Contents

Published: Wednesday 22 November 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 21 November 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

85Paxlovid and clinically vulnerable patients

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Daisy Cooper

That this House calls on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to reject the request from NHS England to delay the roll-out of Covid antiviral treatment Paxlovid; further calls for the additional funds and resources necessary to be provided to NHS England to ensure this treatment reaches all recommended patients this winter; notes with grave concern that a 12 month delay would deny treatment to an estimated 10 million patients at high and moderate risk of hospitalisation and death from Covid-19 infection; further notes the lack of any government strategy to support the immuno-compromised to live with covid; regrets that this request comes at a time when the National Health Service is likely to face unprecedented seasonal pressures with 80% of NHS leaders expecting this winter’s capacity crisis to be more extreme than last year; recognises the alleviatory impact that such antivirals will have in reducing hospital admissions; censures the request as out of step with the 10 November 2023 update to World Health Organisation guidance which strongly recommends Paxlovid for high risk groups; notes that a decision to delay access to life-saving treatment has potential wider implications for patient access to future innovations; and is astounded that such a recommendation would be considered appropriate when the Department for Health and Social Care already holds a stockpile of this drug, of which more than half would expire and have to be destroyed during the period between 30 November 2023 and 29 February 2024.

86Donate IT digital device donation

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Sarah Dyke [R]

That this House recognises the growing digital divide and the difficulties that this has in modern life from online banking to employment opportunities; congratulates Donate IT, a Somerset-based not-for-profit, that recently donated its one thousandth device to a local resident in digital need; further recognises the importance of such organisations that donate used IT equipment and ensure digital device waste is reused and does not end up in landfills; shows concern that in July 2023 three in ten households surveyed by Ofcom had difficulty affording a communication service; understands that the most financially vulnerable, those on means tested benefits and households with someone who has an impacting or limiting condition are amongst those most likely to have difficulty affording communication services; is concerned that Somerton and Frome is in the bottom 6% of all constituencies in Britain for mobile connectivity and deprivation; and calls for people across the UK to have equal access to new technology that is shaping modern life.

87175th Anniversary of Inch Orange Hall

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Jim Shannon

That this House celebrates 175 years of Inch Orange Hall, which was officially opened on 6 November 1848; notes the hall was originally a single storey building with a side door and two windows until 1938 when a kitchen was added and further in 1967 the length of the hall was extended and the present kitchen and toilet were installed; highlights in the last 18 months the Brethren have spent over £40,000 on major renovations and upgrades, including disabled toilets, disabled access into the building, new insulation and a fire alarm system; further notes that the hall is home to Inch LOL 430, Inch Jnr LOL 227, Inch Flute Band and the Bells Hill Apprentice Boys Mitchelburne Club; remembers Robert David Perceval Maxwell from Finnebrogue who gave the hall to the local Lodges as Robert was a member of Inch LOL 430; further highlights at the outbreak of war, Robert was instrumental in forming the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in Downpatrick and took the local men to war to France in 1915, where he sadly lost one of his sons; recognises Robert's commitment to the Lodge until his death in 1932; and wishes all lodges the very best for the future.

88Closure of HSBC's Welsh-speaking customer service line

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House expresses its huge disappointment regarding HSBC's decision to axe their Welsh language telephone service which, for many of their customers, is not a choice, but a necessity; notes that many areas, especially rural ones, have already been dealt the blow of restricted cash services and closed bank branches, and that the closure of the bank’s Welsh language service is another significant blow; is particularly concerned for elderly customers without access to digital technology; argues that the bank’s promises to arrange a call back in Welsh, within three working days not only displays insensitivity to the financial pressures facing people, but is also dangerous; highlights that accessing banking services in the Welsh language is not just a choice, but a right provided by the Welsh Language Act 1993 and the Welsh Language Measure 2011; and calls on HSBC to reverse this decision and move towards active promotion of Welsh language services across its business.

