Contents

Published: Monday 29 April 2024

Early Day Motions tabled on Friday 26 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

690Border Force staff at Heathrow Airport

Tabled: 26/04/24 Signatories: 1

John McDonnell

That this House expresses support and solidarity to members of the PCS union taking industrial action against their employer, Border Force, at Heathrow Airport; notes that on 29 April around 250 staff are being forced out of their current jobs on passport control as the Home Office have indicated they will no longer accommodate their contractual flexible working arrangements, reasonable adjustments or ‘legacy’ contractual terms on a new fixed teams based roster; believes that the proposed new roster will not effectively deal with the issues which the Home Office claims it is intended to address and that, on the contrary, the inflexibility of the roster will see many staff come off the roster or leave the service; and therefore calls on the Home Office to address staff concerns and agree to shift from its current entrenched position so that further industrial action might be averted.

691TS Scylla Sea Cadet Unit, Aberdeen

Tabled: 26/04/24 Signatories: 1

Richard Thomson

That this House notes the fundraising efforts currently being carried out by Sea Cadet Helen Buswell and her colleagues at TS Scylla in Aberdeen by means of a sponsored walk; understands that in common with other Sea Cadet units, TS Scylla aims to give young people an experience that will help them grow into the person they want to be in a safe and friendly environment; is aware that through various activities and adventures, Sea Cadets learn teamwork, respect, loyalty, self-confidence, commitment, self-discipline, honesty and how to be the best version of themselves; and wishes the team at TS Scylla continued success going forward.

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.

58130th anniversary of the Well Multi-Cultural Resource Centre

Tabled: 15/04/24 Signatories: 8

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Dr Philippa Whitford

Richard Thomson

Ms Anum Qaisar

Chris Stephens

That this House congratulates the Well Multi-Cultural Resource Centre in Govanhill, Glasgow, on the 30th anniversary of its opening; notes that the Well was established in March 1994 by the Church of Scotland in order to provide support to the BAME communities of South East Glasgow; recognises that since its establishment in 1994 the Well has provided support to thousands of the residents of South East Glasgow through advice consultations, ESOL classes, social groups, and toddler groups; acknowledges the importance of these activities in tackling social isolation and building strong community links for BAME Glaswegians; thanks the staff and volunteers of the Well for their hard work; and wishes them the best of luck in all future projects.

642Himalayan Dine Barrhead and the Scottish Curry Awards 2024

Tabled: 19/04/24 Signatories: 7

Kirsten Oswald

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Drew Hendry

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: 7

Kirsten Oswald

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Drew Hendry

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.

644Gleniffer Thistle fundraising for Epilepsy Scotland

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 7

Gavin Newlands

Mhairi Black

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Drew Hendry

Allan Dorans

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: 12

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.

648Civil Service Pay

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 27

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.

650Paradise Golf and Beach Resort, Morocco

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 6

Kirsten Oswald

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Patricia Gibson

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

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.

652Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023

Tabled: 22/04/24 Signatories: 10

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.

655Lesbian Visibility Week

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 16

Kate Osborne

Dawn Butler

Nadia Whittome

Hannah Bardell

Christine Jardine

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

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: 5

Peter Grant

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

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.

658St. Margaret’s Parish Church 70th celebrations

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 5

Peter Grant

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

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: 5

Peter Grant

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

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: 5

Peter Grant

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

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.

666Work Capability Assessment reforms

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 6

Marion Fellows

Richard Burgon

Deidre Brock

Dr Philippa Whitford

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House expresses its deep concern that the Government’s proposed Work Capability Assessment reforms will expose more people, including disabled people and those with long-term health conditions to work conditionality and the threat of benefit sanctions; recognises that there is considerable evidence, including the Department of Work and Pension’s own report entitled The Impact of Benefit Sanctions on Employment Outcomes, published on 6 April 2023, that conditionality, and in particular the use of sanctions, is counterproductive in efforts to support people into sustainable work and causes unnecessary hardship; acknowledges that the use of sanctions are harmful to people’s health and wellbeing, further punishing society's most vulnerable people; notes that removing the Work Capability Assessment risks conflating incapacity and disability payments, as not everyone who is sick and not able to work will qualify for disability payments; further notes that there is no safety net for people with short-term ill-health and sickness to manage their condition and live a dignified, independent life; and calls on the Government to stop the implementation of their Work Capability Assessment changes which will lead to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions losing out financially.

