Contents

Published: Thursday 9 February 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Wednesday 8 February 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

846Keith and Kristyn Getty, Grammy nomination

Tabled: 8/02/23 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House congratulates Northern Ireland born hymn-writing couple Keith and Kristyn Getty on being nominated for the 65th Grammy Awards 2023 for their album Confessio; recognises their ongoing contribution to public worship in churches across the world through their hymn writing; and wishes the couple well as they embark on their Sing! World Tour, starting in Belfast in June 2023.

847Complaints of sexual harassment at McDonald's restaurants

Tabled: 8/02/23 Signatories: 8

Dawn Butler

John McDonnell

Mary Kelly Foy

Jeremy Corbyn

Kate Osborne

Kim Johnson

That this House recognises the legal agreement under section 23 of the Equalities Act 2006 reached between the Equalities and Human Rights Commission and fast-food giant McDonald’s UK in response to concerns over the handling of complaints by staff of sexual harassment; believes that this vindicates the campaign of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union and McStrike to highlight a toxic culture which has been allowed to persist within the corporation and a number of its franchisees; further believes that whilst the actions to which McDonald’s has committed under the agreement are welcome, no amount of management training and policy statements can compensate for the power differentials between permanent management and workers on zero hours or other casualised contracts; considers that the single most significant step the corporation could take would be accept a voluntary recognition agreement with the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union and facilitate access for union organisers to recruit those who wish to be represented by a trade union, to extend rights to workers on part-time and temporary contracts; and supports the demands of the Zero Hours Justice campaign to end the use of zero hours contracts where they are unilaterally imposed and, in the meantime, improve and protect rights for zero hours workers.

848Retirement of Tom Rennie from HM Coastguard

Tabled: 8/02/23 Signatories: 1

Drew Hendry

That this House congratulates Tom Rennie on his recent retirement; recognises that Tom dedicated 21 years of service to HM Coastguard as a station officer in Nairn; commends Tom on becoming one of the founding members of the first HM Coastguard Water Rescue Team, following extensive flooding in the Highlands in the early 2000s; pays thanks to all coastguards for their tireless work keeping communities safe; and wishes Tom a happy retirement.

849Heather Bryson, British Citizen Youth Award Ambassador

Tabled: 8/02/23 Signatories: 1

Drew Hendry

That this House congratulates 11 year old Heather Bryson on her recent success at the British Citizen Youth Awards; recognises that Heather was formally announced as a British Citizen Youth Award Ambassador for her work in providing an intergenerational lifeline with her exercise classes for people living with disabilities, community gifting and recycling projects; notes that Heather carries out live Zoom classes for care homes, particularly for those living with dementia; commends Heather's commitment to helping others; and wishes her ongoing success for the future.

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.

800Air pollution from vehicles

Tabled: 25/01/23 Signatories: 10

Mr Barry Sheerman

Jim Shannon

Caroline Lucas

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

That this House notes the impact particulate number testing in the MOT would have on reducing toxic air pollution from vehicles; is horrified that up to 36,000 people a year die prematurely from the effects of air pollution; is concerned that the total cost to the NHS and social care will be £1.5bn by 2025 and £5.1bn by 2035; therefore considers it necessary to take immediate action to identify and remove dangerous polluting vehicles from the roads; welcomes the Government’s belief that implementing particulate number testing is the right thing to do; and urges the Government to follow through on its belief and implement particulate number testing soon after its open consultation on the MOT closes to reduce air pollution across the UK.

802Darvel Football Club's Scottish Cup win

Tabled: 25/01/23 Signatories: 8

Alan Brown

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Law

Carla Lockhart

This House congratulates Darvel FC on their fantastic football performance and Scottish Cup victory over Aberdeen FC on Monday 23rd of January; notes that this is regarded as the biggest Scottish Cup shock ever; recognises that Aberdeen were sitting in 5th place in the Scottish Premiership whilst Darvel play in the West of Scotland League, the 6th tier of Scottish football; notes that Darvel FC is a fantastic community club based in a village with a population of 4,000 whilst Aberdeen FC is based in a city of approximately 200,000 population; recognises that the players and staff of Darvel FC are part time compared to the full-time professionals of Aberdeen FC; commends Darvel FC on the ground improvements implemented before the match to increase the capacity of Recreation Park; notes that other infrastructure improvements include upgrading the facilities and changing rooms, a new grass pitch, floodlights, fencing and safety improvements demonstrating long-term planning from the committee; further notes the significant financial backing from President John Gall, the sponsorship of QTS as well as the dedication, commitment and managerial skills of Michael Kennedy; praises Darvel FC for dedicating the match to past President Peter Orr, a lifetime stalwart of the club and a club legend who sadly passed away in December 2022; wishes Darvel FC all the best in the next round of the Scottish Cup at home to Falkirk; and notes that ambitious clubs like Darvel FC should have greater opportunity for promotion and says "mon the Vale".