89Asbestos-related lung cancer

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Martin Docherty-Hughes

That this House is concerned that sufferers of asbestos-related lung cancer are denied full compensation if they are unable to trace all their former employers whose negligence contributed to the disease; recognises that the number of people affected is small, but the impact on their lives and the lives of their families can be devastating; is aware that section 3 of the Compensation Act 2006 allows sufferers of mesothelioma in these circumstances to receive full compensation; further recognises that mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer are similar diseases which are often difficult to distinguish, even with expert medical evidence; believes that sufferers of asbestos-related lung cancer should have their right to full compensation protected by legislation; and urges the Government to introduce legislation similar to section 3 of the Compensation Act 2006 for suffers of asbestos-related lung cancer.

90Reinstatement of the Access to Elected Office Fund

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Daisy Cooper

That this House notes with regret the underrepresentation of disabled people in Parliament, whilst one in five members of the working-age population identify as disabled, just five MPs disclosed they identify as disabled at the 2019 General Election; believes it is important that disabled people are enabled to contribute to the decisions which affect their lives; understands that financial barriers are a major factor in preventing many disabled people from pursuing elected office; acknowledges that disabled people face additional disability related costs such as paying for Personal Assistants, BSL Interpreters, transport, and assistive technology; commends the Centenary Action report entitled Overcoming the barriers to disabled women’s involvement in politics which found that financial support was the most commonly cited requirement by disabled women to contest an election; regrets that the government abolished the Access to Elected Office Fund in 2015 and the successor EnAble Fund by government in March 2020; notes that the government report Barriers to elected office for disabled people also identified the impact of financial barriers on the selection and election of disabled people; and supports the reinstatement of a fund on a permanent basis to enable disabled people to stand for election for public office, and bring a diversity of experience to our society and democracy.

91Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Mrs Paulette Hamilton

That this House acknowledges that November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month; recognises that survival rates in the UK still lag behind much of the rest of Europe and the World; notes that pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect and that diagnosis takes too long with slow processes and multiple tests leaving people in the dark; understands that once identified, people face huge obstacles getting the information and care they need to be well enough to have treatment with many people feeling they have no support plan in place, and no help to manage symptoms; further understands that once diagnosed, seven out of ten people don’t get any treatment, the highest proportion of all cancer types, and that half of people die within a month of diagnosis; believes that people with pancreatic cancer urgently need a faster, fairer, funded pathway throughout their diagnosis, treatment and care; supports Pancreatic Cancer UK’s efforts to ensure implementation of such a pathway; commends all of the charities and activist organisations and their dedicated supporters for their tireless efforts to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer; and wishes everyone involved with Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month every success in their endeavours.

92Age Scotland’s 80th Anniversary

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Patricia Gibson

That this House celebrates the 80th anniversary of Age Scotland’s work to support older people; understands that the first meeting of an earlier incarnation of Age Scotland, the Scottish Old People’s Welfare Committee, took place in Edinburgh in January 1943 to support the war effort and the wellbeing of older people in Scotland; acknowledges that the Committee’s aims were to gather information on the present position of the care and welfare of the aged and to raise awareness of the needs of older people; considers that, in the past 80 years, Age Scotland has made an invaluable contribution through its work in helping older people to live as well as possible, in promoting positive views of ageing and later life, and in tackling loneliness and isolation; notes that Age Scotland recently published the findings of its Big Survey 2023, which aims to take the temperature of what it is like to be an older person in Scotland; recognises that one of the events planned to mark this milestone is a parliamentary reception on 15 November 2023 to celebrate the contribution of older people and groups from the North Ayrshire and Arran constituency and across Scotland, including the winners of Age Scotland’s annual awards, and to hear about the charity’s latest research, which outlines the political priorities of people over the age of 50 and how they feel about growing older in Scotland; and wishes chief executive, Katherine Crawford, and everyone at Age Scotland continued success.

