Contents

Published: Thursday 26 October 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Wednesday 25 October 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

171330th anniversary of Charis counselling service in Leslie

Tabled: 25/10/23 Signatories: 8

Peter Grant [R]

Alison Thewliss

Dr Philippa Whitford

Patrick Grady

Ms Anum Qaisar

Amy Callaghan

That This House congratulates the Charis Foundation, formerly the Fife Christian Counselling Centre, in Leslie on its 30th anniversary; commends the outstanding work they have done in renovating a derelict building on Leslie high street into an award winning centre for the provision of counselling to anyone who needs it, regardless of their ability to pay; commends the many professionals who gave freely of their time and expertise to make this possible; recognises the valuable service provided by Charis in providing training leading to accredited professional qualifications in counselling; congratulates Charis on being awarded a Royal Institute of British Architects Award for Architecture, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Award for services to the community and, most recently, the Prime Minister's Point of Light award to their inspirational founder, Joyce Nicoll; believes that Charis represents an outstanding of putting their Christian faith into action by offering support regardless of someone's race, creed or colour; and wishes Charis every success in the future.

1714Closure of Serendipi-tea Cafe in Thornton, Fife

Tabled: 25/10/23 Signatories: 8

Peter Grant

Alison Thewliss

Dr Philippa Whitford

Patrick Grady

Ms Anum Qaisar

Amy Callaghan

That this House records its great sorrow at the news that the multi-award winning Serendipi-tea Cafe in Thornton, Fife, is to close on 3 November 2023; notes that, since Fiona and Lloyd Greenaway opened the cafe in 2014, it has regularly featured in local, regional and national award short lists for the quality of its home baking and the warmth of welcome every customer receives; notes in particular their achievement in being named the best cafe in Fife for three consecutive years between 2020 and 2022 and the best place in Scotland to have a scone in 2021; thanks Fiona and Lloyd for creating such a valued social hub in the village of Thornton; offers them all good wishes for whatever lies ahead; and calls upon the Government to recognise the contribution made by small independent owner-operated cafes to communities throughout the UK and the extreme challenges many of them are facing.

171530th anniversary of the Shankill Bombing

Tabled: 25/10/23 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the 30th anniversary of the Shankill Bombing, after a bomb blast on 23 October 1993 perpetrated by the IRA killed nine people, including two young girls, and dozens more were injured; highlights the memorial that was unveiled last Monday at the location of the bombing to remember all those who were slaughtered and those who were left maimed and scarred; and affirms again our absolute determination to ensure that this attack is remembered with revulsion and not with revision to make it seem anything other than an evil atrocity which will never be forgotten or whitewashed.

1716Lerwick Lifeboat Crew

Tabled: 25/10/23 Signatories: 1

Mr Alistair Carmichael

That this House pays tribute to the outstanding efforts of the Lerwick lifeboat crew, aided by an oil support vessel, following an 18 hour rescue operation during Storm Babet; notes that the lifeboat launched at 1pm on 19 October 2023 to go to the aid of the Danish fishing boat Westbank and returned to port at 7am on the morning of 20 October, having recovered the Westbank sixty miles to the east of Shetland and enduring severe overnight storm conditions, low temperatures and high winds at sea; believes that lifesaving emergency services, such as the RNLI, should never be taken for granted; and expresses gratitude to all those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect the lives of people at sea.

1717Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service public speaking champions 2023

Tabled: 25/10/23 Signatories: 1

Martin Docherty-Hughes

That this House congratulates Beth Dalrymple and Katie Orr of St Peter the Apostle on becoming the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service School Public Speaking Competition champions for 2023; understands that this is the first time a school from the sheriffdom of North Strathclyde has triumphed in the long-running competition; commends efforts by the Service to improve school pupils’ confidence in public speaking and improve understanding of equality and diversity issues; notes that the competition involved 178 pupils forming 89 teams from 57 schools across Scotland; and stresses the importance of young people’s involvement in public discourse and welcomes all initiatives to encourage this.

1718Cost of court transcripts

Tabled: 25/10/23 Signatories: 1

Sarah Olney

That this House believes that justice should be accessible and transparent; notes that the cost of court transcripts is a barrier to justice for many victims, most of whom do not attend trial; further notes that victims have been quoted up to £22,000 to obtain court transcripts; acknowledges that a transcript of court proceedings can be beneficial to a victim’s recovery and understanding; welcomes the commitment from the Scottish Government to implement a pilot scheme to waive court transcript fees for victims of rape and sexual offences; urges the Ministry of Justice to explore how technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and captioning software could be utilised to reduce costs; and calls on the Government to take steps to improve access to justice by enabling all victims to request a transcript of court proceedings free of charge.

