Commons business papers

Contents

Published – Tuesday 5 November 2024

Early Day Motions tabled on Monday 4 November 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

354Support for community energy initiatives

Tabled: 4/11/24 Signatories: 1

Manuela Perteghella

That this House commends the efforts of community energy enterprises across the UK, particularly recognising the work of the Heart of England Community Energy (HECE), which operates one of the country’s largest community-owned solar farms, located just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, which has been generating clean electricity to power thousands of homes in the Heart of England since 2016, and demonstrating the vital role that community-led energy projects play in achieving a sustainable future; notes that HECE reinvests its profits into supporting local charities and projects; and calls on the Government to support policies that encourage community energy projects, thus empowering communities to take charge of their energy futures and share in the prosperity of a green energy transition.

355Paradise Beach Resort in Morocco

Tabled: 4/11/24 Signatories: 1

Blair McDougall

That this House recognises that some 800 investors, the vast majority of whom are British citizens, made investments in the Paradise Beach and Golf Resort in Tangier, Morocco, which was first advertised in 2006; notes that the development was widely promoted as part of Morocco’s policy to attract foreign and British direct investments; further notes that the development was built on state-owned land and closely monitored by the Moroccan government before construction was abruptly halted in 2016, just before completion; recognises that investors have failed to recoup their initial investments, with some having lost their life savings, some seven years after the Moroccan government proposed a solution to complete the scheme; and calls on the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office to work with the Moroccan government to ensure that a solution is found for British investors.

356Jennie Lee

Tabled: 4/11/24 Signatories: 1

Richard Baker

That this House understands that a new play by Knights Theatre about the life of Jennie Lee will premiere at the Lochgelly Centre on 1 November 2024, with performances also on 2 November, before moving to Dunfermline’s Carnegie Hall for further performances; further understands that an Open University exhibition about Jennie Lee is concurrently running at the Lochgelly Centre until 2 November; notes that Jennie Lee was born in Lochgelly in 1904 and that the play and exhibition marks what would have been her 120th birthday; further notes that Jennie Lee was elected as the MP for North Lanark in 1929 at the age of 24, before she could legally vote; recognises Jennie Lee’s contribution to arts, culture and education as the first ever Minister for the Arts; further recognises her drive and commitment to the founding of The Open University; acknowledges that The Open University in Scotland celebrates over 200,000 alumni since its inception in 1969; and congratulates playwright Matthew Knights, The Open University in Scotland, OnFife and Creative Scotland on their partnership to bring the story of Jennie Lee to life.

357Northern Ireland Assembly vote on Protocol issues

Tabled: 4/11/24 Signatories: 1

Mr Gregory Campbell

That this House notes the Northern Ireland Assembly is scheduled to vote on Articles 5 to 10 of the Protocol on matters relating to the EU withdrawal agreement; recognises that there remain purchasing, trading and other issues which disadvantage consumers and businesses in Northern Ireland in trading within the UK; also notes with serious concern that the forthcoming Assembly vote will not be based, as virtually all other contentious votes are, on a cross community basis; and calls on the UK Government to stand over the Safeguarding the Union document and urgently begin solving the ongoing problems rather than allowing them to fester, with political relationships within Northern Ireland continuing to worsen.

358FA Cup replays

Tabled: 4/11/24 Signatories: 1

Tim Farron

That this House notes that the recent men’s FA Cup first round was the first to be played without the opportunity of a replay for matches that ended in a draw; regrets that, as a result, non-league teams including Weston-super-Mare, Hednesford Town, Guiseley, Southend United and others were thus denied a replay, which would have allowed those clubs to generate revenue and wonderful memories; declares that this cruel decision has done real harm to the romance of the FA Cup and that the only beneficiaries are a handful of Premier League teams who do not even enter the competition until the third round; condemns The FA for agreeing to this; and calls upon The FA to reinstate replays for the rest of this competition and for all future years.

