Contents

Published: Tuesday 24 January 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Monday 23 January 2023

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

786Farewell service for the Newton Mearns Synagogue

Tabled: 23/01/23 Signatories: 1

Kirsten Oswald

That this House notes that there is to be a farewell service for the Newton Mearns Synagogue in the Synagogue at Larchfield Court, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire on 22 January 2023; understands that this is a notable event, which will be marked by the attendance of Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis for this special service at the Synagogue; thanks all those whose hard work and dedication has been instrumental to the work of this Synagogue over the years; appreciates the very important place which this Synagogue has held at the heart of the local community and notes that there will be fondly held memories as farewells are said; understands that whilst the farewell service will represent the closing of one chapter, it heralds a new beginning too, with the merger of the Newton Mearns Synagogue and Giffnock Synagogue forming the new Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue; and wishes congregations of the Newton Mearns Synagogue and the newly formed Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue well for the future, playing a key role at the heart of the East Renfrewshire community.

787O Ddrws i Ddrws community transport charity

Tabled: 23/01/23 Signatories: 1

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House congratulates Pen Llŷn based community transport charity O Ddrws i Ddrws on twenty years serving the local community; notes O Ddrws i Ddrws was established in January 2003 and has since carried hundreds of passengers on thousands of vital journeys from accessing medical appointments to local shopping trips and school, college and work journeys; further notes that the charity now provides the Lôn i Les welfare service, the innovative Gwerfyl electric car sharing scheme and the Fflecsi Llŷn service, an on-call public transport service during the summer months, in addition to serving as a lifeline to elderly and disabled people; acknowledges the immense contribution of volunteers, staff, trustees, administrators, drivers and financial supporters who have contributed to the charity’s success and is testament to the continued need for the service; and wishes O Ddrws i Ddrws all the best for the future.

788Daesh genocide against Yazidis, Christians and other religious minorities in Syria and Iraqq

Tabled: 23/01/23 Signatories: 4

Kirsten Oswald

Brendan O'Hara

Drew Hendry

Ms Anum Qaisar

That this house urges the UK Government to formally recognise the Daesh atrocities against the Yazidis, Christians and other religious or belief minorities in Syria and Iraq as genocide; understands that it is the long-standing policy of the UK Government not to make determinations of genocide but to leave it for competent courts; notes that on 30 November 2021 a criminal court in Frankfurt, Germany, convicted an Iraqi national for his involvement in genocide, crimes against humanity and other crimes; also notes that on 27 July 2022 the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg convicted German Daesh member Jalda A of aiding and abetting genocide as well as of crimes against humanity and war crimes for the enslavement and abuse of a young Yazidi woman; acknowledges that a criminal court is, in the view of the UK Government, a competent court to make determinations of genocide; and in light of the above renews calls to the UK Government to formally recognise the atrocities committed against the Yazidis, Christians and other religious or belief minorities in Syria and Iraq as genocide.

78970th Anniversary of the loss of MV Princess Victoria

Tabled: 23/01/23 Signatories: 1

Stephen Farry

That this house acknowledges the 70th anniversary of the loss of the roll-on/roll-off ferry MV Princess Victoria off the shores of Northern Ireland near the Copeland Islands on 31 January 1953; commemorates the loss of 135 lives, including Northern Ireland Finance Minister Sir Maynard Sinclair, and the MP for North Down, Sir Walter Smiles; pays tribute to the bravery to the crews of the ships and lifeboats that rallied to her assistance, in particular the crew of the Donaghadee lifeboat, the Sir Samuel Kelly, who saved the lives of 33 passengers; commends the efforts of the community in Donaghadee to preserve the Sir Samuel Kelly; and praises the ongoing dedication of the volunteers with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to rescue those in peril on our seas.

790Disappearance of migrant children from asylum hotels

Tabled: 23/01/23 Signatories: 1

Ms Diane Abbott

That this House notes concerning reports of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children disappearing from hotels; expresses concern for the welfare of these children; notes that several reports suggest that these children are being targeted and trafficked; further notes that in one example, 136 children went missing from one hotel in 18 months and that 79 of these children remain unaccounted for; and calls for the Home Office to immediately review safeguarding arrangements for asylum-seeking children in hotels.

