Contents

Published: Wednesday 26 April 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 25 April 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

1091Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property rights for creative workers

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Sarah Olney

That this House acknowledges the cultural and economic importance of the UK’s world-leading creative industry; notes that Intellectual Property rights protect the integrity of original work and provide a revenue stream for creative workers through licensing; believes that creative workers should be able to retain copyright protections over their work that is used to train artificial intelligence platforms; further notes that whilst innovation within AI presents significant opportunities across a wide variety of industries, it also poses regulatory and ethnical challenges; calls on the Government to scrap proposals to grant AI an exception to copyright for text and data mining for any purpose; agrees with the Lords Digital Communications Select Committee that these proposals were misguided; and urges the Government to consult widely across the creative industries to ensure that the proposed Code of Practice for text and data mining and the regulatory framework set out in the AI Regulation White Paper do not undermine intellectual property rights of creative workers.

1092Ynys Enlli, dark sky sanctuary

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House congratulates all those involved in Ynys Enlli’s designation as a dark sky sanctuary by the International Dark Sky Association, making its skies the darkest in Europe; notes that this designation recognises the unique skies of Ynys Enlli, which is home to a thriving fishery, high nature value farming, and Wales’s oldest bird observatory; acknowledges that the island is part of a growing network of dark skies across Wales, and will be celebrated throughout 2023 with events across North Wales; highlights its unique position of being Wales’s only year-round island based community striving to manage its natural resources for both wildlife and people; and calls for much-needed investment to safeguard its 150 year old heritage buildings for future generations living on Ynys Enlli.

1093Promotion of Loughgall Football Club

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House congratulates Loughgall Football Club on winning the NIFL Lough 41 Championship title and securing promotion to the NIFL Danske Bank Premiership for the 2023-24 season; commends the players, coaches, manager Dean Smith and the club committee for achieving this success; recognises that this feat makes Loughgall Europe's smallest settlement with a top-flight team; and extends its best wishes to the club for next season and for ongoing success.

1094Gilford Bowling Club

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House extends congratulations to Gilford Bowling Club on winning the indoor bowling Irish Championships; recognises the success of Gilford’s four winners, Jenny Wilson, Eddie Campbell, Andrew Leckey and Patricia Mark-Bell; and wishes the Club well for the future and for ongoing success.

1095Banbridge Hockey Club Men’s Team

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House extends congratulations to Banbridge Hockey Club Men’s Team on winning the EYHL Champions Trophy; commends the players, coaches and Club Committee for this outstanding achievement; and wishes the Club ongoing success.

1096Banbridge Rugby Football Club Under 18

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House congratulates Banbridge Rugby Football Club Under 18 on winning the Ulster Carpets Youth Cup at the Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, with a victory over Coleraine RFC; recognises the depth of talent within the squad and the contribution made by all players and coaches in securing this victory; and wishes the team well for ongoing success.

1097Civil Service Pay Remit

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 7

Chris Stephens

John McDonnell

Liz Saville Roberts

Beth Winter

Jeremy Corbyn

Caroline Lucas

That this House notes the recently published pay remit guidance for the civil service for 2023 to 2024 which has been set at a average of 4.5 per cent across Government departments following an insulting imposed pay award of two per cent for 2022 to 2023; observes that departments have been advised to make sure such awards are affordable within their spending settlements; is alarmed that this derisory pay offer does nothing to tackle years of endemic low pay across the civil service and is an insult to the hard working and dedicated civil servants who have shown time and again that they are the backbone of this country; is aware that food inflation rose at the fastest rate for more than 45 years in the 12 months to March reaching 19.2 per cent with the inflation rate still above 10 per cent; is concerned that any pay award below the current rate of inflation is a pay cut and civil service workers will continue to struggle to pay bills, heat their homes and feed their families unless the Government puts more money on the table; notes that over 130,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union will walk out on their third day of national action in their ongoing dispute over pay, pensions and conditions and; and calls on the Government to get back round the negotiating table and show respect to their workforce by offering them a real terms pay rise and a fair and decent pension.