93Sail Training Shetland

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 1

Mr Alistair Carmichael

That this House congratulates Sail Training Shetland for earning the Sail Training Organisation of the Year Small Vessel prize from Sail Training International at its annual conference; recognises that the local charity has supported more than 500 young people since 2009; and expresses gratitude to all who have recruited and mentored young sailors throughout and beyond The Tall Ship Races 2023.

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.

2Addressing the climate emergency

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 26

Caroline Lucas

Clive Lewis

Richard Foord

Liz Saville Roberts

Claire Hanna

Mick Whitley

That this House expresses its profound concern about the Government’s failure to address the urgency of the climate and ecological emergency; is alarmed by escalating climate impacts and the diminishing remaining carbon budget for limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees; is dismayed by the recent approval of the Rosebank oil field, the contents of which would, if burned, produce more CO2 than the combined annual emissions of all 28 low-income countries in the world; condemns the Prime Minister’s rollback on delivering Net Zero which falsely pits measures to achieve our climate targets against tackling the cost of living crisis, creates uncertainty for businesses, will lead to increased costs for households, and further erodes the UK’s standing on the world stage; notes that according to the Climate Change Committee, the UK is unlikely to deliver its 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution and is off track to meet the Sixth Carbon Budget; calls on the Government to press for an agreement on the urgent and just phase out of all fossil fuels, as well as the operationalisation of a properly resourced Loss and Damage Finance Fund at COP28 in Dubai; and urges the Government to deliver the transformative action needed to meet the UK’s climate targets, reduce energy bills for the long-term, and regain the UK’s climate leadership, including a retrofit revolution to upgrade the UK’s leaky homes, unleashing cheap and abundant renewables, and putting an end to new oil and gas licences, alongside facilitating a Just Transition for workers and communities.

6Immigration

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 28

Sir Stephen Timms

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Dawn Butler

Tim Farron

Kim Johnson

Clive Lewis

That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 (S.I., 2023, No. 1004), dated 14 September 2023, a copy of which was laid before this House on 15 September 2023, be annulled.

7Sixth year of detention of Jagtar Singh Johal

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 48

Martin Docherty-Hughes

Claudia Webbe

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Stuart C McDonald

That this House notes that Friday 4 November 2023 marked the sixth anniversary of the arbitrary detention in India of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh activist and son of the Rock of Dumbarton held since being abducted from the street during his honeymoon by unidentified assailants who turned out to be undercover police agents; further notes that he alleges that while held incommunicado for 10 days by local police, he was tortured both physically and through electric shocks to his nipples and genitals, something which led him to signing a confession, a confession that has subsequently been used when filing charges against him; supports the ruling of the UN Working Group on arbitrary detention which in May 2022 gave its opinion that Jagtar’s detention was an arbitrary one; urges the Government to also support this opinion and do what it can to achieve Jagtar’s immediate release; further regrets the continuation of the Government’s negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with the Republic of India as long as a UK citizen remains arbitrarily detained in an Indian prison; and states unequivocally that these negotiations should be paused until such time as the Indian Government addresses Jagtar’s arbitrary detention.

14Newsquest Local Democracy Reporter pay

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 24

Grahame Morris

John McDonnell

Kim Johnson

Ian Byrne

Liz Saville Roberts

Chris Stephens

That this House is concerned that publisher Newsquest is failing to provide decent salaries for its Local Democracy Reporters despite allocated funding provided by the BBC from licence fee payers; notes that Newsquest has failed to account for a £10,000 surplus per post even after salary and usual employers' costs of National Insurance and pension contributions are considered; regrets that low pay risks the loss of talented journalists providing local councils and communities with wholly relevant, accessible news through their public interest journalism; further notes that other publishers pay their reporters a fair wage with one rival setting a £31,200 minimum salary for senior reporters compared to £24,056 offered by Newsquest; commends the efforts of the National Union of Journalists to achieve pay increases for reporters using ringfenced money; condemns Newsquest’s failure to address adequately the union's reasonable concerns; and implores the publisher to use licence fee payers’ funds appropriately by introducing salary increases and conditions reflective of the immense value of Local Democracy Reporters.

