Contents

Published: Wednesday 20 July 2022

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 19 July 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

310Press Freedoms in India

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 1

Claudia Webbe

That this House holds that a free press is essential for a functioning democracy; is alarmed by increased crackdowns on journalistic independence and freedom in India; notes that India has dropped from 133 in 2016 to 150 out of 190 countries on the 2022 Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index; further notes widespread concerns regarding press freedoms in India from organisations including the Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, PEN America, Reporters Without Borders, International Federation of Journalists, CIVICUS, Access Now, International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch; is especially concerned by reports that Indian authorities are targeting journalists including those from religious minorities that are critical of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party; believes that the UK-India relationship must be deeper than trade and should be based on the promotion of democracy, human rights and upholding international law; calls on the Government to ensure that the Indian government abides by its commitments as a signatory to the 2022 Resilient Democracies Statement which hails all courageous defenders of democratic systems that stand against oppression and violence; and urges the Government to make representations with its Indian counterparts about the safety, freedom and independence of Indian journalists.

311Emancipation Day bank holiday

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 1

Claudia Webbe

That this House believes workers in the UK currently receive an inadequate number of bank holidays, as British workers get four fewer public holidays than the EU average; notes that in 2021 there were 17 public holidays in Japan, 12 in Australia and 11 in China and New Zealand compared to just 8 in the UK; holds that all UK workers deserve more bank holidays and a perfect bank holiday date to commemorate is Emancipation Day on 1 August; further notes that Emancipation Day celebrates the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 which, after decades of organised struggle, gave all slaves in the British empire their freedom, albeit after a set period of years; recognises the story of Emancipation is of a mass movement struggling against the intransigence of vested interests, as slaveholders were compensated with today’s equivalent of £17 billion, which was not paid off by the British public until 2015, whilst freed slaves were continually exploited and made to work as unpaid apprentices; further holds that, whilst the legacy of Emancipation Day showcases the reluctance of the colonial state against the bravery of committed activists, it is vital to highlight this chapter of the UK's collective past because present day injustices are inseparable from the historical origins of racism, imperialism and oppression; recognises many of Britain’s former colonies celebrate Emancipation Day with either a bank holiday or a day of cultural activities; and calls on the Government to commemorate 1 August as an Emancipation Day bank holiday.

312House of Lords Appointments Commission

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 3

Sir Peter Bottomley

Dame Maria Miller

Mr William Wragg

That this House expects the prime minister to respect the letter and the spirit of the advice of the House of Lords Appointments Commission in respect of any new peerages he may recommend to the Sovereign.

313VAT on period pants

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 3

Tracey Crouch

Rosie Duffield

Hannah Bardell

That this House calls on the Government to zero rate VAT on period pants in line with other menstrual products such as pads, cloth pads and menstrual cups; notes that period pants are sustainable and reusable and have 5-6 times less carbon footprint than tampons or pads; recognises research that shows throughout the pandemic, over a million girls aged 14-21 in the UK struggled to access period products, with many forced to cut back on other essential items in order to purchase sanitary items; and further notes that the current classification of period pants as a garment means that a 20 per cent VAT rate on period pants makes an environmentally and financially sustainable alternative more expensive.

314Scottish Retail Consortium

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 1

Kirsty Blackman

That this House congratulates the members of the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC); on raising £16.6 million for charity and good causes in 2021 - including during the Covid pandemic - and £92 million overall since 2016, as highlighted in the SRC’s new report into retail charitable giving entitled Backing Scotland’s Communities Through Covid; notes that, through their shops and online operations throughout Scotland, retailers raise money and support for charity through donations, fundraising, awareness raising and community activity, including causes to do with medical research, public health, care, food aid and the environment; and acknowledges the positive contribution that retailers make to Scottish society through their work in the community across each and every part of Scotland.