806Nan McKay Hall 40th anniversary

Tabled: 26/01/23 Signatories: 5

Alison Thewliss

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Nan McKay Hall in Pollokshields on celebrating its 40th anniversary; understands that this community centre provides a wide range of services for the people of Pollokshields of all ages and backgrounds; notes regular events such as stained glass, beadwork, soup making, English as a second language, computing skills, yoga, chiropody and much more; especially notes the contribution of Bill Lawns in delivering the services at Nan McKay and his dedication to the community of Pollokshields; and wishes them every success in the future.

807Care-experience and protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010

Tabled: 26/01/23 Signatories: 8

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Stewart Hosie

Alison Thewliss

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

John McDonnell

That this House recognises that the Equality Act 2010 currently protects people against discrimination for protected characteristics including age, race, gender and sexuality, but not care-experience; praises campaigns by organisations including Who Cares? Scotland and campaigners such as Terry Galloway, who have long lobbied for care-experience to be classed as a protected characteristic; notes that those who are care-experienced are more likely than the general population to face significant challenges in their life, such as mental health issues, barriers to further education, prison sentences and early mortality; further recognises that classifying care-experience as a protected characteristic would be, according to campaigners, the single biggest action taken to support those who are care-experienced; and calls on the Government to amend the Equality Act 2010 to include care-experience as a protected characteristic.

808Tanks and Military Aid for Ukraine

Tabled: 30/01/23 Signatories: 11

Clive Lewis

Jim Shannon

Stewart Hosie

Dawn Butler

Mick Whitley

Wayne David

That this House notes that 24 February marks the first anniversary of Russia launching an all-out invasion of Ukraine; applauds the Ukrainian people’s courageous resistance; welcomes the gifting of a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine and the transfer of Leopard 2 and M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine; recognises that increased assistance must be provided to help Ukraine successfully conclude the war, free their entire country, and secure a just peace; condemns the fact that 1,105 vehicles were disposed of by the MOD via sale/auction in 2022 for financial gain; calls for all such equipment to be offered to Ukraine; notes that the Challenger 3 programme will upgrade at least 148 of the existing Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks, and calls for the urgent gifting of 79 CR2 tanks to Ukraine; notes that the 170 CVR(T) Scimitar vehicles go out of service this year, and calls for their gifting to Ukraine; notes with the arrival of 623 Boxer vehicles that the Warrior Vehicle is being retired, and calls for all Warriors to be gifted to Ukraine; notes that only four Typhoon Tranche 1 aircraft will be retained until 2027, and calls for the gifting of the remaining Typhoon Tranche 1 aircraft to Ukraine; calls for those of the current fleet of 60 Chinooks due for retirement be gifted to Ukraine; and calls on the Secretary of State for Defence to commit to the above aid being provided urgently with necessary training and ammunition, and for delivery no later than Spring 2023.

809Epilepsy Scotland survey launch

Tabled: 30/01/23 Signatories: 8

Douglas Chapman

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Stewart Hosie

Kirsten Oswald

Chris Law

That this House values the work of Epilepsy Scotland and welcomes the support the organisation gives those with the condition across Scotland; further welcomes the following areas of specific support available from dedicated staff for those in need of help and advice including their Helpline and Check-In Service, Youth Service, Well-being Service and Welfare Rights; supports their newly launched survey on the link between mental health issues and epilepsy; and encourages those with the condition to complete the survey and have their voices heard.

810Sylvia Russell

Tabled: 30/01/23 Signatories: 5

Angela Crawley

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Sylvia Russell from Lanark who was one of 350 people chosen to receive a rowan tree from the Tree of Trees sculpture created for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee; thanks her for all the hard work and dedication she has shown for the town and community in Lanark; praises her for her work as chairman of Lanark Community Development Trust; notes her many achievements with LCDT including the installation of the Clydesdale horse sculpture in Lanark to commemorate the town’s equine history and the development of Castlebank Park; and further thanks Susan Haughey, Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, for her time and effort in deliberating and choosing a worthy cause for this honour.

