Commons business papers

Contents

Published: Tuesday 28 March 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Monday 27 March 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

1009Genocide Determination Bill [HL]

Tabled: 27/03/23 Signatories: 1

Chris Law

That this House notes with enthusiastic approbation the decision of the House of Lords of 28 October 2022, with all party support, to give a second reading to the Genocide Determination Bill, in line with welcome promises by the last two Prime Ministers to reform the law on genocide determination; further notes that the Bill provides basic mechanisms to enable the UK to implement its urgently-needed duty to prevent genocide; welcomes the support from former Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers, a former Ambassador to the United Nations, former Supreme Court Judges, bishops, faith communities and senior judicial figures; and urges the Government to provide, at the earliest opportunity, parliamentary time to expedite the Bill's further consideration and enactment.

1010Government action on Iran

Tabled: 27/03/23 Signatories: 1

Ed Davey

That this House condemns the continued excessive use of force and violence by the Iranian authorities against Iranian women and all others protesting against the Iranian regime; notes with appreciation the work of many British-Iranians to highlight the abuses being perpetrated by the Iranian regime; welcomes the most recent sanctions issued by the Government against the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps and urges further action; supports the case for proscription of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps; calls on the Government to follow the call of Anoosheh Ashoori and ensure that the relatives of sanctioned Iranian officials are not living prosperously in the UK off the back of stolen wealth which has been funnelled out of Iran; urges the Government to provide emergency funding for BBC Persian radio; and further calls on the Government to work with international partners to set up safe and legal routes for Iranian women.

1011Hamilton Academical 2023 SPFL Trust Trophy

Tabled: 27/03/23 Signatories: 1

Angela Crawley

That this House congratulates Hamilton Academical Football Club following their success in the SPFL Trust Trophy; acknowledges that this is Accies' third success in the competition following their successes in 1992 and 1993; notes that the Accies defeated two-time defending champions Raith Rovers 1-0 in the final at the Falkirk Stadium after defeating Rangers B, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Clyde and Queen of the South to reach the final; commends Reghan Tumilty for scoring the winning goal in the final; further commends his teammates, manager John Rankin and the coaching staff for their collective efforts and determination to succeed; and wishes Accies good luck for the rest of the season.

1012First Step Community Project, National Lottery funding

Tabled: 27/03/23 Signatories: 1

Kenny MacAskill

That this House congratulates First Step Community Project in Musselburgh on receiving a grant of £100,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund; understands that the group will use the funding to deliver a family support service in Musselburgh and the surrounding areas, supporting parents and young families through outreach, counselling and volunteering; notes that the aim of the project is to provide the best start in life for local families with young children facing challenging circumstances such as domestic violence, substance misuse and mental health issues by encouraging parents and children to make positive life choices; and wishes everyone involved the best of luck with the project and all the best for the future.

1013DadsWork, National Lottery funding

Tabled: 27/03/23 Signatories: 1

Kenny MacAskill

That this House congratulates DadsWork in East Lothian on receiving a grant of £165,350 from the National Lottery Community Fund; understands that the group will use the funding to deliver their project supporting fathers and male carers in Prestonpans and surrounding areas in East Lothian; notes that services include an ante natal programme, support groups and counselling; acknowledges that the project will involve 675 participants and 30 volunteers reaching a wider group through impact on families of participants; and wishes everyone involved the very best of luck with their project and all the best with their futures.