791SaxaVord UK Spaceport partnership with RFA Space

Tabled: 23/01/23 Signatories: 1

Mr Alistair Carmichael

That this House welcomes the announcement by Shetland’s SaxaVord UK Spaceport of their launch operations partnership with RFA Space; notes that the company’s first launch is currently planned for the end of 2023; understands that if successful, this could represent the first vertical space launch from a UK site, taking place from the northernmost point in the UK; believes that the sort of skilled jobs created by companies like Saxavord and others are vital to the future of rural and island communities; and wishes both companies every success with the launch.

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.

732Dramalam Performing Arts school

Tabled: 9/01/23 Signatories: 4

Dr Lisa Cameron

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House recognises the success of Dramalam Performing Arts school in Strathaven; notes that their first classes began in August 2021, at the first easing of restrictions during the pandemic; further notes that their core values of helping children with their mindfulness and self-worth, alongside their performing arts skills, have made a tangible positive impact on the local community; congratulates them on their first showcase in June 2022 and their first festive recital and awards ceremony in December 2022; recognises that this was only possible through the hard work of Lianne McHugh and the rest of the team; and welcomes the new classes opening in East Kilbride, extending the opportunity to be a part of Dramalam Performing Arts to more children and young people in the community.

734Commemoration of the 33rd year of the genocide of Hindus, Kashmiri Pandits, from Jammu and Kashmir.

Tabled: 9/01/23 Signatories: 5

Bob Blackman

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

David Linden

Tommy Sheppard

That this House commemorates with deep sadness and disappointment the 33rd anniversary of the attack in January 1990 by cross-border Islamic militants on the innocent population of Jammu and Kashmir; expresses its condolences to the families and friends of all those killed, raped and injured in this planned massacre; condemns the desecration of holy sites in Jammu and Kashmir; is concerned that Kashmiris who fled persecution have still not seen justice or recognition of the atrocities committed against them; commends the continued resilience and courage shown by the members of Kashmiri Pandit community who survived this gruesome genocide and did not resort to taking up arms but chose education and aspiration; deplores those sponsoring such cross-border terrorist attacks and demands that such attacks cease immediately; condemns the continued targeted Hindu killings in Jammu and Kashmir, further notes that the international principle of responsibility to protect obliges individual states and the international community to take effective measures to prevent the commission of genocide and crimes against humanity as suffered by Kashmiri Hindu community; urges the Government of India to fulfil its long-standing international commitment to recognise and acknowledge the worst form of genocide of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir and enact the proposed Panun Kashmir Genocide Crime Punishment and Atrocities Prevention Bill in the Indian Parliament, therefore delivering much awaited justice to the Kashmiri Pandit community; and further urges the UK Government to extend the UK’s long standing commitment to protect and demand justice to the victims of this genocide.

738Mr Ali Ahmed Aslam, founder of Glasgow's Shish Mahal Restaurant

Tabled: 9/01/23 Signatories: 13

Patrick Grady

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Alison Thewliss

Carol Monaghan

David Linden

Anne McLaughlin

That this House sends its sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of Mr Ali Ahmed Aslam, original proprietor of the Shish Mahal restaurant in the West End of Glasgow, who passed away on 19 December 2022; notes that the restaurant, opened in 1964, is credited with inventing the recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala, and helped popularise Indian cuisine in Scotland, establishing Glasgow as one UK’s pre-eminent curry capitals; further notes the many warm tributes and happy memories that have been shared by generations of customers who have enjoyed Mr Ali’s legendary dishes and hospitality over the years; and hopes that these will provide some comfort to his family at this sad time.

740Peace in Syria

Tabled: 9/01/23 Signatories: 6

Jim Shannon

Carla Lockhart

Mohammad Yasin

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

David Linden

Tommy Sheppard

This house notes the need for a lasting peace in Syria; believes that establishing a UK Special Envoy for Syria would help ensure utmost efforts in promoting a new and lasting peace initiative in Syria; and recognises the international benefits that would arise from a prosperous and peaceful Syria, not least by helping Syrian refugees return home.

745Inverness becomes a full fibre city

Tabled: 10/01/23 Signatories: 7

Drew Hendry

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Peter Grant

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

That this House welcomes the news that Inverness has completed its journey to become a full fibre city, with world leading connections now available to thousands of residents and businesses across the city; notes that CityFibre has completed its £24 million full fibre broadband roll out in Inverness; further welcomes this as yet another step to ensure the Highlands thrive, with a successful Inverness at its heart; and notes that without the spark of competition between providers, Inverness would have likely had to wait much longer for future-proof digital infrastructure.

