Contents

Published: Monday 21 March 2022

Early Day Motions tabled on Friday 18 March 2022

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

1092Detention of academics, scholars and students in Belarus

Tabled: 18/03/22 Signatories: 1

Chris Law

That this House condemns the actions of the Belarusian authorities in detaining academics, scholars and students; notes deep concern over the detention of individuals such as Maryja Robokov and Yahor Kanetski who were arrested for their involvement in peaceful protests following the 2020 Presidential Elections as part of widespread calls for free and fair elections in Belarus; expresses concern that the Belarusian authorities are clamping down on opposition and dissenting voices, most notably those in academic institutions who are opposed to the current regime; calls on the UK Government to go further in their condemnation of the Belarusian Government, and advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of Maryja Robokov, Yahor Kanetski, and other detained students; and further calls on the UK Government to create a safe humanitarian channel for those released from Belarusian detention, or in danger from reprisals, to access humanitarian visas in order to flee further persecution in Belarus.

1093Fife Council and the Miscarriage Association’s Pregnancy Loss Pledge

Tabled: 18/03/22 Signatories: 3

Peter Grant

Angela Crawley

Patricia Gibson

That this House commends Fife Council on being the first local authority in the UK to sign up to the Miscarriage Association’s Pregnancy Loss Pledge to tackle the stigma associated with miscarriage; supports the campaign which wants to introduce paid leave for families who experience a miscarriage before 24 weeks; notes that the campaign aims to improve support for parents who experience miscarriage by encouraging work environments where employers show empathy and understanding towards people and their partners experiencing pregnancy loss; further notes that the pledge encourages workplaces to introduce a pregnancy loss policy or guidance, which is included in sickness, bereavement or other workplace policies; and congratulates Fife Council in leading the way on this matter and hopes that other local authorities will follow suit to support this important campaign to ensure that employees are fully supported in the event that they experience pregnancy loss.

1094St Patrick's Primary School Ukraine Appeal

Tabled: 18/03/22 Signatories: 1

Ms Anum Qaisar

That this House congratulates St Patrick's Primary School, Shotts on their student led appeal organised by Primary five pupils to collect items for a Ukraine Appeal; understands the pupils have collected, sorted and arranged for donations to be available to Ukrainian people and Ukrainian refugees; and commends them on their campaign motto, Humanity still has the ability to work together to build a common home.

1095The Kashmir Files and recognition of genocide of Hindu Kashmiris and Indian legislation on genocide and atrocities prevention of genocide of Hindu Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir

Tabled: 18/03/22 Signatories: 1

Bob Blackman

That this House offers its acknowledgement of the painful and gruesome story of Kashmiri Hindus, as highlighted for the first time on a celluloid cinema screen via the film, The Kashmir Files; congratulates Mr Vivek Agnihotri and Ms Pallavi Joshi, the film makers for interviewing over 700 Kashmiri Hindu families including several in the UK, hearing their first person accounts and documenting them, before presenting it on the big screen; is concerned that the Kashmiris who fled persecution have still not seen justice for the atrocities committed against them; commends the resilience and courage shown by the members of Kashmiri Pandit community who survived this gruesome ethnic genocide and who did not resort to taking up arms but instead pursued education and aspiration; further notes that the international principle of the responsibility to protect obliges individual states and the international community to take effective measures to prevent the commission of genocide and crimes against humanity as suffered by the Kashmiri Hindu community; joins the Prime Minister of India in acknowledging the pain and suffering of the Kashmiri Hindus; urges the Government of India to fulfil its long-standing international commitment to recognise and acknowledge the worst form of genocide of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir and enact the proposed Panun Kashmir Genocide Crime Punishment and Atrocities Prevention Bill; and further urges the UK Government to extend the UK’s long standing commitment to protect the victims of genocide to the Kashmiri Pandits.