811Drive-through road side pollution

Tabled: 30/01/23 Signatories: 18

Mr Barry Sheerman

Jim Shannon

Richard Foord

Christine Jardine

Stewart Hosie

Mr Virendra Sharma

That this House recognises that poor air quality is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time; has considered the research conducted by the BBC and Dr Anita Chinnaswamy which discovered that levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter were peaking at many times the UK legal air quality limits for emissions within the drive-throughs of select major fast food outlets; is concerned about the severe health impacts that air pollution can have on those individuals who suffer from prolonged exposure, such as employees and local residents; deeply regrets the link between instances of high road air pollution and deprivation in our country; and calls upon the Government to prioritise enforcement of the law and the fast-food industry to implement innovative solutions to reduce exposure to road air pollution caused by idling vehicles in drive-throughs in the quickest way possible.

812RSPB Garden Birdwatch 2023

Tabled: 30/01/23 Signatories: 8

Jim Shannon

Carla Lockhart

Stewart Hosie

Margaret Ferrier

Patricia Gibson

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

That this House notes the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' annual Big Garden Birdwatch 2023, taking place from 27 to 29 January 2023; highlights their efforts to preserve and protect the red list of birds who are most at risk and underlines that sadly the UK has lost 38 million birds over the last 50 years; urges constituents to be aware of the RSPB's important aim of learning about nature and wildlife and further notes how much of a success the Big Garden Birdwatch is; further highlights how our education sector can get involved as the RSPB launch their Big Schools Birdwatch 2023 and partake in virtual events which teach children the importance of food chains and beak adaptions; and thanks the RSPB for all their dedication in getting as many people involved as possible and celebrates their success in birdwatching thus far.

813Support for the hospice sector

Tabled: 30/01/23 Signatories: 19

Patricia Gibson

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Dan Carden

Stewart Hosie

That this House applauds the excellent end of life care and support provided by hospices across the UK to 300,000 people and their families every year; is concerned by the financial strain placed upon hospices due to the soaring costs of energy which places around £100m of additional costs a year; appreciates the significant impact the cost of living crisis is having on the hospice sector’s fundraising which accounts for two thirds of adult’s hospice income and four fifths of children’s hospice income; values the critical role the hospice sector has within the UK’s health and care system; understands that the work of hospices relieve pressure on the NHS; is mindful that simply reducing energy consumption is not a viable option for hospices which need to keep medical machines running and inpatient units warm for those in their care; further understands that increased running costs cannot be passed on to service users as they would in the business sector; and urgently calls for additional support with energy costs to be provided to the hospice sector which may otherwise struggle to continue with its valuable work to those requiring end of life care and their families.

814State pension age and 1950s-born women

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 24

Wendy Chamberlain

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Helen Morgan

Richard Foord

Valerie Vaz

That this House notes with concern the losses borne by 1950s women as a result of maladministration by the Department for Work and Pensions; supports the independent inquiry of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman; notes that on average over one hundred1950s born women die daily, many of whom have suffered losses and die without compensation; and urges the Government to commit to meeting the compensation recommendations of the Ombudsman upon publication.

816Preconception care strategy

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 7

Siobhain McDonagh

Jim Shannon

Sir Peter Bottomley

Patricia Gibson

John McDonnell

Olivia Blake

That this House concurs with the World Health Organisation (WHO) that preconception preparation enables the healthy pregnancy and confident parenthood that addresses the transmission of disparities in life chances across the generations; recognises that providing educational, biomedical, behavioural and social health interventions for young people, women and prospective parents prior to conception is of fundamental importance in improving pregnancy outcomes and children’s subsequent physical and mental heath, development, resilience and educational aptitude; understands that the importance of preconception care is accepted by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities within the Department for Health and Social Care; congratulates the UK Preconception Partnership for working across health, education and charitable sectors to normalise preconception preparations for a healthy pregnancy and parenthood and Children’s Alliance for recommending the benefits in its Guide: Children’s Health and Wellbeing, Reversing the Damage; and calls upon the Government to ensure that integrated preconception care is available to all people in the UK and prioritised in policy content across every Government Department

81750th anniversary of Dundee Civic Trust

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 5

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Stewart Hosie

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Dundee Civic Trust on the occasion of its 50th anniversary; notes that the Trust was founded in February 1973 by local people to help support the protection and conservation of Dundee’s numerous historic buildings; further notes that the Trust continues to this day to promote and organise talks and events which help educate local people on Dundee and its built environment, and in particular matters of civic design, architecture and conservation; thanks all Trustees, both past and present, who have helped to run and develop the Trust over its fifty years; and wishes them all the best for the future.

