Contents

Published: Tuesday 21 November 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Monday 20 November 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

71Alternatives to affordability checks for gambling

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Adam Afriyie

That this House welcomes the proposal for an app entitled Bettor Help by the Gamblers Consumer Forum which would offer an alternative to affordability checks and a clinical-based solution towards tackling gambling harm; notes there is no body of evidence that suggests that intrusive affordability checks curb addiction; further notes the sparse research that suggests addiction can be characterised by financial loss; urges the Government to consider the impact of affordability checks on British horseracing, an industry woven into the iconic sporting tapestry of our country and an economic powerhouse for job opportunities; further urges the Government to consider the consequences of using non-clinical solutions in addiction-related regulation, such as minimal pricing for alcohol in Scotland which actually saw alcohol-related deaths surge, and to contrast that with the successes of clinical solutions like clinical group therapy; encourages Members to note that Dr Robert Lefever, a world-leading expert in addiction recovery who has treated over five thousand patients, contributed clinical screening questions to this proposal; and further encourages Members to note this app proposal has been overwhelmingly supported by 68% of the UK public following a poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Gamblers Consumer Forum.

72Puppy smuggling

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Owen Thompson

That this House recognises the vile puppy smuggling trade and sterling efforts by Dogs Trust to end this cruel practice; shares the deep fears of many people about the suffering of dogs and puppies at the hands of smugglers; recognises the seriousness of this welfare issue and acknowledges the disappointment of many that the Kept Animals Bill, which had the potential to crack down on this illegal trade, was dropped; and backs the Trust’s demands that we bring an end to the horrors of puppy smuggling.

73125th anniversary of the University of East London

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Sir Stephen Timms

That this House congratulates the University of East London on its 125th anniversary; recognises its invaluable contribution to social justice through education, skills training and enterprise in East London and around the world; commends its commitment to championing equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education, and to driving social mobility through expanding the access of people from marginalised backgrounds to graduate employment; welcomes its work towards a green and healthy world through partnerships with businesses and communities; expresses gratitude for its commitment to research and community projects addressing health and economic inequalities; resolves to continue to work with universities to tackle the complex challenges facing the communities we serve; and extends warm greetings to the University of East London on its milestone anniversary and looks forward to its continued success in years to come.

74Ulster Scots Language Week 2023

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Mr Gregory Campbell

That this House notes that Ulster Scots Language Week takes place on 20 to 25 November 2023; commends all those involved in the many events organised for the week, including creative writing workshops, heritage, poetry classes, storytelling, song and dance, film and faith based events and many others; acknowledges the growing interest in Ulster Scots; and expresses hope that all minority languages can be supported where they are spoken, promoted in a respectful context and not used for political purposes.

7540th anniversary of the killings at Darkley

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House remembers the Darkley massacre of 20 November 1983, in which three Republican gunmen attacked worshippers at the Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church, murdering three members; expresses its sorrow at the loss of life of Harold Brown, Victor Cunningham, and David Wilson in what was a blatant sectarian motivated attack; remembers all those innocent victims of the attack and their families on this 40th anniversary of the attack; and reiterates its opposition to sectarianism, terrorism and the glorification of such actions by terrorists

7670th anniversary of the Edenderry Memorial Methodist Girls' Brigade

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House congratulates Edenderry Memorial Methodist Girls' Brigade on reaching its 70th anniversary; recognises the positive role played by the Girls' Brigade in our community; thanks all those who have volunteered to lead and support Edenderry Memorial Methodist Girls' Brigade over its 70 year existence; and wishes the organisation a very enjoyable and successful 70th anniversary year.

7740th anniversary of the killings at Darkley Gospel Hall

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes with deep sadness the 40th anniversary of the massacre at Darkley Gospel Hall which took place as families with children and babies who had gathered to worship on 20 November 1983 were shot at with over 70 bullets that killed three men and injured others; extends sincere sympathies on the anniversary of this despicably wicked act to those families who grieve, to those who still deal with their physical injuries and to those left with the mental and emotional scars of the day they went to church to worship God and were met with the evil face of terrorism; highlights the fact that even in their grief and shock their call was for no retribution and pointing to the God of all comfort; and assures the people of this community that we will not forget the horror of the attack on this Church nor allow anyone to portray this as a justifiable part of freedom fighting, acknowledging that there was and can be no excuse for the choice to carry out this vile atrocity.

7810th anniversary of Hillmount Bangor

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the 10th anniversary of the Hillmount Store in Bangor, which opened in October 2013; further notes that Hillmount is a fourth-generation family-owned business that was first started over 80 years ago and has grown into a well-established business with three stores in Northern Ireland, including one in Newtownards; highlights their expansion to England, with the opening of their fourth store in Cheshire, conveying their continuing success; and wishes Hillmount all the best for their future and thanks them for their wonderful contribution to the local community and economy.

