Contents

Published: Thursday 2 May 2024

Early Day Motions tabled on Wednesday 1 May 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

710Leicester City and the Sky Bet Championship

Tabled: 1/05/24 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House celebrates the success of Leicester City securing a 3-0 victory at Preston North End on Monday 29 April 2024 to attain a record-breaking eighth Sky Bet Championship title; notes the joy and pride that dedicated fans, including the hon. Member for Strangford, feel as Leicester City have now been promoted to the Premier League; wishes the team every success for the future, following a tremendous season; and believes that they have the support of a fantastic fan base across the UK.

711Holocaust Memorial proposal

Tabled: 1/05/24 Signatories: 1

Sir Peter Bottomley

That this House notes the First Special Report of the Holocaust Memorial Bill Select Committee, HC121, on the problems with the current proposal and the restrictions faced by the Committee considering the hybrid Bill; respects the conclusions and recommendations on page 20; agrees with the list of matters related to the current proposals for a Holocaust Memorial and believes these need updated attention on deliverability from the Infrastructure Commission, from the National Audit Office on likely capital costs and recurrent annual costs, from the Chancellor on future funding control, and from the police and security services on maintaining unfettered public access for use of Victoria Tower Gardens while protecting the Memorial; asks His Majesty's Government and the Holocaust Memorial Foundation agency to commission the views of the property consultants on a comparison of the current proposal by Sir David Adjaye in Victoria Tower Gardens with viable alternatives, to commission the full appraisal and to hold a public consultation on the selection of site; and further asks His Majesty's Government to commit to having this or an amended proposal considered first by the local planning authority before considering whether to call in the application, noting that an open-minded observer could doubt another minister in the Levelling Up department should be asked to make an independent decision on an application by the Secretary of State.

712Larne Football Club

Tabled: 1/05/24 Signatories: 1

Sammy Wilson

That this House congratulates Larne Football Club on winning the Irish league title for the second year running; congratulates the players on their dedication; praises the manager, Teiran Lynch, on his leadership of the team; thanks Kenny Bruce for the financial commitment he has made to the club; recognises the important role played by the dedicated followers who attend matches on a weekly basis; welcomes the commitment to building for the future through the football academy, which has been established to bring on new players and the 500 youngsters in the youth teams; and believes that sporting success has engendered civic pride and improved community relations in the town.

713Tall ship Tenacious

Tabled: 1/05/24 Signatories: 1

Munira Wilson

That this House celebrates the legacy of the Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST) in providing life-changing opportunities for over 55,000 people who have sailed with JST tall ships, which were purpose-built with initial funding from the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II fund, and the aim of integrating able-bodied and disabled people through tall ship ocean sailing voyages, in which no-one is a passenger and everyone works the ship; notes that the SV Tenacious, the largest wooden tall ship built in the UK for 100 years, is the only remaining tall ship in service in the world which is equipped for disabled and non-disabled crew to sail together on equal terms; recognises the deep regret at the announcement that the JST has ceased operations and the ship’s owning company put into administration, as a result of financial difficulties worsened by inactivity during the pandemic; acknowledges that without this ship, which is equipped with measures such as wheelchair access, a speaking compass, visual and tactile alarms and signage in Braille, many people with differing abilities will not be able to experience the freedom of ocean sailing, regardless of physical limitations, which has, over the decades, created immeasurable cascading benefits to the lives of voyage crew, through the challenging and transformative adventure of tall ship sailing; and further commends the Save Tall Ship Tenacious campaign, wishing them success in their ongoing efforts to save this unique vessel, a shining example of inclusion and equality for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

714Gabriel Fares and the Welsh Three Peaks challenge

Tabled: 1/05/24 Signatories: 3

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

That this House commends six year old Gabriel Fares of Llwyngwril for undertaking the Welsh Three Peaks challenge to raise awareness of his family’s plight in Gaza; notes with concern that members of Gabriel’s extended family remain displaced in Rafah with their homes in Khan Yunis completely destroyed; further notes that the situation on the ground in Gaza is dire, with food, water and medicine incredibly scarce, with bombs continuing to fall all around them; recognises the challenge facing Gabriel as he prepares to climb Wales’s three highest peaks, Yr Wyddfa, Cader Idris, and Pen y Fan with his grandad; further recognises Gabriel’s efforts to date in advancing calls for a ceasefire in Gaza by attending local peace rallies and meetings; and calls on the UK Government to take immediate action and create safe, viable routes for the family of British Palestinians to evacuate and seek safety in the UK.