746Jimmy Hendry, Plumber of the Year

Tabled: 10/01/23 Signatories: 5

Drew Hendry

Jim Shannon

Peter Grant

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this house congratulates Jimmy Hendry on recently being named Plumber of the Year at the national On the Tools Awards held at the Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham in November 2022; recognises that these awards celebrate the best and brightest that the construction industry has to offer; commends Jimmy for his ongoing campaign for further legislation to stop illegal gas works being carried out; and pays tribute to his commitment to this cause which puts the safety and wellbeing of others at its heart.

748Holocaust Memorial Day 2023

Tabled: 11/01/23 Signatories: 41

Bob Blackman

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Stewart Hosie

Patrick Grady

That this House notes that, on 27 January 2023, the UK will observe Holocaust Memorial Day, marking the 78th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where more than 1.1 million people died, including nearly one million Jewish men, women and children; commemorates the six million victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution; further notes that the House pays tribute to the commitment of Holocaust survivors and Kindertransport refugees who share their experiences with young people across the country; acknowledges the importance of the Holocaust Educational Trust's work in schools across the UK and in particular the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, which has so far given tens of thousands of students and teachers the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau; welcomes the establishment of a permanent National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre adjacent to Parliament; pays tribute to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for organising the national Holocaust Memorial Day event; and urges all Right hon. and hon. Members to observe this day so that the appalling events of the Holocaust are always understood by future generations.

749Pollokshields Burgh Hall Trust 25th anniversary

Tabled: 11/01/23 Signatories: 6

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Jim Shannon

Alison Thewliss

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Pollokshields Burgh Hall Trust on its 25th anniversary; notes the achievements of the Trust in the past 25 years in reopening and maintaining the Halls as a community asset; thanks all the staff and volunteers who have always been on hand to help and to ensure that all users get the most out of the Hall; recognises the Hall's unique location with its own gardens and grounds situated adjacent to Maxwell Park making it an extremely special venue for any event; and offers the Trust and Pollokshields Burgh Hall its best wishes for continued success in the future.

750Loraine Swan BEM

Tabled: 11/01/23 Signatories: 5

Angela Crawley

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Alison Thewliss

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Loraine Swan on being awarded the BEM for services to the community in Lanark; acknowledges the lifetime of service Loraine has given to her home town; recognises her hard work as a member and chair of the Lanark Lanimer committee which put on a number of successful events during her tenure; applauds Loraine for her continued dedication to the community in her roles as a Sunday school teacher at Cairns/Greyfriars Church, as group co-ordinator at Lanark U3A, as programme secretary at Inner Wheel of Lanark and as a member of Kilninie Club; and thanks Loraine for everything she has done for the community of Lanark.

752Disability and cost of living

Tabled: 12/01/23 Signatories: 17

Christine Jardine

Jonathan Edwards

Ben Lake

Wendy Chamberlain

Richard Foord

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises that there is often a significant income gap between disabled and non-disabled people; further recognises that disabled people are being hit hard by the current cost of living crisis and are much more likely to struggle to heat their homes and cut back on food over the winter; notes that the Resolution Foundation has found that people with disabilities have an available amount to spend that is around 44 per cent lower than that of other working-age adults; further notes that people with a disability are far more likely to be poorer than the rest of the population, with up to a third of adults in the lowest-income households having a disability; notes that almost half of disabled adults said they had to cut back on energy use this winter, compared with almost one-third of people without a disability; and calls on the Government to provide further support for disabled people including financial assistance to help with the cost of living crisis.

754Re-imprisonment of Fariba Kamalbadi and Mahvash Sabet in Iran

Tabled: 16/01/23 Signatories: 11

Bob Blackman

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Rachael Maskell

Wera Hobhouse

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House notes with concern the re-imprisonment in December 2022 of Fariba Kamalbadi and Mahvash Sabet, two Baha’is in Iran; further notes that both of these women served 10 years in harsh conditions from 2008 to 2018 and were the subject of widespread international outcry; acknowledges that these two women are widely regarded as prisoners of conscience; observes with concern that both women are over 60 years of age and poor health; and urges the Government to use all bilateral and multilateral means of influence to call on the Iranian Government to release Fariba and Mahvash immediately.

