Contents

Published: Thursday 3 February 2022

Early Day Motions tabled on Wednesday 2 February 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

940World Interfaith Harmony Week

Tabled: 2/02/22 Signatories: 1

Kirsten Oswald

That this House notes that the United Nations has decreed the first week of February of every year as World Interfaith Harmony Week, which aims to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith; notes that the week is based on United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/65/PV.34, which was passed in 2010 and calls for a worldwide week of interfaith harmony; joins the United Nations in recognising the need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people; welcomes the events taking place during Interfaith Week 2022, such as the webinar on Protection of Mother Earth through Mindfulness and Prayer, organised by Interfaith Scotland in partnership with Mindfulness for Earth and Faith for Earth; and encourages all people of faith to spread the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill in the world’s churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other places of worship during this week and throughout the year according to their own religious traditions or convictions.

941Investment in Scotland's electric vehicle charging network

Tabled: 2/02/22 Signatories: 1

Douglas Chapman

That this House supports the Scottish Government's aim to double the size of its electric vehicle charging network over the next four years; notes a £60 million fund has been created to advance this aim; recognises the important role electric vehicles and their associated infrastructure will play in decarbonising Scotland's transport network; and commends the example Scotland is setting in taking these vital steps.

942Tribute to Warren Graham

Tabled: 2/02/22 Signatories: 1

Alan Brown

This House expresses both its condolences and celebration of the life of Warren Graham known as the Killie Piper who died tragically at the age of 17; pays tribute to his fantastic talent as a bagpiper and enthusiasm for his local community, a keen supporter of Kilmarnock Football Club, and played bagpipes for the club; notes the minute's applause by supporters of Kilmarnock FC during the game against Inverness Caley Thistle and the piping tribute from fellow Kilmarnock Pipe Band member Connor McBlane; further notes Warren played regularly at civic events for East Ayrshire Council and that Warren was a keen supporter of Scottish independence; recognises that Warren will be sadly missed by all and sends deepest condolences to all his family and friends; and notes suicide rates in Scotland are still tragically high and urges people having difficult thoughts to discuss their feelings and to reach out for assistance.

943Raith Rovers Football Club signing of David Goodwillie

Tabled: 2/02/22 Signatories: 1

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes with concern, regret and alarm the decision of Raith Rovers Football Club to sign to the club Mr David Goodwillie who, along with another man, was found by a civil court ruling in 2017 to have raped a woman; further notes with sadness the impact this decision has had on players, staff, supporters and the wider Fife and national community; applauds the courageous and principled stance taken by those with a lifelong relationship to the club and pays particular tribute to writer and long-time supporter and sponsor Val McDermid, the women’s club captain Tyler Rattray and former local councillor and women’s campaigner Marie Penman; acknowledges this decision has taken place against a backdrop of a rise of male violence against women and in an environment where many women across Scotland struggle to have their concerns about policies that affect their lives recognised as valid; calls for swift action from Raith Rovers club leadership to review this decision, show contrition and to stand in solidarity with women across Scotland and the world whose lives are forever altered by the trauma of psychological, physical and sexual violence; and further calls on the club to demonstrate such commitment by showing their support for local charities such as Saje Scotland, who work tirelessly with women to help rebuild their lives following such violence.

944Time to Talk Day 2022

Tabled: 2/02/22 Signatories: 4

Rachael Maskell

Daisy Cooper

Caroline Lucas

Kirsty Blackman

That this House notes that 3 February 2022 is Time to Talk Day; joins with people across the country taking part in the nation’s biggest mental health conversation; further notes the importance of this day in bringing friends, families, communities, and workplaces together to talk and listen; believes talking and listening about mental health has the power to change lives; understands that the pandemic has had a significant impact on the nation’s mental health with around a third of adults and young people telling Mind that their mental health has got much worse since March 2020; highlights that it has never been more important to support each other to speak up about mental health; notes that a recent partnership report from Mind, SAMH, Inspire and the Co-op, shows how important open conversations are for everyone’s mental health and that support in the community such as spaces to talk, activities and services is vital to enable this; and calls on the Government to champion the importance of addressing mental health stigma and create supportive communities where people can talk openly about mental health and wellbeing.