715Constitutional status of the Punjab region

Tabled: 1/05/24 Signatories: 1

George Galloway

That this House recognises the distinct cultural, historical, and linguistic identity of the Punjab region within India; appreciates the vibrant contributions of the Punjabi community to the global diaspora, including that within the United Kingdom; acknowledges the aspirations of many Punjabis for greater self-governance akin to the status afforded to Scotland within the `United Kingdom; supports the right of regions to self-determination within the framework of their national constitutions; calls upon the Government of India to consider granting Punjab a level of autonomy that allows for the self-administration of its cultural, economic, and educational affairs, similar to that enjoyed by Scotland; further urges the UK Government to facilitate and support peaceful dialogue between Punjabi representatives and the Government of India to explore possibilities for enhanced autonomy; and finally encourages all parties to engage in these discussions with the aim of fostering greater understanding, economic development, and social harmony in the region.

716Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star and Its aftermath

Tabled: 1/05/24 Signatories: 1

George Galloway

That this House solemnly commemorates the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star, the military action that took place in June 1984 at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, resulting in significant loss of life and severe damage to the holiest site in Sikhism; expresses its deep regret over the devastating impact of this military action on the Sikh community; recognises the events that followed Operation Blue Star are viewed by the Sikh community worldwide as a period of intense persecution, described by many as a genocide; acknowledges the profound and lasting pain these events have caused to the Sikh community across the globe; calls for a moment of reflection on the serious consequences of the military action, including the loss of thousands of lives in the ensuing violence; and urges the Government to support international efforts aimed at reconciliation, peace, and justice for the Sikh community, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.

717Trial and release of Jagtar Singh Johal

Tabled: 1/05/24 Signatories: 1

George Galloway

That this House expresses its deep concern over the ongoing detention of British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal who was arrested in Punjab, India on 4 November 2017; notes the allegations of torture and denial of fair trial rights as documented by international human rights bodies; recognises the significant distress this has caused to his family and the wider Sikh community in the UK; calls on the Government to intensify diplomatic efforts to ensure Mr Johal receives a fair trial per international legal standards and is afforded protection against any form of torture and mistreatment; urges the Indian authorities to provide transparent evidence and legal justification for Mr. Johal’s continued detention; and further calls for Mr. Johal’s immediate release if no credible evidence is presented.

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.

636Life and legacy of Sarah Hall, Business Director of Hillhouse

Tabled: 18/04/24 Signatories: 8

Alan Brown

Chris Law

Richard Thomson

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

That this House celebrates the life and achievements of Sarah Hall, the Business Director of Hillhouse, a local charity and social enterprise based in Kilmarnock, who has sadly passed away; acknowledges Sarah's dedication and commitment to Hillhouse, which spans over 50 years, during which she served as a House Mother and later as Business Director, playing a pivotal role in the organisation's growth and success; recognises Sarah's passion for supporting individuals and families experiencing financial hardship and her tireless efforts to provide practical support by supplying good quality second-hand children’s clothing, footwear, and equipment, free of charge, to those in need in Ayrshire; commends Sarah's success in securing funding and initiating new projects and fundraisers, which have made a significant positive impact on the local community; pays tribute to Sarah's character and qualities that endeared her to all who knew her and made her an invaluable member of the Hillhouse team; expresses heartfelt condolences to Sarah's family, friends, colleagues, and all those whose lives she touched, and acknowledges the profound loss felt by the community following her passing; praises the commitment of Mairi, Eileen, Liz, and the rest of the Hillhouse team to continue Sarah's legacy of helping families in need; and further recognises Sarah's enduring impact on Hillhouse and the wider community and pledges to honour her memory by supporting and promoting the vital work of Hillhouse in alleviating hardship and making a positive difference in the lives of individuals and families in Ayrshire.

657Childcare for working parents

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 12

Rachael Maskell

Jim Shannon

Kim Johnson

Dan Carden

Mick Whitley

Chris Stephens

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.

661Safety of electric powered vehicles and lithium-ion batteries

Tabled: 23/04/24 Signatories: 5

Yvonne Fovargue

Jim Shannon

Helen Morgan

Chris Stephens

Ronnie Cowan

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: 14

Rachael Maskell

Jim Shannon

Christine Jardine

Mary Kelly Foy

Chris Stephens

Kate Osborne

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.

