Contents

Published: Wednesday 10 May 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 9 May 2023

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

1129Loch Lomond Brewery's Southern Summit, CAMRA’s Champion Session Pale Ale of Scotland 2023

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Martin Docherty-Hughes

This House notes that the family-run Loch Lomond Brewery’s Southern Summit has been recognised as CAMRA’s Champion Session Pale Ale of Scotland 2023; further notes that this builds on previous CAMRA recognition for the Brewery’s Silkie Stout and Southern Summit’s own 2016 SIBA Supreme Cask Champion of the UK; recognises the contribution Loch Lomond Brewery has made to the local community and economy since its foundation in the garage of Euan and Fiona Maceachern in 2011; commends the risks they took in moving to a purpose-built, state of the art 35hl brewery and cannery in 2019; recognises their resilience through a pandemic which proved so challenging for their industry; and raises a glass to their continued success as a valuable part of the economy of West Dunbartonshire and Scotland.

1130Potential merits of a Sudanese Family Scheme visa

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Hywel Williams

That this House calls for the creation of a Sudanese Family Scheme visa for Sudanese people affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan; notes civilians have become trapped in Khartoum without access to water, electricity, and access to food or medical care as the city is bombarded by rival factions; acknowledges the success of the Homes for Ukraine scheme as a viable means of helping people flee from war zones to join relatives and families in the UK; and calls on the UK Government to do its part to help the displaced families of Sudan and renew its efforts to help end the fighting.

1131Community Groups Receiving Council Funding

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Margaret Ferrier

That this House congratulates the following South Lanarkshire Council Community Grant Scheme recipients in Hamilton and recognises the important work of each of these groups: the Eddlewood Bowling Club Ladies Section who continue to foster a positive and welcoming environment will use their £300 funding for a group trip, the St Andrew’s Church, in Blantyre, which encourages positive personal development through the fellowship of the church and will also put their £300 funding towards a group outing, the Earnock Residents Association who are active participants in improving their local area and who have been awarded £250 for administration and publicity costs, and the Hillhouse Link Association who received £1000 for their efforts to create a warm and welcoming space; and commends the council’s funding scheme which undoubtedly benefits the wider South Lanarkshire community.

1132Majella’s Coffee Shop, Kirkintilloch

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Amy Callaghan

That this House congratulates Majella’s Coffee Shop in Kirkintilloch for their outstanding commitment to their Modern Apprenticeship programme, first introduced in 2012 to encourage staff to develop their skills in bakery, food sales and customer service; congratulates Majella’s on the progress staff have made to SCQF Level 6 in Food and Drink Operations; notes the benefits and opportunities the Modern Apprenticeship programme have made on the business and wider community; and further congratulates Majella’s on their previous achievement in winning the Micro Business of the Year award at the Skills Development Scotland Awards showcasing the positive contribution Majella’s have made to the local community in Kirkintilloch.

1133Hereditary angioedema awareness day (No. 2)

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 2

Deidre Brock

Martyn Day

That this House celebrates Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) day on Tuesday 16 May 2023; recognises that HAE has a significant impact on patient lives and can cause unpredictable potentially life-threatening attacks; commends the important work patient organisations, such as HAE UK, and leading immunology specialists have done to support and advocate for those living with HAE; applauds the ambition for patients to experience zero swelling episodes or attacks; welcomes the commitments of the Rare Disease Framework to improve health outcomes for rare disease populations; and urges policymakers to recognise the need to increase clinical awareness of rare diseases, prioritise quality of life in treatment guidelines, improve shared decision-making processes, and ensure better access to psychological support.

1134North Ayrshire Wild’s Ice Hockey Club, Scottish U19 League Champions

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Patricia Gibson

That this House congratulates the under 19s team at North Ayrshire Wild’s Ice Hockey Club, which is based at Auchenharvie Ice Rink in Stevenston on triumphing at the Scottish U19 League Champions at the recent 2022-23 final; applauds the impressive final score of 8-1 to North Ayrshire Wild against the Fife Falcons; understands that the club was rebranded as North Ayrshire Wild in 2022 with a focus on unifying the junior and senior teams and promoting junior development through the Learn to Play development programme; recognises the positive role played by the club in the local community by providing players with the opportunity to cultivate athletic skills as well as teambuilding skills, persistence and self-confidence; recognises the hard work and dedication of head coach, Domenico DeSimone, team captain, Luca DeSimone, and all the players, club committee, and volunteers; and wishes them all further success in future tournaments.