35910th Annual Diwali Celebration in Edinburgh

Tabled: 4/11/24 Signatories: 1

Tracy Gilbert

That this House commends the efforts of the Edinburgh Diwali Committee, volunteers, and community members who dedicated countless hours for a successful 10th Annual Diwali Celebration held in Edinburgh on 3rd November 2024; notes that this significant milestone marked a decade of promoting cultural awareness, inclusion, and unity through one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Indian community worldwide; understands that the celebration commenced with a lively and colourful parade from St George Square to Castle Street, led by 35 member Scottish Regiment band accompanied by other bands and seven dance groups showcasing traditional Indian and Peruvian music, and dance, highlighting the diversity and inclusion of multiple cultures, followed by a vibrant cultural program at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens, where artists groups performed Indian classical, bollywood & fusion, Scottish highland dances and Live fusion band, captivating the audience and fostering cultural exchange; and agrees that the celebration brought together thousands of people from different backgrounds and served as a reminder of the shared values of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair.

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.

271Life Insurance and diagnosis of terminal illness clause

Tabled: 21/10/24 Signatories: 13

Rebecca Long Bailey

Jim Shannon

Ayoub Khan

Mary Kelly Foy

Ian Lavery

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

That this House expresses concern following reports of those with life insurance premiums with Aviva being denied early pay outs on diagnosis of terminal illness due to a pernicious small print in their policy wording which requires diagnosis of a terminal illness to take place some years before the policy actually expires; notes the case of Salford resident Shaun Pinkney who was diagnosed with terminal cancer two months before his policy was due to expire but was refused his claim as his policy stated that terminal illness diagnosis must take place at least 18 months prior to the policy expiration date; further notes with concern that Aviva would not renew his policy because he had terminal cancer; recognises that Aviva has now ceased selling policies where there was a discrepancy between the end of the major benefit and the termination of the rest of the policy; further recognises that this would indicate that Aviva knows these policies are not fair, practical or fit for purpose; and calls on the Government to speak to the insurance industry and carry out a form of inquiry to see how widespread this practice was.

277FareShare’s 30th anniversary

Tabled: 21/10/24 Signatories: 25

Wera Hobhouse

Christine Jardine

Wendy Chamberlain

Claire Young

Ian Sollom

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates FareShare, the UK’s leading food redistribution charity, on its 30th anniversary; applauds FareShare for redistributing the equivalent of 135 million meals last year, equating to four meals per second, to over 8,000 frontline charities and community groups in almost every constituency across the UK; recognises the charity’s significant social return on investment, delivering £13 in savings for every £1 spent through benefits to individuals and the state; and urges the Government to work with the charitable food redistribution sector to implement effective measures that further reduce food waste, increase surplus food redistribution to those in need, and strengthen communities throughout the United Kingdom, as the need for such collaboration is more pressing than ever.

282Prevention of cyber-crime

Tabled: 21/10/24 Signatories: 14

Christine Jardine

Wendy Chamberlain

Dr Roz Savage

Ian Sollom

Jim Shannon

Ayoub Khan

That this House acknowledges the growth of cybercrime with the advent of new technologies; recognises the need for the UK Parliament to ensure that legislation keeps pace with evolving cyber threats, including the Computer Misuse Act 1990; notes the restrictions the Act places on the work of UK cyber security professionals by prohibiting all unauthorised access to computer systems, regardless of intent or motive; believes this inadvertently criminalises essential research into cyber threats; believes that modernising the Act could enhance the UK's national security, strengthen the criminal justice system, and unlock significant benefits to the UK economy with new opportunities in the cyber security industry; and calls on the Government to introduce an amendment to the Computer Misuse Act 1990 to better protect the public from emerging threats.

