Published – Monday 9 December 2024

New EDMs

506Red Wednesday campaign

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Seamus Logan

That this House notes with concern the absence of religious minorities as priorities within the UK’s international development plan; commends the work of Aid to the Church in Need in drawing attention to the spiralling issue of religious persecution and discrimination worldwide through its annual #RedWednesday initiative; further notes with dismay Aid to the Church in Need’s research which finds that in 61 countries throughout the world, with combined populations of over 4.9 billion people, severe violations of religious freedom take place; calls on the Government to publish a standalone religious freedom strategy, outlining the most effective means of aid deployment to victims of religious discrimination and persecution; also calls on the Government to make religious minorities a fifth priority in the UK’s overseas development strategy; and further calls for the appointment of a UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion by Christmas.

507Registration scheme for short-term lets and local communities

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Steve Darling

That this House recognises that, while short-term lets bring economic benefits and opportunities for tourism, they must be balanced with the need to maintain the integrity of local communities, particularly in coastal, rural, and tourist hotspot areas such as Devon; highlights the increasing pressure on local housing markets, where absentee landlords are making significant profits, and families may be priced out of their own communities due to the conversion of long-term rental properties into holiday lets; welcomes the Government's commitment, as outlined in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, to introduce a registration scheme for short-term lets as a means to mitigate these issues; calls for urgent and meaningful consultation on how the registration scheme will operate, ensuring that it effectively addresses the challenges of short-term letting, including limiting its negative impact on local housing stock, providing transparency, and holding landlords accountable to ensure that communities benefit from tourism and hospitality, while working to provide local residents with affordable homes; further calls for a wider review of the taxation system to ensure that it does not disproportionately incentivise short-term letting at the expense of long-term rental options for local residents; and urges the Government to introduce such a scheme without delay, in order to protect the interests of local communities and ensure that tourism benefits are shared fairly across the nation.

508Apprenticeships in the trades industry

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Adam Dance

That this House notes with concern the challenges faced by trades people across the country in recruiting and maintaining apprentices; acknowledges the vital role trades people play in the UK’s economy and society; celebrates the value of trade apprenticeships; recognises the need for better engagement from schools to promote and support trades apprenticeships; and calls on the government to provide greater administrative and financial support for tradespeople taking on apprentices.

50975th anniversary of National Parks

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Alex Sobel

That this House celebrates the 75th anniversary of the creation of National Parks in England and Wales, established following the passage of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, a landmark achievement of the post-war Labour government led by Clement Attlee; acknowledges the pioneering vision of Labour ministers, including Lewis Silkin, who championed the creation of these protected areas; recognises the vital role that National Parks play in conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage of some of the most cherished landscapes in the UK; commends the invaluable contributions of National Parks in promoting public access to the countryside, fostering environmental education, and supporting sustainable farming; acknowledges the dedicated work of National Park Authorities, the Campaign for National Parks, local communities and volunteers in preserving these treasured spaces for future generations; and calls on the Government to set out a bold vision for our National Parks, with reforms that drive climate action, biodiversity restoration and prohibit damaging activities, and enhance inclusivity and access for all.

510SCIAF's Real Gifts Campaign 2024

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Patricia Ferguson

That this House welcomes the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund’s (SCIAF) 2024 Real Gifts campaign ahead of the festive season; notes the generosity of the Scottish public in directly supporting families and communities around the world living in poverty by giving ethical gifts during the festive season; welcomes the work done by SCIAF and others to provide communities with the tools they need to combat poverty and the horrors of a climate crisis they have not caused; and recognises that it is only with significant financial investment and global policy changes that we can achieve long-term development progress for all people across the world.

51150th Anniversary of Epsom and Ewell Talking Newspaper

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Helen Maguire

That this House congratulates Epsom and Ewell Talking Newspaper on its remarkable achievement of 50 years of service; recognises the charity's outstanding commitment to supporting visually impaired residents in Epsom and Ewell by providing vital access to news and local information; commends the volunteers whose dedication, effort, and time have made this invaluable service possible; acknowledges the critical role such services play in fostering inclusion and community connection; and wishes the charity continued success in its future endeavours supporting those in need.