1135World Inflammatory Bowel Disease Day 2023

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Mr Virendra Sharma

That this House welcomes World Inflammatory Bowel Disease Day on 19 May; understands that there are over 500,000 people in the UK living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, the two main forms of which are Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis; appreciates the work of Crohn’s & Colitis UK’s Early Diagnosis campaign, which puts a focus on the importance of early diagnosis of Crohn’s and Colitis; notes with concern that more than a quarter of people wait longer than one year for a diagnosis and that many people have to visit A&E departments for emergency treatment; further understands that delays in diagnosis can impact hugely on quality of life, disrupting education and work; regrets that patients who wait longest to be diagnosed with Crohn’s or Colitis are two to four times more likely to have complex disease that requires surgery; understands that reducing delays to diagnosis will improve the quality of life of patients, while reducing the wider costs to the NHS; and urges the Government to invest in a public campaign to raise awareness of digestive and bowel disease to improve diagnosis over the next five years.

1136Dundee FC Scottish Championship Winners 2022/2023

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Chris Law

That this House congratulates Dundee Football Club on winning the Scottish Championship; notes that the club won the Championship on the last day of the season, beating second-place Queens Park 5-3 in a nail-biting finish to the league; further congratulates all at the club who contributed to this first-place finish, including the manager Gary Bowyer, the players and the back-room staff; recognises the highly-valued work that Dundee FC carries out in local communities across the city and the wider area in partnership with the Dundee FC Community Trust; and wishes all at the club all the best for the coming season and beyond.

1137Opening of new bistro in Rutherglen

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Margaret Ferrier

That this House congratulates the Cedarwood Bistro in Rutherglen on its successful opening; notes that the bistro has been quickly and warmly welcomed by the community; recognises that it has received glowing reviews and has secured second place on TripAdvisor for top eateries in the Rutherglen area; and wishes the bistro continued success.

1138Cartvale pub and restaurant, Busby

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Kirsten Oswald

That this House congratulates the Cartvale pub and restaurant in Busby, East Renfrewshire, on their great achievement being recognised as a county winner in the national pub and bar awards which were conducted by Pub and Bar magazine which aims to showcase the finest bars and pubs; notes that there were 94 county winners from across the UK and that the Cartvale, which is the only establishment in East Renfrewshire to be named, could go on to be crowned as one of the 15 regional winners or the UK’s best bar in area on June 28 at the grand final award ceremony in London; further notes the Cartvale underwent a significant transformation in recent years with investment totalling £385,000 and reopened under new ownership in September 2019; and wishes all the staff at the Cartvale continued success and the very best of luck ahead of the grand final award ceremony.

1139Allwyn Crawford and Promoting Inclusion Through Sport

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Patricia Gibson

That this House celebrates local Ayrshire community not-for-profit company, Promoting Inclusion Through Sport, on securing the Connecting Communities Award at the recent annual Lawn Tennis Association and Tennis Scotland award ceremony; understands that the Connecting Communities Award recognises an individual, group or organisation that has provided innovative ways for people within the community to engage with tennis, with a strong emphasis on those underrepresented within the sport; recognises the positive role played by the charity in communities by increasing confidence and promoting good mental health and physical wellbeing in young people and adults with physical, learning and communication difficulties through tennis and social activities; commends the hard work and dedication of Allwyn in creating an inclusive environment inclusion by way of connecting individuals, communities, local authorities and the general public for the last twelve years; congratulates Allwyn and everyone involved in Promoting Inclusion Through Sport on this tremendously well-deserved achievement; is sad to hear that Allwyn is leaving North Ayrshire towards the end of May but is sure that she will continue to promote inclusion through sport to deliver fairer and healthier communities for all.