315Civil service jobs in the North West

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 1

Margaret Greenwood

That this House is extremely concerned about the government’s plan to cut 91,000 jobs from the Civil Service within three years; recognises that this amounts to around one fifth of civil service jobs based on 2021 figures; notes that, in 2021, outside of London, the North West of England was the region of the UK with the largest number of civil servants, with 59,340; is concerned that reducing the number of civil servants by around one fifth could mean more than 11,000 civil service job losses in the North West; is further concerned about the potential impact of such job losses on the people of the North West and the region’s economy, particularly at a time when people and businesses are struggling with the cost of living crisis; believes that making such cuts would be detrimental to the quality and availability of the public services on which we all rely; believes too that plans to cut 91,000 jobs from the civil service is contrary to the government’s stated levelling-up agenda; and calls on the Government not to go ahead with these deeply damaging civil service job cuts.

316Alleged Turkish war crimes in northern Iraq

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 1

Chris Stephens

That this House puts on record its profound concerns about repeated allegations from various credible sources of the use by the Turkish armed forces of chemical weapons in its ongoing military operation against the Kurds in northern Iraq, known by Kurds as southern Kurdistan, and elsewhere in that region; notes the report by Steve Sweeney, Collusion, Conspiracy and Corruption: an on the ground report into Turkish war crimes and use of Chemical weapons, published by Peace in Kurdistan, which details eye-witness reports; expresses its dismay at the response to date of governments worldwide, including by the British Government, to these allegations of breaches of international law by Turkey; calls on the Government to support a full and thorough investigation by the responsible agencies into the alleged incidents to substantiate the facts by gathering evidence as soon as is possible; recognising that it can be in nobody’s interest to ignore such serious allegations; and further calls upon the Government to exert its influence on Turkey to halt its operations to allow an investigation to be conducted.

317Just Transition and net zero

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 1

Jon Trickett

That this House notes with concern the impact of climate change, particularly on working class communities and key workers; demands that climate policies should be to the benefit of people and planet over big business; further notes that areas such as Wakefield district have been held back by deindustrialisation and a decade of austerity, but that there is now an opportunity to rebuild the economy through green routes; praises the excellent work being done at Wakefield Council, supported by Just Transition Wakefield, to realise a just transition for all whilst reaching net zero by 2030; recognises the need for community development that meets both social and climate needs, such as investing in proper bus and rail networks, making public transport the preferred option for people, creating green job opportunities locally and ensuring homes are insulated and resilient; and urges the Government to support and resource local authorities’ green strategies.

318Jean Melvin

Tabled: 19/07/22 Signatories: 1

Chris Stephens

That this House recognises the life and work of Jean Melvin, a Govan community activist, who died earlier this year at the age of 97; recognises her work as an officer of firstly Teucherhill Tenants Association, and later of Drumoyne Tenants Association; and sends condolences to her family at this time; further recognises her work as a member of the Govan Community Council for over thirty years; recognises her commitment to improving the lives of the people of Govan; celebrates her work as a member of the Govan Reminiscence Society; recognises the esteem in which he was held by his many friends and colleagues; and offers condolences to all who knew her at this time.

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.

262Caradog and Y Côr Mawr's 150th anniversary

Tabled: 7/07/22 Signatories: 11

Beth Winter

John McDonnell

Jon Trickett

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Stephens

Christina Rees

That this House celebrates the 150th anniversary of the victory of Griffith Rhys Jones, or Caradog, and Y Côr Mawr, at the Crystal Palace Choral Competition in 1872; notes the significance of the success in bringing national attention to Welsh choral singing and launching Aberdare's reputation as the 'Town of Song'; congratulates the organisers of Caradog Fest 2022 in Aberdare for their commitment to an enduring understanding of the event's significance, through inviting Welsh People's History Society, Llafur, to discuss the impact of the event on Welsh culture; and further celebrates the organisers commitment to ensuring Welsh choral singing going from strength to strength, with the presence of choirs from Abercynon, Cwmbach, Cwmdare, Glynneath, Pelenna and Treharris at this year's festival.

