Commons business papers

Contents

Published: Wednesday 9 February 2022

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 8 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

958Buy-to-let landlords and unsafe cladding costs

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House recognises that buy-to-let landlords who are leaseholders have to be included within the scope of the package announced on 10 January 2022 to ensure that no leaseholders in medium rise blocks of flats have to pay for remedial action to tackle unsafe cladding and fire defects.

959World Book Day 2022

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Valerie Vaz

That this House congratulates World Book Day on celebrating its 25th Anniversary on 3 March 2022; commends its success in distributing 15 million book tokens annually in places of education; notes that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success; further notes that the British economy could be £30 billion larger by 2030 if every child left primary education with the reading skills they need; recognises the importance of children from all backgrounds having the opportunity to choose and own a book; and welcomes World Book Day’s campaign to inspire more children to think of themselves as readers.

960Don Revie petition

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Richard Burgon

That this House notes the petition organised by the Leeds United Supporters Network calling on the Football Association to apologise to Don Revie’s family after imposing a 10 year ban on him after his resignation as England manager in 1977; notes that Mr Revie won multiple domestic and European honours as a manager with Leeds United; recognises Mr Revie's achievement as one the very few players to be named both Footballer and Manager of the Year, and also recognises that without Don Revie, many of the innovative aspects of the modern game would not exist; notes that instead of being lauded as one of the footballing greats for his achievements and revolutionary ideas, the FA's imposition of a ban on Mr Revie has done untold damage to his reputation; and believes that a full apology should be issued to Mr Revie's surviving family.

961Pension Credit uptake

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

David Linden

That this House encourages the UK Government to promote pension credit uptake amongst those who are eligible; urges the UK Government to promote the additional benefits that can be claimed alongside pension credit, such as support with council tax, support with rent in the form of Housing Benefit, alongside help with mortgage interest, ground rent and service charges; notes that the additional benefits also include support with healthcare costs, such as free NHS dental treatment, support towards the cost of glasses and travel to hospital; further notes that pension credit claimants may also be able to receive a free TV license; highlights that if pension credit claimants are carers they may be able to receive extra support in the form of the Carer Addition; notes that the Cold Weather Payment may also be available to claimants if the temperature drops to 0°C or below for seven days in a row; emphasises the research by Independent Age which found that just 61 per cent of those eligible for pension credit are receiving it, meaning that around 450,000 pensioners could move out of poverty if uptake was greatly increased; expresses urgency to the UK Government to ensure that the billions of pounds of Pension Credit do not go unclaimed and that thousands of pensioners do not fall into poverty; and demands that the UK Government do everything in their power to promote pension credit uptake by emphasising the benefits of claiming pension credit through a campaign.

962Eastbank Academy given Bronze UNICEF status

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

David Linden

That this House congratulates Eastbank Academy who have achieved the UNICEF UK Rights Respecting School Bronze award, accrediting them as a Rights Committed School; notes that the award highlights the school’s commitment to placing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of their ethos and their work towards becoming a Rights Respecting School; Highlights Eastbank Academy’s efforts to create a safe and inspiring place to learn, where children are respected, their talents are nurtured and they are able to thrive; praises the commitment to embed these values in everyday academic life, aiming to give students the best opportunity to lead happy, healthy lives and to be responsible, active citizens; and wishes Eastbank Academy luck on their journey to achieving the Silver status award.

963Local Government Finance, Council Tax & Levelling-Up

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Paula Barker

That this House notes the huge pressures inflicted on local government finance since 2010 as a direct result of Government policy, in particular during the early part of the last decade; notes with concern the unequal distribution of expenditure cuts falling mostly on areas with high levels of deprivation across the North and Midlands; recognises the huge contribution local councils have made supporting residents and communities during the covid-19 pandemic; urges the Government to immediately improve the spending power of councils, ensuring council tax increases are minimal, whilst putting local government finance on a longer-term and more stable footing; calls on the Government to recognise council tax as an out-of-date and regressive form of taxation that penalises less well-off households, beginning a review into its wholesale reform; and asserts that no levelling-up agenda will ultimately be successful without a municipal revival, with better funding alongside increased powers, which restores local government to the pinnacle of achievement.