1140Perth businessman, John Bullough

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Pete Wishart

That this House pays tribute to Perth businessman, John Bullough, who tragically passed away recently; acknowledges his position as a key figure in the Perth business community, including as chair of the Perth City Development Board; recognises his tremendous efforts in founding, running and developing the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance, a venture that has contributed to saving lives and providing access to emergency health care in Scotland, particularly in remote areas; notes his tireless work in helping to ensure that the Stone of Destiny is returned to Perth; and sends its sympathies to his family at this sad time.

1141Wellbeing economy

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 6

Caroline Lucas

Clive Lewis

Deidre Brock

Claire Hanna

Ben Lake

Ronnie Cowan

That this House welcomes the call made by President Michael D Higgins of Ireland on 28 April 2023 at a reception for the Think-Tank for Action on Social Change to look beyond the current obsession with economic growth and rebalance economy, ecology and ethics; notes that this call is well-aligned with the aims of the European Parliament’s examination of the Beyond Growth agenda; further notes that such a call has far-reaching implications for the teaching and practice of economics in which the obsession with perpetual growth has left society blinkered to the ecological catastrophe we now face; agrees with President Higgins that an alternative paradigm of social economy within ecological responsibility is already within reach; further agrees that this new paradigm must now find its way onto the curriculum where economics is taught and into the board rooms and government ministries where economics is practised; and calls on the Government to match the ambition and leadership shown by the Irish President and the European Parliament by supporting the development of a post growth economics, conducting a review of the growth dependency of the economy and developing a comprehensive strategy to transition to a wellbeing economy.

1142Legal aid funding

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Rebecca Long Bailey

This House notes that the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 came into force in April 2013, significantly limiting the scope and eligibility for legal aid; notes that the Westminster Commission on Legal Aid’s Inquiry in 2021 found that the public values legal aid as part of the state-funded safety net; acknowledges that the 2021 Legal Aid Practitioners Group Census indicates that the majority of practitioners currently working in legal aid reported that they had faced financial barriers to entering the sector, that training opportunities for new entrants are limited, and that there were poor rates of financial remuneration and challenging working conditions; further notes that, for criminal legal aid, the Government has committed to fee increases of just 9 per cent in 2023, increasing to 11 per cent in 2024, constituting a real-terms cut, contrary to the recommendations from the Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid (CLAIR) which recommended an immediate minimum 15 per cent increase, resulting in the Law Society issuing proceedings against the Ministry of Justice; calls on the Government to urgently implement the CLAIR recommendations for criminal legal aid reform, including the recommended pay increase; further notes that, for civil legal aid, the Westminster Commission recommended a range of immediate changes to relieve pressures in legal aid service provision and workforce recruitment and retention while a national review of civil legal aid is ongoing; and calls on the Government to implement those changes with urgency.

1143Housing legal aid

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Rebecca Long Bailey

That this House notes that the housing system is in crisis and that many consider local authority housing services to be at breaking point; further notes that, as a result, services that provide free housing legal advice are in overwhelming demand; also notes this is compounded by half of all law centres in England and Wales closing over the past decade due to central funding cuts and many law firms suspending provision of legal aid services, resulting in the national expansion of housing legal aid deserts estimated to affect 12.45 million people in England and Wales, according to research by LexisNexis; acknowledges that having access to legal advice is fundamental to upholding the rule of law and that legal aid is a critical safety net to protect people’s rights, which, in the context of housing advice, facilitates people finding and keeping a home or upholding rights as tenants and owners; calls on the Government to restore the Local Housing Allowance rates to account for rent increases, to invest in social housing, and to bring forward the Renters Reform Bill; and further calls on the Government to implement the policies suggested by the Renters' Reform Coalition to ensure safe, secure and affordable homes for all including abolishing no fault evictions, provide emergency funding to local authority homelessness services, introduce rent controls and an evictions ban similar to Scotland, provide emergency funding to the legal aid system and advice services, and expand legal aid scope and eligibility to improve access to justice.

1144Rutherglen youth swimmers’ records at Scottish National Age Group Championships

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Margaret Ferrier

That this House congratulates Kaysey Dickson and Iris Ware, of Rutherglen Swimming Club, on their performances at the Scottish National Age Group Championships in Aberdeen; recognises that Kaysey won the gold for her 200m backcrawl and, in turn, became the first ever Scottish Female Double Age Group Champion for the club; notes that Iris also broke records for the club by becoming the first female to compete in a distance event on a national scale; commends these young women on their hard work and talent; and praises Rutherglen Swimming Club for its efforts in fostering young talent in the Rutherglen community.