19Disability History Month 2023

Tabled: 7/11/23 Signatories: 20

Dr Lisa Cameron

Jim Shannon

Clive Lewis

Patrick Grady

Jeremy Corbyn

John McDonnell

That this House recognises that 16 November to 16 December 2023 is Disability History Month, which is now in its fourteenth year of being celebrated in the UK; notes that Disability History Month is a month to celebrate disabled people and champion their abilities and rights; further notes that this year’s theme is Disability, Childhood and Youth; commends UKDHM Organiser Richard Rieser and the many disability activists for their dedication and efforts to bringing Disability History Month to the UK; recognises that many disabled children and young people do not yet have fully inclusive lives and face barriers in developing their full potential; further recognises that, due to discrimination and stigma, many have chosen not to identify their disability within their community; calls for the wider promotion and protection of disability rights; highlights that those with mental health issues, neurodiversity and learning difficulties face particular societal barriers; highlights the importance of creating welcoming communities and promoting social inclusion; recognises the need to progress from a medical approach; and urges parliamentarians to work for an inclusive, accessible, rights based and sustainable society for disabled people across the UK.

22Night Riviera Sleeper Service

Tabled: 8/11/23 Signatories: 13

John McDonnell

Ian Mearns [R]

Grahame Morris

Alison Thewliss

Richard Burgon

Patrick Grady

That this House recognises that the Night Riviera Sleeper service, operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) between London Paddington and Penzance, plays a vital role in providing sustainable and low-carbon travel between the capital and west of England; believes the staff employed on the Night Riviera provide a high-quality service to passengers; notes that research has found that travel by train is seven times more environmentally friendly than flying; further believes that reliable and high-quality rail links to areas popular with tourists support local economies and jobs; further notes that around 100 Sleeper services have been cancelled between September and November this year due to engineering works; further believes that wherever possible cancellations should be avoided and alternatives such as changes to the route or timing of the service should be considered; further understands that the rolling stock used to operate the Night Riviera is reaching the end of its natural lifespan; understands that GWR’s business plan for 2022 requires it to provide proposals to the Government about the future provision of the Night Riviera Sleeper; further understands that, that in light of this, concerns have been raised by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers about the future of the Night Riviera Sleeper; therefore calls on GWR and the Government to commit to maintaining the service, ensure all jobs on the Night Riviera Sleeper will be protected, and set out a plan for investing in this vital service.

26Islamophobia Awareness Month

Tabled: 8/11/23 Signatories: 24

Christine Jardine

Jamie Stone

Tahir Ali

Caroline Lucas

Wendy Chamberlain

Richard Foord

That this House supports Islamophobia Awareness Month, which is taking place this November; recognises the incredible contributions that British Muslims make to our country; acknowledges that anti-Muslim sentiment is far too prevalent in our society; notes with concern that the horrifying Israel-Gaza conflict has led to a rise in Islamophobia in the UK, with Tell MAMA reporting a sevenfold increase of anti-Muslim incidents between 7 and 29 October compared to the same period last year; emphasises the importance of standing up to religious hatred in all its forms; and calls on the Government to ensure that public bodies have the resources and training they need to identify and prevent hate crimes.