283Frozen pensions for UK citizens overseas

Tabled: 21/10/24 Signatories: 27

Christine Jardine

Dr Roz Savage

Ian Sollom

Jim Shannon

Claire Hanna

Ayoub Khan

That this House notes the so-called frozen pensions policy; further notes this sees British overseas state pensioners living in certain countries denied access to index-linked uprating of the UK state pension; believes the level of the UK state pension paid should not be dependent on the pensioner’s country of residence in later life; acknowledges the scale of the injustice which sees 453,000 British state pensioners impacted by the policy, many of whom reside in Commonwealth countries such as Canada and Australia; notes that the cost of indexing all overseas state pensions without a retrospective uprating is estimated at approximately £50 million in the first year; calls on the Government to index all overseas state pensions equally on a going-forward basis; and further calls on the Prime Minister to meet with affected pensioner and World War Two veteran Anne Puckridge, who is planning to travel from Canada to the UK this December, requesting a meeting on behalf of all those impacted by the policy.

284Impact of austerity on the Fire and Rescue Service

Tabled: 21/10/24 Signatories: 18

Adam Dance

Dr Roz Savage

Jim Shannon

Claire Young

Tom Morrison

Andrew George

That this House expresses deep concern over the detrimental effects of austerity on the UK’s fire and rescue services, particularly in rural areas like Yeovil, where funding, training, and recruitment have been significantly impacted; acknowledges that in recent years, one in five firefighter jobs has been lost and central government funding to fire services has been slashed by 30% resulting in fire services becoming increasingly reliant on the contributions of on-call officers who juggle other occupations; notes that due to severe staff shortages, around 4,000 firefighters are now working both full-time and part-time contracts, often within the same brigade or across different services; commends the tireless work of firefighters in engaging with their communities, supporting the fire safety of homes and businesses, and responding to emergencies under increasingly difficult conditions; further acknowledges the loss of essential control staff, fire engines, pumps, and other critical equipment due to funding cuts, which have hampered the ability of firefighters to carry out their vital roles effectively; recognises the immense pressure firefighters face in responding to the growing frequency of storms, flooding, and wildfires, challenges exacerbated by the climate emergency; underscores the essential role of a well-funded fire service in tackling these climate-related disasters, which are expected to become even more frequent; and calls on the Government to urgently provide adequate funding for fire services to rebuild staffing levels, equipment, and resources.

292Youth hub pilot schemes in Leicester

Tabled: 22/10/24 Signatories: 4

Shockat Adam

Jim Shannon

Ayoub Khan

John McDonnell

That this House welcomes the Government’s manifesto commitment to create a Young Futures programme with a network of hubs reaching every community; notes these hubs will have youth workers, mental health support workers and careers advisers on hand to support young people; further notes Leicester City Council has a network of adventure playgrounds that are well used by young people in the city and supported through voluntary activity of community and friends groups; recognises funding cuts to local authority budgets has put the long term future of the adventure playgrounds in doubt; believes these facilities would be suitable for Young Futures hubs; and calls on the Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth to work with Leicester City Council, local MPs and community groups to establish a pilot scheme of Young Futures youth hubs in the city.

293Avanti West Coast disruptions

Tabled: 22/10/24 Signatories: 6

Tim Farron

Christine Jardine

Ayoub Khan

Cat Smith

Angus MacDonald

John McDonnell

That this House notes the ongoing disruption of train services operated by Avanti West Coast, particularly the frequent cancellation of services on the mainline north of Preston when there is disruption on the line in Scotland, even when it would be perfectly possible to run services to stations between Preston and the Scottish border; regrets the subsequent impact on train operations in Cumbria, north Lancashire and south west Scotland; notes that these disruptions have led to significant inconvenience for commuters, tourists, students and businesses relying on reliable transport links; urges the Secretary of State for Transport to work closely with Avanti West Coast to improve service reliability in Northern England; calls for compensation for affected passengers; and believes that Avanti should lose their franchise if they do not end the practice of unnecessarily cancelling services north of Preston.