1719Humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict

Tabled: 25/10/23 Signatories: 7

Ed Davey

Layla Moran

Wera Hobhouse

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Daisy Cooper

Richard Foord

That this House condemns the awful terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel on the 7th October; notes with utter dismay the scenes of violence in the weeks and days since; further notes with deep concern the devastating situation in Gaza which is on the verge of a humanitarian crisis for its 2.2 million residents and that over 200 Israelis are being held hostage; urges the UK Government to lead international efforts to call for the restoration of essential supplies such as food, water, medicine and electricity to Gaza in line with international law; further urges the UK Government to heed the calls of the World Health Organization, that the forced evacuation of hospitals in Northern Gaza may be a breach of international humanitarian law; affirms that Israel has a right to protect its citizens and target Hamas in line with international law; further affirms that innocent Palestinians must not pay the price for the atrocities of Hamas; accordingly urges the UK Government to lead calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire as a pause in hostilities which will facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and provide an opportunity to realise the release of the hostages; further believes that the people of Israel and Palestine have a right to live free from fear; and that accordingly the UK Government must redouble efforts to bring about a lasting peace and a two state solution.

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.

1644National Eye Health Week 2023

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 9

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Stephens

Mr Gregory Campbell

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Christine Jardine

That this House acknowledges and celebrates National Eye Health Week 2023; notes that preventable sight loss due to conditions such as glaucoma is increasing; further notes the value of regular eye tests; acknowledges the need for community urgent eyecare services to be commissioned by all integrated care boards to reduce health inequalities and to free up valuable GP and hospital appointments by increasing care in the community by using opticians; recognises the talent and skill of optometrists; and calls on the Government to introduce a national eye health strategy.

1645Funding for Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in East Dunbartonshire

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 7

Amy Callaghan

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Ms Anum Qaisar

That this House welcomes the announcement of £123 million of funding for the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute (formerly known as the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute) based at the University of Glasgow’s Garscube Campus in East Dunbartonshire; notes that this is the charity’s largest investment yet in Scotland and is in recognition of the world-class cancer science happening in the West of Scotland, led by the University of Glasgow and researchers based at the Garscube Campus; understands this funding commitment is for seven years and will allow scientists to build on the reputation of the Beatson in the West of Scotland which has supported cancer patients for decades; further notes that each year more than 34,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland meaning it is vital to find new ways to tackle the disease; and recognises the partnership of the Institute and the University of Glasgow in providing the crucial research which is underpinning our knowledge of how cancer cells metastasise; finally welcomes this funding award for the Garscube Campus in East Dunbartonshire which is also home to the Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre and the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.

1646Breast cancer screening and entitlement to paid leave

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 6

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

Christine Jardine

John McDonnell

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes that all four UK governments offer breast cancer screening to women aged 50 to 70 every three years; supports the policy as an important preventative health care strategy; calls for employment law to be amended to remove barriers to women undertaking appointments by ensuring that women attending screening appointments do not lose pay and entitlements for doing so; and commends the work of the JG HR Pledge campaign for raising awareness and for encouraging employers to pledge to support their employees in attending regular screening appointments.

1647Marianne Wilson, Berlin Inline Speed Skating and Running Double Marathon

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 7

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

Allan Dorans

Ms Anum Qaisar

That this House congratulates Marianne Wilson, a resident of Shawlands, for finishing the Berlin (Inline Speed Skating & Running) Double Marathon; notes that Berlin is not only the place where running world marathon records are set, but it is also the fastest marathon in the Inline Speed Skating World cup; further congratulates Marianne on also finishing 2nd in the Dual Marathon in 2019; and wishes Marianne every best wish and success in the future.

164825th anniversary of the Multi-Cultural Family Base

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 14

Deidre Brock

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Brendan O'Hara

Stuart C McDonald

That this House congratulates the Multi-Cultural Family Base (MCFB) on reaching its 25th anniversary; notes that the charity, founded in Edinburgh in 1998, provides a range of valued services to children, young people, and their families, most of whom are from black and minority ethnic communities and are often new migrants; recognises that MCFB provides assistance with practical issues, such as housing or financial problems, as well as more personal issues, such as dealing with discrimination, support with difficult relationships, managing important transition points, or coping with trauma, loss and displacement; commends MCFB on its efforts to adapt and continue supporting vulnerable families during the covid-19 pandemic; applauds MCFB’s anti-racism projects and its efforts to promote understanding of different cultures, break down stereotypes and challenge prejudices; acknowledges the hard work and dedication of all staff, organisers and volunteers connected with MCFB; and extends gratitude and best wishes for the future to MCFB for many years to come.