79Sanctions imposed on Everton Football Club

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 8

Ian Byrne

Kim Johnson

Mick Whitley

Paula Barker

Peter Dowd

John McDonnell

That this House condemns the grossly unjust points deduction imposed on Everton Football Club by a Premier League Commission, a punishment lacking any legal or equitable foundation or justification for the level of sanction; notes that financial-not-sporting penalties for far more severe breaches have been applied, including the industry-and-community-threatening European Super League; declares that sporting sanctions unfairly punish supporters; notices the improper dismissal of extraordinary mitigating circumstances outlined by Everton; impresses on the House Everton’s investment in North Liverpool, its 2028 Euro Stadium, and the club’s long-standing, commendable commitment to Liverpool’s vulnerable; gravely remarks that these investments are now under threat; that this House contends the Premier League can no longer fairly govern top-flight football without independent scrutiny and legislation; asserts that the Commission’s cavalier approach to points deductions necessitates acceleration of the introduction of the Government’s proposed Independent Regulator; urges the Government to immediately establish an Independent Football Regulator that will safeguard the future of the game, enforce compliance with financial regulation, and establish new guardrails for corporate governance, club ownership, fan engagement, and competition regulation; requests the suspension of all proceedings and sanctions made by the Commission until the Regulator makes its own determinations; and demands fan ownership and board representation.

80Local Housing Allowance and housing supply

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 2

Paula Barker

Kim Johnson

That this House acknowledges the endemic housing crisis which now affects all communities across the country and the unsustainable rent increases across the private rented sector; affirms the current inadequacy of Local Housing Allowance, frozen since April 2020; believes that Local Housing Allowance has not kept pace with rising rents; recognises that Discretionary Housing Payments are insufficient in reducing the burden on local authority homelessness teams; expresses concern at the strain temporary accommodation is placing on local authority budgets; welcomes any commitment by any of the major parties to increase housing supply over the medium and long term; implores any potential party of government to commit to immediate interventions to alleviate the housing and homelessness emergency in the short term; and urges the Government to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance during forthcoming fiscal events and restore it to, at the very minimum, the 30th percentile of rents in every local authority area.

81Ethnicity data collection for business owners

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Sarah Olney

That this House believes that entrepreneurs of all ethnic backgrounds should have equal access to finance; recognises the recommendation of the Office for National Statistics that the introduction of a national system of data collection on the ethnicity of business owners would be an important step in improving transparency and addressing inequality in this area; believes that the introduction of an ethnicity field on Companies House director registrations would be an important step toward developing a national framework for capturing the ethnicity of company directors in the UK; welcomes the Government's commitment to Action 55 in its Inclusive Britain report which would take steps towards improving transparency and reducing barriers; and calls on the Government to take immediate action to enact these recommendations.

82Safe access zones

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

That this House celebrates the legislative introduction of Safe Access Zones around abortion clinics and buildings offering abortion services in the Public Order Act 2023; notes that although the Act received Royal Assent on 2 May 2023, provisions within the Act about Safe Access Zones, as outlined in section 9, have yet to come into force and require the introduction of a statutory instrument, as outlined in section 35(5) of the Act; is concerned that, until Safe Access Zones are enforced, pro-life protestors are permitted to continue staging protests outside abortion facilities, potentially hindering access to services and intimidating service users and staff; acknowledges that Safe Access Zones are a key instrument to protecting women’s access to healthcare and their right to choose; and therefore calls on the Home Secretary to bring forward a statutory instrument to enforce Safe Access Zones around abortion clinics and buildings offering abortion services without further delay.

83Hearings on the return of African artefacts and ancestral remains

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

That this House seeks to honour and continue the work of the late Bernie Grant, former Member of Parliament for Tottenham, on the restitution of African artefacts and ancestral remains; notes the recent report by the APPG on Afrikan Reparations entitled, Hearings on the Restitution of Stolen African Artefacts and Ancestral Remains, which brings together a diverse range of experts and perspectives on the matter of restitution of African artefacts and human remains from museums and other cultural institutions; agrees that countries have the right to care for their own cultural heritage, and their own cultural artefacts; is appalled by the disregard shown by the British Museum for the significance of some of the cultural artefacts in its possession, which has led to several cultural artefacts being improperly quantified, organised or labelled; believes this demonstrates the British Museum’s unsuitability to be a proper custodian of the cultural artefacts of other nations; regrets that British institutions are falling behind other countries such as Germany who are now leading on restitution issues after having recognised the moral and ethical dimensions of the issue; suggests that through supporting restitution efforts and implementing necessary changes to legislation and museum practices, the Government can take significant steps towards rectifying historical injustices and fostering a more equitable and inclusive approach to cultural heritage; and calls on the Government to acknowledge and enact the seven recommendations in the APPG for Afrikan Reparation’s report entitled, Hearings on the Restitution of Stolen African Artefacts and Ancestral Remains.