1098Jessica Robson marathon record

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Angela Crawley

That this house congratulates Jessica Robson for running the London Marathon in a time of two hours, 59 minutes and 27 seconds; notes that her achievement marks the first time that a Scottish female athlete under 20 has completed a marathon in under three hours and is a new national record; acknowledges the hard work and effort that former Lanark Grammar pupil Jessica has dedicated to her training in order to complete the marathon in a record time; commends Jessica for her work on Scottish Athletics’ Young People’s Forum, and with Kyniska Advocacy, an organisation advocating for progressive policies in women’s sport, enacting change through education, advocating and support; and wishes Jessica well in her studies at the University of Stirling and for her future athletic endeavours.

1099Bahrain Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa visit to the UK

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Kenny MacAskill

That this House strongly condemns the visit by Bahraini Minister of Interior Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa to the UK in April 2023; regrets that he was conducting meetings with high-level officials including the Home Secretary and a minister at the Foreign Office as such meetings seriously undermine the UK’s credibility and its claims to hold human rights abusers to account and facilitates the whitewashing of crimes of torture and unlawful imprisonment; further regrets the timing of his visit which coincided with a policy of systematic denial of medical treatment against political prisoners including Abdulwahab Hussain, Sheikh Abduljalil Al-Muqdad, Hassan Mushaima and Abduljalil Al-Singace; notes that Al-Singace has been on solid food strike since July 2021 demanding the return of his confiscated manuscripts; expresses concern that Minister Al Khalifa has overseen the systematic persecution of human rights defenders, journalists and opposition activists in Bahrain and the terrorising of civil society since at least 2011; denounces that peaceful critics of the Bahraini Government are subjected to arbitrary imprisonment, torture and sexual assault; notes that despite ultimate responsibility for serious crimes perpetrated during the 2011 uprising, including the murder of several dissidents, Minister Al Khalifa remains in his role; and calls on the Government to apply Magnitsky Act sanctions to Minister Rashid Al Khalifa for his protracted role in overseeing a culture of abuse and a climate of impunity in Bahrain.

1100Seasonal Worker visa scheme

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 1

Tony Lloyd

That this House notes the report by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism into the exploitation of agricultural seasonal workers; recognises the identified risks of exploitation for workers entering the UK on the agricultural seasonal worker visa, including debt, bullying, wage theft and substandard accommodation; highlights the importance of recruitment to the scheme being safe and accountable and complying with the Employer Pays Principle as well as the International Labour Organization definition of recruitment fees and related costs; calls on the Government to commit to urgently address the identified risks to seasonal workers before the scheme is extended or expanded and to introduce measures which allow better monitoring of compliance with employment law and labour standards on the scheme; further calls on the Government to clarify departmental responsibility for the scheme and departmental accountability for access to and enforcement of rights under employment law for seasonal workers; additionally calls on the Government to ensure that there is transparency about the scheme by publishing an annual report including recruitment supply chains, working conditions, hours and earnings in the UK and complaints and redress to inform planning and decision making; and urges the relevant select committees to conduct an inquiry into the scheme to establish whether seasonal workers are able to exercise their rights and access UK employment law and compensation schemes where needed without risking their work, visa or income.

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.

1060TransPennine Express

Tabled: 17/04/23 Signatories: 32

Mike Amesbury

Ian Mearns

Rachael Maskell

Grahame Morris

Jim Shannon

Tony Lloyd

That this House calls for the contract for TransPennine Express to be terminated; notes that TransPennine Express has been providing unacceptable levels of service to the north for years and that they are at truly now dire levels; also notes that TransPennine Express recently cancelled almost a quarter of all trains between 5 February and 4 March and recorded one of the worst punctuality rates in the country between October and December last year with less than half of services running on time; recognises that people in the north deserve a reliable train service for work, school, college and leisure; and calls on the Government to bring TransPennine Express under the operator of last resort and back into public ownership.

106420th anniversary of shooting of Tom Hurndall

Tabled: 17/04/23 Signatories: 37

Andy McDonald

Ian Mearns

Grahame Morris

Jeremy Corbyn

Kate Osborne

Nadia Whittome

That this House notes that April 2023 marks twenty years since 22 year old British photojournalist, Tom Hurndall, was shot in the head by an Israeli army sniper as he tried to rescue Palestinian children from the line of gunfire in Gaza; further notes that he died in January 2004 after being in a coma for nine months and that his killer was released after serving just six years in prison; notes that the lenient sentence and the cursory nature of the military investigation which preceded were examples of a culture of impunity in the State of Israel’s use of illegal extra-judicial killings; notes that this culture of impunity remains evident in the actions of illegal settlers and the Israeli army in the Occupied Territories today; and urges the Government to uphold the principle of accountability for war crimes committed in Israel and Palestine no less diligently than it does in relation to those committed elsewhere by reversing its opposition to the International Criminal Court’s investigation into those crimes.