945Raith Rovers Football Club signing of David Goodwillie (No. 2)

Tabled: 2/02/22 Signatories: 18

Peter Grant

Gavin Newlands

Ms Anum Qaisar

Mhairi Black

Douglas Chapman

Anne McLaughlin

That this House expresses its extreme concerns at the decision of Raith Rovers Football Club to give a playing contract to footballer David Goodwillie who was found to be guilty of rape following a civil court case in 2017; notes that since then the player has expressed no remorse and no acceptance of the seriousness of the judgement against him; commends the courage of several employees and volunteers who have resigned from Raith Rovers following his signing, including Ladies Captain Tyler Rattray, player Georgia Spry, directors Bill Clark and Andrew Mill, stadium announcer Johnny MacDonald, Supporters Liaison Officer Margie Robertson and Employability Project Development Officer Marie Penman; commends the speedy response of novelist and lifelong fan Val McDermid in severing all sponsorship of the club, and the decision of Tag Games to cancel their shirt sponsorship contract; expresses full solidarity with other long standing fans who have condemned the club’s actions; believes that the signing of David Goodwillie is incompatible with attempts to make all football clubs into places where players and spectators of all ages can feel safe and welcomed; and calls upon the remaining Directors of Raith Rovers Football Club to cancel his contract with immediate effect.

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.

872Removal of titles

Tabled: 19/01/22 Signatories: 22

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.

893A wealth tax as an alternative to National Insurance increases

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 32

Richard Burgon

Ian Lavery

John McDonnell

Kate Osborne

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Zarah Sultana

That this House calls on the Government to abandon its regressive plans for a 1.25 percentage point increase in National Insurance contributions; believes this will add to the cost of living crisis people are already experiencing as a result of big increases in energy bills, high inflation, real-term wage cuts and cuts to universal credit; and calls on the Government to replace the proposed National Insurance increase with taxes on the wealth of the richest one per cent.

900The death of former Celtic manager Wim Jansen

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 16

Brendan O'Hara

Jim Shannon

Richard Thomson

Alan Brown

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

That this House mourns the passing of Wim Jansen, footballer, manager and coach who has died at the age of 75; acknowledges the enormous contribution he made to European football as part of the Feyenoord side which won the Dutch league title four times between 1964 and 1975, the European Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup in 1974; notes that Jansen was a key part of the legendary Dutch international team which reached the final of the World Cup in both 1974 and again in 1978; recognises Jansen’s importance to European football in the words of his teammate and friend Johann Cruyff who said of Jansen that he considered him to be one of only four people worth listening to when they spoke about football; also acknowledges the hugely significant part Win Jansen played in the history of Celtic Football Club when as manager he led his team to their first Scottish Premier League title in a decade following a dramatic last day victory over St. Johnstone in May 1998; and thanks Wim Jansen for all he did in a lifetime in football and conveys its deepest condolences to his family.

901Social security benefit increases and levels of inflation

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 15

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Marion Fellows

Rachael Maskell

That this House notes that social security benefits are set to rise in April 2022 by the rate of general inflation in September 2021, which was 3.1 per cent; further notes that inflation reached 5.1 per cent in November 2021 and is expected to reach approximately 6 per cent in April 2022, resulting in a real terms cut in the value of social security benefits; notes that this will add to the financial difficulties being faced by households on low incomes who, based on recent evidence from the Threehills Community Supermarket and the broader Feeding Britain network, are already struggling to afford food and fuel; and calls on the Government to protect those households from the rising cost of living by using nearer-term forecasts to increase benefits in line with the actual rate of inflation that will apply in April 2022.

