Contents

Published – Friday 28 February 2025

Early Day Motions tabled on Thursday 27 February 2025

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

858Social care day of action

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 4

Helen Morgan

Alison Bennett

Jess Brown-Fuller

Ellie Chowns

That this House notes the unprecedented decision of social care providers to protest outside Parliament; believes this must be a wake-up call for the Government on the disastrous state of adult social care; echoes their plea to save the sector from total collapse; further notes that inadequate social care accounts for one in every eight hospital beds currently occupied; regrets the years of neglect under the last Conservative Government, which saw elderly and disabled people left without care, families at breaking point and an NHS on its knees; further regrets the self defeating and foolish national insurance rise, which will see carers laid off and care homes shut their doors; regrets the decision to postpone cross party social care talks on the basis of scheduling conflicts; urges the Government to ensure the cross party commission finishes its work within a year, so that vital reforms can be implemented to bring social care back from the brink, recognise carers and promote their professional development, recruit more carers to address shortages, and properly support unpaid and family carers; and calls on the Government to recognise that this challenge, which touches on the lives of every family in the country, is of existential importance for our NHS, and for the care, comfort and dignity of all across our country.

85980th anniversary of Operation Open Door

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 1

Blair McDougall

This House commemorates the 80th anniversary of Operation Open Door, when the British Royal Navy and Norwegian service personnel rescued 502 civilian refugees from the Nazi-Occupied Island of Soroya, Norway; notes the bravery of the people of Soroya in the face of Nazi brutality; celebrates the heroism of all those who took part in the rescue raid and the merchant seamen who helped take the civilians to sanctuary in Scotland; especially commends the 27 members of the crew and Naval Armed Guard of the Liberty ship, the SS Henry Bacon, who sacrificed their own lives to save those of refugees; further notes that the SS Henry Bacon was the last Allied ship sunk by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War; congratulates the village of Neilston in East Renfrewshire for providing a warm welcome and a happy home to these refugees; further commends the work of Matt Drennan and the Neilston War Memorial Association for developing and maintaining a memorial and information board at Kingston Park where the refugees were housed, including 27 trees planted to commemorate the lost sailors; and resolves to live up to the lessons of heroism and humanity offered by the story of those involved in Operation Open Door.

860Sir Tom Clarke CBE

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 1

Frank McNally

That this House commends Sir Tom Clarke CBE for his six years of service as Chair of Coatbridge Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Board of Trustees; notes that Sir Tom’s stellar career in public and community service spans six decades, with his chairmanship of the Coatbridge CAB succeeding a successful career in local government and thirty-three years as a Member of Parliament; praises the advice and assistance offered to residents of Coatbridge and its outlying villages by Coatbridge CAB’s staff and 29 volunteers, which helped secure £2.7 million for local people last year; and welcomes that while stepping down as chair, Sir Tom will continue to play a role in Coatbridge CAB as an invaluable member of its Board of Trustees.

861Tribute banner to Brendan McFarlane at Celtic Football Club

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 1

Mr Gregory Campbell

That this House notes the display at a recent football match played at a Celtic Football Club home game in Glasgow where a banner was displayed by some fans which declared the recently deceased IRA terrorist Brendan McFarlane as a hero; draws attention to the facts that McFarlane was convicted in 1976 for his role in an attack on the Bayardo Bar in a Unionist area of Belfast, where five people were murdered and sixty others injured, and even after his release he resumed his terrorist activities; also deplores the fact that a Professor at the University of Glasgow shared the display on social media; calls upon Glasgow Celtic Football Club and the University of Glasgow to take action, as failure to do so will mean a belief in wider society that both institutions are content to be associated with a tribute to a sectarian terrorist who was deeply involved in multiple murders.

862Climate Change Committee's 7th Carbon Budget

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 2

Pippa Heylings

Ellie Chowns

That this House recognises the Climate Change Committee (CCC)’s 7th carbon budget as a clear pathway to UK energy security, protecting families and businesses from volatile fossil fuel prices controlled by authoritarian regimes; is deeply concerned by the CCC's findings that the UK has deliverable plans for only a third of the emissions reductions needed to meet climate targets; understands that urgent action is required to expand domestic energy capacity; regrets that the former Conservative government cut the home insulation schemes established by the Liberal Democrats, which would have saved customers thousands and made homes warm and safe; is concerned by the Government’s continued subsidies for the Drax biomass plant, airport expansion, and delays to the energy-saving benefits of Future Home Building Standards; calls for ambitious upfront investment in a ten-year emergency upgrade programme to provide free insulation and heat pumps for low-income households; urges the Government to introduce an energy social tariff to tackle fuel poverty and health inequalities caused by cold, damp homes; welcomes the CCC’s recognition of nature’s role in tackling climate change and strengthening communities against extreme weather; calls for urgent action on nature recovery, including tree planting and regenerative farming, to ensure food security, restore ecosystems, and reduce carbon emissions; and urges the Government to restore the UK’s position as a global leader in renewable energy.

863Cumbria farmers

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 1

Tim Farron

That this House recognises the pivotal role that farmers play in producing the food on our plates and caring for the environment; expresses strong concern over the Government’s changes to inheritance tax rules for farmers and the impact this will have in particular on small family farmers in our rural communities; and strongly supports Newsquest Cumbria’s Back Our Farmers Campaign in The Cumberland News and The Westmorland Gazette which calls for the Chancellor to think again.