302Drug deaths

Tabled: 23/10/24 Signatories: 15

Grahame Morris

Mary Kelly Foy

Andrew George

Ayoub Khan

Charlotte Nichols

Steve Witherden

That this House notes with alarm data released by the Office for National Statistics on 23 October 2024 showing that a record 5,448 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered in England and Wales in 2023; further notes that the highest death rates are again in areas suffering greatest deprivation; recognises that the influx of highly potent synthetic opioids such as Nitazenes risks a rapid rise in drug deaths; and calls on the Government to tackle the crisis by committing to long-term sustainable funding for drug treatment in the autumn budget and future spring spending review, continuing to implement the recommendations of Dame Carol Black’s independent review of drugs, and accelerating the availability of naloxone, the lifesaving antidote to opioid overdose.

307Glasgow’s 850th birthday

Tabled: 23/10/24 Signatories: 13

Patricia Ferguson

Mary Kelly Foy

Dr Scott Arthur

Jim Shannon

Kirsteen Sullivan

John Grady

That this House notes that Glasgow will celebrate the city’s 850th birthday in 2025; recognises that this is a significant milestone for the city which will mark the anniversary of Glasgow becoming a burgh; acknowledges the preparations that are underway to mark this special year and harness the opportunities it provides; welcomes plans to develop a year-long programme of inclusive events and activities across Glasgow to mark this anniversary, delivering memorable moments for all the city’s communities and enhancing Glasgow’s reputation across the country and world; encourages communities, individuals and businesses across the city to take the opportunity to participate in this important year for the city, whether through organising or participating in a community event, helping to deliver a successful programme of events as a Glasgow 850 volunteer, or using the anniversary year to showcase the products and services offered by local businesses; notes that the glasgow850.com website has been launched to provide more information on the celebrations and how people can get involved; and looks forward to an anniversary year that celebrates the city’s rich history and success, particularly in the last fifty years, and inspires a better, sustainable future, for the next fifty years.

314360th anniversary of the Royal Marines

Tabled: 28/10/24 Signatories: 19

Luke Myer

Luke Akehurst

Mr Jonathan Brash

Tim Roca

Ian Roome

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates the Corps of Royal Marines on the 360th anniversary since its formation on 28 October 1664; recognises its continued vital operations as an elite amphibious fighting force; thanks all Royal Marines officers, commandos and reservists who have risked their lives to defend our values; and pays tribute to all who have served our country by sea and by land.

32130th anniversary of Drugs, Alcohol and Psychotherapies Limited

Tabled: 28/10/24 Signatories: 6

Richard Baker

Jim Shannon

Mary Kelly Foy

Chris Law

Stephen Gethins

John McDonnell

That this House congratulates Drugs, Alcohol and Psychotherapies Limited (DAPL) on its 30th anniversary; notes that having originated in Buckhaven in 1994, the charity is now a Fife-wide service; recognises that the organisation’s counselling service was recently re-accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, evidencing the high quality of work undertaken by the charity; further notes that DAPL offers free and confidential one-to-one counselling to school pupils in the region, and also to adults affected by substance use; celebrates the charity’s history of innovative and ground breaking work which has been sector leading; praises the organisation’s professionalism while ensuring that the organisation is very much rooted in the community; and thanks their board, staff and volunteers for their continued dedication and excellent work.

324Ticket offices and station staff

Tabled: 28/10/24 Signatories: 24

Cat Eccles

Grahame Morris

John McDonnell

Rachael Maskell

Cat Smith

Mary Kelly Foy

That this House notes that 31 October 2024 marks one year since the Conservative Government scrapped plans to close nearly 1,000 ticket offices and cut around 2,300 station staff jobs; commends the campaign led by the RMT union, alongside many groups including those representing disabled and older people, which resulted in an unprecedented response to the public consultation; notes with concern that research, which was commissioned by the previous Government and undertaken in early 2023, was suppressed despite showing clear support for ticket offices and station staff; welcomes the current Government’s release of the research, which found that more than half of respondents said having a ticket office at the station they travel from is important and that 81% of respondents said staff presence was important for ensuring their safety; further notes that older respondents, who were also more likely to have no smartphone internet access, use only cash or have a health condition affecting their mobility, hearing or dexterity, had the highest preferences for buying tickets at ticket offices; understands that the rail industry’s Passenger Demand Forecasting Handbook identifies staffed ticket offices as having a positive impact on passenger demand over Ticket Vending Machines alone; is concerned at reports that new stations already in development, including those with significant projected passenger footfall, are being built without ticket offices; and therefore calls on the Government to ensure that new stations are built with ticket offices and are staffed.