908One year anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 35

Rushanara Ali

Dame Margaret Hodge

Kim Johnson

Jim Shannon

Mick Whitley

Kenny MacAskill

That this House, on the one year anniversary of the military coup that took place on 1 February 2021 in Myanmar (Burma), condemns the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Myanmar military against the people of Myanmar; stands in solidarity with the Burmese people opposing the military coup; notes in horror the increased attacks by the military in ethnic areas including Chin, Karenni and Karen State over the recent months which includes the burning of people alive, torching of villages and killings of children; demands an urgent stop to the attacks; demands the release of all political prisoners; welcomes the UK Government’s condemnation of the coup and the introduction of targeted economic sanctions on military businesses; calls for further economic sanctions targeting military revenues; further calls for sanctions on aviation fuel to ground military bomber jets; calls on the Government to increase its efforts to encourage other countries to introduce unilateral arms embargoes; further calls on the Government to increase cross-border aid through local organisations working directly with the people affected by the military attacks; and calls on the Government to join the Rohingya genocide case at the International Court of Justice to secure justice for the Rohingya genocide, and to publicly support the referral of the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.

911Stuart Delivery couriers

Tabled: 27/01/22 Signatories: 21

Grahame Morris

Ian Lavery

Kate Osborne

Mick Whitley

Nadia Whittome

Dr Rupa Huq

That this House notes with deep concern that key worker couriers working for JustEat subcontractor Stuart Delivery have seen their pay cut and working conditions deteriorate during the covid-19 pandemic, despite those key workers putting their own lives at risk and providing a vital service to the public; notes that couriers continue to be denied the basic workers' rights of minimum wage protections, holiday pay and pensions; further notes that the company is ultimately owned by La Poste, which is itself wholly owned by the French Government and thereby subsidised by French taxpayers; is appalled that key workers in the gig economy are provided no protection against poverty pay and unilateral changes to terms and conditions in their working relationships; is shocked that these workers, most of whom are from BAME and migrant backgrounds, have been refused the right to freely associate and protect their interests via collective bargaining, and have therefore been forced to take industrial action to challenge these conditions; and calls on Stuart Delivery to negotiate with those workers’ chosen union the Independent Workers’ union of Great Britain (IWGB), to rescind the recent pay cuts and to implement the minimum standards of pay and conditions demanded by the IWGB in order to ensure those workers are not illegally denied their basic rights and are protected from being in working poverty.

922Zero-emission vehicles and air quality

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 6

Geraint Davies

Mr Barry Sheerman [R]

Rachael Maskell

Jim Shannon

Douglas Chapman

John McDonnell

That this House acknowledges as many as 64,000 premature deaths are associated with poor air quality every year; expresses sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ella Kissi-Debrah recognising the one year anniversary on the 16th December 2021 of the Coroner’s verdict that air pollution was a cause in her death; recognises that vehicle emissions are a major source of air pollution in towns and cities across the country; notes with dismay reports that 4 vehicle manufacturers, Volkswagen, Toyota, Renault-Nissan and Hyundai-Kia have refused to sign the pledge to only sell zero-emissions vehicles by 2035; calls on all vehicle manufacturers previously found to have cheated emissions rules to provide adequate compensation to vehicle owners and users who were misled; recognises the need for a co-ordinated solution between all levels of Government and the private sector to mitigate against the negative health impacts of dangerous levels of air pollution; and further notes that the Government should make reference to the incontrovertible right to breathe clean air in any future legislation.

923Anniversary of the death of Sir Norman Stronge

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 5

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Mr Gregory Campbell

Carla Lockhart

Gavin Robinson

That this House notes the barbaric murder of Sir Norman Stronge and his son James, at their family home in Tynan Abbey, by the IRA on 21st January 1981; further notes Sir Norman's involvement in politics and his admirable determination throughout fighting in the First World War and the Battle of the Somme; notes the malice and evil intent by Provisional IRA Members, by the use of grenades to break into their family home, machine guns used to brutally murder the father and son and the burning of their home to the ground after the killings; remembers the heartfelt words of Her Majesty the Queen that Sir Norman's loyal and distinguished service would always be remembered; and notes Sir Norman's commemoration with a tablet in the Northern Ireland Assembly Chamber.

