Published – Tuesday 10 December 2024

New EDMs

517Asda's Cashpot for Schools initiative

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

Anna Sabine

That this House recognises the extraordinary efforts of Asda's Cashpot for Schools initiative, which has raised nearly £9,000 for Frome and East Somerset and over £400,000 for the South West; shows its gratitude to staff and workers in Frome Asda for their hard work over the festive period; thanks the generosity and engagement of customers; welcomes the initiative's work in helping provide primary schools and parent groups with additional funding; and wishes everyone involved in the initiative a wonderful break and New Year.

518175th anniversary of St Mary Immaculate Church

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

Gordon McKee

That this House congratulates St Mary Immaculate Church in Pollokshaws on its 175th anniversary; notes that a special celebratory mass is taking place on Monday 9 December 2024, led by Archbishop William Nolan; recognises the importance of the church to the local community; and wishes the church and its congregation every success for the future.

519Celebrating the service of local councillors

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

Blair McDougall

That this House believes that local councillors are the unsung heroes of our democracy; notes our thanks to the ordinary people who work for too little reward or recognition to fix things and represent local people; and congratulates in particular Councillors Betty Cunningham and Katie Pragnell of East Renfrewshire for winning the Lifetime Legend and Young Councillor of the Year awards respectively at the LGIU and CCLA Councillor Awards.

520Formation of the Macclesfield Branch, Cheshire Regiment Association

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

Tim Roca

That this House, cognisant of the good work all Regimental Associations do in support of their service personnel and veterans alike, warmly welcomes the formation of the Macclesfield Branch of the Cheshire Regiment Association; notes all the good work that the Cheshire Regiment Association has carried out, including fundraising for a Cheshire Regiment memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, hosting the annual Meeanee Reunion Dinner, and hosting local business leaders at the museum they run; and further notes that a local Macclesfield branch will build on the work of the Cheshire Regiment by reaching out to local ex-Cheshire soldiers, creating a community for them to be a part of, and tackling isolation and supporting veteran’s mental health, which will undoubtedly be a good development for Macclesfield, the Cheshire Regiment Association and veterans.

521Impact of the Work Capability Assessment on disabled people

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

John McDonnell

That this House notes the shocking evidence published by John Pring in his recent book of the harm, too often leading to fatalities, inflicted on disabled people by the Department of Work and Pensions since the introduction of the Work Capability Assessment; and calls on the Government to establish an independent public inquiry into the role played by Ministers, civil servants and advisers and their culpability for the suffering identified in this research.

522Fife Carers Centre recognition as a Carer Positive Exemplary employer

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

Wendy Chamberlain [R]

That this House congratulates Fife Carers Centre for being recognised as a Carer Positive Exemplary employer under the Carer Positive Scheme; praises the hard work of all their staff and the vital support they provide to unpaid carers across Fife; notes the importance of all businesses supporting unpaid carers and emphasises the need for employers to recognise the caring rights of their employees; and celebrates schemes such as Carers Positive and Employers for Carers which provide support and best practice guidance.

523Domestic Abuse Offences

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

Josh Babarinde

That this House acknowledges the pervasive and deeply harmful impact of domestic abuse on survivors; notes that, while the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse, there is no specific criminal offence for domestic abuse in England and Wales; further notes that many domestic abuse cases are prosecuted under broader offences such as common assault, ABH and GBH instead; recognises that as a result, not all domestic abuse cases are properly identified within the criminal justice system; also notes with alarm that this legal gap has meant that some domestic abusers are eligible for release under the SDS40 Early Release Scheme, despite the Government’s attempts to exempt them; and calls on the Government to back the Domestic Abuse (Aggravated Offences) Bill, which would ensure that domestic abuse cases are properly recognised as such in the criminal justice system by creating domestic abuse-aggravated offences, mirroring racially and religiously aggravated offences created in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, enabling more survivors and victims to get the protections they need and deserve.

524Review into breast cancer screening

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

Wera Hobhouse

That this House recognises the worrying rise in breast cancer cases in younger women; notes with concern that breast cancer accounts for 43% of all cancers diagnosed in women aged 25-49, yet women wait until they are 50 or older to begin routine screening; urges everyone to work together to dispel the misconception that breast cancer only affects older women; commends the medical professionals who provide top class care to patients once diagnosed; and calls on the Government to review the current arrangements for breast cancer screening, including the merits of reducing the minimum age at which women are invited for regular breast cancer screening.