1649CancerCare 40th anniversary

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 6

Cat Smith

David Morris

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Claudia Webbe

Neale Hanvey

That this House wishes CancerCare a very happy 40th anniversary year providing therapies, help and support free to people of all ages affected by cancer throughout North Lancashire and South Cumbria; thanks them for their work from urban centres in Lancaster and Barrow to rural hamlets in the Lake District and Dales; notes their aims to improve the wellbeing of local people of all ages affected by cancer and bereavement, to raise community awareness of CancerCare’s therapy services and strengthen established links with key local health and wellbeing organisations and to provide flexible services to meet the needs of local communities; further notes that the services CancerCare provides are delivered by fully qualified, experienced professional therapists and it costs them around £1.9m each year to provide support, compassion and care; thanks all the individuals who have supported, fundraised and volunteered for CancerCare since its inception 40 years ago; and wishes them well as they celebrate their many successes.

165025th anniversary of Kingdom FM

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 14

Peter Grant

Douglas Chapman

Wendy Chamberlain

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Kingdom FM on their 25th anniversary entertaining the people of Fife; notes that Kingdom FM, Fife’s favourite radio station, started broadcasting on 5 October 1998 from Haig House in Markinch, before relocating to their current studio complex in Kirkcaldy in October 2016; notes that the station has provided the latest in news, sports and travel updates throughout this time and many other exciting features such as the Kingdom FM Fugitive; highlights the work of the radio station in supporting the local community including through the Local Hero Awards which are held annually in order to call attention and give thanks to the many wonderful local individuals, charities, businesses and others who do so much good and vitally important work in the local community; commends and gives thanks to the station for the hard work of their registered charity Kingdom Kids which offers support to disadvantaged young people across Fife by raising and distributing funds for groups and individuals and especially with their well supported annual Christmas Toy Appeal; gives further thanks to the many well-loved presenters, journalists at Kingdom FM news and all the staff behind the scenes on the continued success of the station; and wishes all at Kingdom FM the best for the next 25 years and beyond.

165150th anniversary of Trust Housing Association

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 7

Patricia Gibson

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Ms Anum Qaisar

That this House congratulates Trust Housing Association as it marks its 50th anniversary, having been established in October 1973 as Kirk Care in Bearsden Glasgow; notes that Trust Housing Association has since grown into national, forward-thinking landlord and is one of Scotland’s largest housing, care and support providers for later living; further notes that Trust Housing Association helped develop the nationally recognised housing with care model and the Happy to Translate service; recognises that Trust Housing provides over 3,600 affordable homes across 23 local authorities in Scotland, including several developments located on the Isle of Arran in North Ayrshire, and aims to redefine the standards of service within the housing sector; commends Trust Housing Association’s commitment to providing exceptional care for its customers as well as making a positive difference to the communities it serves; acknowledges that it also maintains that commitment as an employer and is recognised as a Platinum employer by Investors in People and accredited as Leaders in Diversity; and wishes Trust Housing Association all the best as it continues to grow as an organisation.

1653Recognition of the Cumnock Tryst

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 5

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes and recognises the outstanding achievement of the Cumnock Tryst, their Founder and Artistic Director, Sir James MacMillan CBE, the Directors and many volunteers of this local Charity who have worked tirelessly with the community to produce a spectacular musical event, A Musical Celebration of the Coalfields, at the Barony Hall, Cumnock and other local music events over three days, celebrating and inspired by their environment, coal mining heritage, people and local community; also notes the involvement, dedication and commitment of the significant number of local individuals, groups and organisations throughout the former coal mining communities of Cumnock and Doon Valley; further notes the contribution of the team of volunteer composers, songwriters and workshop leaders; and thanks the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for their support and accompaniment of the musical performances and thank all who contributed to this unique event.

