Contents

Published: Wednesday 24 April 2024

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 23 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

65340 years since Northern Ireland's victory in British Home International Championship

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes 40 years since Northern Ireland's victory in the British Home International Championships; highlights the significance of this being the last game played in the Home International Championships, resulting in Northern Ireland still holding the trophy to this day; further notes that this was only the third time in 87 tournaments that Northern Ireland were undisputed champions, and the only time goal difference was used to determine a champion; and underlines that it also marked the first time since 1928 that neither Scotland nor England placed in the top two and that the trophy was permanently awarded to the Irish Football Association.

65460th anniversary of BBC Two

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the 60th anniversary of BBC2, celebrated on 20 April; highlights that it was the third British television station to be launched, starting on April 20 1964, and from 1 July 1967, Europe's first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour; further notes a major global study by the polling organisation Populus, found that BBC Two is rated as the third-highest quality television channel in the world; celebrates BBC Two as the birthplace of some of the most loved TV programmes such as Line of Duty, Fawlty Towers and Life on Earth; and thanks BBC Two for its memorable contribution to UK TV over the last 60 years.

655Lesbian Visibility Week

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Kate Osborne

That this House congratulates Lesbian Visibility Week on their fifth anniversary; notes that the theme for this week is unified not uniform to celebrate the diversity of LGBTQ+ women everywhere; welcomes the representation and acknowledgement of incredible LGBTQ women that Lesbian Visibilty week brings; acknowledges that there are still unique barriers that lesbians face in day to day life that must be urgently addressed; and further notes that this week has never been more important as hate crime abuse continues to rise.

656Cardenden Primary School Glee Choir heat winners

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Peter Grant

That this House congratulates Cardenden Primary School Glee Choir on their fantastic win in their recent heat at the Scottish Primary School Glee Challenge 2024; highlights that the pupils from Cardenden Primary School rocked their way to the top spot to go forward to the Fife Regional Final; notes the importance of the event in highlighting the incredible talent of so many pupils in Scotland's schools, raising confidence and offering opportunities to shine; commends the Challenge, under the auspices of the Frisson Foundation, on being the largest most inclusive singing, dance, performance and choir initiative engaging with thousands of Scotland’s primary school children; gives thanks to all of the teachers, school staff and especially the children of each and every school for taking part and making the event so exceptional; and wishes Cardenden Primary School Glee Choir all the very best for the rest of the Glee Challenge.

657Childcare for working parents

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Rachael Maskell

That this House notes the importance of affordable childcare to enable parents, especially mothers, to work; further notes the important contribution of migrants to the economy; welcomes the intention behind the expansion of childcare support for working parents which is currently being rolled out; also notes however that this support is not available equally to all working parents even where they are working the same hours for the same wages; is concerned about the difficulty this creates for excluded families due to the high costs of childcare; and calls on the Government to amend its support scheme so that all parents working the requisite number of hours and earning the requisite salary can access 30 hours of funded childcare, regardless of their immigration status.

658St. Margaret’s Parish Church 70th celebrations

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Peter Grant

That this House congratulates St. Margaret’s Parish Church in Woodside, Glenrothes, on the occasion of their 70th anniversary; notes that St Margaret’s has been a focal point for Christian worship since the earliest days of Glenrothes New Town, holding its first services in 1953 and moving into its new purpose built premises in May 2024; records its gratitude for the service of Rev Maurice King, Rev Wally Shaw, Rev Ian McCree, Rev William Abernethy, Rev John McLean and most recently Rev Eileen Miller who have served as Ministers; recognises also the decades of service provided by generations of Elders and parishioners in making St Margaret’s such a welcoming place for people of all faiths and none; recognises their efforts in delivering a year long programme of concerts, ceilidhs, silent disco, open days and other celebrations marking this significant milestone in the Church’s history; and wishes everyone at St. Margaret’s the very best for the next 70 years and beyond.

659ORE Catapult and Levenmouth Academy STEM Partnership

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Peter Grant

That this House commends the work of ORE Catapult and Levenmouth Academy in their long-term STEM partnership; notes that as owners of the Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine that operates close to the Levenmouth community, ORE Catapult directly supports Levenmouth Academy with its STEM provision for young learners at the school by funding STEM clubs and activities, investing in a new VR kit to enhance STEM teaching resources, providing bursaries and mentoring to students studying STEM subjects at Higher Education and funding a full-time STEM Principal Teacher to drive STEM engagement across all years; commends the STEM partnership in creating opportunities to young people that they may not have otherwise; and wishes both Levenmouth Academy and ORE Catapult all the best in continuing to inspire the young people of Levenmouth for many more years to come.

660Glenrothes Strollers Women celebrate historic League Cup final win

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Peter Grant

That this House congratulates Glenrothes Strollers Women's Team on their recent historic Scottish Women’s Football League Cup win against McDermid Ladies at Alloa Athletics Indodrill Stadium; highlights that just 15 months after establishing the first senior ladies Glenrothes Strollers football team, manager Pauline Harley has led the team to their first League Cup final 2 – 1 victory following goals from Kerri Dinnel and Kerry Forsyth; commends the hard work of all the players and staff on this fantastic achievement; and, following this exceptionally strong start, wishes the team all the very best for its future success.

661Safety of electric powered vehicles and lithium-ion batteries

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Yvonne Fovargue

That this House notes with concern the rise of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries used to power e-bikes and e-scooters, which have quadrupled since 2020, resulting in 13 deaths, 200 serious injuries requiring hospital treatment and have resulted in homelessness and staggering financial loses; commends the important work of the charity Electrical Safety First, the London Fire Brigade and campaigner Alda Simoes in raising awareness of this issue; highlights that two coroners recently called for the law regarding the safety of these products to be tightened and therefore agrees with the support given to the Safety of Electric Powered Micromobility Vehicles and Lithium-ion Batteries Bill, drafted by the charity Electrical Safety First and experts from key sectors; further notes that this Bill has already gained the support of 44 national organisations including the London Fire Brigade and the National Fire Chiefs Council; and therefore calls on the Government to prioritise the time to implement the Bill's measures in order to ensure safer access to and use for sustainable transportation.

