Contents

Published: Tuesday 23 April 2024

Early Day Motions tabled on Monday 22 April 2024

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

644Gleniffer Thistle fundraising for Epilepsy Scotland

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 2

Gavin Newlands

Mhairi Black

That this House congratulates Gleniffer Thistle 2012 football team for their commitment and hard work in raising £725 for Epilepsy Scotland recently through a fundraising walk from Hampden Park to St. Mirren Park via two of Glasgow’s other football stadiums; notes that £1,475 was raised in total by the team, with the remainder donated to Accord Hospice in Paisley; acknowledges the distance walked as over 25km or 16 miles in total; and commends Josh, Oliver S, Riley, Dylan, Carson, Nicky, Yasin, Spencer, Noah, Oliver C, Oliver J, Zach, Ryan, and all the coaches and volunteers with the club for their hard work and blisters.

645Scotland men’s cerebral palsy football team, world champions

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 1

Gavin Newlands

That this House congratulates the Scotland national men’s cerebral palsy football team on winning the International Federation of CP Football World Championship held in Salou, Spain, after beating Northern Ireland 4-0 in the final; notes that Scotland made the final after finishing top of their group at the championships; further congratulates Northern Ireland for also making the final and finishing second in the group; acknowledges the lead role played by Scottish Para-Football in ensuring our national game is open to as many players as possible, including those with physical disabilities; and celebrates yet another example of Scotland’s footballing prowess as the birthplace of modern football.

646Multiple sclerosis (MS) Awareness Week

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 1

Charlotte Nichols

That this House supports MS Awareness Week, which takes place between 22 and 28 April 2024; recognises that the MS Society, MS Trust, MS Together, MS-UK, the Neuro Therapy Network, Shift.ms and Overcoming MS are working together to speak up about the realities of life with MS, a neurological condition affecting over 130,000 people in the UK; welcomes the MS Unfiltered campaign to shine light on MS topics that can feel taboo or difficult to talk about to enable people to talk honestly and openly about everything from bladder control and sexual dysfunction, to navigating menopause and cultural stigma; notes the MS Unfiltered survey which found that over a third of people with MS have avoided seeking medical help due to embarrassing symptoms while over half said they were embarrassed by bladder issues, more than a quarter were embarrassed by sexual dysfunction, and just under half were embarrassed by walking issues, such as stumbling or not walking in a straight line; and further supports the campaign to raise awareness about the huge range of symptoms and daily challenges that people with MS face.

647210th anniversary of Purdey's

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the 210th anniversary of Purdey's gun making; highlights that James Purdey & Sons first opened its doors at 4, Princes Street, near Leicester Square, London in 1814 and moved to its current home at Audley House, Mayfair in 1882, playing a role in the D-Day landings, when Eisenhower's deputy chief of staff, General Bedell-Smith, used the renowned Long Room for battle sharing in 1942; underlines the long and fruitful association with the British Royal Family and in 1838, the year of her coronation, Queen Victoria commissioned a pair of double-barrelled pistols from Purdey for presentation to the Imam of Muscat, representing the superiority of hand-made British products; celebrates the success of Purdey's and how it is difficult to imagine a more British company; and wishes them many more years of gun-making.

648Civil Service Pay

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 17

Chris Stephens

Grahame Morris

John McDonnell

Ian Mearns

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Nadia Whittome

That this House notes that civil service pay has been eroded over the past 40 years, which has seen wages fall from above the national average to below average; regrets that, despite this, the Government did not ring-fence funding for a pay rise for civil servants in the recent Budget; expresses solidarity with the almost 150,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union who are currently balloting for national industrial action in their ongoing dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions; and calls on the Government to get back around the negotiating table with PCS and show respect for their workforce by offering them an inflation-proofed pay rise, pay equity across Government departments, a living wage of £15 per hour, a London weighting provision of at least £5,000 a year, and a minimum of 35 days annual leave.

649Portadown Football Club

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House congratulates Portadown Football Club on gaining promotion to the Irish Premiership at the weekend; and commends the team, management, the Board of Directors for their effort and commitment and to the fans for their unwavering support.

