Commons business papers

Contents

Published: Wednesday 28 June 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 27 June 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

1377Caernarfon Pride

Tabled: 27/06/23 Signatories: 3

Hywel Williams

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

That this House celebrates the success of the first ever Caernarfon Pride, held on 24 June 2023; congratulates Balchder Gogledd Cymru, North Wales Pride for organising the event and for their hard work and dedication to inclusion and diversity in north Wales; praises the work of those involved in officiating the parade and associated celebrations which enabled people from across the region to celebrate and come together; thanks local businesses for their show of support and unity; further notes that although significant progress has been made to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people, there are still improvements to be made to support the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights; and looks forward to future Pride gatherings in Caernarfon in years to come.

1378Gavin's Mill, Scotsman Scran Award

Tabled: 27/06/23 Signatories: 1

Amy Callaghan

That this House congratulates Gavin’s Mill Café for winning the Hidden Gem category at the Scotsman Scran Awards; recognises the importance and value of their fair trade and sustainability policies; commends them on their range of zero waste goods and local produce which helps to champion local suppliers as well as promote environmentally friendly consumption; thanks the team at Gavin Mill for their hard work and dedication in providing these fantastic services to our community; and further thanks The Scotsman for recognising the importance of promoting these values.

1379Knox Academy's fundraising for the Teenage Cancer Trust

Tabled: 27/06/23 Signatories: 1

Kenny MacAskill

That this House congratulates pupils, staff and parents from Knox Academy in Haddington, East Lothian, on raising more than £4,500 by participating in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust; understands that the contenders ran and raised money in support of a student who was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer in October 2022; notes that the goal was to raise £3,000, and that pupils and staff had previously tackled the Edinburgh Marathon Festival in aid of East Lothian Special Needs Play-scheme; commends Kelly McInnes on completing the full marathon, Lana Borwick, Oscar Pirie, Ollie Craig, Alicia Coyle, Jacob Hippie, Connor Wightman, Sam Hutchison, Cain Coles and Calum McBain on completing the half marathon, and Leo Harrison, Rebecca Halliwell, Robert Flood, Olivia Dale, Jenny Wright, Isla Kilkenny, Ellen Davidson, Gemma Scott and Carys McKnight on completing the 10k route; and wishes everyone the very best of luck with their futures and future fundraising efforts.

1380Chris Harvie's fundraising for motor neurone disease charity

Tabled: 27/06/23 Signatories: 1

Kenny MacAskill

That this House commends the fundraising efforts of former Port Seton resident, Chris Harvie, who will cycle from Murrayfield to Malta to raise funds for the MND charity My Name'5 Doddie Foundation; understands that Chris now lives in Manchester and was a craft, design, technology and guidance teacher at Preston Lodge High School; acknowledges that Chris' brother-in-law and a former colleague both passed away after their battles with MND; notes that Chris' journey began in April 2023 and he hopes to conclude his cycle by the end of June 2023; and wishes Chris the very best of luck with his cycle and all the best for the future.

1381Northern Ireland Alcohol Awareness Week

Tabled: 27/06/23 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the conclusion of Northern Ireland Alcohol Awareness Week; highlights the campaign run by the Public Health Agency to outline support services that are available for individuals who misuse alcohol; further highlights the health problems associated with binge drinking; urges the general public to be aware of how much and how often they are using alcohol; and reminds those who are concerned they may have a problem with alcohol misuse to understand that they are not alone and there is help available.

138245th anniversary of the massacre of Elim missionaries in the Vumba

Tabled: 27/06/23 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House remembers and honours the memory of Elim missionaries Peter and Sandra McCann and their children Philip and Joy, Philip and Susanne Evans and their daughter Rebecca, Roy and Joyce Lynn and their daughter Pamela Grace and Wendy White, Catherine Picken and Mary Fisher who were slaughtered during their service to God in the Vumba on 23 June 1978; extends to the families who remain most sincere sympathy on the 45th anniversary of this atrocity; highlights the Elim Church's Mission Sunday designated to continue to fundraise on this date to practically show the love of God in countries across the world in honour of those who loved not their lives even unto death; and reaffirms sincere thanks to those who give of their time and talents to be the hands and feet of Christ in this needy world.

