Contents

Published: Monday 24 January 2022

Early Day Motions tabled on Friday 21 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

879Witchcraft Act 1563

Tabled: 21/01/22 Signatories: 1

Tim Farron

That this House acknowledges the brutal torture and execution of innocent people tried by the Witchcraft Act from the 16th to 18th centuries; condemns the Act, which contributed to the deaths of between 500 to 1,000 people in England, ninety per cent. of whom were women; notes the Scottish government’s decision to pardon those accused of witchcraft; and calls on the Government to apologise and pardon those accused and convicted as witches under the Witchcraft Act 1563.

880Visit Inverness Loch Ness

Tabled: 21/01/22 Signatories: 1

Drew Hendry

That this House congratulates Visit Inverness Loch Ness (VILN) on becoming the first Carbon Neutral Business Improvement District in the UK; recognises the work put in by VILN and their partnership with Trees for Life, aiming to plant a tree for every ton of C02 emissions; commends their commitment to actioning all climate goals within 12 months; and congratulates them on the development of their own carbon tracker, set to monitor their footprint each month.

881International Day of Education 2022

Tabled: 21/01/22 Signatories: 2

Layla Moran

Munira Wilson

That this House recognises the incredible work of schools across the UK on International Day of Education 2022; celebrates teachers, support staff, parents and students who have all worked tirelessly to keep young people learning; and wishes the very best of luck to students who have exams coming up over the next few months.

882Retirement of Alex Meikle at East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action

Tabled: 21/01/22 Signatories: 1

Amy Callaghan

That this House congratulates Alex Meikle on his retirement as Chief Officer of East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action after over three-and-a-half years at the post; notes Mr Meikle's contribution to supporting voluntary and third sectors in this role; further notes the tremendous work done by EDVA and Mr Meikle over the course of the covid-19 pandemic to assist those in need; recognises the leadership that Mr Meikle has shown in his time as Chief Officer; understands that EDVA continues to play an integral role in the wider community of East Dunbartonshire; thanks Mr Meikle for his professionalism and outstanding service to the community over the years; and wishes him all the best with his future endeavours.

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.

841Russian Military Studies Centre

Tabled: 12/01/22 Signatories: 15

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: 8

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.

849Healthy Start Vouchers

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 16

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.

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

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 7

Sir Peter Bottomley

Apsana Begum

Kim Johnson

Ian Byrne

Hywel Williams

Caroline Lucas

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.

860War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation payments

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 33

Owen Thompson

Angela Crawley

Hannah Bardell

Ian Blackford

Marion Fellows

Carol Monaghan

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.

864Cervical Cancer Prevention Week

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 18

Dr Philippa Whitford

Hannah Bardell

Marion Fellows

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

John Nicolson

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: 16

Angela Crawley

Hannah Bardell

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

John Nicolson

Paula Barker

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.

867Deportation of Novak Djokovic

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 2

John Nicolson

Carol Monaghan

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.

871Holocaust Memorial Day

Tabled: 19/01/22 Signatories: 18

Ian Paisley

Ian Mearns

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

Hywel Williams

Chris Law

That this House notes that on 27 January 2022 the UK will observe Holocaust Memorial Day marking the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where an estimated 1.1 million Jewish men, women and children were murdered; commemorates the six million victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution; further notes that the House pays tribute to the commitment of Holocaust survivors and Kindertransport refugees who share their experiences with young people across the country; acknowledges the importance of the Holocaust Educational Trust's work in schools across the UK and in particular the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, which has so far given more than 41,000 students and teachers the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau; welcomes the establishment of a permanent National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre adjacent to Parliament; pays tribute to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for organising the national Holocaust Memorial Day event; and urges all Right hon. and hon. Members to observe this day so that the appalling events of the Holocaust are always understood by future generations.

872Removal of titles

Tabled: 19/01/22 Signatories: 11

Rachael Maskell

Clive Lewis

Dawn Butler

Cat Smith

Emma Hardy

Kim Johnson

That this House acknowledges that geographically based titles can become an affront when an individual falls into disrepute; and calls on the Government to introduce a mechanism in law whereby geographically based titles can be removed in certain circumstances such as when the individual’s associations, engagements or actions infringe the rights or safety of others, or are not in keeping with the ethical, social or economic values or interests of the place.