325Scrutiny of Gulf Cooperation Council trade with Russia

Tabled: 28/10/24 Signatories: 9

Clive Jones

Jim Shannon

Charlotte Cane

Mr Gregory Campbell

Chris Law

Mr Lee Dillon

That this House welcomes the negotiation of new free trade agreements; is concerned that the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council have failed to support UK-led sanctions against Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine; is further concerned that some of these countries have in fact increased trade with Russia during this period; notes that in the absence of a comprehensive trade policy it is unclear the extent to which the Government plans to factor this into the UK's trade relations with these countries; and urges the Government to offer assurances that companies and entities from these countries involved in the circumvention of sanctions on Russia will not be given preferential access to UK market.

330Support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency

Tabled: 29/10/24 Signatories: 33

Andy McDonald

Brian Leishman

Debbie Abrahams

Abtisam Mohamed

Richard Burgon

John McDonnell

That this House expresses its regret at the passing of laws in Israel's Knesset which in effect denies the protections and means essential for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the largest humanitarian agency in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to operate; believes there is no viable alternative to UNRWA to deliver aid necessary to Palestinian refugees; further believes such action by Israel will compound the suffering of Palestinians; and calls on the UK Government to take all necessary steps with the United Nations to ensure UNRWA can continue its work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

338Israeli Knesset decision to ban UNRWA

Tabled: 29/10/24 Signatories: 37

Calum Miller

Luke Taylor

Steve Darling

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Anna Sabine

Munira Wilson

That this House expresses its deep concern at the Israeli Knesset’s vote to ban UNRWA; notes that this comes at a desperate moment in Gaza with a senior UN humanitarian official warning that the entire population of north Gaza is at risk of dying; further notes that, given the critical role played by UNRWA in distributing humanitarian aid within Gaza, this decision risks catastrophic consequences; urges the UK Government to accompany words of condemnation with consequences for breaches of international law; according urges the Government to implement sanctions against far-right Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich for their incitement of violence against Palestinians by illegal settlers; further urges the Government to press for immediate access for humanitarian aid into Gaza; and calls on the Government to provide all necessary assistance, including aid, to UNRWA to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and ensure that the recommendations of the independent Colonna report are implemented as quickly as possible.

3402% wealth tax

Tabled: 30/10/24 Signatories: 6

Iqbal Mohamed

Ayoub Khan

Jeremy Corbyn

Jim Shannon

Carla Denyer

John McDonnell

That this House notes the growing disparity in wealth distribution within the UK; recognises the need for a fairer tax system that ensures the wealthiest individuals contribute their fair share to society; calls on the Government to introduce a 2% annual wealth tax on individuals with assets exceeding £10 million; believes that such a tax would generate significant revenue that could be used to fund essential public services, reduce inequality, and support economic recovery; and urges the Government to consider the implementation of this policy as a step towards a more equitable and just society.

341Release of fire appliance and life-saving equipment to Palestine

Tabled: 30/10/24 Signatories: 21

Brian Leishman

Ellie Chowns

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Steve Witherden

Ayoub Khan

Jeremy Corbyn

That this House expresses deep concern over the seizure of a fire appliance and life-saving equipment, donated by the Fire Brigades Union in Scotland, which has been held at the Israeli port of Ashdod since 21 July despite having documented clearance; notes that the appliance, packed with firefighting kit, personal protective equipment, breathing apparatus, cutting tools, and medical supplies from Ninewells Hospital, was intended to support the Palestinian fire and rescue service in Nablus; acknowledges the importance of humanitarian aid and the international bonds among firefighting communities; calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately release this critical equipment to allow its use for life-saving operations in Palestinian territories; and urges the UK Government, including the Foreign Secretary, to press the Israeli Government to expedite the release of this essential aid to those communities currently experiencing severe humanitarian and safety challenges.