1383Nuclear test veterans

Tabled: 27/06/23 Signatories: 1

Owen Thompson

That this House acknowledges the treatment of nuclear test veterans in Scotland and the rest of the UK; notes their continuing battle for justice and recognition for their role; further notes with disappointment the latest delay to the issuing of a medal to these veterans; further acknowledges their ongoing anger and frustration; affirms the nation’s duty of care to this group of people; further applauds the works of Labrats International, a campaigning group for descendants of atomic testing programs across the world; and backs calls to the Government to fully support these veterans and their families.

1384Indigenous peoples in Brazil

Tabled: 27/06/23 Signatories: 1

Tony Lloyd

That this House is concerned about reports that Bill PL 2903, formerly Bill PL490, in Brazil could, inter alia, invalidate indigenous peoples’ claims to their ancestral lands and result in their forced displacement and the obliteration of their communities; notes this proposed legislation is expected to allow for mining, logging, ranching, and agribusiness, and the continuation of such activities now being carried out illegally, on these lands; further notes this Bill is strongly backed by relevant commercial lobbies and opposed by indigenous peoples and their international allies; supports Brazil’s hosting of COP 30 in 2025; encourages both at the conference and more generally President Lula da Silva’s Government to build on steps already taken to engage and collaborate with indigenous communities, widely regarded as the most effective guardians of the Amazon rainforests; and calls on the UK Government to continue working with civil society organisations, among others, to bolster Brazil’s efforts in protecting indigenous peoples, including uncontacted tribes who are deemed to be especially vulnerable, and their territories.

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.

1299Automatic enrolment on the NHS Healthy Start scheme

Tabled: 13/06/23 Signatories: 30

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Kim Johnson

Claire Hanna

Mary Kelly Foy

Claudia Webbe

Sarah Olney

That this House notes that, in May 2023, over 200,000 babies, children and pregnant mothers from low income households across England, Wales and Northern Ireland missed out on their entitlement to the NHS Healthy Start scheme for free fruit, vegetables and milk; also notes that average take up across the three nations is 64 per cent, with some local authorities tackling take up as low as 50 per cent; further notes that due to the digitalisation of the scheme, there are currently over 34,000 households which previously received paper vouchers that have not successfully re-registered; and calls on the Government to adopt the proposals in the Healthy Start Scheme Bill for automatic enrolment, similar to the one which sees low income households receive Cold Weather Payments automatically, to secure full take up of the scheme and overcome barriers such as low awareness and bureaucracy to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.

1305Fire Safety Remediation in Blocks below 11 metres

Tabled: 13/06/23 Signatories: 26

Hilary Benn

Mary Kelly Foy

Jim Shannon

Richard Burgon

Jeremy Corbyn

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes with concern that leaseholders living in blocks below the arbitrary height threshold of 11 metres are facing uncapped costs to fix cladding and other building safety defects, which may lead to repossessions and bankruptcy; believes that these leaseholders are no more to blame for the national building safety crisis than those in taller buildings and deserve the same protection; believes that defective buildings of any height may require remediation if they have life critical safety risks, as serious fire incidents in other low-rise buildings have shown since Grenfell; is aware that Grenfell-style ACM cladding is now prohibited on buildings of all heights but that there is no financial support to remove it from sub-11m buildings; is aware that mortgage lenders may require an EWS1 form for homes to be sellable in sub-11m buildings and insurers may require remediation work as a condition of insurance for such buildings; and calls on the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to hold the responsible parties to account for unsafe buildings of all heights, to extend the duty to pursue alternative cost recovery routes before passing costs to leaseholders to buildings of all heights, and to establish a building safety fund to approve and control essential safety work for sub-11 metre buildings in cases where developers have not taken on the responsibility of doing so.