84Review of the charity lottery annual sales cap

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 1

Patricia Gibson

That this House acknowledges the incredible amount of money raised by charity lotteries in the UK, including Scottish-based People’s Postcode Lottery, whose players have raised a phenomenal £1.2 billion for good causes across the country; notes that the demand for funding from charities has greatly increased amid the cost of living crisis and the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic; believes that the current £50 million cap on annual charity lottery sales serves no purpose and is affecting the ability of charity lotteries to increase the amount of funding they can provide charities and good causes; further notes that charities, including those in North Ayrshire and Arran, will continue to miss out on millions of pounds of funding so long as the sales cap remains in place; and calls on the Government to remove the charity lottery annual sales limit as a matter of urgency so that charities across the country are not missing out on vital funding when they need it most.

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.

1Protecting civilians in Gaza and Israel

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 101

Richard Burgon

Caroline Lucas

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

Claire Hanna

Kenny MacAskill

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 on the UK 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 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.

2Addressing the climate emergency

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 24

Caroline Lucas

Clive Lewis

Richard Foord

Liz Saville Roberts

Claire Hanna

Mick Whitley

That this House expresses its profound concern about the Government’s failure to address the urgency of the climate and ecological emergency; is alarmed by escalating climate impacts and the diminishing remaining carbon budget for limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees; is dismayed by the recent approval of the Rosebank oil field, the contents of which would, if burned, produce more CO2 than the combined annual emissions of all 28 low-income countries in the world; condemns the Prime Minister’s rollback on delivering Net Zero which falsely pits measures to achieve our climate targets against tackling the cost of living crisis, creates uncertainty for businesses, will lead to increased costs for households, and further erodes the UK’s standing on the world stage; notes that according to the Climate Change Committee, the UK is unlikely to deliver its 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution and is off track to meet the Sixth Carbon Budget; calls on the Government to press for an agreement on the urgent and just phase out of all fossil fuels, as well as the operationalisation of a properly resourced Loss and Damage Finance Fund at COP28 in Dubai; and urges the Government to deliver the transformative action needed to meet the UK’s climate targets, reduce energy bills for the long-term, and regain the UK’s climate leadership, including a retrofit revolution to upgrade the UK’s leaky homes, unleashing cheap and abundant renewables, and putting an end to new oil and gas licences, alongside facilitating a Just Transition for workers and communities.

6Immigration

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 26

Sir Stephen Timms

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Dawn Butler

Tim Farron

Kim Johnson

Clive Lewis

That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 (S.I., 2023, No. 1004), dated 14 September 2023, a copy of which was laid before this House on 15 September 2023, be annulled.

7Sixth year of detention of Jagtar Singh Johal

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 46

Martin Docherty-Hughes

Claudia Webbe

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Stuart C McDonald

That this House notes that Friday 4 November 2023 marked the sixth anniversary of the arbitrary detention in India of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh activist and son of the Rock of Dumbarton held since being abducted from the street during his honeymoon by unidentified assailants who turned out to be undercover police agents; further notes that he alleges that while held incommunicado for 10 days by local police, he was tortured both physically and through electric shocks to his nipples and genitals, something which led him to signing a confession, a confession that has subsequently been used when filing charges against him; supports the ruling of the UN Working Group on arbitrary detention which in May 2022 gave its opinion that Jagtar’s detention was an arbitrary one; urges the Government to also support this opinion and do what it can to achieve Jagtar’s immediate release; further regrets the continuation of the Government’s negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with the Republic of India as long as a UK citizen remains arbitrarily detained in an Indian prison; and states unequivocally that these negotiations should be paused until such time as the Indian Government addresses Jagtar’s arbitrary detention.

10Life and work of D.A. Jones

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 10

Liz Saville Roberts

Jim Shannon

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Patrick Grady

Kirsty Blackman

That this House commemorates the life and work of Daniel Angell Jones,1861-1936, a Harlech based botanist and schoolmaster, who served as Secretary and President of the British Bryological Society; notes that he was a much loved teacher and an acknowledged authority on ferns and mosses; further notes that his assistance was often sought by botanists interested in the flora of North Wales, especially the historic counties of Meirionnydd and Caernarfonshire; acknowledges that he was remembered by his pupils for nature walks and how to make medicines from flowers and mosses, and by his peers for his memory of detail, locality and habitat as a phanerogamic botanist; and highlights that his manuscript Flora is preserved at the National Museum of Wales for future generations of aspiring botanists.

14Newsquest Local Democracy Reporter pay

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 23

Grahame Morris

John McDonnell

Kim Johnson

Ian Byrne

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

That this House is concerned that publisher Newsquest is failing to provide decent salaries for its Local Democracy Reporters despite allocated funding provided by the BBC from licence fee payers; notes that Newsquest has failed to account for a £10,000 surplus per post even after salary and usual employers' costs of National Insurance and pension contributions are considered; regrets that low pay risks the loss of talented journalists providing local councils and communities with wholly relevant, accessible news through their public interest journalism; further notes that other publishers pay their reporters a fair wage with one rival setting a £31,200 minimum salary for senior reporters compared to £24,056 offered by Newsquest; commends the efforts of the National Union of Journalists to achieve pay increases for reporters using ringfenced money; condemns Newsquest’s failure to address adequately the union's reasonable concerns; and implores the publisher to use licence fee payers’ funds appropriately by introducing salary increases and conditions reflective of the immense value of Local Democracy Reporters.