51235th Anniversary of the AT Society

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Victoria Collins

That this House celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Harpenden-based Ataxia-Telangiectasia society, a charity dedicated to supporting families with AT, a rare and complex genetic disorder, through diagnosis, treatment and the challenges of everyday living; notes that the organisation was originally founded in 1989 by Maureen Poupard, with the help of Professor Malcolm Taylor; further notes the charity’s unique nature in providing both personal support to people with AT and funding research initiatives; highlights the success of its cooperative approach evidenced in the organisation of the world’s first ever conference on Clinical Science in AT, in 2004; commends the work of volunteers, researchers, and the team tirelessly advocating for people with AT; and fundamentally underlines that whilst 35 years is a real achievement, the charity does not want to have to exist but, nonetheless, will continue to fight for children, young people and their families until a cure is found.

51320 years of the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Victoria Collins

That this House celebrates the 20th Flamstead Scarecrow Festival, founded by Peter Milson in 2002 as an event to bring the community together and get creative for the benefit of the general public; notes the commendable efforts of Paul McMahon, Clare Rudd, Janet Bowie and the team on the scarecrow committee in their dedication to the cause and extensive fundraising success, especially for the Herts Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre and in future-proofing the 12th-century St Leonard’s Church, in their 2018 Roof Appeal; further highlights the community spirit of the village residents and the goodwill of all the volunteers engaged in the organisation of the event; particularly celebrates the 2024 winners, Sue and Tim Wright for their artistic Bee Fest scarecrow; and wishes Flamstead many more years of scarecrow fun.

51450 years of the St Albans and District Talking Newspaper

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Victoria Collins

That this House celebrates the 50th anniversary of the St Albans and District Talking Newspaper, a charity which records local newspapers to bring local news to the visually impaired in the district; notes that the organisation was originally founded in 1974 by two local residents, Ray and Meg Bousfield; further notes the success of the 50th anniversary celebrations held in August; highlights the positive difference the charity makes to help the visually impaired engage with their local community; underlines the hard work of many volunteers over the years and the positive impact on hundreds of local residents; and thanks them for their hard work and wishes the charity all the best for their future.

515Birmingham Children's Hospital Celebration Toy Fund

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Alex Ballinger

That this House congratulates Halesowen pubs and clubs for their fundraising efforts, raising money for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital Celebration Toy Fund; commends The Crafty Pint, Halesowen Cricket Club, Roberto’s Bar, The Hare and Hounds, The Huntingtree, The Yeltz Bar, and Somers Sports and Social Club for uniting in support of such an important cause; recognises that every child deserves a magical Christmas and that no child should go without during the festive season; and commends the local community for coming together to make this initiative a success.

516Coombs Wood Sports and Social Club

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 1

Alex Ballinger

That this House congratulates Coombs Wood Sports and Social Club for winning Community Club of the Year once again at the 2024 Club Awards; commends the exceptional work of Dawn Bubb and her dedicated team for their hard work throughout the year; notes that Coombs Wood Sports and Social Club remains a vital social asset in Halesowen North; and recognises the club’s outstanding offerings of drinks, food, and entertainment.

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.

454Reducing the age for bowel cancer screening offered on the NHS

Tabled: 25/11/24 Signatories: 20

Mr Joshua Reynolds

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

Christine Jardine

Ian Roome

Steve Darling

Calum Miller

That this House recognises the hard work of Stephen Rippington, who whilst battling against bowel cancer, was active in raising awareness for the disease both within his local area and online, and his wife Jessica who has raised over £10,000 for bowel cancer research; notes that 1 in 4 diagnoses occur among people aged under 50; and, following Stephen's passing earlier this year, calls for the age eligibility of screening tests for bowel cancer offered by the NHS to be reviewed.

468New University of Surrey United Nations CIFAL Centre

Tabled: 26/11/24 Signatories: 7

Zöe Franklin

Helen Maguire

Christine Jardine

Mr Will Forster

Jim Shannon

Sarah Dyke

Calum Miller

That this House congratulates the University of Surrey, Guildford, on the opening on 25 November 2024 of their new CIFAL International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders, in partnership with the United Nations; commends its aim of capacity-building, facilitating knowledge sharing between civil society organisation representatives, public servants, decision-makers and stakeholders locally and working internationally to strengthen capacities, improve decision-making processes and promote sustainable development; and notes the significant impact the centre will have locally, nationally and globally through its work.