525Institutes of Technology

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 1

Will Stone

That this House commends and celebrates the 21 Institutes of Technologies across the UK for their outstanding contribution to delivering high-quality, advanced technical education and training in a wide array of STEM fields; and notes that they play a vital role in addressing industry skills gaps by responding to the specific needs of local businesses, creating excellent opportunities for both young people and mature learners to access exceptional training and career pathways.

526ICC arrest warrant for General Min Aung Hlaing

Tabled: 9/12/24 Signatories: 2

Shockat Adam

Ayoub Khan

That this House welcomes the International Criminal Court’s request for an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s Senior General, Min Aung Hlaing, following credible evidence linking him to breaches of international law, war crimes and genocide; notes this includes in 2017 the Myanmar army destroying Rohingya settlements, along with mass rape, torture and execution without trial that killed thousands and caused 700,000 Rohingya people to flee to Bangladesh to seek refuge; further notes if the arrest warrant is issued all ICC state parties, which includes the United Kingdom, are obliged to detain General Min Aung Hlaing upon entry to their territory; and calls on the Government to comply with any arrest warrant and to pursue further measures such as ending the policy of non-interference to hold the military government of Myanmar to account and seek justice for the Rohingya and other religious and ethnic communities who are continuing to suffer at the hands of Myanmar’s military regime.

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.

479Ukraine energy security Marshall plan

Tabled: 29/11/24 Signatories: 8

Alex Sobel

Chris Law

Luke Akehurst

Luke Myer

Jim Shannon

Cat Eccles

Wera Hobhouse

That this House recognizes that a Ukraine Energy Security Marshall Plan will protect the people of Ukraine, promote global security, and accelerate the worldwide transition to clean energy; believes that distributed clean energy is resilient against attacks as it does not have single points of failure, is faster and less expensive to produce, can be repaired much quicker, and removes the dependency on autocratic nations that control fossil fuels; is concerned that that over half of Ukraine’s power infrastructure is destroyed, underscoring the imperative for an immediate overhaul with a transition to distributed clean energy that is a priority as reconstruction plans are created and implemented; notes that solar energy can keep hospitals and schools running and provide running water and heat; further notes that electric buses and minivans can power hospitals and command posts when missiles and drones strike; also notes that wind turbines like those Ukraine constructed near the front line cost less to build than the missiles needed to destroy them and are hard targets, being narrow and dispersed; finally notes that only 0.46% of the solar and 0.4% of the wind potential in Ukraine will supply the entire country with electricity; recognizes that Ukraine’s wind generation is enough to power the electricity demand of Europe six times over; and finally recognizes that supporting Ukraine’s energy security is critical for the UK's security.

480Equal pay and prize money in women’s football

Tabled: 29/11/24 Signatories: 14

James MacCleary

Adam Dance

Jess Brown-Fuller

Liz Jarvis

Helen Maguire

Jim Shannon

Adrian RamsayWera Hobhouse

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.

484Treating retail workers with kindness during the festive trading period

Tabled: 29/11/24 Signatories: 22

Chris Kane

Graeme Downie

Kenneth Stevenson

Martin Rhodes

Katrina Murray

Brian Leishman

Wendy ChamberlainWill Stone

That this House welcomes the press and social media campaign from the Scottish Retail Consortium and Usdaw which is urging Scots to be kind, considerate and respectful to retail workers and fellow customers when shopping this Christmas; notes that the festive period can be an especially complex and challenging time for retail businesses with colleagues working hard to keep shelves stocked and products delivered; understands that abuse towards those working in customer service has climbed with figures from Usdaw showing over two thirds of retail staff have experienced verbal abuse in the past twelve months; affirms that any mistreatment of colleagues in stores is wholly unacceptable and should not be tolerated; and commends this responsible and positive initiative from employers and trade unions for a little Christmas kindness and courtesy from Scots so that we can all enjoy shopping over the festive period and in turn support local jobs and the vibrancy of our town and city centre destinations.