670Diversion schemes for drug-related offending

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 9

Grahame Morris

Rachael Maskell

Richard Burgon

Jonathan Edwards

Caroline Lucas

Ian Mearns

That this House endorses the recognition from Dame Carol Black and the Home Affairs Committee that improved use of diversion schemes, where police deal with low-level offending without the involvement of courts, can be an important tool in reducing drug-related crime; pays tribute to the pioneering work of Police-led Drug Diversion (PDD) schemes such as Durham’s Checkpoint programme led by the late Ron Hogg, the West Midlands’ Operation Turning Point and the Thames Valley Druglink scheme championed by former Chief Inspector Jason Kew; highlights the importance of community resolution to preclude the need for arrest and to facilitate access to education, treatment and support services; welcomes the work of Professor Alex Stevens of the University of Kent and Paul Quinton from the College of Policing in providing evaluation of PDD schemes and identification of best practice; believes this will establish effective national standards and a template to end the patchy postcode-lottery of provision; and calls on the Government to commit to consistent national roll-out of high-standard diversion schemes, as soon as practicable, to provide a cost-effective alternative to the current cycle of criminalisation and reoffending.

672UK’s national minorities

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 14

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Mary Kelly Foy

Dave Doogan

Allan Dorans

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.

683Two-child benefits limit

Tabled: 24/04/24 Signatories: 26

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.

690Border Force staff at Heathrow Airport

Tabled: 26/04/24 Signatories: 17

John McDonnell

Ian Byrne

Jonathan Edwards

Charlotte Nichols

Mary Kelly Foy

Jon Trickett

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.

692Armenian Genocide

Tabled: 29/04/24 Signatories: 7

Martyn Day

Jim Shannon

Dr Philippa Whitford

Jonathan Edwards

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

That this House notes that on 24 April 2024 the Armenian community commemorated the Medz Yaghern (Great Crime) of the Armenian Genocide that saw the massacre and starvation of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottomans; further notes the significance of recognising the Armenian genocide and engaging in commemorative actions in paying tribute to the victims and supporting the Armenian community; pays tribute to the survivors of the Armenian Genocide, including many who share their testimony day in, day out, to ensure the horrors of the past are never forgotten; thanks all of those who work to educate every person from every background in the UK about the Armenian Genocide, its contemporary relevance, and why we must acknowledge this crime as having happened; urges all Rt hon. and hon. Members to observe this day and to pledge to speak out against the denial of the Armenian Genocide; and calls on the Government to formally recognise the Armenian Genocide.

693Building societies

Tabled: 29/04/24 Signatories: 11

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Jim Shannon

Bob Blackman

Mary Kelly Foy

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Kim Johnson

That this House recognises the financial and emotional hardship experienced by vulnerable, elderly building society customers and their families through being introduced by building societies which they trusted to firms offering unregulated wills and trusts; acknowledges that the products sold were unsuitable and failed, with investments that did not match members’ attitude to risk, with excessive fees, and ultimately causing the loss of large portions of customers estates, and thereby the loss of their children’s inheritance; highlights the concern victims have that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has failed to act against the building societies despite many FCA Principles for Business being breached, and that the societies failed to perform satisfactory due diligence on the firms they introduced customers to; and as such believes that the FCA should compel the building societies to fully compensate, including for the upset, stress and hardship caused; calls upon the Government to ensure that, if the building societies make an offer of compensation, that the Creditors’ Committee can negotiate on behalf of the impacted individuals and if necessary give powers to the FCA to compel the building societies to compensate the victims in full; and further calls upon the Government to ensure that similar injustices do not happen in the future.

697AA810 Spitfire monument project

Tabled: 29/04/24 Signatories: 3

Christine Jardine

Jim Shannon

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House welcomes the campaign to create a monument for the unarmed Photograph Reconnaissance Unit for their work on behalf of the armed forces during the Second World War; notes that the unit captured around 20 million images throughout the conflict; regrets that there is no full record of their service to our country; commends the efforts of the AA810 project to both document the names of all who served in the unit and secure a national memorial to the unit in Westminster; encourages all Rt. hon and hon. members to support the campaign; and wishes the AA810 project every success in establishing this much needed monument.