1074Crossroads Youth and Community Association, Glasgow

Tabled: 19/04/23 Signatories: 5

Alison Thewliss

Chris Stephens

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

That this House welcomes the publication of the Crossroads Youth and Community Association's paper entitled Resistance and Recreation: 55 years of Youth and Community Work in Glasgow; notes that it was commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of Crossroads Youth and Community Association in 2018; congratulates Crossroads Youth and Community Association on the occasion of its 55th year of operation; recognises that Crossroads was set up by the Gorbals Group, founded in 1957 by three Church of Scotland Ministers, Geoff Shaw, John Harvey, and Walter Fyfe; acknowledges the paper's detailed exploration of the history of the organisation and its work in the Gorbals and Govanhill areas of Glasgow; and wishes Crossroads and its current manager, Dani Waddell, all the best in all their future endeavours.

1075Indefinite leave to remain for bereaved partners

Tabled: 19/04/23 Signatories: 11

Stuart C McDonald

Chris Stephens

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Patrick Grady

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

That this House supports the Refugee and Migrants Forum of Essex and London’s call for a fee waiver to be introduced for bereaved partners applying for indefinite leave to remain; notes that the death of a loved one brings multiple emotional, practical and financial costs; believes that people whose leave to remain in the UK is tied to a partner who dies are in a particularly vulnerable situation; regrets that the spouses of deceased partners are required to pay £2,404 to access that concession despite the application costing just £491 to process; recognises that people whose leave was tied to a deceased partner may not qualify for any other form of leave such as limited leave to remain; further regrets that people who cannot afford this fee may be forced to leave the UK or face detention and removal after the death of their partner; further notes that victims of domestic violence who are able to apply for indefinite leave to remain under a different concession are rightly able to apply for a fee waiver for indefinite leave to remain applications; further recognises that the lack of a fee waiver discriminates against women who constitute almost 70 per cent of those on family visas; believes it is irrational for the Government to introduce a concession in recognition of the applicants’ vulnerability if it is combined with a fee that people cannot afford; and calls for a fee waiver to be introduced.

1079Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Tabled: 19/04/23 Signatories: 31

Apsana Begum

Andy McDonald

Navendu Mishra

Rebecca Long Bailey

Nadia Whittome

John McDonnell

That this House marks that on 24 April it is 10 years since the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which killed at least 1,132 workers and injured more than 2,500, a large proportion of whom were women in what was one of the worst industrial accidents on record; is concerned at the ongoing poor labour conditions, low wages and unsafe work environments, with a high incidence of work-related accidents and deaths, faced by workers in the garment sector worldwide; is alarmed at the ongoing suppression of trade union and collective bargaining rights in the garment industry and that since the covid-19 pandemic there is evidence of worsening health and safety standards, increased gender discrimination and reports of concerning levels of workplace gender-based violence and harassment; recognises that without the ability to organise, workers are inhibited from fully securing improved working conditions and/or challenging abuse; and believes that all workers deserve a workplace that provides them with a living wage, decent working conditions and trade union rights including the right to refuse unsafe work, to take strike action and collectively bargain.

1080Centenary of Kirkintilloch Players amateur drama club

Tabled: 19/04/23 Signatories: 6

Amy Callaghan

Chris Stephens

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Margaret Ferrier

Allan Dorans

That this House celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Kirkintilloch Players amateur drama club, which was first brought together by Alex Bain, David Sinclair, Bill St. Claire and Barbara Cassels in 1923 to stage a production of Our Boys; notes that this centenary makes them one of the oldest amateur drama clubs in Scotland; understands the occasion is to be marked by an exhibition from 12 April to 18 May 2023; further notes that the Kirkintilloch Players stage performances will include both adult and youth casts, including the eagerly anticipated production of children’s classic Matilda in June; appreciates the way the award-winning works of the Kirkintilloch Players enriches the culture of East Dunbartonshire and the wider nation; applauds the opportunities they create for people of all ages to practice teamwork, challenge themselves, enjoy art and entertain others; and wishes the players all the very best for a second successful century.