96422nd World Championship Scotch Pie Awards

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Patricia Gibson

That this House congratulates The Kandy Bar of Kilwinning, Saltcoats and West Kilbride on adding to its already numerous accolades by winning the 22nd World Championship Scotch Pie Awards of 2022; acknowledges that this unique competition, run by Scottish Bakers on behalf of the bakery and butchery trades, brings together bakers and butchers from across the country to find Scotland’s best pie; recognises the achievements of the Kandy Bar in gaining a Silver Award for its meat, bean and potato pie, and bronze awards in the categories of both sausage roll and apple pie; understands that the awards recognise excellence and creativity in the preparation of a perfect Scottish pie, made from the finest locally sourced ingredients; praises the bakers and butchers from across the country who have shown such resilience, stepping up to provide quality fresh produce during the challenges of the covid-19 outbreak; believes that this latest recognition of the hard work, passion and skill of the Kandy Bar’s 82-strong local workforce, supported by a solid local customer base is truly well deserved; and applauds the fact that the Kandy Bar, owned by Stephen and Rona McAllister, has become a beloved institution across North Ayrshire.

965Visions of climate heritage competition

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Kirsten Oswald

That this House commends Historic Environment Scotland (HES) for its excellent Visions of Climate Heritage Competition which was developed in partnership with the Heritage Trust Network and the Scottish Council on Archives in response to the climate emergency; notes that the competition encouraged entrants to capture scenes of Scotland’s changing landscapes and the impacts of pollution and extreme weather and that winners were chosen by a panel of judges that included internationally renowned climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe; notes further that entries covered a wide range of topics including the shift from fossil fuel-based industries to renewable energies and how low water levels during a prolonged dry spell illustrate the fragility of our ecosystems; congratulates in particular Young Creatives winners, Cerys James and Morgan James from East Renfrewshire, with Cerys winning the 16-17 years category with her fantastic photograph April Showers illustrating the need to find new ways to reduce the impact on the rate of increase in global temperatures and protect the plants that play a vital role in sustaining life on Earth, and Morgan winning in the 12-15 years category for his photograph Our fish are made of plastic, inspired by the increasing amount of litter, particularly plastic, entering our oceans; and endorses the view of HES that images from the exhibition can help to inspire the positive and sustainable changes required on the journey to net-zero.

966National Apprenticeships Week 2022

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the 15th annual National Apprenticeships Week 2022, from 7-13 January 2022; highlights the opportunity that exists in the realms of engineering as well as hospitality, fintech, cyber security and applied science, as well as other areas; underlines the remarks by the chief executive of the Further Education Principals’ group that this is a prime opportunity to reflect on the importance of apprenticeships and the skills they provide to tackle the skills deficit in Northern Ireland; and urges both young and old to consider upskilling in a field where there are jobs available and to consider all possibilities highlighted during this year’s Apprenticeships Week 2022.

967West Winds Primary School

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the 50th anniversary of West Winds Primary School, Newtownards; highlights the phenomenal success of the school over those years, not simply in terms of academic results but also in terms of helping to form well-rounded children and a close-knit community; thanks past and present staff who have all played a part in the rich history of this wonderful school; and conveys best wishes for a further 50 years of working as an integral part of the fabric of Newtownards and as an encouragement to families throughout the town and surrounding areas.