15Awareness of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 14

Cat Smith

Angela Crawley

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Patrick Grady

Chris Stephens

That this House notes that awareness of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTs) is low despite an increase in diagnoses connected with long covid; 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 are still unaware of PoTS syndrome and the average diagnosis of PoTS from first presentation to diagnosis is seven 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.

1740th anniversary of the bombing at Ulster University Jordanstown

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 5

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Stephen Farry

Mr Gregory Campbell

Carla Lockhart

That this House notes the 40th Anniversary of the murder of three RUC officers who were attending a course in criminology at Jordanstown Polytechnic on 4 November 1983; extends sincere and sustained sympathies to the families of Stephen Fyfe, 28, a married father of a 14 month-old, John Martin, 28, a married father who left a baby daughter and William McDonald, 29, a married father of two who died nine months later having never regained consciousness; notes that the shrapnel bomb exploded at 11:30am in the lecture room that was full of students and killed these men as well as injuring others; and reaffirms the determination of this House to never forget those whose lives were taken in duty to Queen and country by evil and cowardly acts of IRA terrorists and to ensure the memory of their service and bravery lives on.

19Disability History Month 2023

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 17

Dr Lisa Cameron

Jim Shannon

Clive Lewis

Patrick Grady

Jeremy Corbyn

John McDonnell

That this House recognises that 16 November to 16 December 2023 is Disability History Month, which is now in its fourteenth year of being celebrated in the UK; notes that Disability History Month is a month to celebrate disabled people and champion their abilities and rights; further notes that this year’s theme is Disability, Childhood and Youth; commends UKDHM Organiser Richard Rieser and the many disability activists for their dedication and efforts to bringing Disability History Month to the UK; recognises that many disabled children and young people do not yet have fully inclusive lives and face barriers in developing their full potential; further recognises that, due to discrimination and stigma, many have chosen not to identify their disability within their community; calls for the wider promotion and protection of disability rights; highlights that those with mental health issues, neurodiversity and learning difficulties face particular societal barriers; highlights the importance of creating welcoming communities and promoting social inclusion; recognises the need to progress from a medical approach; and urges parliamentarians to work for an inclusive, accessible, rights based and sustainable society for disabled people across the UK.

22Night Riviera Sleeper Service

Tabled: 8/11/23 Signatories: 11

John McDonnell

Ian Mearns [R]

Grahame Morris

Alison Thewliss

Richard Burgon

Patrick Grady

That this House recognises that the Night Riviera Sleeper service, operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) between London Paddington and Penzance, plays a vital role in providing sustainable and low-carbon travel between the capital and west of England; believes the staff employed on the Night Riviera provide a high-quality service to passengers; notes that research has found that travel by train is seven times more environmentally friendly than flying; further believes that reliable and high-quality rail links to areas popular with tourists support local economies and jobs; further notes that around 100 Sleeper services have been cancelled between September and November this year due to engineering works; further believes that wherever possible cancellations should be avoided and alternatives such as changes to the route or timing of the service should be considered; further understands that the rolling stock used to operate the Night Riviera is reaching the end of its natural lifespan; understands that GWR’s business plan for 2022 requires it to provide proposals to the Government about the future provision of the Night Riviera Sleeper; further understands that, that in light of this, concerns have been raised by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers about the future of the Night Riviera Sleeper; therefore calls on GWR and the Government to commit to maintaining the service, ensure all jobs on the Night Riviera Sleeper will be protected, and set out a plan for investing in this vital service.

23400th anniversary of the establishment of the British Jesuits

Tabled: 8/11/23 Signatories: 6

Conor McGinn

Patrick Grady

Sir Peter Bottomley

Chris Stephens

Jon Cruddas

Mary Kelly Foy

That this House congratulates everyone associated with the Jesuits in Britain on the 400th anniversary of the foundation of a Province in this country; notes that the vision and mission of their founder St Ignatius of Loyola is still flourishing today through the Jesuits' pastoral, intellectual, educational, spiritual and social activities through parishes, schools, universities, retreat centres, outreach and the Jesuit Refugee Service-UK and Jesuit Missions; and commends the Jesuits as they continue to inspire people to work for the good of others.