1096Fashion-workers Advice Bureau Leicester

Tabled: 18/03/22 Signatories: 1

Claudia Webbe

That this House welcomes the launch of the Fashion-workers Advice Bureau Leicester (FAB-L), formerly known as L-GWASP (Leicester Garment Workers Advice and Support Project), a grassroots initiative to tackle wage exploitation in Leicester’s garment industry; considers this as vital due to the fact that, despite endemic exploitation being widely studied for over a decade, painfully little Government action has been taken to protect garment workers in Leicester; recognises as essential FAB-L’s mission to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable workers through awareness raising, disrupting exploitative practices, and protecting the rights of workers by promoting decent work; praises FAB-L’s holistic approach, which in addition to issues of low wages, under-payment, poor health and safety work conditions also promotes access to welfare and benefits advice, and offers support with poor living conditions, overcrowding, immigration and legal advice, domestic violence and harassment and form filling and letter writing; further praises FAB-L’s outreach community workers and the wide range of agencies - including the Ethical Trading Initiative, Labour Behind the Label and the Trade Union Congress – who will provide support, advice and assistance to garment workers; wishes FAB-L every success in building a vibrant and supportive community hub to combat the culture of neglect and exploitation that has been allowed to fester for far too long; and calls on the Government to match this grassroots initiative with a comprehensive policy agenda to end exploitation in Leicester’s garment industry.

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.

1052Persecution of religious minority women and girls

Tabled: 8/03/22 Signatories: 27

Dr Lisa Cameron

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

Rachael Maskell

Sir Mike Penning

Jonathan Edwards

That this House celebrates International Women’s Day on Tuesday, 8 March, 2022; supports the UK’s commitment to promoting gender equality around the world; recognises that women from religious minorities face persecution and discrimination on account of both their faith and their gender; highlights particularly the cases of Christian women in Nigeria, Yazidi women in Iraq, and Hindu and Christian girls (forcibly converted and married) in Pakistan; calls on the Government to facilitate asylum for the Christian girl Maira Shahbaz, currently in hiding in Pakistan; urges the Government to intensify its efforts to ensure the safe release of Leah Sharibu, Alice Ngaddah and the Chibok girls in Nigeria; insists that gender-specific religious persecution is clearly recognised in FCDO policy and practice; recommends that the Government fund targeted programming for women facing double vulnerabilities as members of minority faith communities; and encourages the FCDO to work with local faith actors who can best respond to these experiences.

1054A green transition from Russian oil and gas

Tabled: 9/03/22 Signatories: 16

Sarah Olney

Caroline Lucas

Dan Carden

Ed Davey

Wendy Chamberlain

Tim Farron

That this House maintains an unwavering commitment to achieving net zero targets; acknowledges the urgent need to tackle high carbon emissions produced by homes across the UK; recognises the need for a comprehensive Government scheme to incentivise retrofitting to improve energy efficiency of homes and buildings; pledges that any future additional investment in energy production is directed to renewable sources of energy; extends the phasing out of Russian energy supply imports to include natural gas; and commits to making the transition away from Russian oil and gas a green one.

1055Urdd Gobaith Cymru's support for Afghan refugees

Tabled: 9/03/22 Signatories: 6

Liz Saville Roberts

Jonathan Edwards

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Beth Winter

Caroline Lucas

This House celebrates the work of Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Wales’ largest youth organisation, in providing sanctuary and support for over 100 Afghan refugees throughout their first five months in Wales; notes that the unique and innovative approach which included an offering of food and bridging accommodation, access to social spaces, a schedule of daily sports and activities, a programme of varied workshops, careers advice, nursery recreational sessions, and visits to national sporting events, has been recognised as one of the best practices of resettlement in the United Kingdom today; recognises that this approach would not have been possible without the work of community volunteers and partners to support the integration of Afghan families into Welsh society; welcomes the Urdd’s offer to share best practice advice with other organisations; and calls on the Government to engage with the Urdd’s successful approach to create a truly compassionate resettlement system for all refugees in the United Kingdom.

1063Insourcing Merseyrail cleaners

Tabled: 10/03/22 Signatories: 20

Dan Carden

Charlotte Nichols

Kim Johnson

Mick Whitley

Paula Barker

Ian Byrne

That this House believes that the pandemic has demonstrated beyond doubt the essential nature of cleaning and cleaners on public transport; notes that outsourcing these workers has delivered low pay, exploitation, disputes and corner-cutting in the drive to create profits; further notes that Mitie's contract with Merseyrail comes to an end next year; believes that insourcing would create better jobs with fairer pay and make it easier to drive improvements in service quality; and urges Merseyrail to sit down with the RMT union and work up a fully-costed proposal to bring these key workers in-house.