1327Improved public transport to support cleaner air

Tabled: 15/06/23 Signatories: 22

Grahame Morris

Andy McDonald

Ian Mearns

Chris Stephens

Kim Johnson

Rachael Maskell

That this House welcomes initiatives such as Clean Air Day, which this year is on 15 June, and highlights the need to support improvements in air quality and public health; notes that poor air quality exists in the transport sector, arising from a failure to introduce affordable and attractive alternatives to private car use and a continuing reliance on diesel for rail and bus services; welcomes the RMT union’s campaign to improve air quality in the workplace environment, which will benefit the health of communities, passengers and workers, and encourages transport companies to work with the RMT to meet the union’s concerns; further notes that Network Rail has admitted that it is “almost impossible” to achieve its targets to electrify the railway and to reduce reliance diesel trains; believes that the fragmented and privatised nature of much of public transport, alongside cuts to funding, services, jobs and skills, mitigates against a proper and deliverable plan to reduce emissions; and calls on the Government to recognise the vital role of public transport in delivering clean air by investing to deliver a radically expanded and affordable public transport network.

1333Impact on bereaved families of the non-attendance of offenders at sentence hearings

Tabled: 15/06/23 Signatories: 29

Ian Byrne

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

John McDonnell

Mohammad Yasin

That this House notes with deep concern the terrible impact that the non-attendance by an offender at a sentence hearing has on bereaved families; further notes that this non-attendance can significantly affect the wellbeing of bereaved families and impact their process of recovery; places on record the courage and strength shown by Cheryl Korbel and the whole family who experienced this following the devastating loss of their beloved Olivia; pays tribute to the efforts of the bereaved families and campaigners who are fighting for a change to the law; calls on the Government for a change in law to ensure that no bereaved family, who have had to suffer loss and fight for justice for their loved one at the same time, must face this situation at a sentencing ever again; calls on the Secretary of State to meet, and consult fully, with bereaved families and put them at the heart of shaping this change in law; and further calls on the Secretary of State to present legislative options on the attendance of offenders at sentence hearings to the House before the end of the current Parliamentary session.

1336Debt in low income countries

Tabled: 19/06/23 Signatories: 6

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Stephens

Rachael Maskell

Dan Carden

That this House recognises that the economic crisis and high interest rates have pushed as many as 54 countries towards debt crises; notes that the World Bank’s International Debt Statistics 2022 show that low-income countries are now spending more on debt servicing as a proportion of Gross National Income than at any point in the last 30 years resulting in an impossible trade-off between servicing debt and providing critical public services; further notes that sources including the Global Carbon Project state that low-income countries are accountable for under 1 per cent of historic global carbon emissions yet are still faced with the overwhelming effects of climate change; acknowledges that the effectiveness of the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative and the Multilateral Development Relief Initiative was limited by a lack of participation by private and multilateral creditors; and calls on the Government to work to significantly improve private creditor participation in debt relief initiatives globally, as recommended in the recent report from the International Development Committee on Debt relief in Low-Income Countries.

1337Extrajudicial executions in Iran (No. 5)

Tabled: 19/06/23 Signatories: 16

John McDonnell

Mary Kelly Foy

Jim Shannon

Kim Johnson

Apsana Begum

Claudia Webbe

That this House expresses deep concern at the extrajudicial executions of Arnika GhaemMaghami, Negin Salehi, Amir Mohamad Rahmanipour, Soroush Pourahmadi, Mehran Abaspour Aghdam, Mohsen Mansouri, Sadaf Movahedi, Marzieh Doshman Ziary, Nasrin Ghaderi, Samaneh Nicknam, Parmis Hamnava, Sina Malayeri, Hosein Akbarzadeh, Ali Akbar Jafari, Mohamad Reza Mashhadi Farahani and Maryam Sulaimanian by the Iranian State; sends condolences the family and friends of the victims; condemns the actions of the Iranian Regime in perpetrating these crimes; and urges the Government to call on the Islamic Republic of Iran to stop executing protestors and to stop violating women's and citizens' rights and freedoms.

1338100th anniversary of Glentoran Supporters 1923 Committee

Tabled: 19/06/23 Signatories: 6

Gavin Robinson

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Conor McGinn

Carla Lockhart

Paul Girvan

That this House marks the 100th anniversary of the Glentoran Supporters 1923 Committee; notes that this supporters club is the oldest football supporters club in Northern Ireland and has a proud record of volunteering in their support of Glentoran FC; further notes that this includes being at forefront of the Back to the Oval campaign, following the stadium’s destruction in World War II and, since 1946, producing the match day Glentoran Gazette which recently won the prestigious Programme of the Year for the 22nd consecutive year; and commends members, past and present, for their dedication and many achievements over the past century.