662Drug and alcohol treatment services for women

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Rachael Maskell

That this House acknowledges that women’s substance use often results from trauma and abuse; notes that women’s access to trauma-informed, safe spaces has been limited, as cuts and contract competition have driven service provision to concentrate on its majority male user-base; welcomes the Centre for Justice Innovation’s guide to commissioning drug and alcohol treatment services for women, in helping to ensure services are responsive to women’s experiences; and urges the Government to support and promote the development of a range of bespoke, responsive and sustainable resources enabling more women to access drug and alcohol treatment support.

663National Stalking Awareness Week

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 3

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

That this House acknowledges National Stalking Awareness Week, beginning on 22 April; notes that stalking and harassment accounted for a third of all police recorded violence in the year ending September 2023 and that around 1.6 million people over 16 were estimated to be victims of stalking in England and Wales in the year ending March 2023; further notes that only 6.6 per cent of reports of stalking to the police in the year ending March 2022 resulted in a Crown Prosecution Service charge, with only 1.4 per cent of cases ending in conviction; recognises such failings across the criminal justice system in relation to stalking offences, particularly in terms of support provided to victims of stalking as campaigners including the victims’ commissioner for London, Claire Waxman, and Gwynedd activist, Rhianon Bragg, have underlined; highlights the recommendations of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, including specialist stalking training requirements for all professionals dealing with stalking cases and a unified recording system to be used by all agencies involved to follow a victim’s journey through the criminal justice system; calls for the establishment of dedicated, specially trained multi-agency teams in each police force area to work positively to manage stalking behaviours and reduce the risk of harm for victims; and further calls on the Government to revise stalking laws alongside wider criminal justice system reforms, including the introduction of a single standalone stalking offence to ensure more robust sentencing.

664Alcohol-related deaths

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 2

Dan Carden

Ian Mearns

That this House is alarmed at the rocketing rise of alcohol harm; notes that the Office for National Statistics' figures released on 22 April revealed a new record of over 10,000 alcohol-specific deaths in the UK in 2022, representing an increase of a third since 2019; further notes the warning of Professor Sir Ian Gilmore that, with the NHS already under severe pressure, the UK cannot continue on the current trajectory; and calls on the Government to bring forward a comprehensive alcohol strategy, building upon the 2018 Alcohol Charter and the 2020 Commission on Alcohol Harm report.

665FA Cup replays

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 1

Martin Vickers

That this House regrets the decision to end replays in the FA Cup; and calls on the football authorities to reconsider this decision.

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: 27

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.

620Re-opening of the Conwy Valley Line

Tabled: 16/04/24 Signatories: 4

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Law

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

That this House congratulates Network Rail for the swift re-opening of the Conwy Valley Line on 13 April 2024; notes that the line was closed in the afternoon of 9 April 2024 when river flooding washed away ballast that supports the track near Dolgarrog station; further notes the hard work of the Network Rail team to install over 200 tonnes of new ballast which resulted in the resumption of services between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog; also notes that the latest incident was 0.5 miles from previous resilience work carried out in 2020 and that these works held firm and had they not taken place this latest flooding incident would likely have closed the line for a period of up to four months; and congratulates the team at Network Rail for the vital work they do in operating and maintaining railways for public use in north Wales.

627War in Sudan

Tabled: 17/04/24 Signatories: 13

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.

637Father Martin Chambers

Tabled: 18/04/24 Signatories: 9

Alan Brown

Chris Law

Richard Thomson

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

Dr Philippa Whitford

That this House expresses its profound sadness at the sudden passing of Father Martin Chambers, a beloved priest of the Diocese of Galloway and Bishop-Elect of the Diocese of Dunkeld, who tragically passed away on 10 April 2024; notes with deep sorrow the loss felt by the people of Galloway Diocese and the wider community of Kilmarnock and Loudoun; recognises Father Chambers' unwavering dedication and tireless service to the community during his 14 years at St Matthew's and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, as well as his invaluable contributions to other parishes including St Sophia's, where he played a pivotal role in keeping them vibrant; commends Father Chambers for his profound impact on the community, both locally and internationally, particularly through his work in fostering a link between St Joseph's Academy and Ecuador, allowing for cultural exchange and enrichment for pupils from both nations; acknowledges his imminent ordination as Bishop of Dunkeld, a testament to his exemplary character and faithful service; extends heartfelt condolences to Father Chambers' family, friends, and colleagues, as well as the people of Galloway Diocese and the Diocese of Dunkeld, during this time of profound loss; pays tribute to Father Martin Chambers for his selfless dedication, unwavering faith and profound impact on the lives of those he touched; affirms that his legacy of compassion and service will endure in the hearts and minds of all who knew him; and hopes that he will rest in peace.

644Gleniffer Thistle fundraising for Epilepsy Scotland

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 4

Gavin Newlands

Mhairi Black

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

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: 8

Gavin Newlands

Jonathan Edwards

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Liz Saville Roberts

Marion Fellows

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: 12

Charlotte Nichols

Jonathan Edwards

Mary Kelly Foy

Marion Fellows

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

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.

648Civil Service Pay

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 23

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: 2

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

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: 3

Kirsten Oswald

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

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: 4

Navendu Mishra

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Dame Tracey Crouch

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: 6

Patricia Gibson

Jonathan Edwards

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

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.