165421st annual Baby Loss Week in the UK

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 12

Steven Bonnar

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Deidre Brock

That this House acknowledges the 21st annual Baby Loss Week in the UK; notes that Baby Loss Week from 9 to 15 October 2023 is a special opportunity to mark the lives of babies lost in pregnancy or at or soon after birth; also notes that this year Baby Loss Awareness Week focuses on the steps along that journey, and how they are different for everyone; and both recognises and appreciates the fantastic work being undertaken by Julie and Bryan Morrison at the Baby Loss Retreat based in North Lanarkshire to help support families at the most difficult of times across Scotland and the rest of the UK.

1655The Little Art School

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 5

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Neale Hanvey

That this House congratulates the Little Art School on its 10 year anniversary, celebrated on 24 October 2023; notes that it is an art school that puts nurturing and confidence building at the heart of its classes, first running dementia art classes backed by the charity Dementia Arts Trust, and developing self-esteem in children, through the charity the Little Arts Stars; also notes that the Little Art School, with its children’s art studios, online course and trading organisation, has developed over the past decade by its partnership pulling together very different skill sets and working to develop an organisation that uses art as a positive force in the community; believes that it is blazing a trail advocating the benefits of flexible working opportunities for women who often decide to take a career break after beginning their family, and as a company recognises that employees might need to work from home occasionally; and further notes that the Little Art School pupils demonstrate a kindness to each other which is actively fostered.

1656Death of Sir Michael Bonallack OBE

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 6

Wendy Chamberlain

Jonathan Edwards

Layla Moran

Chris Stephens

Christine Jardine

Neale Hanvey

That the House expresses condolences following the sad news of the death of Sir Michael Bonallack OBE at the age of eighty-eight; notes that Sir Michael was Britain’s most decorated amateur golfer and a leading figure in the sport; understands that he also served as Secretary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews for fifteen years from 1984 to 1999 during which time he was awarded a knighthood in recognition of his role as an ambassador for golf; further understands that Sir Michael’s career as an amateur golfer included winning the Amateur Championship and the English Amateur Championship five times; recognises his contribution in representing Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup nine times, including winning the competition in 1971 which was the first occasion since 1938 on which the team representing Great Britain and Ireland were victorious; welcomes the fact that Sir Michael was able to attend the opening ceremony of the recent Walker Cup match at St Andrews where he was given a standing ovation by the many fans who were there to celebrate the centenary of the first staging of the match; and expresses condolences to his friends and family at the sad news of his passing.

1657Haydays, Member Group of the Year

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 4

Wendy Chamberlain

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Neale Hanvey

That the House congratulates Haydays on being named Member Group of the Year by Age Scotland on Tuesday 3 October; understands that for over twenty years Haydays has provided educational, creative, and active events for people over the age of fifty in St Andrews, and has grown to over 170 members; notes that its activities include a cafe with home baking where members can relax and socialise, join in arts and crafts sessions, ukulele tuition, and tai-chi; recognises the vital role of Haydays and similar organisations in reducing loneliness and isolation amongst people over the age of fifty; further understands that Haydays overcame considerable difficulties, including the sudden closure of its original venue, and restrictions during the covid pandemic; commends the local volunteer tutors who lead Haydays’ activities, and its committee members and other volunteers for their commitment of the group’s work; endorses the group’s motto, that you don’t stop playing when you get old, you get old when you stop playing; and wishes all members of Haydays continued success in their varied programme of activities.

1658Launch of SafeKab

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 15

Drew Hendry

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Chris Stephens

Anne McLaughlin

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 5

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

Mr Gregory Campbell

Paul Girvan

Neale Hanvey

That this House congratulates Jordan Rochford from Portadown on winning the 2 litre World Hot Rod World Championship in Ipswich in July 2023; recognises this significant achievement in defending his title after success in Scotland last year in the same World Championship; and wishes Jordan ongoing success.

167345th anniversary of Nationwide Building Society, Newtownards

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 6

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Stephens

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Stephen Farry

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes the 45th anniversary of Nationwide Building Society serving the town of Newtownards in the constituency of Strangford; highlights the staff and the efforts they make to ensure that customers of all ages have access to cash and advice regarding all types of accounts, ISAs and bonds; thanks the staff for all of their great work within the town and for the decision to keep a physical branch in this town; and wishes them all the best for their future.

167425 anniversary of Hilton hotel, Belfast

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 6

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Paul Girvan

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Stephen Farry

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes the 25th anniversary of Helton Belfast which was the first international hotel brand to open in Belfast back in 1998, the year the Good Friday Agreement was signed; notes that the hotel is under new management with an intention to invest in this flagship hotel; and wishes them every success as they continue to build the brand an encourage travellers to consider the world class accommodations, tours, shops and leisure and sports that Northern Ireland has to offer.