471Potential closure of post offices

Tabled: 27/11/24 Signatories: 28

Daisy Cooper

Steve Darling

Anna Sabine

Ian Roome

Wendy Chamberlain

Helen Maguire

Calum Miller

That this House recognises the importance of Post Office branches across the UK; believes that they form a vital part of our local communities and highstreets with millions of people depending on them; recognises the importance of Post Offices as community hubs, providing access to communication, banking and other vital services; notes the particular need for such services for people with restricted access, such as older or more rural populations with little connectivity; is deeply concerned about the news that 115 branches of the Post Office may be closed and around 1,000 jobs could be at risk; and calls on the Government to take action to set the Post Office on a sustainable footing for the long term and to ensure that none of the 115 post offices close until a consultation with each local community has been undertaken.

474Assistance and access for disabled people at railway stations

Tabled: 27/11/24 Signatories: 27

Adam Dance

Ian Roome

Steve Darling

Helen Maguire

Mr Paul Kohler

Edward Morello

Calum Miller

That this House is gravely concerned by the challenges disabled people face in getting support at railway stations, particularly in rural constituencies such as Yeovil; expresses alarm at the absence of available assistance staff in stations such as Yeovil Pen Mill; notes with concern that only one in four train stations have step free access, that only 2% have level boarding, that at 67% of stations the platforms are too narrow for wheelchairs to turn, and that around 40% of rail stations have no tactile paving which is a vital safety feature for blind and visually impaired people; strongly believes that these people should have the same access to railway stations as able-bodied passengers and should not be at risk of accidents; acknowledges that many find the booking systems for requesting support staff difficult to access and use; also notes that inaccessible stations and a lack of support staff also pose challenges for parents with buggies and the elderly; and calls on the government to improve accessibility and support for disabled people on our railways, such as by improving the Access for All programme to deliver more projects, more rapidly, and by holding operators like Great Western Railway to account.

480Equal pay and prize money in women’s football

Tabled: 29/11/24 Signatories: 12

James MacCleary

Adam Dance

Jess Brown-Fuller

Liz Jarvis

Helen Maguire

Jim Shannon

Calum Miller

That this House expresses concern over the significant disparities in pay and prize money between men’s and women’s football; notes that the prize fund for the women’s FA Cup remains far lower than that of the men’s competition, despite the impressive growth and increasing popularity of women’s football; commends Lewes Football Club for being the first and currently only football club in the world to pay its men’s and women’s teams equally, setting an inspiring example for others to follow; calls on the Football Association to take immediate action to ensure that the women’s FA Cup prize money is brought into line with the men’s competition; further notes the ongoing inequity in player pay, with many women footballers earning considerably less than their male counterparts; and urges governing bodies, sponsors and clubs to commit to closing the pay gap, ensuring fairness and equality for all players regardless of gender.

48150th anniversary of Epsom Common Association

Tabled: 29/11/24 Signatories: 5

Helen Maguire

Jim Shannon

Steve Darling

Ben Maguire

Calum Miller

That this House congratulates Epsom Common Association on their 50th Anniversary and for being awarded their 18th consecutive Green Flag award: notes that this prestigious award recognises well managed parks and green spaces around the UK; celebrates the outstanding contribution to the community made by Epsom Common Association in a voluntary capacity, giving their effort, enthusiasm and time, delivering to the highest of standards in the local area; recognises the importance of protection and future welfare of Epsom Common; and wishes them the very best in their future endeavours carrying out conservation management tasks on the Common.

505Residence-based voting rights

Tabled: 5/12/24 Signatories: 3

Wera Hobhouse

Helen Maguire

Adam Dance

That this House believes democracy works best when all who are a part of our community can participate; acknowledges that everyone who has made the UK their long-term home, pays taxes, does their bit and contributes to society should have the right to vote in local and parliamentary elections; regrets that over 4 million people have no right to vote in UK general elections; further regrets that the voting rights of EU citizens have been curtailed and that over 171,000 previously-eligible EU voters have been removed from the electoral register as a consequence of the implementation of the 2022 Elections Bill.