755Lewis Capaldi

Tabled: 16/01/23 Signatories: 10

Martyn Day

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Marion Fellows

Chris Stephens

That this House celebrates the success of West Lothian singer songwriter Lewis Capaldi, whose single Someone You Loved has been named the UK's most streamed song; notes that his breakthrough hit has accumulated 562 million UK streams, beating Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You and Perfect, respectively; and further notes that the song reached number one in March 2019 and stayed there for a total of seven weeks.

756Creativity of Glasgow North East school pupils

Tabled: 16/01/23 Signatories: 8

Anne McLaughlin

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Marion Fellows

Chris Stephens

That this House thanks the schools in Glasgow North East including Barmulloch Primary School, Elmvale Primary School, Haghill Park Primary School, Miltonbank Primary School, St Denis’ Primary School and St Roch’s Primary School for taking part in a Christmas card competition and allowing their creative artwork to be shared on behalf of the constituency; recognises the talent of the pupils and applauds their hard work and the work of their teachers and other school staff; and thanks the winner Eniola from Elmvale Primary School for allowing her design to be shared at Christmas.

759Night Before Christmas Campaign

Tabled: 16/01/23 Signatories: 12

Allan Dorans

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

Marion Fellows

Chris Stephens

That this House recognises and congratulates the inspirational Jodie McFarlane and her family and the outstanding commitment shown by the team of over 100 fantastic volunteers of the Night Before Christmas Campaign (NB4CC) who since 2015 have worked tirelessly and continuously every year to relieve the effects of poverty by ensuring that as many children throughout south west Scotland, who may not have received a gift or present at Christmas did so; thanks all of those volunteers involved in organising, collection, receipt, sorting, packing and delivery of donations; notes that in the first year of operation they delivered around 100 shoe boxes containing gifts; further notes that since that time they have continuously developed their network to encourage referrals from social work, churches, schools, voluntary and other groups; and notes the wonderful generosity of thousands of individual donors and over 150 donating organisations including businesses, churches, local sports teams and others who have provided cash donations, gifts and presents including new pyjamas, books, toiletries, toys, board games, selection boxes, teddy bears, other soft toys, and computer games, valued at over £340,000, enabling an outstanding record 6,840 red bags of joy to be delivered to families and children at Christmas in 2022.

765Father Achi of Saint Peter and Paul in Paikoro, Nigeria

Tabled: 17/01/23 Signatories: 9

Jim Shannon

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Sir Mike Penning

Alexander Stafford

David Linden

Sir Edward Leigh

The House extends its condolences to the family of Nigerian priest Father Isaac Achi, and to his parish of Saint Peter and Paul in Paikoro Nigeria; condemns in the strongest of terms the brutal murder of Fr Achi who was burned alive by armed terrorists on Sunday 15 January 2023; urges the government of Nigeria to address the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria as a matter of priority so that all faith and belief groups might enjoy freedom of religion or belief; and implores the government of Nigeria to ensure free and fair presidential elections next month, free from fear of armed terrorist groups.

766Adoption of Passivhaus Standards in Scotland

Tabled: 17/01/23 Signatories: 8

Douglas Chapman

Jim Shannon

Dr Philippa Whitford

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

That this House recognises that the Scottish Government has adopted the Passivhaus standards for all future buildings, with new minimum environmental design standards for all new build housing to meet a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard in order to improve energy efficiency and thermal performance on the journey to net zero; understands that this legislation will be implemented in the next two years, with a commitment to a robust verification process to meet these ambitious standards; recommends that the UK Government follow suit and draft an equivalent design standard for the rest of the UK in order to increase energy security, reduce bills and improve indoor air quality in all new builds; commends the group behind the design and construction of the UK's largest education Passivhaus building that is due to open in Dunfermline and West Fife constituency in 2024 at the new Woodmill and St Columba's High School campus; and further commends Alex Rowley MSP for initiating the Bill in the Scottish Parliament.

767Deans Primary and Nursery Class

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 5

Hannah Bardell

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

Alison Thewliss

Chris Law

That this House notes the recent inspection report by Education Scotland for Deans Primary and Nursery Class which found the school to be good and very good across all leading indicators; congratulates Headteacher, Mrs Stewart, her depute, Mrs Wallace, and their team for their performance in ensuring good outcomes for all children and their families; recognises that the school achieved ‘very good’ for ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion; highlights that children at Deans felt supported in a number of ways, including daily wellbeing check-ins, a tailored health and wellbeing curriculum, with staff ensuring the needs of every pupil were met on a daily basis; and further notes the commitment from all members of staff to continue to work on their ambitious school improvement priorities.