698900th anniversary of founding of City of Edinburgh

Tabled: 29/04/24 Signatories: 4

Christine Jardine

Jim Shannon

Dr Philippa Whitford

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House celebrates the 900th anniversary of the founding of the City of Edinburgh and St Giles’ Cathedral; notes the founding of the Cathedral in 1124 by King David I; recognises the cultural, historical and political significance of the role of the City in the last 900 years; further celebrates its diverse and rich culture, which brings over four million tourists a year generating hundreds of millions of pounds to the local economy, highlighted by festivals such as the world famous Fringe Festival and Hogmanay celebrations; further recognises its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995 with its distinguished architecture and natural beauty displayed by landmarks such as Arthur’s Seat; and looks forward to the celebrations, reflecting over the last 900 years and exploring the future of the City.

705Contribution of university research

Tabled: 30/04/24 Signatories: 5

Ben Lake

Dr Philippa Whitford

Jim Shannon

Hywel Williams

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House commends the outstanding contribution of university researchers throughout the United Kingdom; agrees with the view of Professor Mark Field of the University of Oxford that impact is the good the researchers have in the world; notes the work of researchers at the University of Aberystwyth into restoring peatlands to remove greenhouse gases and other work on supporting famers to use agricultural waste to produce native duckweed to feed livestock; further notes the University of Wales Trinity Saint David initiative Wales and its Global Literary Culture in partnership with Cardiff and Bangor Universities; acknowledges the role of university professional staff and training specialists in supporting researchers to demonstrate impact and engagement as required by the UKRI Research Excellence Framework 2029; and calls on the Government to fully recognise the role that UK researchers can play in providing evidence for the development and evaluation of policy across all fields and to engage with them to ensure researches have the impact their work deserves throughout the world.

706Arthurlie FC and the Scottish Junior Cup 2024

Tabled: 30/04/24 Signatories: 2

Kirsten Oswald

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Arthurlie FC, based at Dunterlie Park, Barrhead, on advancing to the final of the Scottish Junior Cup after defeating Johnstone Burgh 4-3 on aggregate; understands the first and second legs of the semi-final took place on 14 and 20 April respectively; applauds the commitment of manager Colin Reilly and the whole squad; notes that the second leg of the semi-final took place at Keanie Park with a massive crowd of 2,393 people in attendance; highlights the historical significance of Arthurlie progressing to the Scottish Junior Cup Final, the first time they have done so since 1998 when they beat Pollok 4-0 to lift the trophy; further notes that the Scottish Junior Cup Final will be held on 2 June at Cumbernauld Broadwood Stadium with Arthurlie competing against Darvel; and wishes all the very best of luck to Arthurlie FC ahead of the Scottish Junior Cup Final.

707Wheelchair rugby

Tabled: 30/04/24 Signatories: 3

Sarah Dyke

Jim Shannon

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House congratulates Josh Payne-Gover’s success in wheelchair rugby; wishes him the best of luck in achieving a place in the Team GB squad for the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028; notes the high financial cost of equipment necessary to participate in wheelchair rugby; praises Josh’s successful campaign to raise money for a new elite level titanium rugby chair; notes the financial barriers disabled people face when competing in sport; expresses concern that 37% of disabled people cite the cost-of-living crisis as a hindrance to partaking in sport; encourages steps to ensure more disability sport is shown on free-to-air TV; and stresses the importance of providing councils with support to enhance community sporting facilities, including facilities for disabled people.

708Price cap on baby milk formula

Tabled: 30/04/24 Signatories: 17

Barry Gardiner

Cat Smith

Ian Byrne

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Rosie Duffield

Dame Siobhain McDonagh

This House recognises the impact that food price inflation has had on family budgets in recent years, with annual inflation of 19.1% to March 2023, which was the highest rate of food inflation in 45 years; notes with dismay that some retailers have taken to placing baby milk formula under security lock to avert the risk of shoplifting; considers that no parent should feel they have to resort to criminality in order to feed their baby; and therefore urges all supermarkets to urgently review the retail costs of baby formula and to cap it at no more than 1% of its production cost.

709Councillor Robert Aldridge

Tabled: 30/04/24 Signatories: 3

Christine Jardine

Jim Shannon

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House congratulates Councillor Robert Aldridge, the Right Honourable Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, on the 40th anniversary of his election to City of Edinburgh Council; notes that 3 May 2024 marks forty years of his continuous service as a representative of his community, most recently representing the Drum Brae/Gyle ward; and thanks him for his dedicated service to his constituents and to the city.