Published: Monday 23 January 2023

New EDMs

782Eastwood Park Theatre 50th Anniversary

Tabled: 20/01/23 Signatories: 1

Kirsten Oswald

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.

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783East Renfrewshire Citizen of the Year

Tabled: 20/01/23 Signatories: 1

Kirsten Oswald

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.

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784Supermarket profits

Tabled: 20/01/23 Signatories: 14

Ian Mearns

Ian Byrne

John McDonnell

Rebecca Long Bailey

Rachael Maskell

Chris Stephens

Jeremy CorbynDan CardenBell Ribeiro-AddyAndy McDonaldIan LaveryOlivia BlakeMick WhitleyMary Kelly Foy

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.

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785National Lottery funding for Paul's Place, Liverpool

Tabled: 20/01/23 Signatories: 1

Dan Carden

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.

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.

748Holocaust Memorial Day 2023

Tabled: 11/01/23 Signatories: 37

Bob Blackman

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Stewart Hosie

Patrick Grady

Richard Foord

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.

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752Disability and cost of living

Tabled: 12/01/23 Signatories: 16

Christine Jardine

Jonathan Edwards

Ben Lake

Wendy Chamberlain

Richard Foord

Jim Shannon

Caroline Lucas

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.

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

Tabled: 16/01/23 Signatories: 10

Bob Blackman

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Rachael Maskell

Wera Hobhouse

Liz Saville Roberts

Caroline Lucas

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.

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

Tabled: 17/01/23 Signatories: 6

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.

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768Environment Agency workers industrial action

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 15

Olivia Blake

Apsana Begum

Nadia Whittome

Zarah Sultana

Jon Trickett

Mick Whitley

Caroline Lucas

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.

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771UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 16

Kim Johnson

Caroline Lucas

Wera Hobhouse

Alison Thewliss

Layla Moran

Liz Saville Roberts

Stewart Hosie

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.

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774Nationality on the electoral registration form

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 7

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Patricia Gibson

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Caroline Lucas

Stewart Hosie

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.

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775Medical Radioisotope Production

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 3

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Stewart Hosie

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.

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776Open Doors and the World Watch List 2023

Tabled: 18/01/23 Signatories: 11

Patricia Gibson

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Ben Lake

Jim ShannonStewart Hosie

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.

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777Adoption pay for self-employed people

Tabled: 19/01/23 Signatories: 2

Mr Barry Sheerman

Mr Virendra Sharma

That this House recognises that there is no justifiable basis for denying self-employed adopters access to statutory adoption pay, which their employed counterparts can access as a day-one right; notes that that discretionary payments to self-employed adopters are inconsistent and rare, meaning that self-employed individuals are financially disadvantaged when considering welcoming a child into their home through adoption; therefore calls on Government to enable parity of access to adoption leave and pay by providing an Adoption Allowance to self-employed individuals; and further calls for an extension of shared parental leave to couples where at least one individual is self-employed.

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779Energy support for sports facilities

Tabled: 19/01/23 Signatories: 4

Munira Wilson

Caroline Lucas

Jamie Stone

Wendy Chamberlain

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.

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780Black January and the anniversary of the invasion of Baku

Tabled: 19/01/23 Signatories: 2

Bob Blackman

Stewart Hosie

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.