1340Affordability of sunscreen

Tabled: 19/06/23 Signatories: 17

Amy Callaghan

Mary Kelly Foy

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Sir Greg Knight

Allan Dorans

That this House recognises that temperatures are rising and there is a growing need to protect skin from the sun; notes that many people are not using sunscreen because they can't afford it; and calls on the Government to remove VAT from sunscreen of SPF 30 and above.

1344Prescription charges

Tabled: 19/06/23 Signatories: 13

Margaret Greenwood

Mary Kelly Foy

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Jon Trickett

Kim Johnson

That this House welcomes the latest report from the Prescription Charges Coalition entitled Continuing to pay the price published in March 2023 which demonstrates that vital medicine is unaffordable for many people living with long-term health conditions in England and that there has been an increase in the number of people taking time off work because they are unable to afford their medicine; is concerned that the report shows that the NHS services which people rely on are overstretched; restates its commitment to the NHS as a universal service free at the point of need and its belief that access to medication is a fundamental right; is deeply concerned that increased NHS waiting times are likely to leave people with long-term conditions relying on medication longer to manage their pain and health conditions; expresses its concern that some patients are not collecting prescriptions that they need because of the cost; and calls on the Government to scrap prescription charges.

1345The Ministerial Code and parliamentary standards

Tabled: 20/06/23 Signatories: 26

Dawn Butler

Ian Blackford

Mary Kelly Foy

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Wendy Chamberlain

Claire Hanna

That this House believes that trust in the Ministerial Code has been eroded; further believes that the Prime Minister should no longer be the guardian of the Code as this does not provide necessary safeguards; and calls for steps to be taken to make the House of Commons responsible for deciding whether alleged breaches should be investigated and determining whether Ministers have breached the Code.

1346National Autistic Society East Renfrewshire

Tabled: 20/06/23 Signatories: 5

Kirsten Oswald

Drew Hendry

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Sir George Howarth

That this House congratulates the National Autistic Society East Renfrewshire Branch for winning the Outstanding branch community impact award at the 2023 Branches Awards; notes there are 116 National Autistic Society branches across the UK working to transform lives, change attitudes, and help to create a society that works for the 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK; commends the fantastic work and dedication of volunteers who provide a wide range of sessions for people with autism in East Renfrewshire, supporting them to fulfil their potential, dispel myths about autism, and to assist parents and carers who have a child or a young person on the pathway to a diagnosis of autism or a recent diagnosis; further notes that the East Renfrewshire Branch has been active since March 2020 and has grown to become a much cherished local organisation; and wishes everyone involved with the National Autistic Society East Renfrewshire Branch all the best for the future as they continue their invaluable work.

1347Men's Health Week 2023

Tabled: 20/06/23 Signatories: 8

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Jonathan Edwards

Carla Lockhart

Paul Girvan

That this House notes the end of Men's Health Week which was a timely reminder that prioritising health is crucial for personal wellbeing for all men and that men face unique challenges when it comes to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health; highlights the isolation that many farmers feel and thanks the Young Farmers Club and Ulster Farmer's Union for the work they do to address loneliness and mental health help for farmers; and reminds men that whilst the promotional week may have finished help is still available, you are not alone, that the idea that mental health concerns reflect weakness is a myth and reaffirms the fact that seeking help is a sign of strength.

1348National Deaf Children's Society strategy entitled Every moment counts

Tabled: 20/06/23 Signatories: 9

Jim Shannon

Claire Hanna

Sir Mike Penning

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Jonathan Edwards

Carla Lockhart

That this House notes the launch of the new five year strategy of the National Deaf Children's Society entitled Every moment counts, which aims to ensure deaf children across Northern Ireland receive the support they need in their early years or as soon as their deafness is identified; highlights the impact that deafness can have on language development, communication and social skills and the difference in these skills which takes place when children are identified early; further notes the gradual decline in Teacher of the Deaf numbers across Northern Ireland; and calls upon the Government to formulate a UK-wide early years strategy to guide children and parents in the early years after deafness has been identified.