114550th anniversary of Guideposts Trust

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Guideposts Trust, which partakes in incredible work to support people with learning disabilities, complex mental health needs and dementia; notes that they have raised a fantastic £26,409 for their Camp Guideposts project, which aims to set up ball-tents for camping and numerous different activities; highlights the efforts their Guideposts CEN Coaching put into providing crucial support for those who are facing struggles; further highlights the strain that the cost of living has had on their fundraising, especially in terms of premises bills as rates etc have sky rocketed; further notes their goals to tackle isolation, provide meaningful activity and support people along their journeys; thanks them dearly for their work in the charitable industry; and wishes them all the best for the next 50 years.

1146Crusaders FC Manager Stephen Baxter, world's longest serving manager

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House celebrates the ongoing success of Stephen Baxter, Crusaders FC Manager of 18 years, who has almost 900 matches under his belt and is the world's longest serving football manager; notes that he was appointed manager in 2005, following a spectacular football career that includes playing for Linfield, Glenavon and the Crues, where he helped them win two Irish League titles; further notes as manager that he added three more Danske Bank Premiership crowns to his football successes; wishes him all the best for the rest of his managing career; and assures him that his contributions to Northern Ireland football will not be forgotten.

1147Illegal Migration Bill

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Stuart C McDonald

That this House believes the proposals in the Illegal Migration Bill contravene international law, including the Refugee Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Convention on Action Against Trafficking and the Convention on the Rights of the Child; considers that the Bill will effectively close the UK’s asylum system and undermine the ability of trafficking victims to access protection; regrets the rushed timetable for the Bill’s passage through the House, including the lack of a bill committee, and the short committee stage; regrets the failure of the Government to allow proper scrutiny of its policies, including by failing to publish its impact assessment; notes that there was no mention of any proposals resembling those found in the Bill in the general election manifesto of any party represented in the House; and in light of the grave consequences of the Bill and the failure of scrutiny by this House, calls on Members of the House of Lords to vote against the Bill.

1148Europe Day 2023

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 3

Hywel Williams

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

That this House celebrates Europe Day, the anniversary of the historic declaration by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950, which established the European Coal and Steel Community and ultimately led to the creation of the European Union; notes that the declaration set out a new form of political cooperation in Europe; further notes with concern recent figures by the Office for Budget Responsibility showing that total goods trade with the EU is down by 15 per cent on the level before the transition period ended; joins with our European neighbours in celebrating peace and unity on the continent; and calls on the Government to seek to negotiate the re-entry of the UK into the EU Single Market, in the spirit of political cooperation at the heart of the Schuman Declaration.

1149No confidence in His Majesty's Government

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 13

Ed Davey

Daisy Cooper

Wendy Chamberlain

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Tim Farron

Layla Moran

That this House has no confidence in His Majesty's Government.

1150Workers' Educational Association 120th anniversary

Tabled: 9/05/23 Signatories: 1

Kim Johnson

That this House congratulates the WEA on its 120th anniversary; recognises that the organisation was founded in 1903 as the Workers’ Educational Association; highlights that it provides community adult education and has supported hundreds of thousands of adult learners in England and Scotland; praises the WEA for bringing adult learning within reach for people of all backgrounds, with 42 per cent of WEA learners living in disadvantaged postcode areas; acknowledges that WEA courses support adult learners to gain qualifications and to progress into employment; further acknowledges that WEA learners also report improved mental health, better connections to their local communities and improved confidence to deal with life’s challenges; notes that, in 2023, the WEA stays true to its founders’ commitment to challenging educational inequality; and looks forward to WEA learners enjoying courses for many more years to come.

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.