263All Stars Netball Club, East Renfrewshire

Tabled: 7/07/22 Signatories: 8

Kirsten Oswald

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

Amy Callaghan

Anne McLaughlin

John Nicolson

That this House welcomes the success of East Renfrewshire’s All Stars Netball Club, which, pre-pandemic, was the biggest junior netball club in Scotland with over 150 players aged from 4 to 17; notes that over the pandemic the club continued outdoor training, overcoming difficulties in accessing premises to do so, and secured four newly qualified level one coaches from their under 17 members to help coach younger players, with the training for this award being done on line; congratulates the club on winning the Under 15 Scottish Youth Club competition at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, after being undefeated all season and on reaching the final of the Under 13 Scottish Youth Club tournament; further congratulates the club’s Marissa Carlin on being shortlisted for Volunteer Coach of the Year and Alex Wittmann who won Young Volunteer Coach of the Year in East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure Awards, and the club on winning Club of the Year; recognises the club’s growing influence locally and nationally, with East Renfrewshire District Under 15s winning Scotland’s national netball league, also undefeated all season, the Under 17 team coming 4th in Scotland, and two players involved in the Scottish Under 17 long squad, under the expert coaching of District Coach Lauren Wright, and congratulates Anna Beattie and the many volunteer coaches and managers, whose time, energy, and commitment contribute to the club’s triumphs and the fun and joy shared by the club’s members every week at training.

264Accessible council meetings

Tabled: 11/07/22 Signatories: 5

Caroline Lucas

Debbie Abrahams

Jonathan Edwards

Claudia Webbe

Daisy Cooper

That this House is concerned that the emergency regulations that allowed councils to conduct meetings remotely between 2 April 2020 and 7 May 2021, and which enabled disabled people and people with caring responsibilities to fully and fairly participate, are no longer in place; notes the Local Government Association's (LGA) call to reinstate hybrid meetings and their statement that this kind of flexibility is vital in attracting a wider range of people to stand as local election candidates; further notes the findings from the LGA in June 2022 that 72 per cent of councillors surveyed felt a hybrid model could attract more ethnic minority people, younger people and women to stand in local elections; is alarmed by the LGA council survey carried out between October and November 2021, which found that returning exclusively to in-person meetings had resulted in 72 per cent of councils seeing a drop in councillor attendance at statutory meetings and a 73 per cent drop in public attendance; welcomes the findings from a 2021 YouGov survey that found that 60 per cent of people said, given a choice, they would prefer to work remotely at least some of the time and research from the International Energy Agency that suggests remote working can lead to a reduction in climate emissions; and calls on the Government to make democracy more accessible this Disability Pride Month by making permanent the express provision for hybrid council meetings.

266Lochardil Primary School

Tabled: 11/07/22 Signatories: 9

Drew Hendry

Douglas Chapman

Amy Callaghan

Anne McLaughlin

Allan Dorans

John Nicolson

That this House congratulates the staff and pupils at Lochardil Primary School on receiving the School of Sanctuary award from City Sanctuary UK; for showing solidarity with and welcoming those who need sanctuary; commends the commitment from the staff and students to accommodate students from a refugee background by expanding their learning and preparing new materials; and congratulates Lochardil Primary School on being the first school in Scotland to receive that award.

267Loch Insh Outdoor Centre

Tabled: 11/07/22 Signatories: 8

Drew Hendry

Douglas Chapman

Anne McLaughlin

Allan Dorans

John Nicolson

Chris Law

That this House congratulates the Loch Insh Outdoor Centre on winning Best Outdoor Centre at this year’s Scottish Hospitality Awards; further congratulates the centre on receiving the Tripadvisor’s Travellers Choice award 2022 for ranking in the top 10 per cent of visitor attractions worldwide; commends the ongoing hard work of the team for providing an excellent range of activities and courses; recognises the importance of their contribution to active tourism in Scotland; and wishes the Loch Insh Outdoor Centre great success for the future.

268Canolfan Felin Fach Centre

Tabled: 11/07/22 Signatories: 5

Liz Saville Roberts

Jonathan Edwards

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Canolfan Felin Fach on celebrating 30 years serving the town of Pwllheli and surrounding communities of Pen Llyn as a community health and wellbeing Hub; notes that the centre has provided invaluable resources and accommodation for voluntary groups and statutory agencies as well as vital support for individuals experiencing food and fuel poverty, homelessness, mental health problems, drug or alcohol addiction, and for those people who feel socially isolated in their community; further notes their work as a donation point supporting Ukrainian refugees; and celebrates Ceira, Sharon, Sami, Sandra, Debbie, Christine and Meinir on their work in the local community.