26Islamophobia Awareness Month

Tabled: 8/11/23 Signatories: 22

Christine Jardine

Jamie Stone

Tahir Ali

Caroline Lucas

Wendy Chamberlain

Richard Foord

That this House supports Islamophobia Awareness Month, which is taking place this November; recognises the incredible contributions that British Muslims make to our country; acknowledges that anti-Muslim sentiment is far too prevalent in our society; notes with concern that the horrifying Israel-Gaza conflict has led to a rise in Islamophobia in the UK, with Tell MAMA reporting a sevenfold increase of anti-Muslim incidents between 7 and 29 October compared to the same period last year; emphasises the importance of standing up to religious hatred in all its forms; and calls on the Government to ensure that public bodies have the resources and training they need to identify and prevent hate crimes.

28Section 21 evictions

Tabled: 8/11/23 Signatories: 12

Jon Trickett

Caroline Lucas

John McDonnell

Jonathan Edwards

Claudia Webbe

Cat Smith

That this House urgently calls on the Government to proceed with their 2019 manifesto promise to abolish section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, otherwise known as no fault evictions; condemns the number of delays in bringing forward a proper legislative ban in the last parliamentary session; urges the government to strengthen the Renters (Reform) Bill in regard to 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.

31Myalgic encephalomyelitis research and treatment

Tabled: 9/11/23 Signatories: 15

Clive Lewis

John McDonnell

Jonathan Edwards

Claudia Webbe

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

This House commends current research being conducted by the Quadram Institute on the Norwich Research Park that builds on recent evidence that conditions like myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), and Long Covid, have a basis in the immune system; notes that ME (sometimes known as ME/CFS) is a severely debilitating condition thought to affect up to 250,000 people in the UK and that symptoms include widespread pain, extreme tiredness and an inability to concentrate and that the causes of ME are not known and there are no effective treatments; commends the funding provided by the charity Invest in ME Research to the Quadram Institute to run the only current clinical trial in the UK for ME; believes it is necessary to establish a Centre for ME Research, building on excellent biomedical research, to act as a hub for research and treatment of ME; and calls on the Government to support and promote such a specialist Centre to help develop effective treatments.

3385th anniversary of Kristallnacht and antisemitism

Tabled: 9/11/23 Signatories: 15

Patricia Gibson

Patrick Grady

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Allan Dorans

That this House commemorates the victims of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), a destructive campaign of violence against Jewish people, on its 85th anniversary; understands that, throughout the night of 9-10 November 1938, the Nazi Party targeted synagogues and Jewish prayer rooms across Germany, with over 1,400 burned or badly damaged, 7,500 Jewish businesses across Germany and Austria vandalised, and at least 91 people murdered, with a further 30,000 Jewish men being arrested and taken to concentration camps, where many more died; further understands that this was followed by hundreds of suicides in the Jewish community and mass emigration; recognises the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany’s relaunched campaign, ItStartedWithWords, highlighting that the Holocaust did not start with camps, ghettos and deportations, but with words of hate; understands this campaign’s importance in view of the growing prevalence of Holocaust denial and hate speech towards Jews; notes concerning reports that more than 1,000 anti-Semitic incidents have taken place across the UK since Hama’s terrorist attacks on 7 October 2023, the highest 28-day total recorded since the Community Security Trust began tracking attacks in 1984, and a 537% increase over the same period in 2022; recognises the resilience of Holocaust survivors who continue to highlight the barbaric actions that took place during the Second World War, particularly following the unacceptable rise in antisemitism recently; and continues to remember the 6 million Jewish people and others targeted due to ethnicity, religion, political beliefs and sexual orientation who were victims of Nazi persecution.

46175th anniversary of Rising Sons of William Loyal Orange Lodge 240

Tabled: 13/11/23 Signatories: 2

Jim Shannon

Carla Lockhart

That this House celebrates the 175th anniversary of Rising Sons of William LOL 240; notes that it was first founded in 1848; highlights that LOL 240 prides itself on treasuring history, tradition and a preservation of culture; further notes the high standing of the past and present membership and that the members of the lodge have been involved in all of the activities of the Orangeman and of the District, including the huge protest demonstration organised by William Johnston on 12 July 1867; highlights that the present day membership is drawn from a wide age group and there have always been strong family ties within the lodge, with several fathers and sons, brothers and uncles; expresses that the lodge is unique in the Strangford and North Down area as it is the only lodge that retains the traditional Lambeg Drums in the annual 12 July demonstration and are currently wearing the traditional style sash to parades; thanks LOL 240 for their impeccable service to the orange tradition in the local town of Newtownards displayed in their anniversary events including a free historical evening hosted in Ards Town Hall entitled From Revolution to Partition on Thursday 21 November; and wishes them all the very best for the future as they continue to promote the Orange Ideals of Religious Freedom and Liberty for all.