28Section 21 evictions

Tabled: 8/11/23 Signatories: 15

Jon Trickett

Caroline Lucas

John McDonnell

Jonathan Edwards

Claudia Webbe

Cat Smith

That this House urgently calls on the Government to proceed with their 2019 manifesto promise to abolish section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, otherwise known as no fault evictions; condemns the number of delays in bringing forward a proper legislative ban in the last parliamentary session; urges the government to strengthen the Renters (Reform) Bill in regard to no fault evictions; notes that section 21 evictions are increasingly used by landlords, with the ONS finding that threats of eviction using section 21 notices rose by 69 per cent, while instances of actual evictions more than doubled, rising by 143 per cent; further notes media reports which show that 40 families a day have been threatened with no-fault evictions since the Government undertook to ban them in 2019; highlights the huge pressure on social housing with over one million waiting for a home; condemns the Government’s failure to fulfil its promise to ban no fault evictions, especially with the added urgency of a global pandemic and then a cost of living crisis; further condemns the fact that vulnerable people are potentially being made homeless; welcomes the statement by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 15 February 2023 that the Government will legislate in this Parliament to abolish Section 21 no fault evictions; and urges the Government to stop delaying and to act now.

3385th anniversary of Kristallnacht and antisemitism

Tabled: 9/11/23 Signatories: 17

Patricia Gibson

Patrick Grady

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

Hywel Williams

Allan Dorans

That this House commemorates the victims of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), a destructive campaign of violence against Jewish people, on its 85th anniversary; understands that, throughout the night of 9-10 November 1938, the Nazi Party targeted synagogues and Jewish prayer rooms across Germany, with over 1,400 burned or badly damaged, 7,500 Jewish businesses across Germany and Austria vandalised, and at least 91 people murdered, with a further 30,000 Jewish men being arrested and taken to concentration camps, where many more died; further understands that this was followed by hundreds of suicides in the Jewish community and mass emigration; recognises the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany’s relaunched campaign, ItStartedWithWords, highlighting that the Holocaust did not start with camps, ghettos and deportations, but with words of hate; understands this campaign’s importance in view of the growing prevalence of Holocaust denial and hate speech towards Jews; notes concerning reports that more than 1,000 anti-Semitic incidents have taken place across the UK since Hama’s terrorist attacks on 7 October 2023, the highest 28-day total recorded since the Community Security Trust began tracking attacks in 1984, and a 537% increase over the same period in 2022; recognises the resilience of Holocaust survivors who continue to highlight the barbaric actions that took place during the Second World War, particularly following the unacceptable rise in antisemitism recently; and continues to remember the 6 million Jewish people and others targeted due to ethnicity, religion, political beliefs and sexual orientation who were victims of Nazi persecution.

47Seasonal Worker visa scheme

Tabled: 13/11/23 Signatories: 22

John McDonnell

Jon Trickett

Jonathan Edwards

Kate Osborne

Chris Stephens

Kim Johnson

That this House notes the recent report by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Independent which identified issues of racism, wage theft and threats of being sent back home in 19 farm inspection reports produced by the Home Office between 2021 and 2022; recognises that migrant seasonal workers are integral to the UK’s horticultural sector and that working conditions under the seasonal worker visa must urgently be improved; further recognises that the current iteration of the seasonal worker visa is due to expire at the end of 2024 and that improvements to working conditions must be implemented before any decision to extend the scheme is made; calls on the Government to urgently complete and publish a review of the seasonal worker visa scheme in line with the recommendations that it accepted by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration in the report entitled An inspection of the immigration system as it relates to the agricultural sector, published in December 2022; further calls on the Government to implement the recommendations on the seasonal worker visa scheme of the report by the House of Lords Select Committee on Horticulture entitled Sowing the seeds: A blooming English horticultural sector (November 2023); and calls on the Government to engage with independent civil society organisations advocating for the rights of migrant seasonal workers in the recently formed Seasonal Worker Interest Group to address the design-related issues from the seasonal workers visa scheme.