101412th anniversary of the detainment of political prisoners in Bahrain

Tabled: 27/03/23 Signatories: 1

Brendan O'Hara

That this House recognises the 12th anniversary of the imprisonment of political prisoners in Bahrain; expresses grave concern over their ongoing, wrongful detention and violations of their human rights; recalls that during Bahrain’s Arab Spring pro-democracy uprising in 2011, authorities arrested opposition figures, religious leaders and human rights defenders, including Hassan Mushaima, Abdul-Hadi Al-Khawaja, Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace, Sheikh Mohammed Habib Al-Miqdad, Sheikh Abduljalil Al-Miqdad, Sheikh Saeed AlNouri, Abdulwahab Husain, Mohamed Ali Ismaeel, Sheikh Mirza Al-Mahroos and Sheikh Abdulhadi Al-Mukhoder, of whom seven are convicted to life imprisonment and three to 15 years; condemns reports that many of these individuals including Mushaima, Dr Al-Singace and Al-Khawaja were subjected to torture, some of which was documented in the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report; notes reports that many still face the denial of access to timely and adequate medical care; has particular concern for Dr Al-Singace, who has been on hunger strike for over one year and eight months, due to the Bahraini authorities’ refusal to return his arbitrarily confiscated, apolitical academic research to his family; deplores reports that since July 2021 Dr Al-Singace and Mushaima have been held in effective solitary confinement; echoes calls made by human rights organisations, including the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, for Bahrain to release Dr Al-Singace immediately and unconditionally, and for his research to be returned; and calls on the Government to use all available leverage, both privately and publicly, to push Bahrain to release the above-named individuals.

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.

961Menzieshill House Generations Working Together Excellence Awards

Tabled: 13/03/23 Signatories: 6

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Stewart Hosie

Jim Shannon

Alison Thewliss

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

That this House congratulates the staff, residents and volunteers at Dundee’s Menzieshill House on their award at the 2023 Generations Working Together Excellence Awards; recognises that Menzieshill House were Highly Commended in the 2023 Awards in recognition of their work towards tackling age discrimination; further recognises that this followed their Award as Highly Commended in the 2022 Awards in recognition of their work towards enabling inclusive communities; notes that since pandemic restrictions were lifted, Menzieshill House have worked incredibly hard to re-establish links to the local community, including with Tayview Primary School and Menzieshill Nursery, and that residents have greatly appreciated their visits from local nursery and school children; further notes that Menzieshill House supports local high school children working towards their SVQ 2 Award, bringing through and cultivating a new generation of dedicated carers; thanks all staff at Menzieshill House for their hard work to look after and care for vulnerable members of our local Dundee communities; and wishes all staff, residents, family members and volunteers all the best for the year ahead.

962St Francis Boxing Club 65th anniversary

Tabled: 13/03/23 Signatories: 7

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Stewart Hosie

Jim Shannon

Patrick Grady

Alison Thewliss

That this House congratulates St Francis Boxing Club on the occasion of its 65th Anniversary; notes that the club will celebrate its anniversary by hosting opposition from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland at the Lynch Centre in May; recognises that the 65th anniversary follows the sad passing of the club’s founder, Frank Hendry, in May last year; celebrates the importance of boxing in Dundee’s local communities; further celebrates the many historic contributions by members of St Francis Boxing Club to Dundee’s sporting history; and wishes all at St Francis Boxing Club all the best for the future.

963Ian Davis of Dunshalt, Fife

Tabled: 14/03/23 Signatories: 29

Wendy Chamberlain

Peter Grant

Jim Shannon

Alison Thewliss

Liz Saville Roberts

Hannah Bardell

That this House records its great sadness at the sudden death of Ian Holland Davis from Dunshalt, Fife at the age of just 61 years; notes that Ian lost his entire life savings in the London Capital and Finance scandal and that he became increasingly frustrated at the difficulties he then encountered in attempting to ensure that those responsible for the fraud were fully brought to justice and that Government departments and regulatory agencies should be quicker and more open in acknowledging their own failings; places on record a deep concern that these experiences appear to have been significant factors in Ian’s tragic decision to end his own life; commends the dedicated work he carried out as a volunteer for the Transparency Task Force to try and make sure other investors were better protected than he was; further commends his courage in speaking publicly about how he became a victim of fraud; calls upon the Government to ensure that all agencies involved in the fight against fraud are properly resourced and held to account for their performance in protecting innocent people from fraud; and send its heartfelt condolences to Ian’s family and friends as they come to terms with their loss.