47Seasonal Worker visa scheme

Tabled: 13/11/23 Signatories: 21

John McDonnell

Jon Trickett

Jonathan Edwards

Kate Osborne

Chris Stephens

Kim Johnson

That this House notes the recent report by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Independent which identified issues of racism, wage theft and threats of being sent back home in 19 farm inspection reports produced by the Home Office between 2021 and 2022; recognises that migrant seasonal workers are integral to the UK’s horticultural sector and that working conditions under the seasonal worker visa must urgently be improved; further recognises that the current iteration of the seasonal worker visa is due to expire at the end of 2024 and that improvements to working conditions must be implemented before any decision to extend the scheme is made; calls on the Government to urgently complete and publish a review of the seasonal worker visa scheme in line with the recommendations that it accepted by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration in the report entitled An inspection of the immigration system as it relates to the agricultural sector, published in December 2022; further calls on the Government to implement the recommendations on the seasonal worker visa scheme of the report by the House of Lords Select Committee on Horticulture entitled Sowing the seeds: A blooming English horticultural sector (November 2023); and calls on the Government to engage with independent civil society organisations advocating for the rights of migrant seasonal workers in the recently formed Seasonal Worker Interest Group to address the design-related issues from the seasonal workers visa scheme.

50Persecution in Pakistan

Tabled: 13/11/23 Signatories: 4

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Jon Cruddas

Carla Lockhart

That this House is deeply concerned by the ongoing attacks, discrimination and persecution faced by Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan; recognises that these communities are integral members of the Pakistani society and have made significant contributions to its culture, history, and economy; notes with concern the rising incidents of forced conversions, kidnappings, property confiscations and violence against Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadis and Christians, which infringe on their fundamental rights to freedom of religion, belief and security; condemns any form of religious intolerance and violence; urges the Government of Pakistan to uphold its international obligations to protect the rights of all religious minorities within its borders; calls on the Government of Pakistan to intensify efforts to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of its religious minority communities; calls on the UK Government to engage with the counterparts in Pakistan on these issues to strengthen human rights monitoring in the region.

51Veterans Day bank holiday

Tabled: 13/11/23 Signatories: 18

Grahame Morris

Jonathan Edwards

Kate Osborne

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Rebecca Long Bailey

Chris Stephens

That this House wishes to honour the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces with a new bank holiday on the day after Remembrance Sunday; notes that many countries have a dedicated Veterans Day public holiday; recognises that, by international standards, the UK is amongst the countries with the fewest public holidays; highlights the need for more bank holidays in the second half of the year because the majority of the current statutory bank holidays are during the spring and summer months; and believes that any such proposal from the Government would command significant cross-party support.

53Refugee campaign groups from the North East

Tabled: 13/11/23 Signatories: 7

Ian Lavery

Jon Trickett

Kate Osborne

Chris Stephens

Kim Johnson

Mick Whitley

That this House welcomes the lobby of Parliament by refugee groups from the North East of England to be held in Room S of Portcullis House from 2.00pm to 4.00pm on Tuesday 28 November; proudly acknowledges that the UK has, for centuries, provided a haven for those fleeing oppression; understands that many people seeking asylum display qualities of great courage and resilience and have abilities which can serve this country well; and urges all hon. Members to attend the lobby in order to hear the case for a fair system of asylum that enables safe routes to get to the UK, treats human beings with dignity and care in a timely and efficient manner, and allows them to make an immediate contribution to the UK through paid work.

54Food banks

Tabled: 14/11/23 Signatories: 7

Jon Trickett

Kim Johnson

Clive Lewis

Caroline Lucas

Ian Lavery

Mary Kelly Foy

That this House notes with extreme concern the new figures from The Trussell Trust which showed that 1.5 million food parcels were provided to people between April and September 2023 by food banks in the charity’s UK-wide network, which is a 16% increase on the same period in 2022; highlights that 320,000 people have needed to use a food bank for the first time in the past six months; notes that a record 540,000 food parcels were provided for more than 265,000 children living in families who could not afford the essentials, which is an 11% increase compared to the same period last year; highlights the grave concerns expressed by the UN Poverty envoy Olivier De Schutter on poverty levels in the UK; and urges the Government to act now to tackle poverty by ensuring decent pay, investment and high quality public services.

56Elective care waiting list and insourcing

Tabled: 14/11/23 Signatories: 2

Jim Shannon

Carla Lockhart

That this House expresses concern that latest NHS figures show that there are a record 7.75 million people in England waiting for elective care, with more waiting in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; fears that waiting lists have the potential to continue to rise; notes the negative consequences of long elective waiting lists on patients’ physical discomfort and outcomes, their families’ emotional wellbeing and NHS resources; recognises the value of the independent health sector when working in partnership with the NHS, to treat more patients quickly and to a high quality; specifically recognises the unique value of the insourcing sector, which brings in additional clinical teams to maximise the use of NHS estates and equipment at times when they would otherwise go unused, such as at weekends and in evenings, to reduce waiting lists and get patients seen more quickly, in familiar environments, and reduces the lost opportunity cost of spare NHS capacity and equipment going underused; notes that polling from March 2023 demonstrates strong public support for the use of insourcing; and calls on the national and devolved Governments and local NHS systems to encourage the use of insourcing arrangements to reduce elective backlogs and improve patient outcomes across the country.