864Israel’s military presence in the West Bank

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 27

Richard Burgon

Imran Hussain

Zarah Sultana

Ian Byrne

John McDonnell

Apsana Begum

That this House expresses alarm over the escalating Israeli military assaults across the illegally occupied West Bank, including the use of armoured tanks in Jenin for the first time since 2002; notes that since 21 January 2025, Israel has launched a major offensive resulting in the deaths of at least 51 Palestinians, including at least 7 children, and the forced displacement of over 40,000 Palestinians from refugee camps in the north of the West Bank; condemns the targeting and killing of children including Ayman Al-Hemouni, 12, and Rimas Ammouri, 13, both shot in the back by Israeli forces on 21 February; further expresses alarm at Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s statement that Palestinian refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas are now empty of residents and his instruction to prepare for a prolonged military presence; further condemns coordinated attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinian communities, including in Masafer Yatta and occupied East Jerusalem, where homes and structures have been set ablaze; recalls the International Court of Justice ruling in July 2024 that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful and that all states have a legal obligation not to aid or assist this illegal occupation and to act to bring it to an end; and urges the Government to take steps including a ban on all goods from illegal Israeli settlements and to end military cooperation and arms trade with Israel and all other trade that aids or assists Israel’s unlawful occupation.

865Educationally subnormal schools in the 1960s and 1970s

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 2

Kim Johnson

Ellie Chowns

That this House acknowledges the historical injustice suffered by Black children who were wrongly classified as educationally subnormal and placed in schooling for those with severely physical and mental disabilities under racist policies; notes the findings of Subnormal: A British Scandal and the exceptional work of educational campaigners starting with Bernard Coard, who have highlighted the lifelong harm caused by this systemic discrimination; further recognises the generational impact on families and communities whose children were denied access to a fair and equal education; notes the fortieth anniversary of the Swann Report entitled Education for All and its recommendations to combat racism in education, and regrets the lack of full implementation of its conclusions and findings; calls on the Government to issue a formal apology to those affected and to ensure their experiences are properly acknowledged; and urges the Government to establish a full public inquiry into this historic educational injustice to ensure accountability, transparency and meaningful policy changes to prevent such discrimination from ever occurring again.

866Christians Against Poverty and debt advice funding

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 1

Lillian Jones

That this House commends the outstanding work of Christians Against Poverty (CAP) in providing free, expert debt advice and practical support to people and families facing financial hardship; acknowledges the invaluable role played by CAP in helping people escape problem debt, build financial resilience and restore hope in their lives; recognises the increasing demand for debt advice services amid the high cost of living and economic pressures; expresses concern that many frontline debt advice providers face funding challenges that threaten their ability to support those in need; and calls on the Government to do what they can to help free face-to-face debt advice services to ensure that organisations like Christians Against Poverty can continue their vital work from the excellent Howard Centre in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency and in communities across the UK.

867National oversight mechanism

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 2

Carla Denyer

Ellie Chowns

That this House believes that the State owes it to bereaved families and victims to learn and implement lessons from deaths involving the State and corporate agencies; notes that the Grenfell Inquiry recognised a failure of the State to follow up on recommendations made by inquests and inquiries; acknowledges the Government’s commitment to a publicly available record of these recommendations as a step in the right direction; urges the Government to also create a national oversight mechanism to ensure that these recommendations are routinely monitored by an independent body to help enact learning and prevent future deaths; further notes that such a Mechanism would go beyond facilitating transparency and ensure accountability, which is desperately needed for bereaved families and for public confidence; and believes that for victims of large scale tragedies such as Hillsborough and Grenfell, as well as victims of individual state failings, the Government must ensure that lessons are learned from their deaths and the same mistakes are not repeated.

868Cap exemption under Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 2

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Ellie Chowns

That this House notes with concern that the new £25,000 cap on the Listed Places of Worship scheme has created significant financial difficulties for churches across the country that have building projects already in progress; believes that the sudden and unexpected introduction of the cap on January 22nd amounts to an unfair change of policy for places of worship that have already signed contracts; notes that the cap has put in jeopardy projects that are designed to restore important historic buildings and provide crucial community services, such as Holy Trinity Clapham which has raised £6.2m to expand its community services for the homeless and vulnerable, families and children but which now faces an extra £1m tax bill; recognises the scheme has received cross-party support across successive governments; and calls on the Government to ensure the introduction of an exemption for places of worship that already have signed contracts for projects set to conclude in the 2025-26 financial year, before the cap was introduced.

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.

780Royal Mail's universal service obligation

Tabled: 10/02/25 Signatories: 34

Anna Sabine

Ayoub Khan

Christine Jardine

Wera Hobhouse

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Jim Shannon

That this House expresses its concern over Ofcom’s proposed changes to Royal Mail’s universal service obligation which would allow Royal Mail to alternate second-class deliveries, scrap second-class deliveries on Saturday and reduce delivery targets for first and second-class post; acknowledges the importance of a reliable Royal Mail service for rural communities, the elderly, disabled and the vulnerable; laments that many households are not receiving an adequate level of postal and parcel service, often missing important post including medical appointments, prescriptions and bills; calls on the Government and Ofcom to work with Royal Mail to improve the quality of service, delivery targets and staff retention; and further acknowledges all the work that postal works and deliverers do for the community.