981Ministry of Defence staff pay

Tabled: 20/03/23 Signatories: 28

Rebecca Long Bailey

Jon Trickett

Jim Shannon

Kate Osborne

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Grahame Morris

This House notes that, due to the cost of living crisis, the increase to the National Living Wage in April 2023 will be welcomed by many low waged families; expresses regret that it will also result in unwelcome consequences for many workers in the Ministry of Defence; notes that these workers include Ministry of Defence guards, cleaners, workers in stores areas and workers maintaining and refuelling military aircrafts; further notes the uplift means that Ministry of Defence workers on skill zone 1 will automatically be upgraded to a higher rate of pay, unlike skill zone 2 workers; acknowledges this means that both skill zone 1 and 2 will receive a new rate of £10.42 per hour; is concerned that this will result in the immediate erosion of the skill zone pay differential; rejects any proposals by the Ministry of Defence to arbitrarily change gross hours to net hours in an effort to deflect these pay implications; calls on the Ministry of Defence to urgently compensate all affected workers; is concerned to learn that many hardworking Ministry of Defence staff are forced to rely on foodbanks to make ends meet whilst diligently supporting and defending our country; recognises the important work Unite the Union is doing to fight for their members on this issue; and calls on the Government to pay Ministry of Defence workers fairly.

983Freedom Day in Belarus

Tabled: 20/03/23 Signatories: 9

Tony Lloyd

Jim Shannon

Wayne David

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

That this House expresses its support for Belarusians celebrating Freedom Day on 25 March to mark that day in 1918 when Belarus gained its independence; notes that the fraudulent Belarusian presidential election in 2020, in which Alexander Lukashenko falsely declared victory over Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, resulted in peaceful mass protests against the Lukashenko regime and the fraudulent election, followed by severe reprisals and repression; considers Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to be the leader of a democratic Belarus and commends the courage and determination of the opposition in exile working towards democratic governance in that country; calls on the authoritarian Lukashenko regime to release the thousands of political prisoners, drop the prosecution in absentia of the Belarusian opposition in exile, uphold freedoms of expression, association and assembly, and end its support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and requests that the Government provides further support to Belarusians in exile, to expand and tighten its sanctions regime against Belarusians responsible for serious and systematic human rights violations, and to join calls for the opening of a BBC Belarusian service and the suspension of Belarus from Interpol and UEFA.

984Telecoms price increases

Tabled: 20/03/23 Signatories: 12

Tony Lloyd

Jon Trickett

Jim Shannon

Nadia Whittome

Kate Osborne

Jonathan Edwards

That this House condemns the announced plans by the UK’s largest telecoms companies for above-inflation mid-contract price increases; highlights reports that O2 plans to increase prices by 17.3 per cent while BT, EE, Vodafone, Three, Plusnet Mobile and Talkmobile plan to increase prices by 14.4 per cent and Virgin Media plans to increase prices by an average of 13.8 per cent; emphasises that this comes following Ofcom saying in September 2022 that a record eight million UK households were already facing problems paying mobile, broadband, pay-TV and streaming bills; further highlights that Ofcom has expressed concern about the level of uncertainty customers face about future price rises; notes that Ofcom has launched a review into this; would welcome urgent action by Ofcom; and calls on telecoms companies to reconsider these significant price increases at a time when millions are already struggling with the cost of living.

987Prison education

Tabled: 20/03/23 Signatories: 35

Zarah Sultana

Kim Johnson

Kate Osamor

Apsana Begum

Liz Saville Roberts

John McDonnell

That this House notes the importance of prison education being at the heart of rehabilitation, and its power to unlock potential and reduce reoffending; is alarmed by the dire state of prison education, with experts and authoritative bodies including the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Ofsted and the Education Select Committee warning of poor outcomes due to a lack of learning by prisoners; believes the current for-profit system of prison education wastes millions of pounds of public money each year and encourages a race to the bottom between the four main providers in terms of quality of education, suitability of curricula and conditions of staff employment; and therefore calls on the Government to use their pledged launch of a Prisoner Education Service to bring the delivery of prison education back into the public sector, with standardised qualifications, curricula and staff contracts.

99250th anniversary of I Will Always Love You

Tabled: 21/03/23 Signatories: 39

Jim Shannon

Kirsten Oswald

Olivia Blake

Nadia Whittome

Cat Smith

Tim Farron

That this House celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Dolly Parton's hit song I Will Always Love You; notes the sentiment behind this song and what it means to so many, including the wife of the hon. Member for Strangford; highlights the contribution this song and her music in general to the industry, especially in the late 1960s, early 1970s and over the last 50 years; further notes the large scale event held at the weekend in Dolly Parton's multi-million dollar theme park at Pigeon Forge in East Tennessee as part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the song, that was written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Peter Wagoner; and wishes Dolly continued success as she entertains and encourages so many through her music and inspirational character.