1358Maggie Lennon and 21 years of the Bridges Programmes

Tabled: 20/06/23 Signatories: 5

Anne McLaughlin

Allan Dorans

Drew Hendry

Jim Shannon

Alison Thewliss

That this House congratulates CEO and founder of the Bridges Programmes, Maggie Lennon, on the Bridges Programmes marking 21 years since it was founded; notes that when Maggie Lennon started the charity in response to the growing number of asylum seekers housed in Glasgow it was to provide humanitarian services which would give people back confidence and dignity; acknowledges that the charity has grown through Maggie Lennon’s leadership to now also include a wide range of courses and support for asylum seekers and refugees to develop their skills, improve their education and support them into appropriate work; appreciates her leadership in working with the Scottish NHS to support doctors into work; recognises that the Bridges Programmes has become a leader of best practice in its field in Scotland, the UK and Europe through Maggie Lennon and the Bridges Programmes staff's determination to support asylum seekers and refugees to settle successfully; wishes Maggie Lennon well for the future as she steps down from her role as CEO at the end of June 2023; and further wishes the Bridges Programmes continuing success.

1360Banking hubs

Tabled: 21/06/23 Signatories: 13

Sarah Green

Wendy Chamberlain

Wera Hobhouse

Helen Morgan

Jonathan Edwards

Hywel Williams

That this House recognises the need to maintain access to in-person banking services; notes that banking hubs offer an important alternative to traditional high street banks but that the rollout of such services is not happening quickly enough; further notes that this disproportionally affects the vulnerable and older populations who are increasingly becoming excluded from their local economies as long-distance travel for cash or the use of digital monies is unviable; believes that banks should take all reasonable steps to increase the pace of the rollout of banking hubs; and calls on the Government to legislate to allow the Financial Conduct Authority to require the establishment of a banking hub.

1364Ultra Low Emissions Zone Expansion in London

Tabled: 22/06/23 Signatories: 6

Munira Wilson

Ed Davey

Sarah Olney

Daisy Cooper

Sarah Green

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the importance of action to reduce harmful air pollution and traffic emissions in London; yet notes with concern both the way and speed with which the expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone to outer London has been handled by the Mayor of London; believes the design of the ULEZ expansion has failed to take into account people’s different transport needs in London’s suburbs and the current cost of living crisis; notes that the first expansion of the ULEZ was rolled out over three years, compared to just eight months for the second; notes that, despite a welcome broadening of eligibility criteria for the Mayor’s scrappage scheme, this will only become effective a month before the expansion, has not been accompanied with an increase in funding and still excludes many vulnerable residents and businesses; notes that central government has provided funding towards scrappage schemes in Bristol, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Manchester, but has failed to provide equivalent support for those living in the home counties travelling into London regularly; is especially worried that this failure means many keyworkers and others vital to London’s economy and public services will be badly hit; and therefore calls on the Mayor of London to delay the roll out of ULEZ to the outer London boroughs given the cost of living crisis and the scheme’s design faults, to double the London scrappage scheme and improve public transport in the suburbs, and calls on the Government to fund a home counties scrappage scheme.

136650th anniversary of Tuite Opticians

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 2

Steven Bonnar

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Tuite Opticians as they mark their 50th anniversary; notes their first opening in March 1973 in Coatbridge as an independent family-run business; notes the high-quality practice and home eyecare services they provide to residents across Lanarkshire; applauds their Right to Sight mantra, ensuring that everyone has access to basic healthcare; supports their ethos of patient-centred care, particularly to those suffering from dementia and other debilitating conditions; further notes the work they have done in giving back to the community by supporting local foodbanks through monthly donations, collecting money for local charities from spectacle repairs and offering patients the chance to enter into a monthly prize draw to win prescription sunglasses; thanks the practice owner, Eamonn Tuite, optometrist Stephen Kirley and practice manager Michelle Campbell for their unwavering commitment to the community; and wishes the practice all the very best for another 50 years.