818Radio 1’s Big Weekend Dundee

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 7

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Kirsten Oswald

Stewart Hosie

Amy Callaghan

That this House welcomes the announcement that BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2023 will be held in Dundee’s Camperdown Park; notes that the Big Weekend 2020 was due to be held in the city but was sadly cancelled due to the covid-19 pandemic; further notes that 80,000 people are expected to attend the festival over its three days, with millions more watching and listening to coverage through the BBC; recognises the cultural and economic benefits that this will bring to Dundee and the wider area; thanks BBC Radio 1 and organisers for their decision to return to Camperdown Park, the first time a venue in Scotland will host the event for a second time; and wishes all involved in its organisation all the best ahead of May.

819Second anniversary of military coup in Myanmar

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 31

Rushanara Ali

Dame Margaret Hodge

Sir Iain Duncan Smith

Joanna Cherry

Dan Jarvis

Mohammad Yasin

That this House extends solidarity to the people of Myanmar resisting the military coup that took place on 1 February 2021; deplores that over 17,000 people have been arrested, over 2,700 killed and over one million forced to flee their homes; calls for the immediate release of elected members of Parliament illegally detained by the Burmese military, for an end to torture and sexual violence against activists in detention, and for the release of all political prisoners; condemns the almost daily use of airstrikes by the Burmese military; further calls on the Government to do everything it can to end the supply of aviation fuel to the Burmese military; welcomes the Government’s international lead on sanctioning sources of revenue and arms to the Burmese military; calls for increased resources to be dedicated to speeding up the pace of such sanctions; further welcomes the Government’s decision to join the Rohingya genocide case at the International Court of Justice; calls on the Government to convene a meeting at the UN Security Council on Myanmar’s non-compliance with the provisional measures to prevent genocide set out by the International Court of Justice; calls on the Government to increase efforts to persuade countries such as India and Pakistan to stop supplying arms and other military equipment to the Burmese military; and calls on the Government to increase humanitarian aid, including cross-border aid, through local civil society organisations.

820LGBT+ History Month 2023

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 16

Kirsten Oswald

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Caroline Lucas

Amy Callaghan

Chris Law

That this House recognises February as LGBT+ History Month and welcomes 2023’s Behind the Lens theme, celebrating the vast contribution LGBT+ people make to cinema and film; commemorates the struggle for LGBT+ rights over past decades and celebrates the hard-won freedoms and rights gained by the LGBT+ community; understands that progress on LGBT+ rights has not been universal, with many countries across the world continuing to enforce anti-LGBT+ laws which can carry significant punishments; appreciates that the campaign for LGBT+ equality continues and there remains a great deal more work to do to ensure all LGBT+ people can live their lives free from prejudice and hatred; and applauds all those working to end discrimination against LGBT+ people across the world.

822Vitamin D awareness

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 9

Mr Barry Sheerman [R]

Jim Shannon

Valerie Vaz

Stewart Hosie

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

That this House notes the growing body of evidence that suggests the numerous health benefits of vitamin D; recognises the impact that vitamin D can have on the body’s regulation of calcium and phosphate which helps to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy; echoes the NHS’s advice that everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter to stay healthy; and congratulates community initiatives such as Sustainable Huddersfield that are leading the way in raising awareness of vitamin D in local communities.

824Bearsden Academy

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 6

Amy Callaghan

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Bearsden Academy on its recent placement as one of the highest performing secondary schools in Scotland; commends the dedication and leadership of the headteacher George Cooper; notes that the school achieved a fantastic result of third place in Scotland; congratulates Bearsden Academy on its vision and values and commitment to learning and development; further recognises the excellent standard of schools in East Dunbartonshire more broadly; and wishes Bearsden Academy all the very best and looks forward to its future achievements and academic success.

82530 Years of Celtic connections music festival

Tabled: 31/01/23 Signatories: 11

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Kirsten Oswald

Chris Law

Hywel Williams

That this House congratulates music festival Celtic Connections on its 30th anniversary; notes the breadth of talent and cross-genre spirit of this festival which has brightened Glasgow winters for three decades; understands the festival celebrates Glasgow's connections to cultures all over the world through folk, roots and world music; appreciates the contribution to Scotland's cultural landscape that this festival has made over the years; understands this year's Celtic Connections featured over 2,100 musicians from around the world in over 300 events; notes the festival has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 1994; and hopes that it continues to do so for many years to come.