269Boogie Box Jive Group

Tabled: 11/07/22 Signatories: 7

Dr Lisa Cameron

Allan Dorans

John Nicolson

Chris Law

Margaret Ferrier

Chris Stephens

That this House celebrates the wonderful achievements of Mr Paul McKenzie and his Boogie Box Jive Group; further celebrates the joy he has brought to local charities, care homes and community groups; praises his unending commitment to volunteering and supporting the community during the past 40 years; and wishes Paul and the Boogie Box Jive Group the very best for the future.

275Pat Scott retirement from the Huntly Express

Tabled: 11/07/22 Signatories: 12

Richard Thomson

Anne McLaughlin

Allan Dorans

Martin Docherty-Hughes

Ian Blackford

John Nicolson

That this House notes Pat Scott is retiring as Chief Reporter with Highland News and Media, having served as Editor of the Huntly Express; understands that Pat joined the Huntly Express in 1978 and has reported on Huntly and district diligently since that time; notes that Pat has worked for four different owners of the newspaper and in five different locations over the past 44 years; commends the unstinting support the Huntly Express has given its local community over the years under Pat’s leadership; and wishes Pat well in her retirement from journalism but understands she will continue to be involved in community events, notably the Huntly Hairst.

276Maximum temperature in the workplace

Tabled: 11/07/22 Signatories: 48

Ian Mearns

Kate Hollern

Grahame Morris

Mick Whitley

Chris Stephens

Charlotte Nichols

That this House notes that recent surveys of workplace health and safety representatives show that high temperatures are one of their top concerns; regrets that workers in the UK have no guaranteed legal safeguards from working in uncomfortable high temperatures, and that the consequences of this range from dizziness, tiredness, asthma, throat infections and, in extreme cases, heat stroke and death; insists that without recognised law, current recommendations for employers to maintain a reasonable temperature within the workplace are impossible to enforce unless a worker is seriously injured or killed from heat stress; and calls on the Government to introduce legislative proposals to ensure a maximum working temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, or 27 degrees Celsius for those doing strenuous work, beyond which employers would have a statutory duty to introduce effective control measures, such as installing ventilation or moving staff away from windows and sources of heat.

278Public scientific hearing on animal experiments

Tabled: 12/07/22 Signatories: 15

Dr Lisa Cameron

Allan Dorans

John Nicolson

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Law

Hywel Williams

That this House applauds the new Animal Sentience Bill, enshrining in law the ability of animals to experience joy and feel suffering and pain; notes the science-based campaign For Life On Earth with its Beagle Ambassador, rescued laboratory dog Betsy; is shocked to see the harrowing exposé showing thousands of laboratory dogs intensively bred in the UK and underlines the consequences of the Animal Sentience Bill regarding this; notes that scientists in the wider scientific community, outside the animal-based research sector, acknowledge the failure of animal testing in the search for human treatments and cures, and that those experts include scientists in the pharmaceutical industry, the Editor in Chief of the British Medical Journal, the US-based National Cancer Institute which says cures for cancer have been lost because studies in rodents were believed, and the Food and Drug Administration which states that nine out of 10 new medicines fail to pass human trials because animals cannot predict responses in humans; notes Doctors Greek and Shanks' Trans-Species Modelling Theory, founded upon the theory of evolution, explaining why animals fail as predictive models of humans; and calls on the Government to mandate a rigorous public scientific hearing, judged by independent experts from the relevant science fields, to cease the funding of the now proven failed practice of animal experimentation and increase funding for state-of-the-art human-based research, such as human-on-a-chip and gene-based medicine, to prioritise treatments and cures for human patients and stop the suffering of laboratory dogs and other animals.

282Akbar's and the Scottish Curry Awards 2022

Tabled: 12/07/22 Signatories: 7

Alison Thewliss

Anne McLaughlin

Allan Dorans

John Nicolson

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Akbar’s in Glasgow for receiving the Best of Glasgow award in the Scottish Curry Awards 2022; recognises that this is an outstanding achievement given the strength of the competition; notes that this award adds to the numerous accolades earned by the restaurant and its staff; and thanks the restaurant for its contribution to Glasgow.