768Environment Agency workers industrial action

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 18

Olivia Blake

Apsana Begum

Nadia Whittome

Zarah Sultana

Jon Trickett

Mick Whitley

That this House fully supports the thousands of Environment Agency workers in their pay dispute, notes that they are engaged in the first strike action over pay to take place since the Environment Agency was established; further notes that while Environment Agency staff undertake vital work in responding to environmental incidents and emergencies including floods and major pollution events, these workers have seen the value of their pay eroded by over 20 percent since 2010; highlights that it wishes Environment Agency workers every success in their fight to secure a fair pay deal that reflects the vital work they do; and calls on Ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to urgently engage with Environment Agency trade unions to seek a resolution to this dispute.

769Citizens Advice Cymru research on prepayment meters

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 6

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Stephens

Patricia Gibson

Alison Thewliss

Rachael Maskell

Beth Winter

That this House expresses concern at research by Citizens Advice Cymru which indicates that across Wales the service dealt with more cases of households unable to top up their prepayment meter in 2022 than in the previous 10 years combined; notes that research by Citizens Advice Cymru indicates that a third of prepayment meter users in Wales are struggling with payments; further notes that prepayment meters whilst useful for budgeting are a more expensive way to pay for energy consumption; further expresses concern at the research which indicates that 32 per cent of prepayment meter users in Wales were disconnected from their energy supply last year, that 23 per cent have been disconnected at least once a month, that 10 per cent have been without energy for over 24 hours; notes the potentially dangerous consequences for households being without electricity or heating, especially the vulnerable, and the pressure this places on health and social care services; further notes that the research indicates that 71 per cent of prepayment meter users are worried about keeping up with payments; is concerned that Citizens Advice local offices are reporting a three-fold increase in the number of consumers being switched to prepayment meters by energy suppliers last year; and supports Citizens Advice in calling on a prohibition of forced prepayment meter installations until consumer safeguards are introduced and a review of all prepayment meter customers with the aim of moving consumers to credit meters where necessary to reduce the risk of disconnections.

770Yeti Airlines Flight 691

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 9

Mr Virendra Sharma

Allan Dorans

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Alison Thewliss

That this House acknowledges the terrible impact of the crash of Yeti Airlines Flight 691; pays tribute to the work of the Nepalese Emergency Services and all first responders; remembers the 72 passengers and crew; and conveys its sympathies to the family and loved ones of those in the accident.

771UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 22

Kim Johnson

Caroline Lucas

Wera Hobhouse

Alison Thewliss

Layla Moran

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House notes with concern the ongoing devastation of the war on Yemen, which has repeatedly been named one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world since the Saudi-led Coalition first launched airstrikes in March 2015; further notes that the Government continues to allow arms sales to Saudi Arabia, and continues to provide logistical support to Saudi forces in Yemen despite overwhelming evidence of serious violations of international humanitarian law; reminds the Government that criteria 2(c) of the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria precludes licensing where there is a clear risk that items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law; notes with concern the failure of the warring parties to renew the first truce in six years, brokered by the UN, which was sustained for six months in 2022; calls on the Government to end all support for the war and suspend all arms sales to Saudi Arabia; and urges the Government to use all diplomatic means at its disposal, including the UK’s position as penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council to support the role of the Yemeni people, including women and children, in building sustainable peace, to advocate for an end to the mahram male guardian requirement across governorates under Houthi control, and call for the creation of an independent, international accountability mechanism that would investigate, publicly report and pursue accountability for the most serious violations of international law committed in Yemen by all parties to the conflict.

772The work of Inspiring Scotland

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 7

Patricia Gibson

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Alison Thewliss

That this House commends the Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland's provision of almost £118,000 in funding to eco-friendly projects on the Isle of Arran; notes Scottish Government funding of more than £3 million this year for projects across rural Scotland; further notes that rural and island communities have been disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis; understands that these communities are experiencing significantly higher costs for heating, transport and housing than their urban counterparts; recognises the positive impact this funding will have for Arran’s island community; acknowledges the significance of the work carried out by funding recipients Eco Savvy, Arran Development Trust, Pirnmill Village Association, and Lamlash Improvements Association to establish greater energy support and guidance for island residents and to grow the energy security and extreme weather resilience of the community; and wishes these groups every success in improving the lives of the people of Arran.