1097Civil Service Pay Remit

Tabled: 25/04/23 Signatories: 31

Chris Stephens [R]

John McDonnell

Liz Saville Roberts

Beth Winter

Jeremy Corbyn

Caroline Lucas

That this House notes the recently published pay remit guidance for the civil service for 2023 to 2024 which has been set at a average of 4.5 per cent across Government departments following an insulting imposed pay award of two per cent for 2022 to 2023; observes that departments have been advised to make sure such awards are affordable within their spending settlements; is alarmed that this derisory pay offer does nothing to tackle years of endemic low pay across the civil service and is an insult to the hard working and dedicated civil servants who have shown time and again that they are the backbone of this country; is aware that food inflation rose at the fastest rate for more than 45 years in the 12 months to March reaching 19.2 per cent with the inflation rate still above 10 per cent; is concerned that any pay award below the current rate of inflation is a pay cut and civil service workers will continue to struggle to pay bills, heat their homes and feed their families unless the Government puts more money on the table; notes that over 130,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union will walk out on their third day of national action in their ongoing dispute over pay, pensions and conditions and; and calls on the Government to get back round the negotiating table and show respect to their workforce by offering them a real terms pay rise and a fair and decent pension.

1103Scope Disability Price Tag research

Tabled: 26/04/23 Signatories: 36

Marion Fellows

Wendy Chamberlain

Charlotte Nichols

Caroline Lucas

Dr Lisa Cameron

Rachael Maskell

That this House acknowledges disabled people face higher costs than non-disabled people, with Scope’s new Disability Price Tag research showing the average disabled person household facing extra costs of £975 per month compared to non-disabled households; notes that this implies disabled households need to find almost £12,000 more a year to achieve the same standard of living as non-disabled households; further notes concerns that disabled people are facing spiralling additional costs, which have been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis; and calls on the Government to work directly with disabled people and charities to tackle the inequality of extra costs.

1108Plastic Free Yr Wyddfa Business Scheme

Tabled: 27/04/23 Signatories: 9

Hywel Williams

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Claudia Webbe

That this House commends Eyri National Park Authority for the launch of its Plastic Free Yr Wyddfa Business Scheme; notes the exciting vision to begin a Plastic Free Path to reducing single-use plastics and creating a thriving, sustainable visitor economy to protect the future of Yr Wyddfa; acknowledges that Yr Wyddfa is Wales’ most popular tourist attraction and Wales and England's tallest mountain; applauds the Park Authority for working with Bangor University to study behavioural change strategies for visitors and new waste management technologies for local businesses; highlights that their survey work shows that 85 per cent of people take responsibility for their rubbish and 71 per cent of people take it home with them; and encourages everyone to help keep Yr Wyddfa plastic free.

1109East Lothian Open tennis competition

Tabled: 27/04/23 Signatories: 5

Kenny MacAskill

Neale Hanvey

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

Douglas Chapman

That this House congratulates the East Lothian Open tennis competition on winning Tennis Scotland's Competition of the Year Award; understands that the competition, held in North Berwick Tennis Club, hosted a variety of events which saw more than 400 people take part in total this year; notes that the Tennis Scotland Awards celebrate the formidable achievements and contributions of clubs, programmes, and competitions, as well as the inspirational individuals involved in tennis who dedicate their time and energy to the continual development and growth of the sport; and wishes everyone involved in the competition the best of luck with their futures.

1114Media freedoms in Hong Kong and the case of Jimmy Lai and Apple Daily

Tabled: 2/05/23 Signatories: 10

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Jim Shannon

Christine Jardine

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

That this House welcomes the report recently published by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong on Media Freedom in Hong Kong: The Case of Jimmy Lai and Apple Daily; laments the rapid deterioration of media freedom and human rights in Hong Kong since the introduction of the draconian National Security Law; deplores the denial of bail and access to his chosen legal representation for Jimmy Lai, founder of the now defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily; denounces the sentencing to prison of Lai on spurious fraud charges; calls upon His Majesty’s Government to implement the report’s recommendations, treating the case of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, as a political priority; deplores the use by the puppet regime in Hong Kong of the national security law and a litany of other laws to target Jimmy Lai, other journalists and pro-democracy activists; and considers that a meeting between the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and Jimmy Lai’s family is long overdue.

1115Charlie Robertson, Tennis Scotland's Junior Player of the Year

Tabled: 2/05/23 Signatories: 6

Dave Doogan

Jim Shannon

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

Douglas Chapman

That this House congratulates Charlie Robertson for winning Tennis Scotland's Junior Player of the Year Award; commends him for his outstanding year on court including winning his first International Tennis Federation junior title in Liverpool in November 2022; notes his rise to career-high ranking number 67 in the world junior rankings at the end of March this year; and wishes Charlie every success in the future.