650Paradise Golf and Beach Resort, Morocco

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 1

Kirsten Oswald

That this House recognises that some 800 investors, the vast majority of whom are British citizens, made investments in the Moroccan Paradise Golf and Beach Resort which was first advertised in 2006; understands the development was widely promoted as part of Morocco’s Vision 2020 tourism plan and was marketed as a luxurious five-star tourist resort near the city of Tangier, however, the site remains incomplete after construction halted in 2016; notes that this long-running dispute continues to cause distress to investors who have failed to recoup their initial investments with some having lost their life savings; further understands that the developer of the resort was cleared of any wrongdoing; welcomes UK Government officials raising this issue with Moroccan counterparts but notes these discussions have been described as constructive but not conclusive; also understands that the Moroccan Government offered a solution which involved a bank financing the completion of the scheme as documented in Hansard on 17 January 2018; further notes that Lord Ahmad, Minister for North Africa and the Middle East, confirmed in correspondence on 28 March 2024 his understanding that the Moroccan Government wish to see a resolution to this issue; calls on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to take all necessary actions to ensure the Moroccan Government honours its commitment and delivers a solution for British investors; and urges the UK Government to support UK investors’ interests during the ongoing trade negotiations with Morocco.

651Stockport County Football Club

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 1

Navendu Mishra

That this House congratulates Stockport County Football Club on winning League Two and securing their first English Football League title since 1967; commends their return to League One after a 14-year absence; pays tribute to manager Dave Challinor and the playing squad for their role in the club’s success; acknowledges the exceptionally long and distinguished service of goalkeeper Ben Hinchcliffe, the first player in the club’s history to secure three promotions; recognises the efforts of all staff and volunteers at the club and their contribution towards helping Stockport County FC secure promotion; further acknowledges the legacy of former manager Danny Bergara, who was the first manager born outside the British Isles and whose first language was not English to lead an English club out at Wembley; notes the club’s history since their formation as Heaton Norris Rovers in 1883; thanks the fans for their loyal support; and looks forward to many more years of success and prosperity at Edgeley Park.

652Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 1

Patricia Gibson

That this House notes with concern that the Constitutional Court of Uganda recently upheld the provisions of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 which, it believes, is in defiance of international law; is aware that the legislation, adopted in May 2023, has been described as being among the world's harshest anti-gay laws and has, it believes, rightly drawn condemnation from human rights campaigners across the world; condemns the legislation, which, it understands, imposes penalties of up to life imprisonment for consensual same-sex relations and contains provisions that make aggravated homosexuality an offence punishable by death; understands that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that close to 600 people are reported to have been subjected to human rights violations and abuses based on their actual or imputed sexual orientation or gender identity since the Act was enacted; welcomes the strong international condemnation by elements of the international community, including the United Nations and countries such as the United States; acknowledges reports that activists, including Executive Director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, Frank Mugisha, have filed an appeal to Uganda's Supreme Court; and expresses its support to them by backing the repeal of what it considers to be a homophobic and draconian piece of legislation.

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.

600Trapped podcast on IPP sentences

Tabled: 15/04/24 Signatories: 26

John McDonnell

Liz Saville Roberts

Wendy Chamberlain

Jim Shannon

Kenny MacAskill

Richard Burgon

That this House praises the tireless work by campaigners fighting against the injustice of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, which were abolished in 2012 but not retrospectively, and commends the Trapped podcast for shining a powerful spotlight on the ongoing scandal of these indefinite and potentially never-ending sentences; agrees with the Lord Chancellor that IPP sentences are a stain on our justice system, and with the United Nations special rapporteur on torture that they have become cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment that could amount to psychological torture; welcomes Government proposals to reduce the licence period post-release for people serving IPP sentences but believes these reforms do not go nearly far enough; urges the Government and Opposition to commit to a bipartisan approach to resolving this miscarriage of justice conclusively by supporting the establishment of an expert panel to oversee a resentencing exercise for everyone serving an IPP sentence, as recommended by the Justice Select Committee; calls on the leaderships of all political parties to listen to the first season of Trapped so as to understand better the importance and urgency of such a resentencing exercise; and looks forward to the launch of the second season of this gripping, inspiring and heart-breaking podcast.

624Portadown Defenders Flute Band 50-year association with LOL 339 and RBP 141

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 3

Carla Lockhart

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

That this House extends sincere congratulations to the Portadown Defenders Flute Band on its 50-year connection with LOL 339 and RBP 141; recognises the vital role of marching bands in cultural expression within Northern Ireland; applauds the unwavering dedication of the band's members throughout its existence and their commitment to making a positive impact on the local community; and extends its best wishes as the band embarks on its celebrations and prepares for the upcoming marching season.

62590th anniversary of Corcrain Royal Black Preceptory 141

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 3

Carla Lockhart

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

That this House extends heartfelt congratulations to the Corcrain Royal Black Preceptory 141 as it commemorates its 90th anniversary year; acknowledges its enduring 50-year collaboration with the Portadown Defenders Flute Band; recognises the constructive influence the institution has had within the local community over the years; and commends its steadfast dedication to preserving culture and heritage in Portadown and the surrounding area.

