Shannon

That this House notes that a Member of the Finnish Parliament, Paivi Rasanen, has been the subject of a two-year pre-trial investigation in response to charges brought by the Prosecutor General of Finland relating to her publicly expressed views on traditional marriage resulting in a court case due to commence on 24 January 2022; is concerned at the potential implications of that case for other countries; further notes the range of non-Christian groups and individuals who have criticised the decision to prosecute; and acknowledges Ms Rasanen's quoted and reported comments before the court case that she will not back down from her views and will not be intimidated into hiding her faith, and the more Christians keep silent on controversial themes, the narrower the space for freedom of speech gets.