342Work of Fishing 4 Mental Health

Tabled: 30/10/24 Signatories: 6

Sarah Gibson

Steve Darling

Wendy Chamberlain

Claire Young

Jim Shannon

Christine Jardine

That this House recognises the work of Fishing 4 Mental Health in showing how angling can help to promote wellbeing; acknowledges that Fishing 4 Mental Health is supporting people suffering with mental health challenges by providing a safe, friendly and supportive environment that encourages individuals to enjoy the beauty of the natural world; celebrates their work to tackle stigmas about mental health amongst men; and commends their campaign for a Fishing 4 Mental Health day to be commemorated each year on 16 August.

344Access to banking hubs

Tabled: 30/10/24 Signatories: 22

Adam Dance

Ellie Chowns

Steff Aquarone

Chris Coghlan

Caroline Voaden

Edward Morello

That this House is concerned about the lack of banking services in rural towns such as Ilminster, which has yet to receive a banking hub; recognises the importance of maintaining access to in-person banking and cash services; notes that banking hubs are a key alternative for communities that have lost access to bank and building society branches; and acknowledges that rural constituencies in particular (due to their local geography, availability of public transport, and lack of support for utilising digital services) urgently need more banking hubs.

345Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medication shortages

Tabled: 30/10/24 Signatories: 16

Adam Dance

Ellie Chowns

Steff Aquarone

Steve Darling

Edward Morello

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House expresses deep concern over the shortage and intermittent availability of ADHD medications such as concerta XL; notes the symptoms those with ADHD exhibit, such as difficulty focusing and acting without thinking, as well as the impacts of these on the daily functioning of individuals; further notes the disproportionate impact these symptoms have on children who, as a result of the disorder, face barriers in their education and general development; recognises the barriers faced by individuals suffering from ADHD in accessing employment opportunities; further recognises the potential stress and anxiety these medication shortages can have on individuals suffering from ADHD; sympathises with the experiences of those individuals, who often feel they are being overlooked and dismissed; and calls on the Government to do more to mitigate the issue of ADHD medication shortages.

346Islamophobia Awareness Month 2024

Tabled: 30/10/24 Signatories: 17

Christine Jardine

Ellie Chowns

Mr Joshua Reynolds

Steve Darling

Liz Jarvis

Ayoub Khan

That this House supports Islamophobia Awareness Month, which is taking place this November; recognises the valuable contributions that British Muslims make to our country; acknowledges that anti-Muslim sentiment is still far too prevalent in our society, and has sadly been on the rise in light of the conflict in the Middle East; notes with concern that Tell MAMA recorded nearly 5,00 incidents of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia in the past year, an unprecedented volume of cases; further notes with concern that religious-based hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales has increased by 25% over the past year; emphasises the importance of standing up to religious hatred in all its forms; and calls on the Government to take urgent action to address Islamophobia, including by immediately appointing an independent adviser on Islamophobia and adopting a working definition of Islamophobia.

347Paignton Rotary Club centenary

Tabled: 31/10/24 Signatories: 2

Steve Darling

Sarah Gibson

This House congratulates the Rotary Club of Paignton on its centenary year; notes the club’s celebrations at The Grand Hotel alongside its twin club from Dokkum, The Netherlands; commends John Pappin for receiving the Paul Harris award for outstanding service and veteran member Bryan Wordsworth for his remarkable 60 years of membership; acknowledges the ongoing charitable work both locally and internationally, including efforts to eradicate polio; and welcomes the Club’s first Corporate Member, the Mercure Hotel, highlighting its commitment to community and international service.