283Ranjit Kaur and the Scottish Curry Awards 2022

Tabled: 12/07/22 Signatories: 7

Alison Thewliss

Anne McLaughlin

Allan Dorans

John Nicolson

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Ranjit Kaur, the newly crowned Curry Queen at the Scottish Curry Awards 2022; commends her and her team at Ranjit’s Kitchen on Pollokshaws Road for their considerable achievement; notes the contribution made by the restaurant to the community and the popularity of the restaurant’s vegetarian food, which means customers rarely visit only once; wishes Ranjit a long and happy reign as Curry Queen; and further wishes her restaurant all the best into the future.

284Media reporting of poverty

Tabled: 12/07/22 Signatories: 28

Ian Byrne

Kate Hollern

Mick Whitley

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Kate Osborne

Rebecca Long Bailey

That this House recognises the importance of journalism in reporting poverty in the UK; condemns any use of derogatory language which can lead to negative stigmatising; notes that this issue is of ever-increasing importance as the working class face a cost of living crisis and the Government's Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System plan; further notes that the public increasingly reject the toxicity of discourse and debate in the UK; believes that a common, cross-party commitment to challenging discriminatory language will send a powerful, positive message at a time when it is needed; and calls for collaboration with trade unions and anti-poverty organisations, including the NUJ, BAFWU, and the Right to Food campaign, to challenge discourse and to promote awareness and the rejection of negative media messages about people experiencing poverty.

285Political violence and presidential election in Brazil

Tabled: 12/07/22 Signatories: 28

Richard Burgon

Claudia Webbe

Anne McLaughlin

Owen Thompson

Jonathan Edwards

Beth Winter

This House expresses its deep concerns about reports of political violence against representatives of the Workers’ Party in Brazil ahead of this October’s Presidential election; notes that the far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his cabinet ministers, nearly half of whom are military generals, have made repeated threats against the integrity of this year's upcoming elections; further notes that these have worsened as former President and Workers’ Party leader Lula da Silva has opened up significant poll leads; is concerned that threats, intimidation and hate speech from the President and his supporters create a context in which acts of political violence are more likely; condemns the 9 July killing at a birthday party of Marcelo Arruda, a Workers’ Party official in the city of Foz do Iguaçu, by a Bolsonaro supporter who chanted we are Bolsonaro here; notes that Bolsonaro’s supporters have also attacked pro-Lula rallies including with a home-made bomb and the use of drones to drop faeces onto crowds; and calls on the British Government to raise concerns with the Brazilian government about these reports of violence and intimidation and to call for the coming elections to be free and fair.

286Garment trade adjudicator

Tabled: 12/07/22 Signatories: 15

Claudia Webbe

Grahame Morris

Margaret Ferrier

Jonathan Edwards

Dr Philippa Whitford

Jeremy Corbyn

That this House notes that the purchasing practices of UK retailers has a direct impact on the workers who make clothes for fashion brands, who then re-sell those clothes onto consumers; laments the unfair purchasing practices of UK fashion brands, which causes job losses, poverty wages, excessive overtime and unsafe conditions for the people who make our clothes; believes that the time has come for a fashion watchdog, or garment trade adjudicator, so that all brands ensure that the way they do business treats their suppliers fairly; recognises that fashion retailers, owned by individual tycoons who tend to extract maximum profits and extravagant corporate salaries from the exploited labour of supply chain workers, are typically less responsible compared to giant grocery companies and food retailers; believes that, similar to the Groceries Code Adjudicator, the introduction of a garment trade adjudicator would likely ensure that payment terms to suppliers are fair; further believes that a garment trade adjudicator would have a positive impact on recourses for late order cancellations, delays in payments and unfair or illegal deductions, all of which have a knock-on effect on employment at supplier factories and the ability of suppliers to pay legal wages and provide secure employment; and calls on the Government to introduce a garment trade adjudicator to act as a fashion watchdog and tackle the scourge of garment industry exploitation in Leicester, across the UK and around the world.

292Pub tenants

Tabled: 14/07/22 Signatories: 11

John Cryer

Sir Mike Penning

Ian Lavery

Richard Burgon

Sarah Olney

Jonathan Edwards

That this House is deeply concerned at the prevalence of upward-only rent reviews among pub tenants; recognises that large numbers of tenants are being placed in extremely difficult financial positions by such rent reviews and the actions of avaricious landlords; notes that in Ireland and Australia such rent reviews have been made illegal; and calls on the Government to follow those examples and to make upwards-only rent reviews illegal in order to help very hard-pressed tenants.