781NHS targets

Tabled: 10/02/25 Signatories: 34

Helen Morgan

Jess Brown-Fuller

Dr Danny Chambers

Alison Bennett

Ayoub Khan

Wera Hobhouse

That this House acknowledges the abject failure of the last Conservative Government to meet NHS targets; notes that this failure reflected devastating mismanagement which left hospitals crumbling, operations cancelled, pensioners treated on trolleys in corridors, and doctors and nurses at breaking point; further notes that our NHS was once the envy of the world; regrets that, rather than show ambition in this moment of crisis, the Labour Government has been slow to take the action required to reach basic standards of diagnosis, treatment and waiting times; expresses alarm that the dropping of targets has seen community services, mental health, dementia, women’s health and other areas of care deprioritised; further regrets that many patients will suffer as a result; believes the Government has not lived up to its promises on prevention and care in the community; calls on the Government to be more ambitious for our NHS, and reinstate the slashed targets; further calls on the Government to fix the crisis at both the front door and the back door of the NHS by investing in public health and early access to community services so fewer people need to go to hospital in the first place, and to fix the crisis in social care which sees so many people stuck in hospital beds or unable to cope; and further believes patients in this country deserve nothing less than a first class health service which delivers the highest standards of care whenever they need it.

783National Heart Month

Tabled: 11/02/25 Signatories: 14

Jim Shannon

Ayoub Khan

Gavin Robinson

Christine Jardine

Ellie Chowns

Ben Lake

That this House recognises the importance of National Heart Month in the UK, celebrated in February each year and hosted by the British Heart Foundation; notes that this campaign raises awareness of heart-related health conditions, and promotes healthy living habits to help reduce the risk of heart diseases; highlights that around 7.6 million people in the UK have a heart or circulatory disease, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and vascular dementia; further notes that in the UK someone dies from a heart or circulatory condition every 3 minutes and that there are things we can do to improve outcomes, such as learning CPR, donating to the many charities or attending fundraisers; thanks the British Heart Foundation and other charities for the incredible work they do to support those with heart diseases; and recognises that we can all play a role in raising awareness of this campaign.

785Military sexual trauma

Tabled: 11/02/25 Signatories: 13

Cameron Thomas

Ayoub Khan

Helen Maguire

Ian Roome

Jess Brown-Fuller

Christine Jardine

That this House notes that military sexual trauma refers to rape, sexual assault or sexual harassment experienced during military service; further notes that it is distinct owing to the self-contained nature of military life, the unique pressures of military training environments and operational theatres, professional and social hierarchical structures and loyalty to the service; also notes that these, amongst other factors, may leave personnel and family members uniquely vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation, cut off from regular avenues of support and unable to create distance between themselves and the perpetrators; and believes that the Ministry of Defence has a duty to (a) recognise military sexual trauma and its unique contributory factors, (b) take appropriate steps to safeguard those vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation, (c) support victims and (d) take action against perpetrators.

798Leasehold reform

Tabled: 12/02/25 Signatories: 19

Gideon Amos

Ayoub Khan

Wera Hobhouse

Adam Dance

Helen Maguire

Jim Shannon

That this House believes reform to the leasehold system is long overdue; notes that Liberals and Liberal Democrats have campaigned to end leasehold since the reforms David Lloyd George laid down in the People's Budget 1909; regrets that the Conservatives in government failed to protect leaseholders from dangerous cladding or ban leaseholds; further notes that leaseholders make up over 20% of the housing stock in England which suffer from poorly regulated management charges and uncapped ground rents; recognises that many leaseholders have faced large service charge increases, including an 11% rise during 2024; understands with concern that increases in service charge have left many leaseholders trapped in their properties and unable to sell; also notes that some freeholders face similar charges through unmanaged and unregulated estate management fees; is therefore deeply concerned that the Government has so far failed to honour its manifesto commitment by further delaying leasehold reform; asks the Government to urgently provide leaseholders with management rights to protect them from unregulated charges; and calls on the Government finally to abolish leasehold tenancies for all current and new residential properties.

799Refusal of Citizenship to refugees who have made irregular crossings

Tabled: 13/02/25 Signatories: 61

Nadia Whittome

Ms Diane Abbott

Olivia Blake

Abtisam Mohamed

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Clive Lewis

That this House expresses deep concern over the refusal of citizenship to refugees who have made irregular crossings to the UK; notes that this policy further punishes individuals whose claims of fleeing war, persecution, and danger have been upheld by the asylum system; further notes that, due to a lack of alternative safe routes, many people are forced to make unsafe crossings in order to claim asylum in the first place; notes with concern that the refusal of citizenship denies these same individuals security and a safe, permanent home; and urges the Government to reconsider this policy.

803UAE imprisonment of Ryan Cornelius

Tabled: 13/02/25 Signatories: 9

Munira Wilson

Calum Miller

Helen Maguire

Ellie Chowns

John McDonnell

Jim Shannon

That this House notes with concern that Ryan Cornelius, a British citizen, remains imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates, notwithstanding a finding by the United Nations that he has been arbitrarily detained, and notwithstanding a finding by the United Nations that Mr Cornelius should be immediately released and provided with compensation and other reparations in accordance with international law; calls upon the UAE government to release Mr Cornelius in accordance with international law; further calls upon the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to secure the release of Mr Cornelius; and asks the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to raise this matter with his Emirati counterpart.