996UN International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Tabled: 23/03/23 Signatories: 35

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Nadia Whittome

Jeremy Corbyn

Anne McLaughlin

Caroline Lucas

Kim Johnson

That this House recognises the UN International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade; calls on the UK Government to offer a full formal apology, for the destructive and exploitative actions of the British Empire, including but not limited to, the Empire’s role in the transatlantic slave trade and colonisation; demands that this apology goes beyond the expressions of deep regret that have been made by previous Prime Ministers; recognises that no amount of money could ever fully make amends for the atrocities inflicted by the British Empire, but that meaningful steps can be taken to atone for past actions and the lasting impact those actions continue to have; applauds the Government of the Netherlands who issued a formal apology for the past actions of the Dutch State; welcomes the apology from the Trevelyan family, an aristocratic British family, for their ownership of slaves and their commitment to reparations; calls on the UK Government to follow these examples; notes that during the time of the Empire, Britain pillaged and looted several cultural artefacts from other nations, including art, jewellery, gems, treasures and even human remains, many of which are on display in UK museums, universities and institutions; is aware that Britain was not alone in these actions; welcomes the announcements from several museums, universities and institutions across Europe who have agreed to return stolen artifacts; and further calls on the Government to engage in meaningful conversations around reparations including the restitution of stolen artifacts.

997Pilgrim's Food Masters

Tabled: 23/03/23 Signatories: 2

Mr Virendra Sharma

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes the extraordinary legacy of the late Lord Noon as a businessman and his commitment to social justice; welcomes his role in establishing Noon Foods; notes with concern the change in employment practices at Noon Foods since being taken over by Pilgrim's Food Masters; welcomes the 100 workers at Pilgrim's Food Masters that visited Parliament on 23 March 2023 with the GMB to share their experience of fire and rehire; is aware the food company based in Southall West London has made more than 100 staff redundant with the closure of the Collett Way plant and this figure could rise as high as 250; further notes that the GMB Union has more than 1,000 members at Pilgrim's Food Masters, predominantly low-paid women of Punjabi, Sri Lankan and Somali heritage; and urges Pilgrim's Food Masters to end their fire and rehire programme and instead work constructively and respectfully with their workers and the GMB.

998McLaren’s Nurseries: 50th Anniversary

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 4

Alan Brown

Kirsten Oswald

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House congratulates McLaren’s Nurseries on celebrating its 50th anniversary; notes McLaren’s Nurseries received a three-star rating from Visit Scotland in recognition of their very good standard of facilities and services, and was also rated the Scottish Small Business of the Year in 2020 by Enterprise Scotland; highlights that the 50th anniversary was marked with an Open Day on 23 March 2023, the first Open Day Event since the pandemic; and wishes the staff at McLaren’s Nurseries all the very best for the future.

999Merchants Café in Kirkcaldy

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 2

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

That this House commends Marzena and Ricky Barclay and all of the staff at The Merchants Café Kirkcaldy on the success of their business since opening in 2020; recognises the contribution they have made to the town of Kirkcaldy, the community spirit they have brought to the area, and the support they offer to neighbouring businesses; applauds their dedication to offering high quality and homemade produce; congratulates them on their recent success at Scotlands Business Awards, winning Best New Coffee Shop in Fife and Best New Coffee Shop in Scotland; and wishes them continued success in the years to come.

1000Cartmore Building Supplies: UK Builders Merchant award

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 2

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

That this House applauds Cartmore Building Supplies Lochgelly and Director, Gordon Banks, on their continued success and expansion; commends the ongoing contribution they have made to employment in Lochgelly and the surrounding area; appreciates their efforts to provide excellent customer service and value for money; congratulates them on their recent UK Builders Merchant Award for the Best Hard Landscaping display in the UK, a display covering over 1,000 square metres; recognises the excellence of products and local craftsmanship on show in the display; and wishes them continued growth in the coming years.