1064Medical aid for Ukraine

Tabled: 10/03/22 Signatories: 17

Ed Davey

Layla Moran

Jonathan Edwards

Stephen Farry

Paula Barker

Jeremy Corbyn

That this House supports the need to send emergency medical aid to the people of Ukraine; acknowledges that local emergency services in Ukraine are running out of vital medical supplies that can mean the difference between life and death for many people; notes the urgent nature of providing the people of Ukraine with this medical equipment; recognises that the UK should do more to support the people of Ukraine; urges the UK Government to immediately deploy a more ambitious emergency medical aid package to Ukraine, in addition to the £120 million humanitarian aid package previously announced; and calls on the UK Government to reverse the misguided cut to the international development budget and immediately return to spending 0.7 per cent of GNI on Official Development Assistance.

1065Support for Ukrainian refugees

Tabled: 14/03/22 Signatories: 33

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Apsana Begum

Wera Hobhouse

Margaret Ferrier

Kate Osborne

Kenny MacAskill

That this House condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in contravention to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, as set out by the United Nations Charter, and resulting in catastrophic consequences for civilians; supports the international community’s call for Russia to withdraw troops immediately and for the humanitarian crisis to be urgently addressed; notes with concern that while the Government has said it will allow some relatives of Ukrainian nationals already in the UK to enter, there have been reports that it has stopped accepting visas from people trapped in Ukraine; is further concerned at reports of racist and unfair treatment of refugees; calls on all countries, including the UK, to provide humanitarian aid and assist all refugees in need; believes in the fundamental rights of refugees which includes an obligation to ensure there are always safe routes for those seeking sanctuary and asylum; and calls on the Government to ensure that the Nationality and Borders Bill does not criminalise Ukrainian or any other refugees who arrive in the UK through an irregular route.

1068Right to roam

Tabled: 14/03/22 Signatories: 8

Caroline Lucas

Liz Saville Roberts

Dan Carden

Kate Osborne

Clive Lewis

John McDonnell

That this House notes that 24 April marks the 90th anniversary of the mass trespass onto Kinder Scout; acknowledges that this trespass united the campaign for access to the countryside and eventually contributed to the establishment of the UK’s first national parks through the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949; recognises the growing body of evidence demonstrating the importance of access to nature for health and wellbeing which has been highlighted by the covid-19 pandemic when use of parks and public green spaces increased; is concerned that people from ethnic minorities or with low incomes are less likely to live near green space and 2.7 million people in the UK have no publicly accessible green space within easy walking distance from their home; notes that the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 only provides access to 8% per cent of English land, and that the public can only access 3 per cent of rivers in England and Wales; acknowledges that legislation in Scotland and European countries including Norway provides for a much greater right to roam; believes that extending the right to roam to cover more landscapes and recreational activities would improve the public’s connection to nature whilst also delivering on the Government’s commitment in the 25 Year Environment Plan to open up the mental and physical health benefits of the natural world; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to extend the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to include rivers, woods and Green Belt land.

1072Regulation and support for off-grid households

Tabled: 15/03/22 Signatories: 12

Helen Morgan

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

Christine Jardine

Wera Hobhouse

That this House recognises the millions of rural homes that are off the UK’s national gas grid network; acknowledges that many of those homes buy fuel from oil, LPG and solid fuel markets; notes with concern that there is no regulation of those markets; calls for similar financial protection to the existing energy price cap on gas and electricity for off-grid households from high prices; and urges the Government to provide financial assistance to insulate those properties and enable the transition to renewable energy sources.

1075Train cab temperatures

Tabled: 15/03/22 Signatories: 14

John Cryer

Paula Barker

Marsha De Cordova

Kim Johnson

Grahame Morris

Cat Smith

That this House notes with concern the Better Driving Cabs report published by the train drivers’ union, Aslef, which highlights the health and safety concerns of excessively hot and cold temperatures, including findings such as 85 per cent of drivers saying that their cabs have been too hot in the past two years and 72 per cent of respondents having experienced cabs that were too hot for most of their working week in warmer seasons; further notes that, when asked if exposure to hot or cold temperatures had caused harmful effects, 50 per cent of those responding said that it had, with the vast majority experiencing reduced concentration or distraction; believes that excessively hot or cold temperatures affects many workers in a range of industries and calls on the Government to work with unions to implement maximum workplace temperature legislation and a temperature at which mitigation must be introduced to try to prevent harmful effects.