1675Amazon's business practices and small businesses

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 13

Tony Lloyd

Mick Whitley

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Ian Lavery

Jonathan Edwards

That this House is seriously concerned by the impact on small businesses of the decision by Amazon to hold onto the funds from sales for an increased period of time before releasing them to those businesses; is further concerned by Amazon offering loans to those businesses impacted by Amazon itself withholding funds; sees those actions as being exploitative of Amazon’s position in the market and the reliance that many small businesses have on its platform; believes that the Government has not done enough to challenge that practice; calls on Amazon to reverse this decision; and calls on the Government to bring meaningful pressure to bear on Amazon.

1676Israel's response to Hamas atrocities and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 37

Brendan O'Hara

Liz Saville Roberts

Ms Anum Qaisar

Hannah Bardell

Patrick Grady

Gavin Newlands

That this House unreservedly condemns Hamas and their appalling act of terrorist violence in which more than 1,400 Israeli civilians were murdered and hundreds more taken hostage; supports Israel’s right to find the perpetrators of those atrocities and hold them accountable for their actions; believes that any Israeli response to those attacks must be legal, proportionate and in line with international humanitarian law; recognises that the vast majority of Palestinians want nothing to do with Hamas and therefore deeply regrets Israel’s decision to impose a collective punishment, including forced displacement, on the civilian population of Gaza, who as a result of Israel’s actions now have little or no access to water, food, fuel or medicine, and who are living under constant military bombardment; calls on Israel to immediately end its siege and restore power and water supplies and open the Rafah border to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza; urges the Government to work with international allies to create a humanitarian corridor, one which allows innocent civilians to flee Gaza but which also provides them with a guaranteed right of return; believes that the UK has an obligation to uphold and promote international humanitarian law; and calls on the Government to play its part, along with the rest of the international community, to find a just solution to this ongoing crisis, as without justice, there can be no peace, and this cycle of violence will continue resulting in even more innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives being lost.

1677Standing charges on utility bills

Tabled: 16/10/23 Signatories: 10

Mr Gregory Campbell

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Paul Girvan

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

That this House notes recent increases in standing charges being levied on utility bills; condemns the practice which unfairly penalises homeowners that use less electricity and gas; and calls upon Ofgem to review its decision which will result in millions of hard pressed consumers having to pay hundreds of pounds each year even when some, particularly in one or two person households, use relatively little energy at a time when other household prices continue to escalate.

1680Reopening of Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding

Tabled: 17/10/23 Signatories: 19

Wendy Chamberlain

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Richard Foord

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Wera Hobhouse

That this House recognises with great concern the pressure many households are due to face this winter as a result of high energy bills; notes that the Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding aimed to reached 900,000 households that do not have a direct relationship with their electricity supplier; regrets that only 16% of eligible households successfully applied for the scheme before it closed on 31 May 2023 and that 759,000 households have been left without support from the scheme, returning over £300 million to the Treasury; and urges the Government to follow the recommendations of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee’s Preparing for the winter Report including that all households that missed out should receive support with immediate effect.

1683Election of chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith

Tabled: 17/10/23 Signatories: 6

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Jonathan Edwards

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

That this House congratulates Joseff Gnagbo on his election as chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh language campaign group which has fought for greater rights for Welsh speakers for six decades; notes that Mr Gnagbo fled persecution in Côte d'Ivoire and has played a leading role in a campaign to help ensure other asylum seekers and refugees receive the same opportunity to learn Welsh; further notes that his election makes him the first person of colour and the first person not born in Wales to chair the group; highlights that Mr Gnagbo works as a carer and teacher and is fluent in six languages; and wishes Mr Gnagbo and Cymdeithas yr Iaith the very best as they continue to play a crucial role in promoting and protecting the Welsh language.

1684Cymru national football team

Tabled: 17/10/23 Signatories: 5

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

That this House congratulates the Welsh national football team on their 2-1 victory over Croatia at Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday 15 October; commends right-winger Harry Wilson for scoring both goals in his 50th appearance for his country; notes that the 26-year-old grew up in the Denbighshire town of Corwen and is a former pupil of Llangollen's Ysgol Dinas Brân; further notes that the team have gone from strength-to-strength having qualified for the World Cup in 2022 for the first time since 1958; and wishes head coach Rob Page, captain Aaron Ramsey, and the whole Welsh side the very best as they face Armenia and Turkey in the final two qualifiers in November as they look to secure their place for the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship.