773Homes for Good Gold World Habitat Award

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 8

Alison Thewliss

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Ben Lake

That this House congratulates Homes for Good in Glasgow on winning a prestigious Gold World Habitat Award; understands they use an innovative model with transforms empty homes; notes they were founded in 2013 and have housed over 1000 people on low incomes or at immediate risk of homelessness into high quality homes; appreciates the massive difference Homes for Good have made to many lives in Glasgow; further notes that the World Habitat Awards are organised by World Habitat in partnership with UN-Habitat and are the world's leading housing awards, recognising and highlighting outstanding and revolutionary housing projects worldwide; and commends Homes for Good on this fantastic achievement and wishes them every success in the future.

774Nationality on the electoral registration form

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 9

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Patricia Gibson

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Caroline Lucas

That this House notes its concern that it is not possible for individuals to identify as Welsh as a separate nationality on the electoral registration form or on the annual Household Enquiry Form; further notes that this results in many people in Wales being unable to state their own nationality as 55 per cent of the population identify as Welsh and not British; notes that this inability for people to express their nationality of choice risks communities across the UK feeling disenfranchised and underrepresented; and calls for both the electoral register and the annual Household Enquiry Form to be amended so that they can properly reflect all nationalities that make up the UK.

775Medical Radioisotope Production

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 4

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Stewart Hosie

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the urgent need to ensure the future security of supply of nuclear medicine and welcomes the announcement of major new plans to make north Wales a global centre of excellence as the leading location for medical radioisotope production in the UK; notes that the project ARTHUR (Advanced Radioisotope Technology for Health Utility Reactor) would see the creation of a public sector national laboratory for the supply of medical radioisotopes which are vital for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer and heart disease; also notes that most of the European facilities currently producing medical radioisotopes are coming to the end of their productive life, leaving the UK facing the prospect of having to ration these life-saving nuclear medicines by 2030; further notes that loss of supply would have a significant detrimental impact on patient outcomes and survival; acknowledges that the project would create long-term and sustainable jobs and produce medical radioisotopes for health services across the four nations of the UK; and calls on the UK Government to work with the Welsh Government in their efforts to create project ARTHUR.

776Open Doors and the World Watch List 2023

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 16

Patricia Gibson

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Ben Lake

That this House applauds the work of the charity Open Doors which has, for more than six decades, supported persecuted Christians globally; understands that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Open Doors' research into those countries where Christians face the greatest levels of persecution, information on which is published in its annual World Watch List; notes that in the World Watch List 2023, North Korea returns to the top of this list, scoring the highest number of points ever recorded by the charity; is deeply concerned that more than 360 million Christians experience high and extreme levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith; is alarmed that when the Open Doors World Watch List started, Christians faced high, very high or extreme levels of persecution in 40 countries and, 30 years on, that number has nearly doubled to 76 countries; recognises that this means that 1 in 7 Christians now experience at least high levels of persecution and discrimination which shows that persecution of Christians for their faith is a human rights outrage which is growing; is appalled that sexual violence is a key weapon used against Christian women and girls globally; and urges the UK Government to recognise faith as an additional vulnerability in all conflicts and use every diplomatic tool at its disposal as well as its role on the international community to make all possible efforts to uphold freedom of religion or belief which is a basic human right and must be recognised as such.

779Energy support for sports facilities

Tabled: 19/01/23 Signatories: 10

Munira Wilson

Caroline Lucas

Jamie Stone

Wendy Chamberlain

Rachael Maskell

Tracey Crouch

That this House notes with concern that sports facilities, including swimming pools and leisure centres, have been excluded from the list of sectors entitled to greatest support under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme; is pleased to note that cultural institutions, such as libraries, museums and botanical gardens have been included in the list of Energy and Trade Intensive Industries eligible for the higher level of support but is disappointed that sports facilities have not; further notes that the disparity in the level of support is significant, with discounts for electricity nearly five times greater for Energy and Trade Intensive Industries than other sectors and a discount on gas nearly six times higher; notes that the price thresholds for Energy and Trade Intensive Industries to receive this support is also lower than other sectors for both gas and electricity; welcomes comments by the Minister for Sport that he will be holding a roundtable with industry stakeholders to discuss further support, but considers it not enough; and calls for the definition of Energy and Trade Intensive Industries to be expanded to include sports facilities, such as swimming pools and leisure centres, in the scheme for Energy and Trade Intensive Industries.