293East Kilbride YM Football Club

Tabled: 14/07/22 Signatories: 7

Dr Lisa Cameron

Chris Law

John Nicolson

Margaret Ferrier

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates the East Kilbride YM FC on their 100th anniversary; notes the incredible work they have done to promote football in the East Kilbride community; commends their unprecedented success over their 100-year history; and recognises the recent treble victory of the EKYM’s Greater Glasgow Premier side in securing their league title, the President’s Cup, and the Bobby Thomson Challenge Cup.

295Financial redress for Foetal Anticonvulsant Syndrome caused by sodium valproate

Tabled: 14/07/22 Signatories: 11

Alan Brown

Chris Law

Richard Burgon

Hywel Williams

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

This House calls on the UK Government to pay compensation to sufferers of Foetal Anticonvulsant Syndrome, caused by womb exposure to sodium valproate; notes this is a key recommendation in the thorough and excellent report by Baroness Cumberlege, First Do No Harm, which summarises the outcomes of the independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review; notes that paragraph 1.38 states valproate has caused physical and neurodevelopmental harm and that the state and manufacturers have an ethical responsibility to provide ex gratia payments to those who have experienced avoidable damage from the interventions reviewed; further notes that the report, published in July 2020, stated that patients have waited far too long for redress and that the Government did not address this aspect in their response in July 2021, and that a full year later, in July 2022, still have not set up an ex gratia payment scheme for victims already known to have waited too long for compensation; recognises that the victims of Foetal Anticonvulsant Syndrome are getting older and may need greater levels of support and that the Government must show compassion, empathy and an immediate willingness for some form of justice by way of redress; and calls for a redress agency to be established to provide adequate redress for the victims of sodium valproate, and to implement the other two redress recommendations highlighted from the review on hormone pregnancy tests and pelvic mesh.

296Electronic cigarettes and e-waste

Tabled: 14/07/22 Signatories: 8

Mr Clive Betts

Richard Burgon

Bob Blackman

Hywel Williams

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

That this House notes that the use of e-cigarettes, commonly known as vaping devices, in the UK is rising, especially amongst young people, with single-use non-rechargeable devices commonly sold by retailers; is concerned that many single-use vaping devices cannot be disposed of in household waste and, although their batteries and other constituent parts can be recycled, it is often the case that these devices end up in landfill; notes that ITV reports that batteries in normal household rubbish counted for over 260 fires last year; recalls how a fire that broke out in a Pilsforth landfill took a week before services managed to bring it under control; further notes that li-ion batteries used in these devices contain acids and toxic heavy metals like mercury and lead which leach into the soil and water sources when they are buried in landfill sites endangering humans, natural wildlife and the rural environment; and calls on e-cigarette liquid companies and the Government to take greater steps to increase awareness of the need to recycle these devices and ensure more recycling points are provided for them.

297Political and economic situation in Sri Lanka

Tabled: 15/07/22 Signatories: 14

Ed Davey

Sarah Olney

Bob Blackman

Wendy Chamberlain

Wera Hobhouse

Siobhain McDonagh

That this House notes the developing political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka; acknowledges the widespread corruption and economic mismanagement at the hands of the Rajapaksa government that led to protests in the first place; recognises that the economic solution needed to address this situation must be coupled with political reform that involves all minority groups and includes accountability for human rights abuses and atrocities which have been carried out against Tamils; notes the allegations of human rights abuses levelled against Gotabaya Rajapaksa; urges the International Criminal Court to fully investigate those claims; and calls on the Government to work with its international partners to press for peaceful political reform in Sri Lanka.

298June Aitken

Tabled: 15/07/22 Signatories: 9

Kirsty Blackman

Amy Callaghan

Chris Law

John Nicolson

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

That this House welcomes the contribution made by June Aitken, senior charge nurse for The Archie Foundation at Aberdeen Neonatal Unit; commends her 36 years of dedication to supporting families in the neonatal unit, alongside participating fundraising and volunteering on the charity’s committee; thanks her for all her hard work and commitment; and wishes her a wonderful retirement.