626130th anniversary of Corcrain Purple Rocket LOL 339

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 3

Carla Lockhart

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

That this House commemorates the 130th anniversary of the Corcrain Purple Rocket LOL 339 and its 50 year association with the Portadown Defenders Flute Band; commends LOL 339 for its steadfast commitment to preserving history, tradition, and cultural heritage in Portadown and the surrounding area; acknowledges the esteemed past and present members, spanning generations; expresses gratitude for LOL 339's exemplary dedication to upholding the Orange tradition and in doing so promoting the ideals of Religious Freedom and Liberty for all; and extends very best wishes for continued success and prosperity in the years ahead.

627War in Sudan

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 10

Alison Thewliss

Jonathan Edwards

Patrick Grady

Angela Crawley

Chris Law

Richard Thomson

That this House mourns the first anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war in Sudan, which began on 15 April 2023; regrets the tragic conflict, which has resulted in a humanitarian and refugee crisis across the country and its neighbours, with more than 8.5 million residents of Sudan displaced due to the fighting as of March 2024; notes that in November, the UN found that the conflict had created the largest child displacement crisis in the world, affecting around three million Sudanese children; acknowledges the disturbing and widespread use of war crimes by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the two main factions of the conflict; recognises that these war crimes have included indiscriminate attacks on residential neighbourhoods, disruption of humanitarian aid, targeting of hospitals and medical services, sexual violence, and massacres against ethnic minorities, in particular the Masalit of West Darfur; condemns all those complicit in war crimes during the conflict; demands an end to the fighting and a resumption of Sudan's democratic transition; calls on the UK Government to meet its obligations to Sudanese nationals displaced by the civil war at home and abroad; and urges the UK Government to do everything in its power to help end the conflict.

628Derek Underwood MBE

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 5

Dame Tracey Crouch

Jonathan Edwards

Sir Mike Penning

Bob Blackman

Jim Shannon

That this House acknowledges the sad passing of Kent and England cricketer Derek Underwood MBE, who represented England from 1966 until 1982; notes that he claimed 297 wickets over 86 Test match appearances at an average of 25.83, making him the sixth leading wicket taker to represent England and the most of any England spin bowler; recognises that he played for Kent County Cricket Club between 1963 and 1987, making over 900 appearances and taking 2,523 wickets; acknowledges that he was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1969, served as President of Kent Count Cricket Club in 2006 and the President of Marylebone Cricket Club in 2008, was inducted into the International Cricket Council Hall of Fame in 2009; and remembers him as an advocate for growing cricket worldwide while protecting the sport’s rich heritage.

629The Malletsheugh and the Scottish Curry Awards 2024

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 7

Kirsten Oswald

Patrick Grady

Chris Law

Richard Thomson

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates the Malletsheugh restaurant, based in Newton Mearns East Renfrewshire, on being crowned New Restaurant of the Year at the 16th annual Scottish Curry Awards; notes that the restaurant was first opened in August 2023 by the Birk family after an extensive and stylish redesign and renovation of the original structure which includes a new glass-walled private dining room; recognises that the Malletsheugh is run by Tina Birk and staffed by her sons Pavan, Aman, Bobby, and Rohan; highlights that the family business is a loving tribute to their grandfather who started their tradition of Indian cooking in Glasgow; understands the Scottish Curry Awards are a prestigious event recognising and celebrating the talents and hard work of individuals within the Scottish curry industry; further understands that the Scottish Curry Awards 2024 took place on 15 April at the Glasgow Double Tree by Hilton Hotel; and wishes everyone at the Malletsheugh all the very best for the future.

630Extended and virtual reality in education

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 8

Carol Monaghan

Patrick Grady

Alison Thewliss

Chris Law

Richard Thomson

Allan Dorans

That this House welcomes the University of Glasgow’s white paper entitled XRed: Preparing for Immersive Education; notes the value that extended reality and virtual reality technology can and will bring to the future of education; realises that such technology can transform learner experiences, drive imagination and push boundaries; congratulates the Scoping Extended Education Realities (SEER) research group for its work on this field and its ambitions to ensure the virtualisation of education is safe, quick and equitable; further congratulates the SEER group for winning significant funding from the Meta Immersive Learning Fund to facilitate this independent research; acknowledges that the University of Glasgow’s Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre is a leading state-of-the-art facility for driving innovation across Scotland; and calls on the Government to consider the importance that such technology will play in the future of classrooms, museums and across the wider education sector.