804Prostate cancer screening and men's health support

Tabled: 13/02/25 Signatories: 19

Manuela Perteghella

Tom Gordon

Helen Maguire

Ben Lake

Ellie Chowns

Ian Roome

That this House acknowledges the vital work of the South Warwickshire Prostate Cancer Support Group in raising awareness of prostate cancer and supporting those affected; recognises the urgent need for a National Prostate Cancer Screening Programme to improve early detection and save lives; calls for enhanced GP training on PSA testing to ensure timely and accurate diagnoses; stresses the importance of greater mental health resources for men and their families coping with a prostate cancer diagnosis; further supports the Boys Need Bins campaign, advocating for sanitary bins in male toilets across public and private venues to improve hygiene and dignity for those managing medical and personal needs; and urges the Government to take immediate action to implement these crucial reforms to improve men's health and well-being across the UK.

807Hill farming

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 12

Tim Farron

Ian Roome

Adam Dance

Mr Angus MacDonald

Jim Shannon

Dr Roz Savage

That this House recognises hill farming to be critical to the protection and restoration of beautiful British upland farmland; acknowledges the world class standards of animal husbandry and food production practised by British upland farmers; notes that hill farmers work to improve biodiversity through sheep grazing and the protection of wetlands and woodlands; further recognises the efforts of hill farmers to improve water quality and reduce water run-off across their land, which provides vital natural flood mitigation; also recognises the flood mitigation work of upland farmers in Longsleddale and Kentmere protecting homes in Kendal, Staveley, and Burneside from devastating floods; understands hill farmers protect peatlands which capture and store carbon; remembers that when UNESCO gave the Lake District World Heritage Status, they gave equal credit for landscape formation to hill farmers as they did the glaciers; further notes therefore with concern that, despite this, hill farmers’ livelihoods are at risk from delays to new Government higher-tier support schemes, and are receiving only 8% of the Government’s Sustainable Farming Incentive despite the uplands occupying around 15% of England’s area; urges the Government to consider the vital benefits of hill farming for environment and national cultural heritage when assessing competing demands on land through the Land Use Framework; and calls on the Government to dedicate further support to upland farmers to reflect their vital work to protect natural landscapes.

808Cash acceptance

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 17

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Jim Shannon

Richard Burgon

Apsana Begum

Ian Lavery

Margaret Mullane

That this House is concerned at the rapidly increasing trend for UK businesses, local authorities and leisure facilities, including those supported by taxpayer funding, to refuse to accept cash for payments; appreciates that this issue is of ever-increasing importance to the 16 million British adults who run their household budgets using cash, along with many of the 13 million UK citizens over 65 struggling to make ends-meet; recognises that the estimated 4 million people in the UK at risk in abusive relationships may use discretely saved cash as an escape route from abuse; deplores the fact that the imposition of app-only payment, including for car parking and other travel-related purchases, severely threatens the financial inclusion of the 8 million plus adults who do not own smart phones; notes that most of the UK’s European neighbours, including Belgium, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain, have already put cash acceptance legislation in place; understands that a recent survey by YouGov established that 71% of British adults want similar legal measures introduced in the UK; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to require all businesses in the UK to accept cash for payment.

809LGBTQI+ people in immigration detention

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 11

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Richard Burgon

Shockat Adam

Apsana Begum

Ian Lavery

That this House welcomes the ongoing review of the Home Office's Adults at risk in immigration detention policy; notes that LGBTQI+ people face heightened levels of harassment, discrimination, abuse, and physical and sexual violence in immigration detention; recognises that the bullying of and discrimination against LGBTQI+ people in detention can re-traumatise those who have fled persecution; believes that immigration detention is costly and punitive, and that cheaper and more humane alternatives to detention exist; further welcomes the community-based Alternative to Detention pilots undertaken by the Home Office and supports their wider expansion; calls on the Government to include being gay, lesbian, bisexual or queer in the Adults at risk in immigration detention policies indicators of risk and to remove the categorisation of vulnerability based on evidence levels; and supports the greater use of community-based alternatives to detention.

810Increases in rail fares

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 14

James MacCleary

Adam Dance

Steve Darling

Tom Gordon

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

That this House deeply regrets the Government’s decision to increase rail fares by 4.6%, at a time when performance on the rail network continues to decline; notes with concern that this increase fails to incentivise train use, undermining efforts to promote public transport as an affordable and sustainable alternative; expresses concern that an annual season ticket for a commuter travelling from Lewes to London Victoria now costs an eye-watering £5,432; condemns the worsening reliability of services, with persistent delays, cancellations, and overcrowding making rail travel increasingly frustrating for passengers; and believes that commuters and families should not be forced to pay more for a service that continues to deteriorate.

811160th anniversary of SeeScape

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 3

Richard Baker

Jim Shannon

Douglas McAllister

That this House recognises the remarkable achievements of Seescape, which celebrates its 160th anniversary this year; acknowledges the depth and scope of the charity’s vital role in supporting people with visual impairment across Fife, previously as Fife Society for the Blind and now as Seescape, helping people with sight loss to live independently, improve their health and wellbeing, to access work, study and social opportunities and live their lives to the full, with notable clients including former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Paralympic climber Garry Morrison; further recognises the many volunteers whose vital contributions throughout the years make Seescape the success is it today; and calls on hon. and Rt hon. Members to continue to work towards reducing employment access inequality for people with disabilities.

812Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide charity

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 26

Layla Moran

Steve Darling

Tom Gordon

Mr Angus MacDonald

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

That this House recognises the important work done by the charity Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide; notes that for every person who dies by suicide, there are up to 135 people who are impacted by the death; further notes Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide's aim to set up groups across the country to be a network of support for those who have lost loved ones to suicide; recognises current bereavement services fall short due to a lack of funding; and calls on the Government to act urgently and step up support for those experiencing bereavement by suicide.

813Supporting British farmers

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 28

Edward Morello

Ian Roome

Adam Dance

Steve Darling

Tom Gordon

Mr Angus MacDonald

That this House recognises the vital contribution of British farmers to food security, environmental protection, and rural communities; notes with great concern that 30% of farms failed to make profit in 2023/24 and the UK has seen a 5.8% decline in dairy producers; acknowledges farmers are being forced to diversify due to poor profitability; calls on the Government to support farmers’ efforts to diversify alongside their work in food production; further calls on the Government to increase the farming budget by £1 billion a year; also calls for fairer trade deals post-Brexit that protect farming standards and ensure British farmers are not undercut; highlights the urgent need to support farmers facing extreme weather events caused by climate change, such as flooding and droughts, to maintain national food security; further notes the financial strain on family farms due to Inheritance Tax changes, and understands that the new exemption of only the first £1 million in agricultural and business assets leaves many family farms vulnerable; further highlights the case of a brother and sister in West Dorset, who are seventh generational dairy farmers, who will face a tax bill of £400,000 upon their mother's passing, which will exceed their annual profits; calls on supermarkets to prioritise paying farmers fairly rather than prioritising profit; and further calls for the introduction of a fairer food supply chain, greater investment in agricultural technology, stronger mental health support for farmers, and protections for high-quality farmland to support domestic food production.

817Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 7

John McDonnell

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Jim Shannon

Richard Burgon

Shockat Adam

Jon Trickett

That this House notes the horrific events that took place on the 13 April 1919 where more than 1500 unarmed children, women, men and the elderly were brutally shot and murdered and more than 6,000 were injured without any warning or reason under the order of Brigadier General R.E.H. Dye; further notes the massacre and the humiliations that followed are a deep stain and scar on British history; and calls on the Government to make a formal apology which would give some solace to the victims, their families and the people of the Indian subcontinent.

820Wellbeing of home educated children

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 17

Gideon Amos

Adam Dance

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

Helen Maguire

Dr Roz Savage

That this House recognises that for many children and their families, personalised home education is the best choice, and therefore affirms the rights of parents to choose home education where it is in their child’s best interest; notes that, in and of itself, home education does not present a safeguarding risk; further notes that existing child protection frameworks should be strengthened; believes that the implementation of a register of children not in school should not impose burdensome or disproportionate levels of oversight on home educators; further believes that details required within that register must be limited to those strictly necessary to safeguarding the wellbeing of the home educated child; is concerned at the potential for home education provision to be unjustly denied in cases where it is most appropriate for the child, particularly for children with SEND diagnoses; also notes the lack of support offered to home educating families in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill; urges the House to support amendments to that Bill to make examination free to home educated children; and further urges the Government to engage meaningfully to strengthen not weaken the wellbeing and life chances of home educated children.

822Striking workers at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts sixth form

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 14

Kim Johnson

Ian Byrne

Paula Barker

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Jim Shannon

Richard Burgon

That this House stands in solidarity with staff at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), who are embarking on a two-week strike demanding union recognition; recognises the dedication and hard work of the teaching staff at LIPA Sixth Form and their vital role in providing high-quality education to students; notes with concern that staff have been left with no choice but to take strike action due to inefficient management practices and health and safety concerns; further stands in solidarity with the striking staff and their union representatives in their fight for fair treatment and recognition of the National Education Union (NEU); and calls on the Multi-Academy Trust to immediately sign a Trade Union Recognition Agreement and engage in meaningful negotiations with staff to resolve the dispute and ensure fair working conditions for all employees.

823Acts of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 4

Jim Shannon

Robin Swann

Mr Gregory Campbell

Bob Blackman

That this House notes with sadness that 70 Christians have been found beheaded in church in the DRC; underlines that on 13 February 2025, suspected militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) based in the countries North East region, a group with ties to the Islamic State, approached homes in Mayba in the territory of Lubero to which twenty Christian men and women came out and were captured; further notes that the ADF surrounded the village and captured a further 50 Christians, took them to a Protestant Church in Kasanga and murdered them; highlights that this is a heinous act of violence against civilians and that the perpetrators must be held accountable for these widespread violations of human rights; calls upon the government and their international counterparts to prioritise civilian protection in DRC where armed groups are operating; and further calls upon those of faith to remain in prayer for vulnerable communities and these grieving families.