873Recognition of Ballantrae village as a UNESCO Biosphere Community

Tabled: 20/01/22 Signatories: 4

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

Marion Fellows

That this House congratulates the village of Ballantrae in South Ayrshire on becoming the sixth Biosphere Community in Galloway and Southern Ayrshire’s UNESCO Biosphere, and the first in South Ayrshire, which recognises the village as a destination for visitors from home and abroad who are seeking sustainable, slow tourism experiences on Scotland’s UNESCO Trail; notes that in becoming a Biosphere Community, the people of Ballantrae have committed to preserve the area’s natural environment and wildlife, promote and celebrate their rich cultural heritage and local produce, contribute to the health and wellbeing of the village and develop knowledge of environmental issues; and commends them for that commitment.

874Fair pay and conditions for rail cleaners

Tabled: 20/01/22 Signatories: 7

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Ian Mearns

John McDonnell

Richard Burgon

Jim Shannon

Grahame Morris

That this House supports cleaners who are members of the RMT union employed by Churchill Contract Services who are balloting for industrial action in support of better pay, sick pay and travel facilities; notes that these cleaners, who work to clean trains and stations in the South East, including on Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern and Southeastern train services, High Speed 1 and Eurostar, have worked throughout the pandemic, at risk to themselves, to ensure that rail travel is safe and help keep essential services running; further notes that passenger surveys consistently stress the importance of cleanliness in restoring confidence in public transport, making clear that cleaning is an essential service; is concerned to learn that many Churchill cleaners are only paid the legal minimum wage, others earn only £9.90 per hour and none receive company sick pay; is shocked to learn that 61 per cent say that they struggle to make ends meet while 69 per cent report having gone into work while sick because they do not get sick pay; is deeply disappointed that Churchill Contract Services have failed to make a satisfactory offer to these cleaners in spite of paying a £12 million dividend last year; and calls on Churchill to meet the cleaners’ claims and for the clients, including on Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern and Southeastern trains services, High Speed 1 and Eurostar to help facilitate a settlement that will give cleaners the respect and dignity they deserve.

875Play Alloa fundraiser

Tabled: 20/01/22 Signatories: 3

John Nicolson

Jim Shannon

Marion Fellows

That this House commends Aaron Anderson for his efforts for local charity, Play Alloa; wishes him and other participants luck in their fundraising kickboxing match on 26 February 2022; and finally, recognises the hard and essential work that Play Alloa do, especially throughout the covid-19 pandemic.

876Post-election violence in The Gambia

Tabled: 20/01/22 Signatories: 4

Anne McLaughlin

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

Marion Fellows

That this House is very concerned by the post-election violence in Gambia which took place on the 6 December 2021 close to the residence of the leader of the United Democratic Party, condemns the unfortunate incident involving the use of tear gas and other forms of force and calls on the Gambian Government to ensure Police always exercise maximum restraint in dispersing crowds and managing assemblies; condemns the two Police Officers who filmed themselves celebrating the tear gassing of civilians and encourages the Gambian Government to investigate the matter; recognises the role of the Police and other State security agents in the protection of lives and maintenance of peace and security and urges them to maintain professionalism and continue the good work they have done throughout the electoral cycle; calls on the UDP leader to encourage his party supporters to be law abiding and conduct themselves in line with the laws of The Gambia; and further calls on all political parties with electoral grievances to follow the laid down laws and seek redress through the courts.

877International Day of Education 2022 and Girls' Education

Tabled: 20/01/22 Signatories: 5

Layla Moran

Hywel Williams

Jim Shannon

Carol Monaghan

Kirsten Oswald

That this House celebrates the International Day of Education 2022; recognises the incredible work of so many charities and organisations that highlight the importance of and delivering girls' education programmes across the world; recognises how girls’ education in particular has suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic; calls on the Government to reinstate the 0.7 per cent GNI target for international development spending to assist the 129 million girls that are out of school; and urges the Government to give International Development its own seat at the Cabinet table once again.

878Tractor runs and HMRC

Tabled: 20/01/22 Signatories: 3

Mr Alistair Carmichael [R]

Jim Shannon

Sir Greg Knight

That this House recognises and welcomes the Tractor Runs organised by farmers in rural communities throughout the country around the Christmas and New Year period; congratulates all those taking part for their creativity and the good cheer that they brought to many people during the darkest period of the year; further welcomes the money raised for charities by these events; notes in particular the achievement of the organisers of the Orkney Tractor Run in raising more than £44,000 for CLAN Cancer Support Orkney and Kirkwall Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre; is dismayed that HM Revenue and Customs are reported to be insisting that, in the future, participants in such events will be obliged to use white diesel with full duty being paid on it instead of the agricultural red diesel on which agricultural vehicles normally are fuelled; and calls on HMRC to classify Tractor Runs as an agricultural activity so that they may continue to bring much needed cheer to farming communities in the depths of winter.