299Scotland’s Seas

Tabled: 15/07/22 Signatories: 7

Douglas Chapman

Dave Doogan

Chris Law

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

That this House supports the celebration of Scotland’s sea area which accounts for 55 per cent of the total sea area of the UK; recognises the importance and value of our coastal communities in terms of fish, aquaculture, tourism, shipbuilding, energy and maritime sectors; and further supports the call that the overall stewardship and fiscal responsibility for this resource rich sea area should lie solely with the Scottish Government.

300John Stevenson of Lochaber Mountain Rescue Service

Tabled: 15/07/22 Signatories: 11

Ian Blackford

Dave Doogan

Amy Callaghan

Chris Law

John Nicolson

Steven Bonnar

That this House congratulates John Stevenson after a remarkable 41 years of service with Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team; recognises the level of affection that John is held in by his colleagues, the wider community and the many people that he has rescued during his service; acknowledges that, having spent 12 years as deputy leader of the Lochaber team and a further 12 as the outright leader, his contribution to saving so many lives is staggering; notes that John has taken part in as many as 3000 rescues during his service, a breath-taking contribution to the saviour of life throughout the mountaineering community; realises that John will rightfully be officially recognised as the exceptional individual that he is; and thanks him for the service that he has provided to so many throughout his journey with the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team.

301East Dunbartonshire women’s representation in Team GB

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 4

Amy Callaghan

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

That this House recognises the achievements of two East Dunbartonshire athletes in team GB; congratulates judo star Rachel Tyler from Bearsden who is set to compete at the Commonwealth Games between the 28th of July and 8th August; further notes the success of Bishopbriggs swimmer Katie Shanahan who is set to compete in the games following her first British senior title; thanks both athletes for being such great role models for young athletes across the UK; understands that this new generation of athletes are setting an example for future generations and building on the success of previous elite athletes from the area; looks forward to seeing both compete at the highest level; and wishes both all the best as they seek to build on their already tremendous achievements.

302Epidermolysis Bullosa

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 8

Mohammad Yasin

Mick Whitley

Tony Lloyd

Jon Trickett

Chris Stephens

Daisy Cooper

That this House welcomes the recent identification of anti-inflammatory drugs, which are already available within the NHS, that could be successful in treating Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB); notes that around 5,000 people in the UK are currently living with EB, a group of rare genetic disorders that result in fragile and blistered skin; recognises the work of DEBRA in spending £1.8 million on charitable activities in 2021, including nearly £500,000 on research projects; and further welcomes DEBRA’s drug repurposing programme, which requires the Government to commit £10 million of financial support to accelerate clinical trials and secure approved treatments for EB sufferers in the UK.

303Government's pledge to build 40 new hospitals

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 4

Jon Trickett

Claudia Webbe

Jonathan Edwards

Richard Burgon

That this House notes with concern the failure of the Government’s promise to the public to deliver 40 new hospitals; notes the Nuffield Trust’s definition of a new hospital as 'a new building on an entirely new site' which means only three new hospitals have been built, two general hospitals and one non-urgent care hospital, according to their definition; highlights the desperate state on the NHS as a result of the Government’s failures, which has seen waiting lists soar to 6.5 million, and only last week, the ambulance service in England declaring critical incident status; further highlights the role privatisation has played in the deterioration of services, with an estimated £204.1 billion spent on private contracts between 2013-20, which amounts to nearly 19 per cent of the Department for Health and Social Care spending on the NHS; notes with deep concern the likelihood of further privatisation under trade deals currently being negotiated; and calls on the Government to protect the NHS from damaging privatisation, which according to the Lancet is linked with a higher mortality rate for treatable deaths.

304The People's Assembly Against Austerity national demonstration

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 17

Richard Burgon

Ian Byrne

Ms Diane Abbott

John McDonnell

Zarah Sultana

Jon Trickett

That this House congratulates the People’s Assembly Against Austerity for calling a national demonstration for Saturday 5th November 2022 on the cost-of-living emergency faced by communities up and down the country; believes that ordinary people should not, once again, be made to pay for a crisis that they did not create; notes that while living standards of the vast majority of people face the sharpest decline in 70 years, the super-rich are hoarding unprecedented levels of wealth; further notes the hypocrisy of the rich and powerful in demanding that workers accept real terms pay cuts to tackle inflation while bankers' bonuses are at record highs, and the profits of the biggest companies are soaring and British billionaires are increasing their wealth by £220 million per day; offers solidarity to those opposing real-terms cuts to wages, social security payments and pensions; and encourages MPs, community groups, trade unionists, social justice campaigners and members of the wider public to attend the People’s Assembly Against Austerity’s demonstration.