924Antibiotics and research on the potential link to colon cancer risk

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 5

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Carla Lockhart

Gavin Robinson

John McDonnell

That this House notes with concern recent research from Queen's University Belfast that taking antibiotics could increase the risk of developing colon cancer by as much as half in the under 50s, with older people also seeing a higher risk; further notes work undertaken by University of Aberdeen, where 40,000 people compared antibiotic use and lifestyle factors of those who had cancer and those who didn't, where antibiotic use was found to be associated with the development of colon cancer; highlights the importance of research into links with cancer; and thanks the work of the British Journal of Cancer who are actively working to reveal links between cancer and lifestyle choice.

925Ban on snares campaign

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 9

Caroline Lucas

Tim Farron

Kenny MacAskill

Wera Hobhouse

Jonathan Edwards

Martyn Day

That this House notes a 2016 motion calling for a ban on snares that was passed unanimously; further notes that, other than the promise of a Call for Evidence in the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare in May 2021, no further steps to this end have been taken; acknowledges the horror and cruelty resulting from the use of snares intended to trap wild animals; notes that snares are notoriously indiscriminate, catching, injuring and killing animals, including those not intended to be the target, such as badgers, rabbits, cats, dogs, lambs and deer; recalls the findings of the 2005 Independent Working Group on Snares which reported that it would be difficult to reduce the proportion of non-targeted animals caught to below 40 per cent; recognises a joint statement organised by Animal Aid, and signed by twenty-three other animal protection groups and academics, urging action to ban snares; and calls on the Government to outlaw the manufacture, sale, possession and use of all snares without further delay.

927United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 7

Patrick Grady

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Alan Brown

Rachael Maskell

Beth Winter

That this House notes 21 January 2022 marks the first anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; regrets that the United Kingdom is neither a signatory of or a party to the Treaty; calls on the UK Government to abandon any plans or possibility of increasing the UK's nuclear arsenal, and instead take urgent steps to comply with the provisions of the Treaty and work towards nuclear disarmament at home and overseas.

928Jennifer Dodds and the 2022 Winter Olympics

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 4

Christine Jardine

Jamie Stone

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Jim Shannon

That this House celebrates Jennifer Dodds of Edinburgh in competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics; notes that 2861 athletes from 91 countries have been selected for the 2022 games in Beijing; recognises the fantastic achievements of Jennifer throughout her career; acknowledges that she will be competing in both the women's team event and the mixed doubles event where she and Bruce Mouat are reigning world champions; further notes that Dodds and Mouat are the first GB athletes to compete in more than one curling event at the Olympics; wishes them both the best of luck and success; and congratulates all athletes selected for the 2022 Winter Olympics to represent Team GB.

929Bearskin caps and the armed forces

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 10

Kirsten Oswald

Patricia Gibson

Margaret Ferrier

John Nicolson

Allan Dorans

Alan Brown

That this House expresses its concern that the ceremonial bearskin caps worn by members of the armed forces, most notably at the annual Trooping the Colour parade, involve the unnecessary slaughter of black bears; notes that each bearskin ceremonial cap costs the Ministry of Defence over £1,700 and sees no possible excuse for taxpayers’ money to be spent on ceremonial caps made from the skins of bears gunned down for their fur when the overwhelming majority of the British public is opposed to the use of real fur in clothing; understands that the faux fur developed by animal rights charity PETA with leading faux furrier ECOPEL would enable the Ministry of Defence to replace the real bearskins with faux fur; welcomes the offer by ECOPEL to provide the Ministry of Defence with faux fur at no cost until 2030, saving many bears from slaughter and also saving the tax payer up to a million pounds; and calls on the Ministry of Defence to recognise that its continued use of real fur is not in line with the UK Government’s commitment to have and promote the highest standards of animal welfare and that it is time to switch to faux fur for making these ceremonial caps.