1367Winnie Ewing

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 10

Angela Crawley

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Amy Callaghan

Dr Philippa Whitford

Owen Thompson

That this House commemorates the life of Winnie Ewing; celebrates her immense contribution to Scottish Politics, the SNP and the independence movement; highlights that she was a trailblazer for women in politics and inspired many to get politically active; recognises that Winnie first served in this House as MP for Hamilton following her historic by-election win in 1967 which she summed up in the now iconic quote Stop the world, Scotland wants to get on; acknowledges that she further served in this House as MP for Moray and Nairn from 1974 to 1979 before becoming one of the longest-serving MEPs as representative for Highlands and Islands from 1979 to 1999; commends her work as MEP for which she became affectionately known as Madame Écosse while promoting and protecting Scotland’s interests in Europe; understands that Winnie, as the oldest qualified member, presided over the opening of the Scottish Parliament when it was reconvened in 1999 for the first time since 1707; further recognises that Winnie is the only person to have been elected and served in the Westminster, Holyrood and European Parliaments; and sends condolences to Winnie’s family and friends including her children Fergus, Annabelle and Terry.

1368Calderwood Lodge Primary School 60th Anniversary

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 2

Kirsten Oswald

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates all at Calderwood Lodge Primary School on the occasion of reaching 60 years; notes that Calderwood Lodge is now situated in Newton Mearns, having moved from a site in Glasgow in 2017, and shares a joint campus with St Clare’s Primary School making it Scotland’s only joint Jewish Catholic Campus; appreciates that both Calderwood Lodge and St Clare’s work closely together; understands that Calderwood Lodge is Scotland’s only Jewish faith school, working to foster a sense of pride and identity in pupils’ heritage within a strong Jewish ethos while promoting respect for all global cultures and religions; further notes that Calderwood Lodge has around 150 pupils and a nursery attached with options for wrap-around childcare; recognises Calderwood Lodge’s importance to the large local Jewish population in East Renfrewshire and the surrounding areas, with the school promoting the study of Hebrew and Jewish culture; highlights that the school’s 60th anniversary will be marked with an exhibition and tours on 26 and 27 June; and wishes all the staff and pupils at Calderwood Lodge Primary School all the very best for the future.

1369Apprentices and the Living Wage

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 2

Sir George Howarth

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the challenges faced by apprentices, especially at this time of high inflation and a cost of living crisis, notes that four out of five apprentices surveyed by the NUS required additional assistance to cover their living expenses, often resorting to credit cards or personal savings due to their low wages, notes that 64 per cent of apprentices said that their wage did not cover the cost of their energy bills and 59 per cent said it did not comfortably cover their cost of living, further notes that Workpays, a prominent training provider, states that low pay is deterring potential candidates from pursuing apprenticeships, recognises The Withers review which states that low wages are reducing the attractiveness of apprenticeships; further recognises that analysis by FE Week of the Government’s Find an Apprenticeship website revealed that 50 per cent of intermediate level apprenticeships were advertised at the then legal minimum wage of £4.81 per hour; and calls on the Government to support the recommendation of the NUS, the National Society of Apprentices, the TUC and the Government’s own Social Mobility Commission, that apprentices should be paid the Real Living Wage.

1370Partnership between ScottishPower, Scottish Women’s Football and the Scottish Women’s Premier League

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 3

Alison Thewliss

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

That this House commends the partnership between ScottishPower, Scottish Women’s Football and the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL); welcomes the focus the partnership will have on growing women and girl’s football right across Scotland; understands ScottishPower’s sponsorship includes Scottish Youth Challenge Cups at all three age groups and the Scottish Women’s Highlands and Islands League; understands that the work will champion women and girls across Scotland, from the youth game, to emerging talent in remote communities, through to the elite stars of the premier leagues; and further welcomes the work all involved plan to do over the next three years to support the women’s game for both this and future generations by driving equality and diversity all the way from grassroots to elite.