30550th anniversary of the Bloody Friday bombings

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Mr Gregory Campbell

Sir Mike Penning

That this House notes the 50th anniversary of the Bloody Friday bombings which took place on the 21st of July 1972; extends again sympathies to the families of those 9 people so callously murdered and also to the 130 others who were injured and who bear the physical scars and emotional trauma to this day; further notes the sheer magnitude of the scale of over 20 bombings which were meticulously planned over a prolonged period of time and which involved scores of IRA members who transported and planted explosives with complete understanding that the security forces would not be able to deal with so many bombs in a short space of time; underlines that the apology made by the IRA in 2002 regarding non-combatants underlines the persistent belief that attacks against the Army and RUC were acceptable when in reality they were and are evil, vile acts that can never be whitewashed or justified; and further affirms the resolute and unwavering determination of this House to withstand the attempts to re-write history in current attempts to explain away the pre-meditated and orchestrated murders of human beings in the Province as simply regrettable and unintentional consequences of war.

306Effect of high temperatures on pets

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Jon Trickett

Chris Stephens

That this House notes the effect that heat can have on beloved pets and encourages the public to follow the RSPCA's advice by limiting or skipping walks, only taking very essential car journeys, making water available at all times, and preparing damp, cold towels and mats and frozen treats; further highlights that early morning or late night walks where safe to do so are preferable; and urges pet owners to take every precaution to help their pet through this difficult and confusing time for animals unused to heat and changes to their routines.

307Kanzen Karate 10th WUKF World Championships Performance

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 3

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates all at Kanzen Karate for their performance at the 10th WUKF World Championships in Fort Lauderdale, USA; recognises that the twenty athletes and two coaches from Kanzen Karate who travelled to the competition brought home ten gold medals, nine silver medals and five bronze medals in a performance that saw Kanzen Karate rank fifth out of fifty-six national federations in attendance; further congratulates senior squad coach Dan Woods and the rest of the coaching team for their hard work in advance of the Championships; thanks Kanzen Karate for their work in the local community, which helps build better lives through the provision of physical activity and education; and wishes all at Kanzen Karate the best for the coming year ahead of the 11th WUKF World Championships in Dundee next year.

308WUKF 2023 World Karate Championships in Dundee

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 4

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

That this House celebrates the announcement that the 2023 World Union of Karate-Do Federations (WUKF) World Karate Championships will be held in the city of Dundee; notes that it is expected to bring over 4,500 competitors, coaches, supporters and officials to the city for the Championships; further notes that the WUKF World Karate Championships were previously successfully held in Dundee in 2018; congratulates all involved at Kanzen Karate and in the wider Dundee community on their work to bring the Championships to the city; and wishes all involved the best for the preparations in the run up to the event next year.

309BTEC funding

Tabled: 18/07/22 Signatories: 2

Jon Trickett

Richard Burgon

That this House raises its concerns about the Government’s plans to cut funding for the majority of BTEC qualifications; notes that under the Government’s current plans funding will start to be removed for BTEC qualifications in 2024-25; further notes that it is estimated that at least 34 per cent of 16 to 18 year olds studying a Level 3 qualification in England are pursuing at least one applied general qualification such as BTEC, including students in Hemsworth constituency, such as at Minsthorpe Community College; recognises that according to the Department for Education’s equalities impact assessment, those from SEND backgrounds, Asian ethnic groups, disadvantaged backgrounds and males are disproportionately likely to be affected; believes that scrapping BTECs will leave many students without a viable education pathway at the age of 16 and will hamper progress to higher education and skilled employment; further believes that many colleges across the country will be unable to maintain a post-16 education provision if BTECs are scrapped and this will disproportionately impact colleges with high numbers of disadvantaged children; and calls on the Government to urgently reassess its plans to scrap funding for BTEC qualifications.