489Colin S Macleod's 1000-mile swim

Tabled: 2/12/24 Signatories: 7

Torcuil Crichton

Jim Shannon

Mary Kelly Foy

Graeme Downie

Kirsteen Sullivan

Dr Scott Arthur

Richard Baker

That this House congratulates Mr Colin S Macleod, long distance swimmer and charity fundraiser, on completing his 1000-mile, Land's End to Shetland swimming challenge by repeatedly and relentlessly traversing the mile-length of the Braighe isthmus on the Isle of Lewis on the Minch and Broadway sides in all weathers during 2024; acknowledges the success of Jane Maciver, Paul Finnegan, Donald Smith, Cinzia Zingone, David Evans, Malcolm Dalzel-Job and Colin S MacLeod in completing their contributions to the virtual Land's End to John O'Groats to Shetland 1000-mile challenge; and notes their joint fundraising achievements to mark the 200th anniversary of the RNLI.

492Domestic abuse and the workplace

Tabled: 2/12/24 Signatories: 11

Apsana Begum

Jim Shannon

Mary Kelly Foy

Andrew George

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Shockat Adam

Adrian Ramsay

That this House notes that domestic abuse can have profound long-term effects on survivors and is concerned that is very difficult to speak out about domestic abuse and often those that do are subject to further silencing tactics; recognises that domestic violence is a workplace issue and that it can affect employment performance and in some cases even mean the abuse is carried out in the workplace; believes that domestic abuse policies form an essential part of a strategy to achieve equal opportunities in the workplace; recognises trade unions are key in holding employers to account and have an important role to play in bargaining for better workplace conditions; calls on all employers to ensure workplaces are places of safety for survivors of domestic abuse with measures in place for their protection and empowerment such as paid leave and flexible working, and an environment fostered where individuals experiencing domestic abuse feel confident that they will be believed, listened to and treated supportively; and calls on the Government to ensure the provision of a nationally-funded network of domestic violence and abuse support services.

493Migrants and domestic abuse

Tabled: 2/12/24 Signatories: 10

Apsana Begum

Jim Shannon

Mary Kelly Foy

Andrew George

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Shockat Adam

Adrian Ramsay

That this House notes that domestic abuse can have profound long-term effects on survivors and is concerned that it is very difficult to speak out about domestic abuse and often those that do are subject to further silencing tactics; is concerned that police forces potentially sharing migrant data with Immigration Enforcement could prevent migrants experiencing domestic abuse from reporting to the police and others due to the fear that they will be treated as an offender themselves and face potential criminalisation, detention and deportation; is further concerned that many migrants experiencing domestic abuse are left without support due to the no recourse to public funds policy; believes that everyone experiencing domestic abuse must feel able to report abuse and access justice and safety, and that perpetrators should not be allowed evade justice by using immigration status in order to silence, abuse and control; and calls on the Government to introduce a firewall between all public services and the Home Office and to scrap the no recourse to public funds policy.

494Funding for domestic abuse services

Tabled: 2/12/24 Signatories: 10

Apsana Begum

Jim Shannon

Mary Kelly Foy

Andrew George

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Shockat Adam

Adrian Ramsay

That this House notes that domestic abuse has wide-ranging effects, including mental, emotional, physical, social and financial, on all areas of life for the individual survivor and those around them; recognises that community-based domestic abuse services provide holistic, specialist support to women and children experiencing domestic abuse on both a short and long-term basis; further recognises that access to support at all stages, whether still living with the abuser, planning to flee, or having already left to rebuild their lives, is absolutely critical; is alarmed that many such services are chronically underfunded and working to short-term contracts, creating a postcode lottery of provision across the country; and calls on the Government to ensure that domestic abuse services, including specialist services for disabled, LGBTQ+ and Black and Asian survivors, are properly funded so that every survivor can access the support they need.

496Kevin Sinfield fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease research

Tabled: 3/12/24 Signatories: 9

Mr Gregory Campbell

Andrew George

Shockat Adam

Christine Jardine

Kirsteen Sullivan

Richard Burgon

Adrian Ramsay

That this House notes the seven ultramarathons in seven days across the UK in December 2024 by rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield CBE, who has continued his incredible fund raising efforts for research into combating Motor Neurone Disease (MND), so far raising over £16 million to help those affected by one of the most debilitating and heart-breaking conditions; recognises BBC Breakfast has consistently helped to highlight the amazing efforts Kevin Sinfield has put in since his friend the late Rob Burrows CBE was diagnosed in 2019; and expresses the hope that a cure for MND will be brought much closer due in no small measure to these outstanding endeavours.