669Mhairi Maclennan London Marathon success

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 4

Drew Hendry

Dr Philippa Whitford

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Kirkhill athlete Mhairi Maclennan on her London Marathon debut, after becoming the first British female to cross the finish line; notes she finished the race in 2 hours 29 minutes and 15 seconds; further congratulates all those who completed the 26.2 mile course; and wishes Mhairi continued success in her running career.

672UK’s national minorities

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 5

Ben Lake

Mary Kelly Foy

Jonathan Edwards

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

That this House marks the 10th anniversary of the UK Government recognising the Cornish as a national minority through the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities; notes that this landmark decision set out numerous obligations including support for language and culture, education and the media, the greater visibility of national minorities in public life, the protection of historic territories, more opportunities on the international stage; further notes that the decision should afford the Cornish the same status as the UK’s other national minorities; is however concerned that the UK Government has yet to fully meets its obligations under the Framework Convention by treating Cornwall equally with the other national parts of the UK; and calls on the UK Government to deliver meaningful devolution through the creation of a legislative Cornish Parliament or a National Assembly of Cornwall, full membership of the British-Irish Council and other trans-national bodies, fair funding for Cornwall and its public services, a Cornish Language Act, and public service broadcasting provision for Cornwall.

674150th anniversary of Inverness Bowling Club

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 3

Drew Hendry

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Inverness Bowling Club on celebrating their 150th anniversary; recognises the hard work and efforts of all those over the years who have contributed to the club's lasting success; and wishes them continued success for the future.

675Inverness Rowing Club and the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta 2024

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 3

Drew Hendry

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates teenagers Sam Roxburgh and Shay Hammock on their success in being called up to represent Scotland at the Junior Inter Regional Regatta at Nottingham this month; recognises that the pair, both of Inverness Rowing Club, have been selected to represent their country in singles competitions in their respective age groups against top junior rowers from across Great Britain; further recognises that this is the first time Scotland will be represented at this event; and wishes them every success for the competition, and in their future rowing careers.

677Bombay Lounge restaurant in Midlothian, Curry Restaurant of the Year at Scottish Curry Awards 2024

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 4

Owen Thompson

Drew Hendry

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates the Bombay Lounge restaurant in Dalkeith, Midlothian, for their recent success at the Scottish Curry Awards 2024; recognises their award for Curry Restaurant of the Year; acknowledges how this is a wonderful accomplishment and a testament to the dedication and hard work put into their restaurant; further acknowledges how this award is a well-deserved recognition of the Bombay Lounge team’s efforts and the wonderful experiences they provide to customers; and wishes the Bombay Lounge continued success and acclaim in the future.

679Matthew Wynee, Scotland cerebral palsy football team

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 4

Kirsten Oswald

Dr Philippa Whitford

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates the Scotland Cerebral Palsy Football Team on winning the IFCPF World Championships; recognises that Matthew Wynee, a football coach at East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure Trust, captained the team and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament; recognises that Matthew scored the opening goal of the final match after just six minutes of play and a second goal later in the match; commends Matthew and his teammates on their 4-nil victory over Northern Ireland in the final that took place on 18 April in Salou, Spain; and applauds the efforts of Matthew and his teammates and wishes them well for future competitions.