1001Allan Crow

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 2

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the commitment to providing high quality journalism by Allan Crow; celebrates his 30 years in post as Editor, firstly for the Glenrothes Gazette newspaper, followed by the Fife Free Press in Kirkcaldy; understands that Allan has been dedicated to the communities he serves and his profession since starting work as a cub sports reporter in his teenage years; appreciates his adherence to developing and maintaining an accurate, ethical and enjoyable news source in print and online; and wishes Allan continued success in the dynamic world of newspaper publishing.

1002Gavin McKenzie of Kirkcaldy Rugby Club

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 2

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Gavin McKenzie on his 300th appearance for Kirkcaldy Rugby Club on 18 February 2023 in the match against Newton Stewart Rugby Football Club; recognises that this achievement constitutes a record number of senior games played for the Kirkcaldy club and that he is the first player to reach this significant milestone; understands that Gavin originally joined the club’s Wee Blues Kids Rugby program and made his first senior team appearance in 2006; pays tribute to his ability to be a great Blues team member, and to his skill and dedication to the game of rugby, and looks forward to him continuing to represent KRC well into the future.

1003Greg Wallace of Kirkcaldy Rugby Club

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 2

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Greg Wallace on making his 300th appearance in the first XV for Kirkcaldy Rugby Club in the match against Berwick on 25 February 2023, which saw Kirkcaldy win at home 36-22; recognises that he is the second team member to achieve this record number of senior team appearances; appreciates his commitment to Kirkcaldy Rugby Club, returning from retirement to continue playing for the team he loves; acknowledges Greg’s skill as a dedicated team member and applauds his mastery of the rugby game throughout his Blues career, and wishes him well for many more Kirkcaldy Rugby Club appearances.

1004Big Yellow Friday 2023

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 5

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Sir Mike Penning

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House notes that 31 March 2023 is Big Yellow Friday; congratulates the Children's Liver Disease Foundation on its work in raising awareness, promoting research and providing information and support for people affected by a life-threatening liver disease; further notes with concern that, every week, 20 children in the UK are diagnosed with a life-threatening childhood liver disease with no cure, meaning a lifetime of medical care; commends the work of the Children's Liver Disease Foundation for working tirelessly and investing to support families and fund research projects, which helps to understand and treat childhood liver diseases; further congratulates all those taking part in Big Yellow Friday 2023 for showing support for children affected by childhood liver disease and their families; and calls on the Government to work closely with all national liver-disease charities to help ensure that childhood liver diseases are understood, prevented and treated effectively, ensuring that babies, children, young people and adults diagnosed in childhood achieve their full potential.

1005St Patrick's Catholic Primary School

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 6

Kim Johnson

Ian Byrne

Peter Dowd

Mick Whitley

Dan Carden

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School for their recent accreditation with the British Council International School Award; notes that this reflects their integration of an understanding of other cultures throughout their curriculum; and further notes that this is testament to the hard work of both pupils and staff and congratulates them on becoming a beacon of inclusion within the Liverpool 8 community.

1006Taylor Wimpey World Book Day donation

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 3

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House thanks Taylor Wimpey West Scotland for their generous World Book Day donation of £250 to each of the libraries at Hamilton Schools St Mark’s Primary and Woodhead Primary; recognises that this donation will enable the schools to provide pupils with a wealth of new books to enjoy; congratulates the recipients of said donations; and celebrates World Book Day and all it does in encouraging children to enjoy reading.

1007Azeem Ahmed’s work on inclusive clothing

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 3

Margaret Ferrier

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Azeem Ahmed, from Rutherglen, on his work for people with physical disabilities like him; recognises his commitment to creating accessible clothing; commends his aspiration to further the representation of physical disabilities in the fashion industry; appreciates the work he is doing to inspire others to pursue their creative passions; and wishes him the best in all his future endeavours.

1008Ingenza: 20th anniversary

Tabled: 24/03/23 Signatories: 3

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House joins Midlothian-based engineering biology firm Ingenza, in celebrating 20 years of innovation; notes that, over the last 20 years, Ingenza has engineered and improved biological systems to help with the production of biofuels, sustainable plastic manufacturing and next-generation coronavirus vaccines; further notes that Ingenza's success is testament to the Midlothian Science Zone, and commends all those working towards pioneering ground-breaking applied bioscience innovations.