930Industrial action at Barts Health NHS Trust

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 27

Apsana Begum

Caroline Lucas

Chris Stephens

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

John McDonnell

Ian Mearns

That this House expresses solidarity with hundreds of key NHS workers across Barts Health NHS Trust, employed by the outsourcing company Serco, taking strike action between Monday 31 January and Sunday 13 February 2022 over low pay; notes that the Unite members who are cleaners, porters, security, catering and reception staff, and are predominately from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, are paid up to 15 per cent less than directly employed NHS staff; further notes that Serco Group PLC had a turnover of £3.9 billion according to the latest figures available; believes that Serco should improve its pay offer so that all workers are paid fairly; and calls for the related services contract be brought in-house and for the workforce to be transferred onto Agenda for Change pay, terms and conditions, as soon as possible.

931Siblings in the care system

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 15

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Rachael Maskell

Jim Shannon

Paula Barker

Ian Lavery

Kim Johnson

That this House notes the urgent need to improve sibling contact for children in care; further notes that research shows more than 70 per cent of looked-after children with a sibling in care are separated from that brother or sister; further expresses concern about the harm caused when sibling relationships are needlessly ripped apart in the care system; further notes that current legislation requires a looked-after child to have reasonable contact with their parents, without recognising the provision for a looked-after child’s contact with their siblings or half siblings; urges the Government to recognise the importance of sibling bonds and shared experience in the care system; and further emphasises the importance of documentaries, such as Split up in Care – Life Without Siblings, in rising awareness of the real life impact of sibling separation.

932Use of reusable nappies

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 6

Kirsty Blackman

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

David Linden

Douglas Chapman

Anne McLaughlin

That this House commends Nappy Alliance for their promotion of reusable nappies and positive environmental practices; notes that reusable nappies help reduce the consumption of single use plastic; and further notes that a voucher for those is issued to new parents as part of the Scottish Government’s Baby Box initiative.

933LGBT+ History Month

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 6

Kirsten Oswald

Kirsty Blackman

Paula Barker

Jonathan Edwards

Anne McLaughlin

John McDonnell

That this House notes that February is LGBT+ History Month, which aims to promote equality and diversity for the benefit of all; welcomes this year's theme, Blurring Borders: A World in Motion, which invites people to think beyond borders and to consider their place within the global movement towards equality; expresses concern that in 69 UN member states, LGBT+ people are still criminalised and targeted under numerous discriminatory laws; further expresses concern at the potential impact of the Nationalities and Borders Bill on LGBT+ people seeking safety from persecution; highlights the vital work done by community support groups, such as the LGBT+ Youth Helpline in East Renfrewshire operated in partnership by East Renfrewshire Council and the East Renfrewshire LGBT+ Youth Group; understands that LGBT+ History Month is coordinated in Scotland by LGBT Youth Scotland, a national charity aimed at promoting health and wellbeing among LGBT+ young people aged 13 to 25; wishes all involved with LGBT+ History Month every success in their endeavours; and calls on all Members to support this annual event and raise awareness of the part that everyone can play in delivering a fairer, just, and more equal society for all.

934Sheep worrying protections

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 5

Ben Lake

Jonathan Edwards

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Jim Shannon

That this House notes with concern press reports suggesting that the progression of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill is being paused by the Government; notes that that legislation will deliver a long-overdue tightening of regulations regarding sheep worrying attacks; is concerned with the continued mental and economic pressure that sheep worrying places on farming communities in Wales and across the UK; recalls the 2021 results of the National Sheep Association’s annual survey noting that on average five sheep are injured and two sheep killed per sheep worrying attack, costing on average £1570 but up to £50,000; and seeks assurance from the Government that legislation addressing sheep worrying will be allowed to progress under the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill or otherwise separate urgent legislation will be brought to the House.