968Moderation in parliamentary language and coverage

Tabled: 8/02/22 Signatories: 1

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House notes that the Prime Minister, in a sentence about prejudging a police inquiry, used the words, failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile (Official Report, 31 January 2022, col. 26); recalls Operation Elveden; notes with approval the action by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in 2012 to commission a report from Alison Levitt QC into why Savile was not prosecuted after allegations in Surrey and Sussex; notes that the Levitt report worked from police records, regretting that CPS files were deleted automatically in 2010; accepts the finding of that report that there was nothing to suggest that the decisions not to prosecute were consciously influenced by any improper motive on the part of either police or prosecutors; accepts the words of the DPP in January 2013 when he apologised for the shortcomings in the part played by the CPS in those cases; asks the political leaders to meet to end the disproportionate effect of the words; asks broadcasters to moderate the way they report the incident; and unites in condemning street protestors who should allow all hon Members and others to walk in safety and freedom.

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.

893A wealth tax as an alternative to National Insurance increases

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 34

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.

897World Cancer Day 2022

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 22

Patricia Gibson

Apsana Begum

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes that 4 February 2022 is World Cancer Day which aims to raise awareness, improve education and call for nations to work together to tackle cancer globally; understands that one in two people will develop cancer in their lifetime and recognises that early detection of cancer is crucial in improving the chances of effective treatment results; supports measures to assist in reducing tobacco and alcohol consumption and to tackle obesity, which may assist in the prevention of one in three cancers; believes that no-one should feel alone or confused when being diagnosed with cancer and commends the work of Cancer Research UK and its volunteers, who provide invaluable information and support to those diagnosed with cancer and their families; and calls for increased investment in cancer research to save lives and allow more people living with cancer to lead fuller, healthier and happier lives as we look forward to a future without cancer.

900The death of former Celtic manager Wim Jansen

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 18

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.

905Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 15

Tony Lloyd

Navendu Mishra

Andrew Gwynne

Kate Green

Yvonne Fovargue

Angela Rayner

That this House notes that some 1,200 deaths a year are attributable to poor air quality in Greater Manchester; believes that, on that basis, movement towards establishing a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Greater Manchester is vital; stresses that a CAZ must be properly resourced to prevent it simply becoming a political football rather than saving lives; is aware that it was the Government which mandated the 10 Greater Manchester local authorities to introduce a CAZ and that none of the local authorities can amend, revoke, or suspend their CAZ without the prior written permission from the Secretary of State; is conscious that small businesses, taxi drivers and private individuals are concerned that the cost of vehicle replacement is not backed by Government funding; supports the request in letters from both Greater Manchester Conservative and Labour hon. Members calling on the Government to engage in further consultation on the implementation of the CAZ; and calls on the Government to now have a pause in the implementation of the CAZ to allow for that consultation on how to provide the resources required and bring about changes to make the scheme fair for everyone.

906Providing financial restitution to women born in the 1950s

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 48

Ian Byrne

Kim Johnson

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

Beth Winter

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

That this House welcomes the positive interventions from so many hon. Members from across the House on behalf of women born in the 1950s who have lost their pensions and pays tribute to constituents and campaigners in their ongoing fight for justice; recalls that women born in the 1950s were subject to discriminatory employment and pension laws; recognises that this included being excluded from some pensions schemes; further recognises that this had the negative effect for them of losing the opportunity to have the same level of pension as their partner or spouse; recognises that this has had the consequence of women in this position never being able to have equal pensions to men; notes that this has negatively and profoundly impacted on those women including leading to increased levels of poverty, deteriorating health and homelessness; further notes that at least 3.8 million women have been impacted by the loss of their pensions from the age of 60 in three separate age hikes; and calls on the Government to enact a temporary special measure as permitted by international law to provide full restitution to women born in the 1950s who have lost their pensions from the age of 60 because of the impact of the rise in retirement age.

908One year anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 43

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.