53Refugee campaign groups from the North East

Tabled: 13/11/23 Signatories: 8

Ian Lavery

Jon Trickett

Kate Osborne

Chris Stephens

Kim Johnson

Mick Whitley

That this House welcomes the lobby of Parliament by refugee groups from the North East of England to be held in Room S of Portcullis House from 2.00pm to 4.00pm on Tuesday 28 November; proudly acknowledges that the UK has, for centuries, provided a haven for those fleeing oppression; understands that many people seeking asylum display qualities of great courage and resilience and have abilities which can serve this country well; and urges all hon. Members to attend the lobby in order to hear the case for a fair system of asylum that enables safe routes to get to the UK, treats human beings with dignity and care in a timely and efficient manner, and allows them to make an immediate contribution to the UK through paid work.

54Food banks

Tabled: 14/11/23 Signatories: 8

Jon Trickett

Kim Johnson

Clive Lewis

Caroline Lucas

Ian Lavery

Mary Kelly Foy

That this House notes with extreme concern the new figures from The Trussell Trust which showed that 1.5 million food parcels were provided to people between April and September 2023 by food banks in the charity’s UK-wide network, which is a 16% increase on the same period in 2022; highlights that 320,000 people have needed to use a food bank for the first time in the past six months; notes that a record 540,000 food parcels were provided for more than 265,000 children living in families who could not afford the essentials, which is an 11% increase compared to the same period last year; highlights the grave concerns expressed by the UN Poverty envoy Olivier De Schutter on poverty levels in the UK; and urges the Government to act now to tackle poverty by ensuring decent pay, investment and high quality public services.

59Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum

Tabled: 14/11/23 Signatories: 5

Dr Lisa Cameron

Patrick Grady

Jonathan Edwards

Mary Kelly Foy

Ian Byrne

That this House welcomes Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum, which builds on his encyclical letter Laudato Si’, that calls on world leaders to put global common good ahead of self interest; urges international governments to commit to a transition from fossil fuels that is binding and measurable; acknowledges the injustice that it is the world’s poorest communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change, despite contributing the least to global emissions; commends the work of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development and the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund who work alongside climate vulnerable communities to respond to climate change and with Global South organisations to campaign for global leadership to tackle climate change; and notes the significance of Pope Francis’ message to world leaders ahead of COP28 to be ambitious in their pledges to tackle climate change and provide their fair share of financing to meet existing climate finance pledges.

62VAT on audiobooks

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 8

Sir Mike Penning

Claire Hanna

Jonathan Edwards

Caroline Lucas

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this House recognises that audio books, now popular and widely available across all genres, from business to academic, from historical to self help, are a lifeline for many people with sight loss, visual impairment, dyslexia or other reading disabilities; agrees that audio books offer unique opportunities for visually-impaired and dyslexic people to improve their education on a par with their peers; recognises that audio books enable visually-impaired and dyslexic people to continue working independently for longer and thereby contribute to the economy for longer; further recognises that audio books open up a world of information, literature and poetry to visually-impaired and dyslexic people; welcomes the zero-rate VAT for e-books but also recognises that e-books, when read aloud by automated text-to-speech, are difficult to listen to for long periods, lack intonation, may mispronounce names and places, can often read out every bracket and notation, making it difficult to comprehend or recall meaning; notes that other European countries have recently reduced their rates of VAT on audiobooks, including Norway to zero; and calls for equal VAT-status to be applied to audio books as already exists for e-books and physical books.

63Plastics in the world's seas

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 7

Sir Mike Penning

Claire Hanna

Jonathan Edwards

Mohammad Yasin

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this House notes that according to the UN there will be more plastic in the sea than fish by 2050; calls for the Government to publish a strategy for promoting a circular economy in respect of plastics, including setting targets and measures for the elimination and recycling of single-use plastics; further calls for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to establish a task force to develop proposals to encourage the use of reuse and refill models of packaging, to report annually to Parliament on the implementation of the strategy, to ensure that UK targets for the elimination and recycling of plastic packaging are more demanding than equivalent targets set by the EU, and to require manufacturers and retailers to pay for the cost of recycling plastic; calls for Government to set annual targets for reducing the quantity of plastic waste that is incinerated; further calls for the Secretary of State to publish a plan for banning the export of plastic waste by 2027, make provision for the purpose of reducing the cost of recycling plastic, including measures to encourage the standardisation of plastic packaging, give powers to the Office for Environmental Protection to enforce legislation relating to plastic pollution, and make provision for the purpose of encouraging the development of sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging; and calls on the Government to publish a plan for the use of fiscal policy to incentivise investment in recycling infrastructure and sustainable behaviour by consumers and retailers.