1116Fourth annual Lesbian Visibility Week

Tabled: 2/05/23 Signatories: 9

Hannah Bardell

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

Hywel Williams

Chris Stephens

Alison Thewliss

That this House recognises the fourth annual Lesbian Visibility Week, which aims to show solidarity with all LGBTQI woman and non binary people, celebrate lesbians and is a voice for unity to lift up all women, especially those from marginalised communities; congratulates Lesbian Visibility Week founder Linda Riley for her long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion and her work to empower the LGBTQ+ community; and further notes the importance of Lesbian Visibility Week in celebrating and supporting lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer women across the UK and beyond to be their true selves at work, at home and socially.

1117Scottish Disability Golf and Curling

Tabled: 2/05/23 Signatories: 6

Wendy Chamberlain

Jim Shannon

Dr Philippa Whitford

Chris Stephens

Alison Thewliss

Jamie Stone

That this House congratulates the charity Scottish Disability Golf and Curling on holding its 500th curling event in March and 900th round of golf on 5 May 2023; notes that the Scottish Disability Golf and Curling has held games at over 250 of Scotland’s golf courses and welcomes the support of golf and curling clubs in enabling the participation of golfers and curlers with disabilities; further notes the importance of sports participation by people with disabilities, for both individual health and wellbeing and to help reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with disability; and looks forward to welcoming the 2024 Phoenix Cup to St Andrews, the home of golf.

1119Firefighters Memorial Day 2023

Tabled: 2/05/23 Signatories: 22

Zarah Sultana

Sir Mike Penning [R]

Jim Shannon

Jon Trickett

Claudia Webbe

Kim Johnson

That this House joins with firefighters across the UK to mark Firefighters Memorial Day, remembering the bravery and sacrifice of over 2,300 firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty, including firefighter Barry Martin who was critically injured whilst tackling a fire in Edinburgh in January 2023 and died a short time later of his injuries; extends its sympathies to all bereaved families of fallen firefighters; acknowledges the good work of the Fire Brigades Union's Red Plaque project and Firefighters Memorial Trust in honouring firefighters who have lost their lives serving and protecting their communities with commemorative ceremonies to unveil plaques recording their names across the country and on the Firefighters Memorial near St Paul’s Cathedral; applauds the selflessness and commitment of all UK firefighters who every day stand ready to risk their own lives to save others and to protect their communities from fires, floods, terror attacks and numerous other emergency situations; and recognises and pays tribute to the work of firefighters throughout the pandemic, and stands in solidarity with the families of firefighters who lost their lives to covid.

1120Treatment of fortified wine in the new alcohol duty system

Tabled: 2/05/23 Signatories: 7

Daisy Cooper

Sir Graham Brady

Charlotte Nichols

Marsha De Cordova

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the disproportionately harsh treatment of fortified wine businesses as a result of the new alcohol duty system and the recently-announced alcohol excise duty rate increases, due to come into force on 1 August 2023; further notes the lack of any transitional easement mechanism for fortified wines made from fresh grapes, and the exclusion of fortified wine products from the temporary transitional easement for wines between 11.5-14.5 per cent alcohol by volume; calls on the Government to extend the top end of the current easement for wine to 15 per cent to bring it in line with existing legal definitions and reduce red tape; further calls on the Government to create a transitional easement for fortified wine products made from fresh grapes which have a protected designation of origin; recommends that such an easement operate similarly to the existing easement for wines of fresh grapes, using an alcohol by volume range of 15.5-20 per cent and a fixed midpoint of 17.5 per cent alcohol by volume at which all wines in this range are taxed; and notes that the UK’s fortified wine import market is one of the most competitive globally, and that inevitable price increases will stifle consumer demand without appropriate mitigations for fortified wine companies.