825Citizenship for refugees

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 32

Lisa Smart

Helen Morgan

Wendy Chamberlain

Steve Darling

Olly Glover

Tom Gordon

That this House notes with concern the new Home Office guidance issued this month, which states that anyone who enters the UK irregularly will be refused naturalisation, regardless of how long they have lived in the UK; further notes that this policy could permanently bar many refugees from becoming British citizens; regrets that the former Conservative government closed safe and legal routes to sanctuary, leaving many desperate people with no choice but to make perilous journey in the control of criminal smugglers and traffickers; believes that this policy will not deter dangerous Channel crossings or disrupt criminal trafficking networks, but will instead hinder refugee integration and undermine the UK’s obligations under international law, which protect refugees from being penalised for illegal entry; and calls on the Government to bring forward new guidance that ensures a path to citizenship for refugees, enabling refugees to fully integrate into our communities and contribute to our economy, while providing safe and legal routes to sanctuary for refugees.

826International Mother Language Day

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 7

Shockat Adam

Jim Shannon

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Jeremy Corbyn

Apsana Begum

Siân Berry

That this House celebrates International Mother Language Day and observes the importance of promoting linguistic and cultural diversity; recognises the historical significance of International Mother Language Day, especially in Bangladesh, where the day is observed as a national holiday in remembrance of the 1952 language movement martyrs who gave their lives defending the right to speak Bengali as their mother language; calls on the Government to ensure that linguistic diversity is embraced; and urges continued global cooperation in preserving languages, particularly those at risk of extinction.

834Homelessness

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 17

Vikki Slade

Wera Hobhouse

Jim Shannon

Martin Wrigley

Liz Jarvis

Claire Young

That this House recognises there is a rough sleeping emergency; highlights with concern the Rough Sleeping Inquiry's findings, published on 14 February 2025, of gaps between public institutions and housing support which put vulnerable people at greater risk of rough sleeping following discharge from health care settings or prison; notes that the inquiry reports that young people in particular are struggling to receive in-person assessments from councils which delays their access to temporary accommodation; agrees with the inquiry’s recommendation for the Government to provide local authorities with long-term funding to tackle homelessness; regrets that the current funding system for rough sleeping prevention is fragmented; further recognises that the loss of affordable social rent and the increase in the number of long-term empty homes are key factors in the rise in homelessness; urges the Government to increase the building of new social homes to 150,000 per year; calls on the Government to assess the capacity of local authorities to address homelessness, especially following the additional financial pressures on their budgets following the Government’s changes to National Insurance Contributions; further urges the Government to introduce a somewhere safe to stay legal duty to ensure that everyone who is at risk of sleeping rough is provided with emergency accommodation and an assessment of their needs; and further calls on the Government to publish a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness.

837Regional Inequalities in energy pricing

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 31

Mr Angus MacDonald

Wera Hobhouse

Edward Morello

Jim Shannon

Martin Wrigley

Helen Maguire

That this House acknowledges the severe disparity in energy costs between mains gas and electricity, which disproportionately affects rural communities and high rise buildings across the UK; notes that while renewable electricity is cheaper to generate, market structures result in electricity consumers paying significantly more than those using mains gas; further notes that many areas lack access to mains gas, forcing reliance on costly alternatives; highlights the Environmental and Social Obligation taxes that apply to electricity but not gas; and calls on the Government to decouple energy pricing to ensure fairer costs for all.

838Energy price cap increase

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 3

Shockat Adam

Jim Shannon

Ellie Chowns

That this House notes with concern the further increase of the energy price cap by Ofgem from April 2025; further notes at 6.4%, or an average £111 per year, this is higher than expected and higher than the rate of inflation and average pay increases; acknowledges the research by Citizens Advice which shows the energy network owners have made excess profits of nearly £4 billion over four years after Ofgem miscalculated their costs; and calls on the Government to step in to prevent these damaging rises, either through introducing an emergency windfall tax on these excess profits and the introduction of targeted energy bill support or by instructing Ofgem to ensure they put the protection of consumer interests first and reverse the price cap rises and pass the costs onto the owners of the energy network.

842Western Gateway Rail Deal

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 4

Catherine Fookes

Jim Shannon

Dr Simon Opher

Max Wilkinson

That this House notes the publication of the Western Gateway Rail Deal, which sets out ways to capitalise on new funding to connect an extra 248,000 people to a new local train station across South Wales and Western England, including five new Burns Stations, which if delivered, could add £17bn of economic benefits to the UK; recognises the importance of cross-border collaboration for achieving the realisation of the investments set out in the Rail Deal; and commends the work of the Western Gateway, Transport for Wales, GWR, Network Rail and all other stakeholders involved in bringing the Rail Deal together.

843Content warnings for infant mortality

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 7

Cameron Thomas

Jim Shannon

Helen Maguire

Jess Brown-Fuller

Gideon Amos

Dr Roz Savage

That this House notes with concern the lack of content warnings in film and television broadcasting relating to infant mortality; recognises that adequate trigger warnings exist in other fields including violent scenes, sexual assault, drug and alcohol use, tobacco products, foul language, yet a subject as distressing as infant mortality is rarely addressed; further notes that simply labelling it with trauma, grief or death as a content warning is insufficient and that it should clearly specify if it involves an infant to ensure clarity; and calls for the Government to review these warnings, ensuring that content and trigger warnings are proportionate and allow viewers to make informed choices.