1081Leyton Orient

Tabled: 19/04/23 Signatories: 9

John Cryer

Chris Stephens

Apsana Begum

Bob Blackman

John McDonnell

Ian Lavery

That this House offers its heartfelt congratulations to Leyton Orient FC on their promotion to League One; believes that the club's owners, management, players, supporters and staff have secured a remarkable achievement in delivering such a promotion only six years after the club almost ceased to exist; recalls that the club was founded in 1881 making it the second oldest football club in London; and looks forward to many more years of footballing achievements.

1082Freedom of expression and use of counter-terrorism powers

Tabled: 20/04/23 Signatories: 13

Grahame Morris

John McDonnell

Jonathan Edwards

Jon Trickett

Dan Carden

Kim Johnson

That this House is extremely concerned about Ernest Moret, foreign rights manager of French publisher La Fabrique who, whilst en route to the London Book Fair, was arrested by British police under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act on suspicion of having participated in recent protests against pension reforms in France; notes that whilst he has now been released from police custody on bail, his phone and work computer have been seized so data can be extracted, and he has been summoned to attend a further meeting with the anti-Terror unit in four weeks’ time under threat of legal sanctions; joins organisations such as the National Union of Journalists and PEN International in believing that this incident represents a dangerous precedent for anyone concerned to protect freedom of expression including press and academic freedom and the protection of confidential sources and material; and therefore calls for an urgent review to ensure that Schedule 7 powers are not being abused to suppress democratic and human rights and criminalise political dissent in the UK or overseas.

108310th anniversary of Rana Plaza collapse

Tabled: 20/04/23 Signatories: 14

Sir Stephen Timms

Bob Blackman

Hilary Benn

Jon Trickett

Mohammad Yasin

John McDonnell

That this House marks the 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster on 24 April 2013, which claimed the lives of 1,134 people, injured around 2,500, and impacted countless livelihoods; recognises and commends Bangladesh for its subsequent efforts to transform the safety and sustainability of its garment sector, with an emphasis on good working conditions; notes that Bangladesh has 187 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified green factories, including half the world's top 100 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified green factories; and urges all countries and fashion brands to raise standards for the environment and for workers.

1084Girlguiding East Renfrewshire 25th Anniversary

Tabled: 20/04/23 Signatories: 5

Kirsten Oswald

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates Girlguiding East Renfrewshire as they celebrate the 25th anniversary of their establishment; notes that East Renfrewshire Girlguiding came into being in 1998 having started out as a division of Renfrewshire county; highlights the opportunities provided by the Girlguiding movement for girls to have fun, adventure and discover their potential; appreciates the incredible dedication and hard work of the 275 volunteers who run weekly meetings across the county, providing opportunities for almost 1,300 girls who take part in events as members of the East Renfrewshire Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, and Rangers; recognises that this significant anniversary will be marked with a ‘Friendship Day’ on Sunday 7 May in Rouken Glen Park with former members and supporters of the county coming together to mark the occasion alongside those currently involved; and wishes everyone involved with Girlguiding East Renfrewshire continued success for the next 25 years and beyond.

1085Kelsie Grieg, e-sports gamer

Tabled: 24/04/23 Signatories: 4

Kirsty Blackman

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates Kelsie Grieg, also known as Kelsaroony, from Aberdeen, who has recently made history by becoming the first woman to qualify for the Call of Duty Challengers Elite tournament; notes that the tournament is just a level below the multi-million-dollar Call of Duty Pro League; further notes that this is a tremendous feat for Kelsie and will surely inspire other women to follow in her footsteps in the field of e-sports; and wishes her every success.