57Secretaries of State and membership of the House of Commons

Tabled: 14/11/23 Signatories: 3

Jonathan Edwards

Caroline Lucas

Chris Stephens

That this House believes that Secretaries of State should be Members of the House of Commons.

58Taxation of savings and inheritance

Tabled: 14/11/23 Signatories: 4

Mr Gregory Campbell

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Carla Lockhart

That this House notes recent reports that in the 2023-24 financial year, tax paid on savings income is due to reach more than £6.5 billion, a rise of approximately 100% since 2022, and the expected take through inheritance tax of approximately £8 billion, which has increased over 30% in the same period; notes that the Treasury expect to receive almost £15 billion in tax next year from these two sources alone; further notes that this is income that has already been taxed largely from earned and saved income; and calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to introduce tax reductions aimed at hard-working taxpayers, particularly the millions who are in the middle-income bracket.

59Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum

Tabled: 14/11/23 Signatories: 4

Dr Lisa Cameron

Patrick Grady

Jonathan Edwards

Mary Kelly Foy

That this House welcomes Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum, which builds on his encyclical letter Laudato Si’, that calls on world leaders to put global common good ahead of self interest; urges international governments to commit to a transition from fossil fuels that is binding and measurable; acknowledges the injustice that it is the world’s poorest communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change, despite contributing the least to global emissions; commends the work of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development and the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund who work alongside climate vulnerable communities to respond to climate change and with Global South organisations to campaign for global leadership to tackle climate change; and notes the significance of Pope Francis’ message to world leaders ahead of COP28 to be ambitious in their pledges to tackle climate change and provide their fair share of financing to meet existing climate finance pledges.

60Scottish Gymnastics lifetime achievement award

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 6

Drew Hendry

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this house congratulates Liz Danby on receiving a lifetime achievement award from Scottish Gymnastics for the decades of service she has committed to helping children and young people get involved in gymnastics; notes that she set up a schools gymnastics programme to improve accessibility to the sport; recognises that her enthusiasm and support helped hundreds of young people across the Highlands; pays thanks to her for her commitment and dedication over the years; and wishes her all the best for her retirement.

61Litter on motorways

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 4

Sir Mike Penning

Jonathan Edwards

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Jim Shannon

That this House deplores the huge amount of litter on motorways, access road, junctions and verges; notes that there is a crystal clear legal obligation on National Highways to ensure roads are kept clear of litter; and calls on National Highways to act on this obligation, use motorway gantries to promote anti-littering messaging, ensure staff and contractors remove signs, sandbags and cones following roadworks in a timely manner and ensure contracts include financial penalties for not doing so.

62VAT on audiobooks

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 6

Sir Mike Penning

Claire Hanna

Jonathan Edwards

Caroline Lucas

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this House recognises that audio books, now popular and widely available across all genres, from business to academic, from historical to self help, are a lifeline for many people with sight loss, visual impairment, dyslexia or other reading disabilities; agrees that audio books offer unique opportunities for visually-impaired and dyslexic people to improve their education on a par with their peers; recognises that audio books enable visually-impaired and dyslexic people to continue working independently for longer and thereby contribute to the economy for longer; further recognises that audio books open up a world of information, literature and poetry to visually-impaired and dyslexic people; welcomes the zero-rate VAT for e-books but also recognises that e-books, when read aloud by automated text-to-speech, are difficult to listen to for long periods, lack intonation, may mispronounce names and places, can often read out every bracket and notation, making it difficult to comprehend or recall meaning; notes that other European countries have recently reduced their rates of VAT on audiobooks, including Norway to zero; and calls for equal VAT-status to be applied to audio books as already exists for e-books and physical books.

63Plastics in the world's seas

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 6

Sir Mike Penning

Claire Hanna

Jonathan Edwards

Mohammad Yasin

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this House notes that according to the UN there will be more plastic in the sea than fish by 2050; calls for the Government to publish a strategy for promoting a circular economy in respect of plastics, including setting targets and measures for the elimination and recycling of single-use plastics; further calls for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to establish a task force to develop proposals to encourage the use of reuse and refill models of packaging, to report annually to Parliament on the implementation of the strategy, to ensure that UK targets for the elimination and recycling of plastic packaging are more demanding than equivalent targets set by the EU, and to require manufacturers and retailers to pay for the cost of recycling plastic; calls for Government to set annual targets for reducing the quantity of plastic waste that is incinerated; further calls for the Secretary of State to publish a plan for banning the export of plastic waste by 2027, make provision for the purpose of reducing the cost of recycling plastic, including measures to encourage the standardisation of plastic packaging, give powers to the Office for Environmental Protection to enforce legislation relating to plastic pollution, and make provision for the purpose of encouraging the development of sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging; and calls on the Government to publish a plan for the use of fiscal policy to incentivise investment in recycling infrastructure and sustainable behaviour by consumers and retailers.