844Status of Scotch Whisky

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 19

Jamie Stone

Jim Shannon

Wendy Chamberlain

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Liz Jarvis

Susan Murray

That this House recognises the English Whisky Guild’s application to obtain Geographical Indication status; acknowledges that the application includes a different definition of Single Malt; notes that the current definition of Single Malt Whisky denotes the production at a single distillery using a single variety of malted barley grain; further notes that, altering this definition will damage the reputation of the Single Malt category, thus devaluing the Scotch Single Malt Whisky market; further acknowledges that the Scotch Whisky industry contributed £7.1bn to the UK economy in 2022 and supported 66,000 jobs; highlights that the industry generated £3 in every £100 of Scotland’s Gross Value Added; and calls for the protection of the existing Single Malt category, outside of the English Whisky Geographical Indication in order to ensure the special reputation of Scotch Whisky remains undamaged.

845British Science Week

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 8

George Freeman

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

Sadik Al-Hassan

Tom Gordon

Pippa Heylings

That this House marks British Science Week - a ten-day celebration of science, research and innovation – featuring thousands of events and activities across the UK for people of all ages; commends the efforts of the British Science Association to inspire and enable schools, community groups, cultural organisations, research institutions and businesses to celebrate science, research and innovation and its crucial role in our lives; and recognises the support of UK Research and Innovation for making British Science Week possible.

846Stratford upon Avon Boat Club

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 6

Manuela Perteghella

Jim Shannon

Helen Maguire

Gideon Amos

Wera Hobhouse

Dr Roz Savage

That this House congratulates Stratford upon Avon Boat Club for winning the inaugural Environmental Sustainability Award at the British Rowing Awards 2024; notes its proactive, collaborative approach to reducing its environmental footprint through the formation of a Sustainability Working Group, the adoption of eco-friendly cleaning practices, the installation of a bee café, and the active engagement of its junior, adaptive, and masters’ sections in workshops and community initiatives; and expresses its support for further grassroots environmental projects, including the planned second-hand kit sale and Club Clean-Up Day, recognising that every action can collectively make a significant contribution to preserving the River Avon and the wider local environment in Stratford-on-Avon and beyond.

847National Fish and Chip Awards 2025

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 11

Steve Darling

Jim Shannon

Liz Jarvis

Wendy Chamberlain

Helen Maguire

Jess Brown-Fuller

That this House celebrates the National Fish and Chip Awards 2025, recognising the vital role of fish and chip businesses in the economy, hospitality sector, and local communities; acknowledges the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) for its work in supporting and promoting the fish and chip industry; congratulates Pier Point Fish & Chips and Lorraine Arnold on being named among the Top Five in the Restaurant of the Year category, demonstrating excellence in the industry; further congratulates Charlie James of Pier Point Fish & Chips for reaching the Top Eight in the prestigious Drywite Young Fish Frier category, reflecting his dedication and skill; recognises the hard work, commitment, and contribution of small hospitality businesses in strengthening local economies, creating jobs, and enhancing high streets across the UK; and wishes all nominees success at the awards ceremony on 26 February 2025.

848Changes to Overseas Development Assistance

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 24

Monica Harding

Calum Miller

Jim Shannon

Helen Maguire

Liz Jarvis

Wera Hobhouse

That this House expresses concern over the Government’s decision to reduce the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income (GNI); agrees with the importance of strengthening the UK’s national security and defence commitments, particularly in light of increasing global security challenges, but recognises that a cut to ODA diminishes the UK’s soft power; regrets that the UK’s retreat from its status as an international aid superpower creates a vacuum into which Russian and Chinese influence will flow; acknowledges the intimate connection between supporting international aid and preventing conflict abroad; reflects on the benefits to UK security of promoting stability abroad; notes that ODA investment is an essential tool in tackling poverty, promoting stability, and reducing the causes of conflict and migration, all of which serve the UK’s own security interests; further regrets that this cut represents the lowest UK aid contribution as a percentage of GNI since 1999, diminishing the UK’s long-standing reputation as a global leader in humanitarian assistance and development; further notes with alarm that an increasing proportion of the UK’s ODA is being spent on in-donor refugee costs rather than directly supporting poverty reduction, humanitarian aid, and sustainable development overseas; calls on the Government to reconsider this decision and explore alternative means to meet its defence spending commitments without cutting international aid; and urges Ministers to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to global security and development, ensuring that national strength is not built at the cost of global responsibility.

849Democratic Republic of the Congo

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 7

Stephen Gethins

Jim Shannon

Ann Davies

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Llinos Medi

That this House expresses its grave concern at the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where over 800,000 people have been displaced; notes that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights warns that the warring parties are increasingly using rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war; further notes the dire humanitarian crisis, with mass displacement, limited access to essential services such as water, hygiene, and sanitation, and the severe disruption to food production during a critical cultivation period; acknowledges the vital role played by local church agencies and humanitarian organisations in responding to the crisis; calls on the UK Government to use its diplomatic influence to press for an immediate cessation of violence against civilians, the protection of international humanitarian law, and improved access for humanitarian aid; urges the UK Government to prioritise diplomatic efforts to encourage all parties involved in the conflict to allow humanitarian assistance to reach affected populations; further calls upon the UK Government to take steps to ensure that UK supply chains are not complicit in the exploitation of conflict minerals from the DRC; and further urges the UK Government to put pressure on the governments in the region to establish an immediate end the violence, and find a path to sustainable peace in DRC.

850NHS nurse Kate Turner

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 2

Peter Prinsley

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Kate Turner on her 50 years of service to the NHS as a nurse at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds; notes the positive effect her work has had on thousands of people across Suffolk, in hospitals, the community and for many years in cardiac rehabilitation; recognises the role of NHS nurses in delivering quality patient care; and wishes Ms Turner and all staff at West Suffolk Hospital the best.