1685Protecting civilians in Gaza and Israel

Tabled: 17/10/23 Signatories: 86

Richard Burgon

John McDonnell

Grahame Morris

Beth Winter

Zarah Sultana

Nadia Whittome

This House utterly condemns the massacre of Israeli civilians and taking of hostages by Hamas; agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General that these horrific acts do not justify responding with the collective punishment of the Palestinian people; expresses its deep alarm at the Israeli military bombardment and total siege of Gaza and the resulting deaths and suffering; believes that the urgent priority must be to stop the deaths and suffering of any more civilians in Gaza and Israel; welcomes the joint statement from 12 leading aid agencies, including Oxfam, Christian Aid, CAFOD, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Islamic Relief, calling for the Government to use its influence to help protect civilians, to ensure adherence to international humanitarian law and to guarantee civilians have access to critical life-saving humanitarian support; and to this end supports their call for the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to urgently press all parties to agree to an immediate de-escalation and cessation of hostilities, to ensure the immediate, unconditional release of the Israeli hostages, to end to the total siege of Gaza and allow for unfettered access of medical supplies, food, fuel electricity and water, to guarantee that international humanitarian law is upheld and that civilians are protected in accordance with those laws.

1686Kastriots defibrillator fundraising

Tabled: 18/10/23 Signatories: 5

David Linden

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

Neale Hanvey

That this House celebrates Kastriots, a restaurant in Baillieston, which hosted a fundraiser night to fund a defibrillator for the local community; commends the restaurant for raising £3,400 to acquire the life-saving device that will be placed outside the East End Fox pub; notes that the defibrillator will provide emergency care to those experiencing a cardiac arrest and provides assurance to the public that they have access to the critical medical device; congratulates Kastriots on their generosity and commitment to the well-being of the local community; and thanks them for their fundraising efforts.

1688Itihaas and Radhuni

Tabled: 19/10/23 Signatories: 7

Owen Thompson

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Ms Anum Qaisar

Chris Law

That this House applauds the tireless work of Midlothian entrepreneur Matin Khan who has been named the UK’s top curry chef by the industry’s trade magazine; recognises the dedication of Mr Khan, executive chef of Itihaas in Dalkeith and The Radhuni in Loanhead, who was given the accolade at the Curry Life Awards in London recently; congratulates the Radhuni restaurant which also scooped the title of the UK’s best curry restaurant; further recognises that since opening in 2007, the 80-seat Itihaas eatery has won numerous titles including Scotland’s Curry Chef of the Year, Best South Asian Restaurant and Restaurant of the Year in the Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce Awards; and wishes Mr Khan, his family and his business further success for the future.

1689Green Home Systems, Chamber Network Business Awards Planet Saver of the Year

Tabled: 19/10/23 Signatories: 8

Dr Philippa Whitford

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Dave Doogan

Jim Shannon

Ms Anum Qaisar

That this House congratulates Green Home Systems, based in Irvine, on being recognised as the British Chamber of Commerce’s Planet Saver of the Year 2023 at the Chamber Network Business Awards which celebrate the business successes and achievements of their members each year; notes that the awards, now in their 20th year, are one of the showpieces of the business calendar and highlights the achievements of firms in delivering growth and prosperity for the UK and local communities, with the Planet Saver award recognising the work of companies with sustainability at the heart of their business which are fully committed to sustainable best practice and making the world a better and safer place; recognises that Green Home Systems, a member of the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, was a strong winner with its focus being centred on reducing householders’ energy use, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and lifting people out of fuel poverty; further notes that Green Home Systems has installed more than 16,500 energy efficiency measures in people’s homes, saving more than half a million tonnes of CO2 and making energy bills more affordable for 7,000 people; and believes that Green Home Systems is a worthy winner of the Planet Saver Award and wishes them every success in the future as they follow through their mission of tackling both fuel poverty and the climate crisis at the same time.