1123World Press Freedom Day

Tabled: 2/05/23 Signatories: 37

Grahame Morris

Kim Johnson

Claire Hanna

Jim Shannon

Zarah Sultana

Jeremy Corbyn

That this House notes that 2023 represents the thirtieth anniversary of the proclamation of an international day of press freedom; recognises the importance of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2023; further notes that the day allows citizens to commemorate journalists who have lost their lives and reminds citizens of the importance of a free press for democracy and human rights; believes that journalists everywhere across the globe have a right to hold the powerful to account without fear of persecution; notes that a report from the International Federation of Journalists shockingly identified at least 68 killings of media professionals in work-related incidents in 2022, whilst over five hundred journalists languished in jails; commends the National Union of Journalists in the UK and Ireland for their tireless campaigning work to defend press freedom; and calls on the Government to uphold press freedom at home and exert diplomatic influence overseas to end impunity for the killing and intimidation of journalists.

1124Dundee Comets and the Scottish Cup

Tabled: 2/05/23 Signatories: 5

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Chris Stephens

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates Dundee Comets on their successful 2022/23 campaign; notes that the Comets were crowned 2022/2023 Scottish Cup champions following victory over Aberdeen Lynx in front of a sold-out event; further notes that the Comets were also successful in the Scottish Ice Hockey Playoff Championship, beating Aberdeen Lynx in the final; recognises the continued importance and contributions of ice hockey clubs like the Comets to Dundee’s sporting community; and wishes all at the club, and in particular the players, management and volunteers, all the best for the year ahead.

1126World Press Freedom Day and Julian Assange

Tabled: 3/05/23 Signatories: 5

Jeremy Corbyn

Caroline Lucas

Apsana Begum

Neale Hanvey

Richard Burgon

That this House appreciates that World Press Freedom Day is intended to honour the excellent work and risks taken by journalists throughout the world; notes that one internationally renowned journalist has completed four years in a maximum security prison in this country; recognises that Julian Assange faces extradition to the USA under the Espionage Act for revealing uncomfortable truths such as the publication of material relating to state actions in Iraq and Afghanistan; further notes that such treatment of a journalist jeopardises the freedom of all journalists to go about their work unimpeded by state interference and criminalises the invaluable journalism that is in the public interest; and calls on the Home Secretary to reject extradition.

1127Extrajudicial executions in Iran

Tabled: 3/05/23 Signatories: 13

John McDonnell

Chris Stephens

Caroline Lucas

Jon Trickett

Apsana Begum

Jonathan Edwards

That this House wishes to express its deep concern at the extrajudicial executions of Mohamad Reza Mashhadi Farahani, Hossein Jazy, Hamid Saied Mozafari, Sayed Farhad Hoseini, Ali Basaki, Ezatolah Shahbazi, Nika Shakarami, Shirzad Ahmadinezad, Ebrahim Rigi, Masoumeh and Aida Rostami by the Iranian State; sends condolences to the family and friends of the victims; condemns the actions of the Iranian Regime in perpetrating these crimes; and urges the Government to call on the Islamic Republic of Iran to stop executing protestors and to stop violating women's and citizens' rights and freedoms.

1128The International Christian Medical and Dental Association's Ukraine project

Tabled: 3/05/23 Signatories: 6

Daisy Cooper

Chris Stephens

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House congratulates the International Christian Medical And Dental Association (ICMDA) in providing vital medical aid to the people of Ukraine; notes the international office located in St Albans and the fantastic work undertaken by CEO Peter Saunders, logistics manager David Sawday and the wider team; congratulates the charity on raising £750,000 and sending more than 100 lorry loads of purchased and donated medical supplies since 25 February 2022, including, but not limited to, anaesthetic machines, oxygen concentrators, patient monitors, field dressings, pharmaceuticals, beds and external fixators; further notes the partnerships formed with healthcare and logistics companies including NHS Trusts Gateshead, Leeds Hospital, Northumbria NHS Trust, Barts NHS Trust, Kimal, Clinisupplies, Circle Health Group, Reflex Medical, Keswick Group, Dawson Group, Taylor Transport, Clipper Logistics, Bunzl and others; calls on honourable Members to promote the ICDMA to other potential partnership organisations; recognises the ICDMA's contribution in supporting the people of Ukraine against the illegal Russian invasion; and wishes the ICDMA the very best in its continued efforts delivering medical supplies to the region.