780Black January and the anniversary of the invasion of Baku

Tabled: 19/01/23 Signatories: 3

Bob Blackman

Stewart Hosie

Jim Shannon

That this House notes that on 20 January 2023 the UK will observe the anniversary of the invasion of Baku by the Soviet, mostly Russian, military in 1990 in response to the popular movement calling for independence of Azerbaijan; further notes that this House pays tribute to the 150 civilians who lost their lives during the invasion of the city of Baku in Azerbaijan; and urges all Right hon. and hon. Members to observe this day so that the events will always be remembered.

782Eastwood Park Theatre 50th Anniversary

Tabled: 20/01/23 Signatories: 5

Kirsten Oswald

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Alison Thewliss

That this House celebrates the 50th anniversary of Eastwood Park Theatre in Giffnock which first opened its doors on 8 January 1973 for a live performance of The School Mistress by the Giffnock Players Club; understands the 50th anniversary was marked with a live stage performance by the popular children’s entertainers, the McDougalls; recognises the value of theatre in enhancing the lives of young and old alike; appreciates the enjoyment, fun, art and culture Eastwood park has brought to the local area; notes the theatre has welcomed the likes of Marti Pellow, Eddi Reader, Janey Godley, and Dom Joly in the past, as well as hosting much loved local groups; further notes the theatre holds British Sign Language workshops for children, British Sign Language performances, and relaxed performances for those with additional support needs; commends the staff of the theatre for the great service they provide; and wishes everyone involved with the theatre all the best for the future.

783East Renfrewshire Citizen of the Year

Tabled: 20/01/23 Signatories: 5

Kirsten Oswald

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Alison Thewliss

That this House congratulates Stan Esson who was named East Renfrewshire’s Citizen of the Year in 2022 for his dedicated service as a volunteer with the East Renfrewshire Foodbank; commends Stan for this well deserved honour; notes that the East Renfrewshire Foodbank was founded in 2013 and that Stan as a founding member has worked in the role of Warehouse Manager ever since; further notes that Stan helps to sort donations, organises the storeroom, meets with clients, and liaises with the Trussell Trust to ensure everyone requiring the foodbank’s assistance can access the items they require; appreciates the selfless dedication to supporting others in the community which lies behind this vital work Stan does; notes that his tireless efforts make a difference to others at the most difficult times; and wishes Stan and all the fantastic volunteers and supporters associated with East Renfrewshire Foodbank the very best for the future.

784Supermarket profits

Tabled: 20/01/23 Signatories: 22

Ian Mearns

Ian Byrne

John McDonnell

Rebecca Long Bailey

Rachael Maskell

Chris Stephens

That this House notes reports in the Sunday Times suggesting that, at a time of an acute cost-of-living crisis for households and food inflation running at over 14 per cent, UK supermarkets are set to announce higher-than-anticipated profits; further notes reports that Tesco alone will forecast increased operating profits of nearly £2.5 billion, significantly above its five-yearly average; shares the reported fears of industry insiders that the supermarket giants are benefitting from so-called rocket and feather pricing, where prices rise sharply in response to an inflationary spike, only to remain persistently higher than necessary as the rate of inflation falls; is scandalised that corporate shareholders are making excessive profits while more and more households are forced to use foodbanks; is concerned that, despite these rocketing profits, large retailers in the food and drink sector continue to place undue commercial pressures on their suppliers, leading to a further squeeze on the terms and conditions of workers across the food sector and more suppliers closing sites or going into administration; further notes that food workers, like other low-paid groups in society, are disproportionately impacted by the relentless increase in grocery prices; agrees with the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers union in calling for urgent regulatory action to tackle the plague of excessive corporate profiteering by UK supermarkets; and urges the Government to introduce a statutory Right to Food for everyone in the country.

785National Lottery funding for Paul's Place, Liverpool

Tabled: 20/01/23 Signatories: 2

Dan Carden

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Paul's Place, part of Beacon Counselling Trust, based in the Liverpool Walton constituency, on their award of a £546,355 National Lottery Community Fund grant; notes that Paul's Place was set up by the families of two young men from Liverpool who tragically took their own lives; understands that this funding will support Paul's Place to offer free specialist support to service users bereaved by suicide; and acknowledges the positive impact that this will have in enabling them to continue their vital work.