909Get Me Home Safely campaign

Tabled: 27/01/22 Signatories: 31

Zarah Sultana

Rachael Maskell

Rebecca Long Bailey

Kate Hollern

Apsana Begum

Charlotte Nichols

That this House notes that shift work is widespread in many industries, especially hospitality, and can often entail late-night working; further notes that many workers, especially women, are increasingly worried about their safety travelling to and from work at night; believes that, while employers may feel their duty of care to staff ends when an employee finishes a shift, they also need to take into consideration journeys home, especially during unsocial hours; is appalled at the weakness of enforcement of the law against sexual assault, including up-skirting, on public transport; insists that more trained staff and stronger enforcement of the law against sexual assault and harassment on public transport is urgently needed; supports calls for the municipal ownership of buses in order to lower prices and improve service provision, especially for night-time and off-peak services; welcomes Unite the union’s Get Me Home Safely campaign, which calls on employers to take all reasonable steps to ensure workers are able to get home safely from work at night; calls on local governments and licensing boards to change regulations to make free transport home for staff a prerequisite for new liquor licences; and calls on the Government to bring forward national minimum standards for taxis and private hire as per the recommendations of the Task and Finish group, to ratify ILO Convention 190 to end violence and harassment in the workplace and to extend employers’ duty of care to include safe transport home policies for all workers.

911Stuart Delivery couriers

Tabled: 27/01/22 Signatories: 31

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.

921Kids Operating Room 50th installation

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 17

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Rachael Maskell

Carol Monaghan

Douglas Chapman

Mhairi Black

That this House congratulates Dundee-based charity Kids Operating Room on the delivery of their 50th operating room; notes that operating rooms have been delivered and installed in hospitals across Africa and Latin America; recognises that KidsOR works to support existing hospitals and healthcare professionals to expand their services; further recognises that through since their inception in 2018 they have increased annual capacity for safe surgery by 30,000 life-changing operations every year; and wishes KidsOR and their staff all the best for the future.

923Anniversary of the death of Sir Norman Stronge

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 6

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Mr Gregory Campbell

Carla Lockhart

Gavin Robinson

Paul Girvan

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: 6

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Carla Lockhart

Gavin Robinson

John McDonnell

Paul Girvan

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: 11

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: 15

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.

929Bearskin caps and the armed forces

Tabled: 31/01/22 Signatories: 31

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: 31

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: 20

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: 14

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.

935Housing emergency

Tabled: 1/02/22 Signatories: 12

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; further notes that as a result of Right to Buy council housing stock continues to decline with 200,000, less than in 2010 in England alone; notes 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; notes that it agrees with Shelter's and the Local Government Association's call for funding a large scale social housing building programme; notes that grant at least of £10 billion a year is required to fund 100,000 social rent council homes a year; recognises the need to stop the loss of stock by ending Right to Buy; notes 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: 6

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jim Shannon

Daisy Cooper

Jonathan Edwards

Caroline Lucas

John Cryer

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: 7

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Marion Fellows

Anne McLaughlin

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: 12

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: 12

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.

940World Interfaith Harmony Week

Tabled: 2/02/22 Signatories: 12

Kirsten Oswald

Allan Dorans

Jonathan Edwards

Rachael Maskell

Patrick Grady

Hywel Williams

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 co-operation among people; welcomes the events taking place during World Interfaith Harmony 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: 7

Douglas Chapman

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Angela Crawley

Marion Fellows

Anne McLaughlin

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: 8

Alan Brown

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Marion Fellows

Anne McLaughlin

Patrick Grady

That 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; notes that he was a keen supporter of Kilmarnock Football Club and played bagpipes for the club; further notes the minute's applause for him by supporters of Kilmarnock FC during the game against Inverness Caley Thistle and the piping tribute for him from fellow Kilmarnock Pipe Band member Connor McBlane; notes that 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 further recognises that suicide rates in Scotland are still tragically high and urges people having difficult thoughts to discuss their feelings and to reach out for assistance.

944Time to Talk Day 2022

Tabled: 2/02/22 Signatories: 20

Rachael Maskell

Daisy Cooper

Caroline Lucas

Kirsty Blackman

Wendy Chamberlain

Paula Barker

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: 21

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 on the remaining Directors of Raith Rovers Football Club to cancel his contract with immediate effect.

947Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs

Tabled: 3/02/22 Signatories: 2

Cat Smith

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs on being awarded Lancashire Tourism Award for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism; considers that since the charity’s founder Michael Gray had the idea to make the beach accessible for all many local residents and tourists from near and far have had the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful beaches at Fleetwood since 2020; commends Chair of Trustees Michael ‘Mick’ Gray for his vision, and for his team of trustees for working to ensure beaches are for everyone; thanks the charity for the service they provide; and wishes Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs very well for many more successful years in promoting the stunning coast line on the Fylde Coast.

948May Miller’s 103rd birthday

Tabled: 3/02/22 Signatories: 10

Ms Anum Qaisar

Patrick Grady

Allan Dorans

Marion Fellows

Amy Callaghan

Anne McLaughlin

That this House notes and celebrates Airdrie and Shotts resident May Miller who turned 103 on 22 January 2022; notes that she celebrated her birthday in Airdrie where she has lived for many years; highlights that May is a valued and highly regarded member of the local community; and sends May all the very best wishes.

949Prison violence

Tabled: 3/02/22 Signatories: 20

Grahame Morris

Gordon Henderson

Liz Saville Roberts

Kenny MacAskill

Paula Barker

Mary Kelly Foy

That this House notes with alarm the rapid increase in prison violence over the last decade, with levels of assaults peaking in 2019 before a partial reduction during the covid-19 pandemic lockdowns; further notes that rehabilitation is practically impossible inside violent prisons, meaning that offenders can leave prison more damaged and dangerous than when they arrive; welcomes the new Prisons Strategy White Paper as an opportunity to tackle both prison violence and the causes of prison violence as urgent priorities; believes the White Paper’s framework of key performance indicators should include violence against prisoners and staff as crucial metrics for judging management performance; further believes penalties for failing these metrics should include management fines, with this money used to improve prison staff injury compensation schemes; insists that rebuilding staff experience is key to reducing violence, and that improving the pay, terms and conditions of prison staff is a vital first step to solving the current recruitment and retention crisis; calls on the Government to adopt the proposals for safer systems of work in the Safe Inside Charter from the Joint Unions in Prisons Alliance, a coalition of nine national trade unions representing prison workers; and further calls on the Government to accept the pay review body’s recommendation of a £3,000 pay rise for entry-level prison officers, to halt plans for new private prisons until it is better understood why they are disproportionately more violent than public prisons, and to bring the pension age of prison officers back down to 60.

950Sauchie Community Group 30-year anniversary

Tabled: 3/02/22 Signatories: 8

John Nicolson

Patrick Grady

Allan Dorans

Marion Fellows

Amy Callaghan

Anne McLaughlin

That this House recognises the 30-year anniversary of the Sauchie Community Group; commends the group’s tireless work since 1992, providing support through the covid-19 pandemic, helping families with young children, organising events for people with dementia and creating a sensory community garden to name a just few; notes in particular the contribution of Keith Turner and Nancy Pollock, who were founding members of the committee and are still serving today; finally, wishes Sauchie Community Group every success in their next 30 years.

951Winter Olympics team selection

Tabled: 7/02/22 Signatories: 6

Dave Doogan

Patrick Grady

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Marion Fellows

Joanna Cherry

That this House congratulates Hailey Duff from Forfar on her success in being selected to represent Team GB at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in Women’s Curling; celebrates her achievements in her Curling career aged just 25 years old; recognises the tireless commitment of all 50 Team GB athletes, 19 of whom hail from Scotland; and further wishes Hailey and all Team GB athletes the best of luck in the upcoming celebration of winter sport.

952Humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

Tabled: 7/02/22 Signatories: 28

Mary Kelly Foy

Steven Bonnar

Mohammad Yasin

Kate Osborne

Ian Lavery

Kenny MacAskill

That this House notes with grave concern recent reports in the media on the developing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, in particular traumatic stories of parents being forced into selling organs, and in some cases selling their own children, in order to feed their families; further notes that the United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator projects 97 per cent of Afghans will soon be living below the poverty line; urges the Foreign Secretary to do everything within her power to support those struggling in Afghanistan including ensuring that all of the £286,000,000 promised in aid is sent to the country; echoes the call of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the UK Government to convene a pledging conference to raise the $4.4 billion needed to fund vital support; commends the reporting of UK journalists in bringing these harrowing stories to the people of the UK; and calls on the Government to work collaboratively with allies around the world to ensure that the safety of all women in Afghanistan is secured.