64Ban on the import of foie gras

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 4

Sir Mike Penning

Jonathan Edwards

Caroline Lucas

Jim Shannon

That this House condemns the production of foie gras by force-feeding ducks and geese which causes severe physical and psychological pain for the animals involved; welcomes the continued ban on production of foie gras in the UK; and calls on the Government to introduce the promised ban on the import of foie gras immediately.

65Redundancies at Reach plc and sustainability of the press

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 12

Ian Byrne

Grahame Morris

Chris Stephens

John McDonnell

Rebecca Long Bailey

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House is dismayed at the extent of substantial job cuts announced by Reach plc, publisher of titles including The Mirror, Daily Record, Daily Star, Manchester Evening News, Irish Mirror and Liverpool Echo; notes that the company has indicated an estimated 450 posts will be made redundant at the company, including 320 editorial roles; further notes that this represents the third round of job cuts at the publisher this year alone; fears that the quality of news provision will inevitably be impacted by the loss of talented and experienced staff; calls on the management to work collaboratively with the National Union of Journalists to avoid compulsory redundancies; and urges the Government to take immediate action to protect the sustainability of the press and encourage investment in quality journalism at local, regional and national levels.

66Now or Never winner of Restaurant of the Year at the Lancaster Business Awards 2023

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 2

Cat Smith

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Nichola and Jeff Marshall, directors for Now Or Never restaurant in Lancaster and their whole team after winning Restaurant of the Year at the Lancaster Business Awards; thanks Now or Never for providing a unique, fine dining experience to the city thus boosting the Lancaster night time economy; pays tribute to Nichola and Jeff as small business owners for first opening a hugely successful brunch spot Journey Social and then expanding their horizons by opening Now or Never earlier this year, both venues are deeply valued by the Lancaster community; and wishes them every success in the future.

67Council budgets and audits

Tabled: 16/11/23 Signatories: 6

Helen Morgan

Jonathan Edwards

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

Sarah Dyke [R]

Richard Foord

That this House notes with concern the increase in the number of councils struggling to meet the costs of temporary accommodation, Special Educational Needs and Disability services and social care; recognises the importance of local councils’ services in providing essential support for vulnerable individuals and their families; notes with concern the backlog in the number of unaudited accounts for councils and other public bodies; understands that 99% of English councils did not have their 2022-23 financial accounts signed off by the legal audit deadline; further notes the increasing pressure on local councils to make precarious investments to protect essential services; regrets government cuts to local council budgets since 2015; and calls on the Government to ensure local councils are adequately funded and resourced to clear the audit backlog and provide essential services for the long term.

68Documents relating to meetings between the Prime Minister and Rt hon Member for Fareham in October 2022

Tabled: 16/11/23 Signatories: 2

Daisy Cooper

Chris Stephens

That there be laid before this House a return of the following documents:

(a) the minutes from any meetings between the Prime Minister and the Rt hon Member for Fareham in October 2022 relating to the conditions under which the Rt hon Member for Fareham would take up the office of Home Secretary; and

(b) any documents relating to such conditions, including documents relating to policy agreement.

6950th anniversary of Dickens on The Strand Celebration

Tabled: 16/11/23 Signatories: 3

Tracey Crouch

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates the Galveston Historical Foundation in Texas on the 50th anniversary of the annual Dickens on The Strand celebration from 1 to 3 December 2023; welcomes the expected 50,000 visitors to the festival which celebrates the life and work of Charles Dickens who spent many years of his life in Kent, most notably in Chatham; notes that the Tall Ship Elissa– the official Tall Ship of Texas – which will host the ‘Salute to Sunset’ during the festival was built in the United Kingdom; celebrates the historical ties between the United Kingdom and the city of Galveston which was home to the first British Consulate in the State of Texas in 1846; and welcomes the role of the British Consulate-General in Houston as the presenting sponsor for this year’s historic event.

70Sewage discharges

Tabled: 16/11/23 Signatories: 6

Jon Trickett

Jonathan Edwards

Ian Lavery

Mary Kelly Foy

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

That this House expresses its concern at the continuing dumping of sewage into UK waterways; recognises that the practice is dangerous to public health and damaging to the environment; further recognises that the pollution is making it unsafe for people to swim in natural designated bathing sites such as the River Wharfe in Ilkely, West Yorkshire, which has been given a water quality rating of poor by the Environment Agency; notes that despite multiple failures, £19 billion was paid out in dividends to shareholders in water and sewerage businesses operating in England between 2010 and 2021, which is an average of £1.7 billion a year; further notes that water bills in England and Wales have increased by 40 per cent above inflation since privatisation in 1989; notes with dismay that water companies in England and Wales want bills to increase by £156 a year by 2030 to pay for upgrades and reduce sewage discharges; calls on the Government to immediately place a legal duty on the water companies to avoid sewage dumping; and expresses its support for the public ownership of the UK water system so that the profits of this national asset benefit all the people of the UK and not just a small group of shareholders.