1690150 years of East Park School, Glasgow

Tabled: 19/10/23 Signatories: 13

Patrick Grady

Alison Thewliss

Anne McLaughlin

David Linden

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Carol Monaghan

That this House congratulates East Park School, based on Maryhill Road in Glasgow, as it begins a year of celebrations to mark its 150th anniversary; notes that the celebrations for the charity, which began on 6 October 2023 with the launch of a 150th Anniversary Exhibition Timeline at the Maryhill Burgh Halls in Glasgow will also include a major conference in November 2023 and further events activities over the coming months; acknowledges that since its foundation in 1874, East Park School has provided education and support accommodation to children and young people with additional support needs, including autism, from the same site in central Maryhill since its foundation, and continues to be an integral part of the local community; recognises the remarkable hard work of its dedicated staff in delivering wide-ranging support to children and young people aged five and 18 through the school itself, as well as their Workmates service which supports young adults aged 17 to 25 with high support needs to continue education, complete work experience and achieve their full potential; and extends gratitude and best wishes for their continued success.

1691Cider industry

Tabled: 20/10/23 Signatories: 5

Sarah Dyke

Jamie Stone

Jim Shannon

Wendy Chamberlain

Neale Hanvey

That this House recognises the value of small-scale cider makers and apple growers to employment, tourism, traditional craft practices, biodiversity and the broader rural economy; celebrates apple day; notes that the cider industry, including fruit cider, makes up 7 per cent of the alcohol market; is deeply concerned that the cider industry has undergone the longest and most damaging period of decline on record; is further concerned about the impact losing orchards has on biodiversity; recognises the unprecedented increase in costs for traditional, small-scale cider makers in the last decade; is deeply concerned about the impact of excise rates increasing from August on cider makers, especially for traditional ciders where ABV is naturally higher than alcopop ciders; notes with concern that excise rate increases could drive traditional cider makers out of business; further notes that the Government’s new Small Producer Relief for alcohol duty is totally inadequate for traditional cider makers like Burrow Hill Cider Farm and Dowdings Apple Juice and Cider; and calls on the Government to protect traditional small-scale cider making and ensure the Alcohol Duty Review does not unduly harm the industry.

1692Hamilton Park

Tabled: 20/10/23 Signatories: 8

Angela Crawley

Michael Shanks

Jim Shannon

Ms Anum Qaisar

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Hamilton Park Racecourse on their nomination as a finalist for the 2023 Racecourse Association Showcase Awards; understands that the Showcase Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in racecourse operation; reflects that the Racecourse Association received nominations for 67 racecourses and nearly 5,000 votes from the race going public in deliberations for this year's awards; notes that Hamilton Park have been named finalists in three categories namely Racing Connection, Racecourse of the Year for Owners and Racing Post Readers’ Award; commends Hamilton Park for their hard work and dedication to horse racing which has previously been recognised as a Champion Racecourse by the Racecourse Association; and wishes the everyone at Hamilton Park the best of luck for the Showcase Awards.

1693Scottish national football team

Tabled: 23/10/23 Signatories: 7

Christine Jardine

Wendy Chamberlain

Jamie Stone

Jim Shannon

John McDonnell

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

That this House warmly congratulates the Scottish men’s national football team on their qualification for Euro 2024; further congratulates the team on reaching their second consecutive European championship; understands that Steve Clarke is the first manger in Scottish football history to achieve this feat; and wishes him and the squad all the best with their remaining games against Georgia and Norway and success for the tournament in Germany next year.

1694Tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton

Tabled: 23/10/23 Signatories: 26

Ian Lavery

Ian Mearns

Kate Osborne

Chi Onwurah

Julie Elliott

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Tabled: 23/10/23 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Carla Lockhart

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes the 15th Anniversary of Green Isle Residential Home in the village of Portavogie in Strangford; celebrates that the Home has provided Dementia, Alzheimer's, Old Age and Elderly care to clients all across Ards and North Down for the last 15 years; further notes Green Isle Residential Home, is a newly built family run care home for the elderly that is a two storey building located in the quiet fishing village of Portavogie, on the Ards Peninisula and is set on the shoreline with superb unrestricted views of the sea; highlights the compassionate nature of staff and owners who go the extra mile every day to ensure residents are looked after and supported with the highest standard of care; and thanks them for their contributions to helping those in need within the local community and wishes them all the best for the next number of years caring in the community.