953Scotland Calcutta Cup winners 2022

Tabled: 7/02/22 Signatories: 3

Christine Jardine

Jim Shannon

Joanna Cherry

That this House congratulates the Scotland rugby team on their historic victory over England in the Calcutta Cup on the 5 February 2022; acknowledges that they are the first Scotland team to retain the Calcutta Cup with back-to-back victories since 1984; notes the exemplary spirit in which the game was played, in front of a capacity Murrayfield crowd; and wishes the team the best for their remaining fixtures in the 2022 Six Nations Championship.

954Statutory Sick Pay and a living wage

Tabled: 7/02/22 Signatories: 30

Nadia Whittome

Richard Burgon

John McDonnell

Clive Lewis

Caroline Lucas

John Cryer

That this House expresses its concern at Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) being at its lowest level since 2003, according to research by the TUC; notes that SSP is worth £3 per week less in real terms now than it was at the start of the pandemic; believes that no-one should be forced to choose between self-isolating and paying their bills; further believes that adequate sick pay is a vital public health tool within a pandemic; considers that the Government’s failure to expand and increase SSP has had a devastating impact on the health and well-being of some low-paid workers; and therefore calls on the Government to remove the lower earnings limit, so that every worker is entitled to SSP, and to increase the value of Statutory Sick Pay to at least that of the Real Living Wage as determined by the Living Wage Foundation.

955Diesel particulate filter efficiency tests

Tabled: 7/02/22 Signatories: 9

Mr Barry Sheerman

Mr Clive Betts

Jonathan Edwards

Mohammad Yasin

Jim Shannon

Rosie Duffield

That this House notes the challenge to public health caused by roadside air pollution, in particular fine and ultra-fine combustion generated particles; urges the Government to observe best practice globally with regards to mitigating harmful levels of air pollution and to be guided by effective, evidence-based policies; recognises that Diesel Particulate Filters are very efficient at capturing polluting particles, but when damaged can lead to the emission of dangerous particulates; commends the Netherlands for introducing a Diesel Particulate Filter efficiency test as part of its Periodic Technical Inspections test; urges the Government to also introduce an efficient element in the diesel particulate matter section of the MOT based on particulate mass or number metrics; and calls on the House to support the Motor Vehicle Tests (Diesel Particulate Filters): Ten Minute Rule Motion which would make provision for efficiency testing of Diesel Particulate Filters.

956Steelstown Brian Ógs and the All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship

Tabled: 7/02/22 Signatories: 4

Colum Eastwood

Patrick Grady

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Steelstown Brian Ógs Gaelic Athletic team for their victory on Sunday 7 February 2022 to become All-Ireland Intermediate Champions, recognises the immense contribution of all those involved in the club, past and present, since its establishment in 1987 and its continued growth; notes that team's victory 3-14 to Trim's 2-5 displays their ability, skill and determination; further notes that the team has made their city, county and sport proud with football being alive and well in Derry City; and further recognises that the Gaelic Athletic Association plays a hugely important role in the health and wellbeing of communities across Ireland and Britain, forming a focal point for communities to come together in the interest of sport.

95770th Anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen's Accession

Tabled: 7/02/22 Signatories: 9

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Sammy Wilson

Mr Gregory Campbell

Ian Paisley

Jim Shannon

Gavin Robinson

That this House congratulates Her Majesty the Queen on the 70th Anniversary of her accession to the throne in 1952; notes with thanksgiving the immense service that Her Majesty has provided to our nation as the Head of State for all of these years; and wishes our Sovereign good health and happiness as she continues to reign over this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for many years to come.