348100th anniversary of Kingswear Castle paddle steamer

Tabled: 31/10/24 Signatories: 3

Steve Darling

Sarah Gibson

Christine Jardine

That this House celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Kingswear Castle paddle steamer, Britain’s remaining coal-fired river paddle steamer; notes the vessel's rich history, having been originally built in 1924 for service on the River Dart, and later playing a vital role in both World War II as a minesweeper and post-war as a passenger ferry; recognises the significant efforts made by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society and volunteers to restore the vessel to its former glory, ensuring that generations continue to enjoy its unique maritime heritage; acknowledges Kingswear Castle's contribution to British maritime history and tourism, particularly in the South West; and calls on the Government to further support the preservation of historic vessels such as Kingswear Castle, which are invaluable to the nation's cultural and industrial legacy.

350Whisky duty

Tabled: 31/10/24 Signatories: 3

Graham Leadbitter

Pete Wishart

Seamus Logan

That this House notes with deep concern the UK government's recent decision to further hike duty on whisky; recognises the profoundly damaging impact this move will have on the Scotch Whisky industry, a cornerstone of the UK and Scottish economy, having generated £7.1bn in GVA to the UK economy in 2022; further notes that with the sector employing 45,000 people in Scotland, and a further 25,000 across the rest of the UK, that such an increase could jeopardise jobs, and also reduce tax revenues, with analysis already concluding that last year’s increase to whisky duty has cost the Treasury £300 million; calls on the Government to reconsider this decision in light of its potential consequences for producers, workers, and the economy as a whole; also notes the cross-party support for a cut to duty; and urges the Treasury to adopt a more balanced approach that supports growth and sustainability within this vital industry while promoting and celebrating uniquely Scottish produce.

352Agricultural Property Relief

Tabled: 31/10/24 Signatories: 5

Ann Davies

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Llinos Medi

Seamus Logan

That this House condemns the decision to curtail Agricultural Property Relief in the Autumn Budget; acknowledges that new rules from April 2026 will see farm assets over £1 million face a 20% tax rate; is concerned that this will put increased pressure on family farms and tenant farmers and reduce the amount of farm land; argues that the proposal threatens food security and places the financial burden onto farms already facing high costs and low income; notes that the move has been condemned by the National Farmers Union, the Farmers’ Union of Wales, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Tenant Farmers Association; further notes that the CLA has estimated that the change puts 70,000 of farming business across the UK under threat; highlights that family farms are the bedrock of our rural economy, shape our environment and sustain our communities and culture; and calls on the UK Government to reconsider this decision.

353TFL concessions

Tabled: 31/10/24 Signatories: 6

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Mary Kelly Foy

John McDonnell [R]

Kim Johnson

Margaret Mullane

Ian Lavery

That this House welcomes the Government’s Passenger Rail Services (Public Ownership) Bill, which is nearing completion of its passage through Parliament; notes that the Government’s impact assessment of the Bill states that there will be significant savings to the Government and that public ownership represents an opportunity to improve passenger rail services; further notes that the private-sector concession contracts for the Elizabeth Line and London Overground, which are similar to the national rail contacts due to be nationalised, are coming to an end soon and that the Government has confirmed that the decision over whether also to run these services under public ownership rests with the Mayor of London; also notes that MTR paid out a dividend of £7.6 million last year, equivalent to a 2.4% cut in Elizabeth Line fares, while Arriva Rail London paid a dividend of £9.6 million, equivalent to a 4.4% cut in Overground fares; notes the Rail Minister’s view that these concessions are more expensive than this Government’s plans for public ownership and would be even more costly to taxpayers than current national rail contracts; agrees with the general secretaries of the RMT and ASLEF unions, who have argued that Londoners deserve every penny of public funding and passenger revenue being spent on the capital’s railways and not on shareholders dividends; and urges the Mayor to make the decision to bring both the Elizabeth Line and London Overground into public ownership when contracts expire and run them directly within Transport for London.