137125 Years of Amina Muslim Women's Resource Centre

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 3

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Apsana Begum

That this House acknowledges the 25th anniversary of the founding of Amina, the Muslim Women's Resource Centre (MWRC), which works to empower Muslim and BAME women across Scotland; acknowledges that to this day, BAME and Muslim women remain one of the most disadvantaged groups in the UK with poor access to health, housing and financial support, high rates of unemployment, and discrimination based on their gender, ethnicity and religion; welcomes Amina MWRC's longstanding commitment to tackling these issues via domestic abuse advocacy, financial advice, the Amina Hardship Fund, employability and language training, and device loaning services; notes Amina MWRC is widely recognised as the chief national hub for consultation with Muslim and BAME women across Scotland; congratulates Amina MWRC on this momentous occasion; and wishes them all the best in all future endeavours.

137220th anniversary of the Hidden Gardens, Glasgow

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 2

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

That this House acknowledges the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Hidden Gardens in the Southside of Glasgow; notes that since its opening in 2003, the Hidden Gardens has served as an inclusive and accessible green space for educational, artistic and social activity on the site of the old Coplawhill Tram Works and Depot, with architectural and horticultural influences from Scotland, South Asia and beyond; celebrates 20 years of collaboration between the Hidden Gardens and dozens of artists in permanent and temporary art installations throughout the Gardens; recognises the importance of the Hidden Gardens to the daily life of the communities of Pollokshields and Govanhill, providing a haven in a busy urban area; and wishes the Hidden Gardens team the best in all future endeavours.

1373Hosepipe bans

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 2

Tim Farron

Jim Shannon

That this House notes with concern the impact of hosepipe bans on households already struggling with the cost of living; further notes that households should not have to pay in full for a service they are only receiving in part; regrets that water companies have paid out large bonuses instead of investing in fixing water infrastructure; and calls on the Government to ensure water companies discount water bills after imposing their hosepipe bans and invest in fixing leaks to prevent the unnecessary loss of water.

1374St Ninians Primary School support for the Education in Emergencies campaign

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 2

Alyn Smith

Jim Shannon

That this House commends St Ninians Primary School in Stirling for their hard work and dedication in campaigning to improve educational access for children across the world; recognises the efforts of the children who are taking part in the Education in Emergencies campaign by Send My Friend to School, which aims to highlight the estimated 258 million children worldwide who are missing out on school; and backs calls to the Government to prepare, protect, invest and act to support global education through proper funding, exchange programmes, international aid and diplomacy.

1375Sixth anniversary of Life After charity

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 4

Mr Gregory Campbell

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

That this House acknowledges the sixth anniversary of the founding in Northern Ireland of the charity Life After, set up to offer help and support to families and friends who have been bereaved through road traffic collisions; commends all volunteers and those associated with the group who have campaigned tirelessly to raise the issue of the ongoing problems faced by those who lost loved ones in such tragic circumstances; and expresses the hope that support and awareness of the issue will continue to grow for the charity.

1376Death of Craig Brown CBE

Tabled: 26/06/23 Signatories: 48

Gavin Newlands

Stephen Flynn

Mhairi Black

Alan Brown

Marion Fellows

Allan Dorans

That this House notes the sad passing of legendary Scotland Men’s Team Manager Craig Brown CBE who passed away at the age of 82; notes the regard he is held in across the football community, particularly the Tartan Army who hold him in the highest esteem; acknowledges that Craig was an excellent young footballer who was signed by Rangers, Dundee FC and Falkirk before calling time on his playing career after signing for, but never playing for Stranraer; further notes that Craig started his managerial career as an assistant at Motherwell before becoming the part-time manager of Clyde FC; recognises that he returned to football full-time as Scotland men’s team assistant manager, having been appointed after Sir Alex Ferguson had asked him to assist him at the World Cup in Mexico in 1986; observes that he assumed the position of Scotland manager in 1993 leading Scotland into two tournaments Euro 96 and World Cup 98, accepts that despite the memorable 1-0 win over England at the old Wembley Stadium in 1999, Scotland would fall one goal short and fail to qualify for Euro 2000 and Craig would resign two years later, becoming the longest serving Scotland manager; further acknowledges that Craig went on to manage Preston North End, Motherwell and Aberdeen before retiring, disagrees with Craig Brown when he stated that he was the luckiest guy in Scottish football, as it was Scottish football that was lucky to have him; and conveys deepest sympathies to his friends and family.