1086Voter ID requirements

Tabled: 24/04/23 Signatories: 22

Helen Morgan

Wendy Chamberlain

Jon Trickett

Mohammad Yasin

Jonathan Edwards

Richard Foord

That this House expresses deep concern at the failure of the Government’s Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) scheme, introduced as an alternative form of photo voter ID for those who do not hold an accepted form of ID under the Voter ID requirements as per the Election Act 2022, and the potential impact this will have on the May local elections; notes that the Government’s own research estimates about 2.1 million UK citizens do not have an acceptable form of ID; expects that fewer than 80,000 successful applications will have been made for Voter Authority Certificates by the April 25 deadline, representing less than 4 per cent of the number of voters estimated to be impacted; expresses concern that this policy will leave an estimated 2 million citizens unable to exercise their right to vote in future elections; and calls on the Government to scrap or postpone the introduction of the new unnecessary, costly and discriminatory Voter ID requirements.

1087MS awareness week

Tabled: 24/04/23 Signatories: 12

Charlotte Nichols

Wendy Chamberlain

Mohammad Yasin

Jonathan Edwards

Jon Trickett

Jim Shannon

That this House supports MS awareness week, which takes place between 24 and 30 April; highlights that the MS Society, MS Trust, Overcoming MS, Shift.ms, MS-UK, MS National Therapy Centres and MS Together are working together to raise awareness of the realities of living with MS, a progressive neurological condition affecting over 130,000 people in the UK; understands that each day of MS Awareness Week provides a platform for people with MS or supporting a loved one who shares their experience of living with the condition; recognises the importance of early access to treatments, physiotherapy, social care services and financial support to enable people with MS to live well with the condition for longer; and pays tribute to family and friends of people living with MS for the care and support they provide.

1088Mrs Fiona Mullen, Head Teacher of St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School

Tabled: 24/04/23 Signatories: 5

Dr Lisa Cameron

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Margaret Ferrier

Allan Dorans

That this House commends Mrs Fiona Mullen, Head Teacher of St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School; pays tribute to her strong and compassionate leadership of the school, encouraging all students to develop skill, nurture talent, and reach their full potential; applauds her for her cultivation of an effective senior management team; recognises her work in initiating and encouraging involvement in extra-curricular activities, from Duke of Edinburgh awards, to sporting activities and school shows; thanks her for the way that she has fostered an environment of charitable acts and giving, developing the involvement of both students and staff in charities such as the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative and local foodbanks; notes that over the last six years the school has, under the leadership of Mrs Mullen, raised over £40,000 for Mary's Meals; notes that such hard work has rightly merited her successful nomination and place in the final of Education Scotland’s 'Head Teacher of the Year' Award; understands that she will be sorely missed by the local community in the wake of her retirement from this role; and wishes Mrs Mullen all the very best in the future.

1089Release of Y Sŵn

Tabled: 24/04/23 Signatories: 5

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Stephens

That this House celebrates the release of Y Sŵn, a Welsh language film reimagining the events that led to the establishment of the world’s only Welsh language television channel, S4C; notes that the film depicts the efforts of campaigners including Plaid Cymru’s first MP, Gwynfor Evans, to secure this important national institution; commends writer Roger Williams and director Lee Haven Jones for bringing this important story to the screen; notes that the film’s release coincides with S4C’s 40th anniversary; further notes the filmmakers’ aim to spark a conversation among audiences today about the power of protest, the future of broadcasting and the health of the Welsh language; and congratulates the cast and crew on the positive response to the film’s theatrical release.

1090Section 21 evictions

Tabled: 24/04/23 Signatories: 15

Jon Trickett

Kim Johnson

Beth Winter

Dan Carden

Charlotte Nichols

Chris Stephens

That this House urgently calls on the Government to proceed with their 2019 manifesto and Queen’s Speech promises to abolish section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, otherwise known as no fault evictions; notes that section 21 evictions are increasingly used by landlords, with the ONS finding that threats of eviction using section 21 notices rose by 69 per cent, while instances of actual evictions more than doubled, rising by 143 per cent; further notes media reports which show that 40 families a day have been threatened with no-fault evictions since the Government undertook to ban them in 2019; highlights the huge pressure on social housing with over one million waiting for a home; condemns the Government’s failure to fulfil its promise to ban no fault evictions, especially with the added urgency of a global pandemic and then a cost of living crisis; further condemns the fact that vulnerable people are potentially being made homeless; welcomes the statement by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 15 February 2023 that the Government will legislate in this Parliament to abolish Section 21 no fault evictions; and urges the Government to stop delaying and to act now.