935Housing emergency

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 8

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Rachael Maskell

Jim Shannon

Paula Barker

Kim Johnson

Mohammad Yasin

That this House notes with concern that the Government is providing insufficient grant for building council housing; that the current policy encourages the building of homes which charge so-called affordable rent, in reality unaffordable for many; encourages the conversion of social rent homes to affordable rent, leading to tenants in similar properties paying up to double the rent of homes charged social rent; that as a result of Right to Buy council housing stock continues to decline with 200,000, less than in 2010 in England alone; that housing revenue accounts have insufficient income as a result of the 2012 debt settlement and government policies since then; this House, therefore, calls on the government to provide grant only for building social rent homes; that it agrees with Shelter's and the Local Government Association's call for funding a large scale social housing building programme; that grant at least of £10 billion a year is required to fund 100,000 social rent council homes a year; that this House recognises the need to stop the loss of stock by ending Right to Buy; that the government reopens the 2012 debt settlement which imposed bogus debt on housing revenue accounts; and that without these measures there is no chance of resolving the housing emergency we face.

936Cost of reducing fire dangers and buy-to-let landlords

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 4

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jim Shannon

Daisy Cooper

Jonathan Edwards

That This House welcomes Government proposals that leaseholders should not have to contribute to the cost of reducing fire dangers in blocks of flats; notes that those subletting flats as a result of being unable to sell them due to cladding or other fire issues may come within terms of the proposed financial contributions scheme; and asks that all leaseholders, whether owner occupiers or individual landlords, should be treated equally and fairly as buy-to-let landlords and owner-occupying leaseholders have faced the same problems with developers through no fault of their own.

937Charlie Wardrope at the UK Youth Climbing Series Grand Final

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 2

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates 11-year old Charlie Wardrop from Eskbank, Midlothian, on winning the UK Youth Climbing Series Grand Final in Southampton in November 2021; notes that that achievement has placed him in the sport’s GB Development Squad; notes with admiration that Charlie began climbing as recently as late 2019 at Eden Rock at Edgefield Industrial Estate in Loanhead; commends Charlie for his impressive progress in both rope climbing and bouldering; and further commends professional and amateur climbers for their contribution to sporting and outdoors culture.

938Constitutional referendum in Belarus

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 6

Tony Lloyd

Rachael Maskell

Jim Shannon

Paula Barker

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

That this House notes the plans of the regime in Belarus to hold a constitutional referendum; stresses that there are now over 1000 political prisoners in Belarus while 241 NGOs and 40 media outlets have been closed down; highlights the imprisonment of the Belsat journalists, Darya Chultsova and Katsyaryna Andreyeva; emphasises that there is an ongoing pattern of repression of any freedom of speech and a purge of anyone in state employment who has expressed any dissent against the governing regime; believes that, in these circumstances, the upcoming Belarusian constitutional referendum cannot be viewed as free and fair; and calls on the governing regime in Belarus to allow civil society and the independent media to operate to allow for a genuine national debate over these proposed changes.

939Belarus political prisoners

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 6

Tony Lloyd

Rachael Maskell

Jim Shannon

Paula Barker

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

That this House views with serious concern the fraudulent election in Belarus in August 2020 which led to widespread public demonstrations; notes that these demonstrations have been met by increasingly repressive measures by the governing regime; condemns the arbitrary arrests, use of extreme violence by security forces and allegations of torture and sexual violence in prisons; emphasises that there are now over 1000 political prisoners in Belarus; deplores the incarceration of so many women who have young children, including Volha Zalatar, Alena Maushuk, Tatsiana Kaneuskaya, Tatsiana Zverko, Ksenia Lutskina, Antanina Kanavalava, Iryna Schastnaya, Maryna Dubrouskaya, Iryna Harashyna, Alena Kurnysh, Yuliya Laptanovich, Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk, Volha Takarchuk, Tatsiana Astrouskaya, and Volha Filatchenkava; and calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately release all political prisoners, especially women with children, and comply with its human rights obligations.