497Bowel Cancer UK report into NHS services

Tabled: 3/12/24 Signatories: 22

Clive Jones [R]

Helen Maguire

Steve Darling

Ian Roome

Helen Morgan

Adam Dance

Adrian RamsayAnna SabineWera Hobhouse

That this House recognises bowel cancer as the second biggest cancer killer, with over 13,500 people tragically dying from bowel cancer each year in England alone; acknowledges the findings from Bowel Cancer UK’s report entitled Delivering the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan: A review of progress of bowel cancer in England that whilst progress for bowel cancer services has been made, progress has still not been good enough; is concerned that progress on early diagnosis of bowel cancer has stagnated and that patients are experiencing longer waiting times than almost all other cancer; further recognises that nine in ten people survive bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage, compared to just one in ten at the latest stage; and calls on the Government, via their new national cancer plan, to deliver the optimisation of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and to create much needed extra capacity in endoscopy and pathology services to encourage early diagnosis.

499Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures

Tabled: 3/12/24 Signatories: 5

Andrew George

Shockat Adam

Ellie Chowns

Adrian Ramsay

Wera Hobhouse

That this House welcomes Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis on his visit to the UK today; notes that the British Museum still holds about half of the Parthenon Sculptures, controversially removed from Athens by Lord Elgin between 1801 and 1812, during the Ottoman occupation of Greece, then purchased from him by the Government following a decision by this Parliament in 1816, and that they remain on display in the British Museum to which they were transferred by Act of Parliament in the same year; considers it is no longer appropriate for these sculptures to be held and displayed in the UK and notes that the sculptures have not always been well protected and have indeed been damaged whilst in the possession of the museum; further notes that the remaining Parthenon Sculptures have been well displayed since 2009 in the purpose built Acropolis Museum in the shadow of the Parthenon; notes that Prime Minister Mitsotakis has compared the UK’s possession of the Parthenon sculptures as like cutting the Mona Lisa in half; and calls on the Government to work with the trustees of the British Museum, to agree a gracious act to reunite the Parthenon Sculptures with those in Athens and to finally put right this enduring wrong.

501Certificate of Common Sponsorship

Tabled: 3/12/24 Signatories: 10

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Mary Kelly Foy

Andrew George

Carla Denyer

Richard Burgon

Ellie Chowns

Adrian RamsayMrs Emma Lewell-BuckSteve Witherden

That this House believes that migrant health and care workers on Tier 2 visas play an essential role in the delivery of UK health and care services; recognises that current rules tie these workers to a single employer, and that if a worker loses their job they may face financial hardship, debt, lost investment and the possibility that their partner will also lose the right to work; further believes that the dependency on a single employer creates a significant power imbalance; notes that it also contributes to potentially exploitative and unsafe working conditions, with workers reluctant to report concerns for fear of retaliation or deportation; further notes that employers may exploit these fears by making unfair demands, and that many migrant workers report feeling trapped in bonded servitude with constant job insecurity; acknowledges the negative impact that this situation can have on mental health and wellbeing; agrees that migrant workers deserve the freedom to change employers within the sector; supports UNISON’s campaign for a Certificate of Common Sponsorship for health and care workers on Tier 2 visas as a way of breaking the exclusive link between a single employer and a worker’s visa status; and calls on the Government to begin the process of introducing such as scheme as part of the overall drive to reform and improve the social care sector.

505Residence-based voting rights

Tabled: 5/12/24 Signatories: 9

Wera Hobhouse

Helen Maguire

Adam Dance

Gideon Amos

Manuela Perteghella

Ben Maguire

Jess Brown-FullerAndrew GeorgeEllie Chowns

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.

507Registration scheme for short-term lets and local communities

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 5

Steve Darling

Jess Brown-Fuller

Wera Hobhouse

Andrew George

Ellie Chowns

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: 7

Adam Dance

Helen Maguire

Tom Morrison

Gideon Amos

Ian Roome

Andrew George

Ellie Chowns

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: 2

Alex Sobel

Ellie Chowns

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: 3

Patricia Ferguson

Dr Scott Arthur

Brian Leishman

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.

515Birmingham Children's Hospital Celebration Toy Fund

Tabled: 6/12/24 Signatories: 2

Alex Ballinger

Ayoub Khan

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.