851Impact of tool theft on tradespeople

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 16

Luke Taylor

Helen Maguire

Liz Jarvis

Wendy Chamberlain

Olly Glover

Ann Davies

That this House notes the financial and emotional toll of tool theft on tradespeople; acknowledges that replacing stolen equipment can be costly, often leading to economic hardship for small businesses; highlights that theft results in cancelled jobs and loss of income; recognises the stress caused by dealing with theft and the disruption to work; and calls for greater protection and support for tradespeople facing these challenges.

852Anniversary of the Darfur genocide

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 3

Shockat Adam

Jim Shannon

Ellie Chowns

That this House commemorates the anniversary of the Darfur genocide in 2003 when hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were killed, and millions more were displaced from their homes; acknowledges the suffering inflicted upon indigenous tribes in the region, including the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups; further acknowledges the profound and lasting impact of the conflict on the people of Darfur and the wider Sudanese population; calls for continued support for the people of Darfur and for greater accountability for those responsible for the atrocities; expresses deep concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur and wider Sudan where atrocities continue to be committed; urges the Government to prevent further genocidal acts in Darfur; further urges the Government to enhance peacekeeping efforts and provide aid to the region; and reaffirms the importance of preventing future genocides by ensuring justice, promoting human rights, and holding perpetrators of mass atrocities accountable for their actions.

853Right to peaceful protest

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 7

Siân Berry

Ann Davies

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Llinos Medi

Neil Duncan-Jordan

That this House believes that the right to peacefully protest is a fundamental pillar of our democracy and must be protected; is deeply concerned about the sweeping restrictions on when, how and where people can protest posed by provisions within the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023; notes that this legislation has expanded police powers to restrict noisy protests, introduced protest-specific stop and search powers, and has created new criminal offences that limit peaceful protest tactics; further notes that non-violent protestors have been sentenced to record lengths of time in prison at a time when our criminal justice system is in crisis and our prisons are over-flowing; rejects the use of existing powers to punish protestors without criminal trial by taking away their right to travel, keeping them in cells and on remand for extended periods and imposing stringent conditions including curfews, tagging, restrictions on their freedom of movement; and therefore, calls on the Government to repeal the protest-related provisions within the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 and to demonstrate its commitment to democracy by upholding the fundamental right to protest.

854Cheltenham Festival week and antisocial behaviour

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 5

Max Wilkinson

Jim Shannon

Pippa Heylings

Helen Maguire

Dr Roz Savage

That this House acknowledges the huge economic benefits which race week brings to Cheltenham, particularly to the local hospitality industry; notes that local residents have concerns about antisocial behaviour, including public urination; recognises that local agencies have worked hard for the past two years to reduce public urination, on a campaign known locally as the War On Wee, as part of the Love Our Turf Campaign; implores racegoers not to urinate in public; and welcomes the work of local councils, the police and the Jockey Club to stamp out this disgusting practice, alongside other antisocial behaviour.

855Air Gunner Jim Squires

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 7

Ian Roome

Richard Foord

Jim Shannon

Helen Maguire

Edward Morello

Andrew Rosindell

That this House pays tribute to the life and wartime service of the late Jim Squires, formerly of No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, and a Lancaster bomber Air Gunner who survived more than 35 sorties during the Second World War; recognises an extraordinary life lived to 99 years of age; acknowledges the low survival rates and remarkable bravery of RAF bomber crews; honours the few remaining WW2 RAF veterans; and salutes those to whom so much is owed in defence of freedom.

856West Bank

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 14

Calum Miller

Helen Maguire

Wera Hobhouse

Wendy Chamberlain

Pippa Heylings

Zöe Franklin

That this House is deeply concerned by recent developments in the West Bank; believes that the deployment of Israeli military personnel to the West Bank, which constitutes one of the most significant military operations in the area since 2002, further escalates tensions and undermines the stability of the fragile ceasefires in the wider region; notes with alarm the expulsion of over 40,000 residents from the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps; condemns remarks by those who advocate the annexation of the West Bank to Israel and who incite violence to achieve that end; further believes that such extremism undermines the efforts of those Israelis and Palestinians who are working towards peace; calls on the Government to legislate to cease the import to the UK of goods produced in illegal settlements; further notes the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the West Bank, with many displaced Palestinians struggling to access clean water, food, shelter and medical care; and further calls for the urgent delivery of aid to displaced Palestinians.

857Treatment of Israeli hostages

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 20

Calum Miller

Jim Shannon

Helen Maguire

Wera Hobhouse

Pippa Heylings

Zöe Franklin

That this House is deeply moved by the release of hostages after being held in captivity for over 16 months by Hamas; notes with disgust the way in which hostages have been treated while in captivity and during their release, such as the way in which Eli Sharabi was cruelly mocked by his captors on release over the murder of his family; believes that such extremism undermines the efforts of those Israelis and Palestinians who are working towards peace; further notes the ongoing suffering of all those still being held hostage by Hamas as well as the suffering which their families have endured; pays tribute to the immensely powerful advocacy of the hostage families in the midst of unimaginable suffering; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages still held in Gaza; and urges the UK Government to do all it can to secure a lasting peace with a two state solution which will give Israelis and Palestinians the security they deserve.