682World Malaria Day 2024

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 9

Patrick Grady

Stuart C McDonald

Wendy Chamberlain

Deidre Brock

Dr Philippa Whitford

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes that Thursday 25 April 2024 has been designated as World Malaria Day by the World Health Organisation, marking the 17th time the day has been observed since its establishment by the World Health Assembly in 2007; further notes that this year's theme focuses on accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world, drawing attention to the decline in progress toward reducing malaria globally, particularly in the WHO African Region which in 2022 accounted for 94% of malaria cases and 95% of deaths and, that on current trajectories, critical 2025 milestones of the WHO global malaria strategy for reductions in malaria cases and deaths will be missed; also notes that the disease continues to directly endanger health and cost lives, and perpetuates a vicious cycle of inequity, with people living in the most vulnerable situations including pregnant women, infants, children under five years of age, refugees, migrants, internally displaced people, and Indigenous Peoples disproportionately impacted; and calls on the UK Government to increase its focus on working towards Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 to end the malaria epidemic, and to contribute required funding at the upcoming replenishments of Gavi, the vaccine alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

683Two-child benefits limit

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 21

Mary Kelly Foy

George Galloway

Jon Trickett

Richard Burgon

Kate Osborne

Jeremy Corbyn

That this House recognises the new research from the End Child Poverty Coalition which highlights the extent to which the two-child limit impacts single parents and families with disabled children; notes that 20% of all households impacted by the two-child limit are families with at least one disabled child, which is just over 87,500 households; further notes that 25% of all families impacted by the two-child limit are single-parent households, with a child under 3; expresses incredulity that no assessment of the potential correlation between the proportion of children living in households affected by the two-child limit and levels of child poverty has been made by the Department for Work and Pensions; and calls for the two-child limit to be reconsidered.

685ANZAC Day 2024

Tabled: 25/04/24 Signatories: 2

Andrew Rosindell

Sir Mike Penning [R]

That this House remembers the heroic campaign that followed the landings of Allied forces at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, on 25 April 1915; joins all Australians and New Zealanders in commemorating the bravery of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who, together with their British colleagues and others sacrificed so much in defence of freedom; expresses its pride at the close association that exists between the people of these three nations bound together by language, history, and culture and by sharing His Majesty King Charles III as Head of State; and commends all those involved in the organisation of this year's Anzac Day commemorations in London held at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, at Westminster Abbey, and at Westminster Hall on Thursday 25 April 2024.

68820th anniversary of The Leither Magazine

Tabled: 25/04/24 Signatories: 7

Deidre Brock

Drew Hendry

Stuart C McDonald

Brendan O'Hara

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

That this House congratulates The Leither Magazine on its 20 year anniversary; notes the publication is read by around 45,000 people from Leith, Edinburgh and beyond, having built a strong readership since it was founded in 2004 by Billy Gould; congratulates the editorial, sales, design and writing teams and everyone involved with producing the Leither for their hard work and dedication which ensures each issue is an engaging read, covering topics as diverse, interesting and offbeat as the community it represents; recognises the importance of independent community journalism like The Leither in a world of increasingly centralised media voices; and wishes the Leither every success as it continues to provide its own unique take on the world from this vibrant historic docklands.

689Leith Croft Community Pavilion

Tabled: 25/04/24 Signatories: 8

Deidre Brock

Drew Hendry

Dr Philippa Whitford

Stuart C McDonald

Brendan O'Hara

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates the Leith Croft Community Pavilion on being shortlisted for a My Place Community Award 2024; applauds the inspiring work of this grassroots project which cleared two acres of debris-strewn wasteland and repaired, refurbished and returned a dilapidated old tennis pavilion for community use; notes the site now provides shared food growing plots to about 120 urban crofters and their families, a social enterprise tree nursery, horticultural training, a biodiversity play area, picnic facilities and a community cafe; further notes the project is run by local charity Earth in Common, founded by Evie Murray and built from a grassroots movement of Leith families who wanted to give their children a healthy outdoor experience in a crowded urban environment; welcomes the national platform provided by the My Place Awards from the Scottish Civic Trust to local community-led regenerative projects such as this; and thanks everyone involved including the many staff, volunteers and crofters for making this a fantastic new home for nature and people, benefitting thousands of Leithers.