826Funding for local government and public toilet provision

Tabled: 1/02/23 Signatories: 4

Caroline Lucas

John McDonnell

Dan Carden

Rachael Maskell

That this House believes that public toilets are essential social infrastructure, vital for public health and inclusion, and necessary for people with long term conditions, disabilities, young children, homeless people and others of all ages to get out and about; notes that toilet provision was discussed during the passage of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, with the Minister stating this was a fundamentally local issue; further notes that if central Government systematically strips funding so that Local Government has faced a 63% real terms budget reduction between 2010-11 and 2022-23 based on Treasury figures, this has an impact on services, and public toilet provision becomes a fundamentally national issue; welcomes the recent increase in core spending power in this year’s local government finance settlement but considers it wholly insufficient to counter the impact of a decade of drastic cuts on the future financial sustainability of councils on a cliff-edge; urges the Government to consider that people are starting to push for national legislation on provision of toilets out of desperation, because Ministers are washing their hands of their responsibilities to ensure local authorities can properly fund the local services they want to make available to their communities; and calls on Ministers to fully reverse the cuts to local government budgets since 2010 in order to enable the provision and restoration of vital local services.

830Brexit Economic Report

Tabled: 1/02/23 Signatories: 16

Douglas Chapman

Angus Brendan MacNeil

Marion Fellows

Amy Callaghan

Stewart Hosie

Ronnie Cowan

That this House notes with dismay that on the the third anniversary of the UK leaving the EU, according to a Bloomberg Economic Report, Brexit is costing the UK economy £100 bn in lost output each year and is having a detrimental effect on business investment and availability of workers, while leaving the UK economy 4% smaller than it might have been had the UK remained in the EU; further notes that a poll by Unherd Britain shows dwindling support for Brexit even in 2016 pro-Leave areas and many other constituencies showing a greater proportion of people being Bregretful in 2023; welcomes the series of Lights On torchlit processions in Scotland designed to remind people of what has been lost through Brexit and to enthuse the Scottish electorate that after Scotland becomes an independent nation, it will wish to take up the slot of the 28th EU nation state vacated by the UK

831Forced installations of prepayment energy meters

Tabled: 2/02/23 Signatories: 10

Mr Barry Sheerman

Jonathan Edwards

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Steven Bonnar

That this House notes the energy price crisis facing families up and down the country and the need for urgent action to support struggling households; is concerned by the forced installation of prepayment meters in the most vulnerable homes with higher tariffs and when smart meters are switched to prepayment meters remotely without prior consent; welcomes the decision by some energy suppliers to pause this practice; and calls for a three-month moratorium on forced installations whilst a review is conducted of how energy vulnerability can be reduced.

832Pay offer for Members' staff

Tabled: 2/02/23 Signatories: 42

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Mary Kelly Foy

Grahame Morris

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Kate Osborne

Andy McDonald

That this House notes after years of below inflation pay increases to MPs staff that the 2023-24 pay offer of 4.9 per cent from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is grossly inadequate; supports the Unite Parliamentary branch's demand for a RPI plus two percent pay increase; recognises a 2020 independent report to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority found that staff were underpaid to comparable positions; backs the Unite Parliamentary Branch's campaign to have another pay review inquiry with an automatic uplift associated to the recommendations of any report; and calls on the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to negotiate with the branch to prevent industrial action against MPs.

834Auchmuty High School, Glenrothes, Eco Schools Status and Green Flag Award

Tabled: 3/02/23 Signatories: 5

Peter Grant

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Douglas Chapman

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Auchmuty High School, Glenrothes on their success in achieving Eco-School status and the recent award of their Green Flag; recognises that pupils in the Eco-Schools Working Group have worked relentlessly over recent years including throughout the covid-19 pandemic to reach their Eco-Schools goal; notes that Eco-Schools is the largest sustainable schools programme in the world, with participation across 74 countries; acknowledges that Auchmuty High School is the latest school in the Glenrothes and Central Fife area to receive a Green Flag, joining Balcurvie Primary School, Collydean Primary School, Kennoway Primary School and St Paul’s RC Primary School; commends the pupils of Auchmuty High School for their commitment to environmental sustainability; and encourages other schools to get involved in Eco-Schools and take advantage of the opportunity for pupils to engage in action to support the environment.

835Local government

Tabled: 6/02/23 Signatories: 10

Sir George Howarth

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Rebecca Long Bailey

Carla Lockhart

Jon Trickett

That this House notes the important role of local government in providing services to communities; further notes that, regrettably, councils currently face a funding gap of £3.19 billion; expresses strong concern that the serious depletion of councils’ reserves will lead to vital services being cut; further expresses concern that, as a consequence of energy costs and other inflationary pressures on council budgets, the gap is likely to grow to over £5 billion by 2024-25; and calls on the Government to commit to providing additional resources in order to ensure that local government is properly funded to prevent the problems that will inevitably follow from the funding gap.

837Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

Tabled: 6/02/23 Signatories: 10

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Stewart Hosie

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Owen Thompson

Paul Girvan

That this House notes that a powerful earthquake struck south eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border, at 04:17 local time, and has killed more than 1,700 people through the night; further notes that thousands of other civilians have been found seriously injured and trapped and that the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck near the city of Gaziantep at a depth of 17.9km; adds that hours later, a second earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.5, hit the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras province; underlines that so far over 1,700 people have tragically died in both Turkey and Syria and that seismologists said the first quake was one of the largest ever recorded in Turkey; further underlines the extensive damage to infrastructure, that among the buildings destroyed was Gaziantep Castle and that many victims in war-torn northern Syria were killed in refugee camps in rebel-held areas; sends condolences for each and every loss and urges the Government to make available any assistance possible.

838Celebrating support staff in further education

Tabled: 7/02/23 Signatories: 6

Emma Hardy

Jonathan Edwards

Jon Trickett

John McDonnell

Dan Carden

Rachael Maskell

That this House applauds the vital work undertaken by support staff in colleges, who help keep colleges running smoothly and support learners with their further education; recognises the national celebration day, organised by UNISON, which takes place on Friday, 10 February 2023, entitled ‘Champions in our Colleges’; further recognises that college support staff are often hidden behind the scenes and yet are vital to the education of people of all ages; and further recognises that their roles are incredibly diverse, working in classrooms to support learners, in offices completing vital administration, ensuring the college estates are clean and safe, technical roles ensuring that staff and learners have the equipment they need and so much more, and that they play a vital role in every aspect of college life and without them colleges could not run.

839VAT Burn campaign and reform of VAT on sunscreen products

Tabled: 7/02/23 Signatories: 10

Amy Callaghan

Patricia Gibson

Douglas Chapman

Jonathan Edwards

Hannah Bardell

Allan Dorans

That this House recognises the need to reform VAT on sunscreen products that provide a health benefit; acknowledges that Government advice to sit in the shade is not enough to protect our skin; supports sunscreen products being defined as a healthcare product, instead of luxury goods; and calls on the Government to initiate an awareness campaign around skin protection in the sun.

84312th anniversary of Bahrain’s pro-democracy uprising

Tabled: 7/02/23 Signatories: 5

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Jonathan Edwards

Tim Farron

Claudia Webbe

Rachael Maskell

That this House notes the 14 February marks the 12th anniversary of Bahrain’s 2011 Arab Spring pro-democracy uprising that protested over 200 years of the AlKhalifa ruling dictatorship, state repression and structural inequalities, which authorities brutally crushed; raises alarm that Bahrain’s rights record has since deteriorated; decries that opposition leaders, human rights defenders and activists who were wrongfully imprisoned and tortured for their role in this uprising, including Hassan Mushaima, Dr Abduljalil AlSingace and Abdulhadi AlKhawaja, remain behind bars an echoes calls for their immediate and unconditional release; expresses grave concern that hundreds of political prisoners are subjected to medical negligence and discrimination, and calls for their release; expresses concern that AlSingace has been on hunger strike for over 19 months in order to demand the return of his confiscated research; calls on the Government to urge for his research to be given to his family members; decries Bahrain’s 2022 sham elections which were deemed to be the most repressive in 20 years; further decries that Bahrain holds 26 prisoners on death row at imminent risk of execution, many of whom allege torture including Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa; condemns that since 2012 the UK has spent millions in taxpayer money on technical assistance to Bahrain which has failed to lead to demonstrable human rights or democracy improvements, and yet continues the provision of assistance through the Gulf Strategy Fund despite its repeated implications in violations of international law and cross-party calls for its suspension; and reiterates these calls.

845150th anniversary of the Parkhead Congregational Church

Tabled: 7/02/23 Signatories: 4

David Linden

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Parkhead Congregational Church on their 150th anniversary; notes that in 1863 twenty scholars and three teachers met in the East End of Glasgow to form a Sunday School, this eventually became the Parkhead Congregational Church; commends the Church for supporting the local community through many historical events over the past 150 years, particularly for supporting their congregation recently with the covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis; and hopes that the Parkhead Congregational Church enjoy a joyful celebration for their 150th anniversary.