1085Support for disabled Ukrainian refugees

Tabled: 16/03/22 Signatories: 8

Wera Hobhouse

Layla Moran

Tim Farron

Jamie Stone

Christine Jardine

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House supports the international humanitarian effort to support the people of Ukraine; commits to continuing to campaign to provide sanctuary and asylum to those fleeing the devastating war in Ukraine; expresses concern for disabled people's rights and safety in Ukraine; notes with concern that provisions are not in place for disabled refugees in attempting to leave Ukraine and those attempting to seek refuge in the UK; and calls on the Government to ensure that disabled Ukrainians arriving in the UK are fully supported, including through immediate access to disability benefits.

1086Young Carers Action Day

Tabled: 16/03/22 Signatories: 4

Paul Blomfield

Wera Hobhouse

Caroline Lucas

Mohammad Yasin

That this House supports Young Carers Action Day, led by the Carers Trust, which takes place on 16 March 2022; recognises the invaluable contribution more than 800,000 young carers make to their families and local communities across the UK; notes the Day’s theme of Taking Action on Isolation, and the importance of investment in social care, and in local support for carers, to relieve young carers of the overwhelming pressure so many are under; further notes that the NHS needs to ensure its mental health services prioritise young carer support and that education providers need to take a more integrated approach to identifying and supporting young carers, working in partnership with the NHS, local authorities and local carer organisations; and calls on the Government to ensure that young carers get the support and services they need.

1087VAT on petrol and diesel

Tabled: 16/03/22 Signatories: 4

Patricia Gibson

Allan Dorans

Jamie Stone

Angela Crawley

That this House observes with concern the ongoing increase in fuel prices across Scotland and the UK, with the cost of petrol and diesel in the UK hitting an all-time high; notes that the Government announced at the recent Autumn Budget that fuel duty rates will remain frozen at 57.95 pence per litre; highlights that drivers are charged a further 20 per cent in Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel including fuel duty, resulting in drivers effectively being double-taxed, with increased transportation costs being passed on to consumers and inflation further accelerated; is mindful that this is taking place against the backdrop of the covid-19 recovery and a further significant increase in energy costs as of 1 April 2022; is aware that rises in fuel quickly feeds into the overall cost of living as hauliers pass on their extra outlays to customers; understands that the Treasury is in receipt of billions of pounds in additional revenue as receipts from VAT on fuel at forecourts rockets and other prices rise, accelerating inflation; and endorses the calls on the Government from petrol retailers to halve VAT on fuel to ease pressure on consumers and alleviate the very real difficulties households and businesses currently face.

1089Standing charges on energy bills

Tabled: 16/03/22 Signatories: 4

Patricia Gibson

Allan Dorans

Jonathan Edwards

Angela Crawley

That this House is deeply concerned about the rising costs of energy bills and the severe financial pressure this is placing on households across the UK; is alarmed that standing charges on energy bills could constitute as much as around one quarter of the entire energy bills of those consumers whose energy consumption is low; is concerned that many energy companies have recently increased their standing charges by more than 100 per cent, with some consumers paying as much as 51p per day standing charge for electricity, a charge applied regardless of the amount of power used; understands this will disproportionately and significantly impact on the poorest households; and urges the Government to introduce single unit pricing and to scrap standing charges on energy bills and instead introduce a system of single unit pricing so that consumers are more easily able to compare costs charged by energy providers in a clear and transparent way.

1091War on Want's report on McDonald's tax affairs

Tabled: 17/03/22 Signatories: 14

John McDonnell

Chris Stephens

David Linden

Liz Saville Roberts

Apsana Begum

Zarah Sultana

That this House is disturbed by the findings of the Secrets and Fries report published on 17 March 2022 by War on Want, which exposes a circular, paper transaction by McDonald’s which it alleges has the primary purpose of reducing McDonald’s tax obligations by creating a UK tax shelter for its global franchise income; notes that report further alleges that mechanism could be depriving the UK exchequer of at least £295 million in public funds over ten years without having any corresponding economic substance; further notes that McDonald's UK business received extensive public subsidies in the wake of the covid-19 lockdowns, not least through the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, whilst continuing to increase its market share in the UK and continuing to pay dividends to its shareholders; notes with regret that after seeing their tax affairs in Luxembourg and Singapore come under scrutiny McDonald's have moved their intangible fixed asset to the City of London to allegedly take advantage of the UK's lax intangible fixed asset regime; therefore calls on the Government to rigorously review its tax breaks mechanisms, including those that interact with the UK’s intangible fixed asset regime, and ensure that the full costs and benefits of all tax rules for all companies, including large multinationals, are properly reported; and further calls on the Government to scrap any tax rules which cannot be justified by their effects on the UK economy, society and the environment.