1701Death of Sir Bobby Charlton

Tabled: 23/10/23 Signatories: 19

Tony Lloyd

Graham Stringer

Jonathan Edwards

Mike Amesbury

Jon Trickett

Kim Johnson

Tabled: 24/10/23 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes the success of the Northern Ireland Powerchair team in the Powerchair World Cup 2023, that was held in Olympic Park Sydney, Australia; further notes the team's incredible achievement in coming 9th overall in the World cup and their fantastic result beating the Republic of Ireland 3-0; highlights the consistent efforts of Northern Ireland Powerchair Coach Michael Hilland and his son Scott, who is the captain of the team; highlights the hours put into practicing for the matches and the team's involvement in the Powerchair sporting industry for so many years; congratulates them on this achievement and thanks them dearly for all the support they provide for young disabled people who want to get involved in Powerchair Football.

1707Postural Tachycardia Syndrome Awareness Day 2023

Tabled: 24/10/23 Signatories: 21

Cat Smith

Jim Shannon

John McDonnell

Rosie Duffield

Claudia Webbe

David Linden

That this House notes that 25 October 2023 is Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTs) Awareness Day; highlights that PoTS is a nervous system abnormality mainly affecting women, where exercise, standing or sitting cause symptoms ranging from palpitations and shortness of breath to chest pain and fainting; further highlights that studies from the US have suggested that the condition impacts around 170 in every 100,000 people in the population; notes with concern that many doctors still unaware of PoTS syndrome and the average diagnosis of PoTS from first presentation to diagnosis is 7 years; draws attention to the fact that for 90% of patients a diagnosis followed by medically guided lifestyle changes or medication can improve and manage symptoms; and therefore calls on the Government to increase support for people suffering from PoTS and to raise awareness around PoTS within the NHS.

1708First independent Prostate Cancer Centre of Excellence

Tabled: 24/10/23 Signatories: 4

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

Neale Hanvey

That this House notes that the first independent Prostate Cancer Centre of Excellence has opened at Queens University Belfast; highlights that the location of the Centre is in the heart of the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research in Belfast and will aim to deliver clinical trials and test new, promising treatments to improve cancer outcomes and reduce treatment-related side effects; further notes that prostate cancer takes the lives of 276 men in Northern Ireland each year and is one of the most common cancers amongst men; further highlights this being another example of Northern Irish universities paving the way in cancer research and outcomes; and wishes Queens University all the very best for the future in pioneering cutting edge treatments and fuelling better research into prostate cancer.

1709Wealth taxation and EU Tax Observatory report on global tax evasion

Tabled: 24/10/23 Signatories: 4

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

Beth Winter

Neale Hanvey

That this House welcomes the EU Tax Observatory inaugural report on global tax evasion; notes that the report indicates that the richest people in the world are operating on the edge of legality to evade paying tax; expresses concern at the findings of the report that the very richest use shell companies and other measures to reduce their tax burden to between 0% to 0.6% of their total wealth; further notes that real estate in expensive cities such as London provides a vehicle for the very wealthy to avoid paying tax; also notes that the report calls on the 3,000 richest people in the world, with combined assets of $13 trillion, to be taxed at a rate of 2% of their total wealth; estimates that such a measure would raise £205 billion annually; and joins calls for the G20 Summit in Brazil in November 2024 to begin efforts to introduce a global wealth tax on the very richest people.

1710McMonagles

Tabled: 24/10/23 Signatories: 6

Martin Docherty-Hughes

Patrick Grady

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Neale Hanvey

That this House congratulates McMonagles on winning the Best Restaurant Takeaway at the Scottish Takeaway Awards 2023; notes that the family-owned chippy on a boat has been awarded this accolade two years in a row by the Scottish Takeaway Awards, which is a testament to the hard work of the team and their dedication to providing quality food to the local community; believes that the McMonagle's boat is synonymous with the town and people of Clydebank; further congratulates them on celebrating their 30th year as one of Scotland's most loved eateries; and wishes them well for the next 30 years.

1711120th anniversary of Portadown YMCA

Tabled: 24/10/23 Signatories: 3

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

That this House congratulates Portadown YMCA on reaching its 120th anniversary; recognises the positive influence within the community that the YMCA has been throughout that period; thanks all YMCA staff and volunteers for their endeavours in the past and to the present day; and wishes Portadown YMCA ongoing success as it works within the Portadown community.

1712125th anniversary of Banbridge Tennis Club

Tabled: 24/10/23 Signatories: 3

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

Neale Hanvey

That this House congratulates Banbridge Tennis Club on its 125th anniversary; recognises the importance of sport within communities as a way of promoting physical and mental health and wellbeing; acknowledges the role of Banbridge Tennis Club in nurturing local sporting talent; and wishes the Club ongoing success on and off the court in the future.