631The cost of private rent in England and rent controls

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 11

Caroline Lucas

Nadia Whittome

Rachael Maskell

Grahame Morris

Mohammad Yasin

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

That this House notes the huge cost of private rents in England and increase in private rents since private tenancies were deregulated and section 21 no-fault evictions were introduced under the Housing Act 1988; recognises the challenges with accurately estimating average private rents but further notes historical data points to an average £410 per month rent across all private sector tenancies in 1990, in 2023 prices, and ONS data indicating the average private rent in England in February 2024 was £1,276 per month, suggesting roughly a threefold increase; is deeply concerned by the homelessness crisis and the 50% rise of homelessness in one year due to no-fault evictions and that English councils spent £1.7bn on temporary accommodation last year; further notes that the cost of private rented accommodation in England is higher and renters' rights weaker than in European countries with rent controls and more secure tenancies; calls on the Government to establish an independent Living Rent Commission tasked with consulting on and designing a national system of rent controls with local flexibility and to provide powers to local councils to control rents in high rent areas; believes rent controls must be implemented gradually and fairly alongside a suite of policies to give renters security of tenure and to address the housing supply crisis, including a mass programme of zero-carbon social homes; and further calls on the Government to follow the example of Scotland and other European countries by legislating for rent controls in the private rented sector.

632National Lottery Community Fund and the Clydesdale Counselling and Human Development Project

Tabled: 18/04/24 Signatories: 5

Angela Crawley

Chris Law

Richard Thomson

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Clydesdale Counselling and Human Development Project on securing £18,900 through the National Lottery Community Fund; acknowledges that this will allow the project to deliver counselling therapy sessions and therapeutic peer-support groups for the people of Clydesdale; welcomes their positive work in supporting those struggling with their mental health; appreciates their role in making mental health support affordable and accessible for everyone; celebrates their progress; and wishes them every success in the future.

Tabled: 18/04/24 Signatories: 5

Alison Thewliss

Chris Law

Richard Thomson

Allan Dorans

Chris Stephens

That this House recognises the fifth anniversary of New Practice, an award-winning women and LGBTQ+-led architectural practice based between Glasgow and London, on 9 May 2024; notes that in these five years, New Practice has played a vital role in improving the lived environment of both cities and many places beyond; acknowledges their participation in vital projects such as the redevelopment of the Kinning Park Complex, the redevelopment of Buchanan Galleries, and the preservation of the architectural heritage of Glasgow's High Street; congratulates New Practice management and staff on this significant anniversary; and wishes them all the best in all future endeavours.

642Himalayan Dine Barrhead and the Scottish Curry Awards 2024

Tabled: 19/04/24 Signatories: 5

Kirsten Oswald

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Himalayan Dine Barrhead, based on Barrhead Main Street, East Renfrewshire, on being crowned Neighbourhood Restaurant of the Year at the prestigious 16th annual Scottish Curry Awards; notes that Himalayan Dine Barrhead was also highly commended in the category of Most Wanted Restaurant of the Year; understands the family run restaurant first opened in 2021 and specialises in authentic Indian and Nepalese cuisine; further notes that Himalayan Dine Barrhead has a sister restaurant based in Shawlands, Glasgow South; recognises that the Scottish Curry Awards is a significant event which highlights and celebrates the talents and hard work of individuals within the Scottish curry industry; further understands that the Scottish Curry Awards 2024 took place on 15 April at the Glasgow Double Tree by Hilton Hotel; and wishes all of the staff at Himalayan Dine Barrhead all the very best for the future.

643Swagath Indian Restaurant and the Scottish Curry Awards 2024

Tabled: 19/04/24 Signatories: 5

Kirsten Oswald

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates Swagath, an Indian restaurant located on Glasgow Road, East Renfrewshire, on being crowned Best of Greater Glasgow at the prestigious 16th annual Scottish Curry Awards; notes that Swagath was previously based on Dovecothall Street before moving to their current premises on Glasgow Road in May 2023; recognises that Swagath shares their current premises with Scotch and Rib-Aye Bar and Restaurant; understands that the restaurant offers a wide range of authentic Indian dishes; notes that the Scottish Curry Awards is a significant event which highlights and celebrates the talents and hard work of individuals within the Scottish curry industry; further understands that the Scottish Curry Awards 2024 took place on 15 April at the Glasgow Double Tree by Hilton Hotel; and wishes all of the staff at Swagath Indian Restaurant all the very best for the future.