64Ban on the import of foie gras

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 6

Sir Mike Penning

Jonathan Edwards

Caroline Lucas

Jim Shannon

Patricia Gibson

Ian Byrne

That this House condemns the production of foie gras by force-feeding ducks and geese which causes severe physical and psychological pain for the animals involved; welcomes the continued ban on production of foie gras in the UK; and calls on the Government to introduce the promised ban on the import of foie gras immediately.

67Council budgets and audits

Tabled: 16/11/23 Signatories: 7

Helen Morgan

Jonathan Edwards

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

Sarah Dyke [R]

Richard Foord

That this House notes with concern the increase in the number of councils struggling to meet the costs of temporary accommodation, Special Educational Needs and Disability services and social care; recognises the importance of local councils’ services in providing essential support for vulnerable individuals and their families; notes with concern the backlog in the number of unaudited accounts for councils and other public bodies; understands that 99% of English councils did not have their 2022-23 financial accounts signed off by the legal audit deadline; further notes the increasing pressure on local councils to make precarious investments to protect essential services; regrets government cuts to local council budgets since 2015; and calls on the Government to ensure local councils are adequately funded and resourced to clear the audit backlog and provide essential services for the long term.

70Sewage discharges

Tabled: 16/11/23 Signatories: 8

Jon Trickett

Jonathan Edwards

Ian Lavery

Mary Kelly Foy

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

That this House expresses its concern at the continuing dumping of sewage into UK waterways; recognises that the practice is dangerous to public health and damaging to the environment; further recognises that the pollution is making it unsafe for people to swim in natural designated bathing sites such as the River Wharfe in Ilkely, West Yorkshire, which has been given a water quality rating of poor by the Environment Agency; notes that despite multiple failures, £19 billion was paid out in dividends to shareholders in water and sewerage businesses operating in England between 2010 and 2021, which is an average of £1.7 billion a year; further notes that water bills in England and Wales have increased by 40 per cent above inflation since privatisation in 1989; notes with dismay that water companies in England and Wales want bills to increase by £156 a year by 2030 to pay for upgrades and reduce sewage discharges; calls on the Government to immediately place a legal duty on the water companies to avoid sewage dumping; and expresses its support for the public ownership of the UK water system so that the profits of this national asset benefit all the people of the UK and not just a small group of shareholders.

71Alternatives to affordability checks for gambling

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 2

Adam Afriyie

Jim Shannon

That this House welcomes the proposal for an app entitled Bettor Help by the Gamblers Consumer Forum which would offer an alternative to affordability checks and a clinical-based solution towards tackling gambling harm; notes there is no body of evidence that suggests that intrusive affordability checks curb addiction; further notes the sparse research that suggests addiction can be characterised by financial loss; urges the Government to consider the impact of affordability checks on British horseracing, an industry woven into the iconic sporting tapestry of our country and an economic powerhouse for job opportunities; further urges the Government to consider the consequences of using non-clinical solutions in addiction-related regulation, such as minimal pricing for alcohol in Scotland which actually saw alcohol-related deaths surge, and to contrast that with the successes of clinical solutions like clinical group therapy; encourages Members to note that Dr Robert Lefever, a world-leading expert in addiction recovery who has treated over five thousand patients, contributed clinical screening questions to this proposal; and further encourages Members to note this app proposal has been overwhelmingly supported by 68% of the UK public following a poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Gamblers Consumer Forum.

72Puppy smuggling

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 9

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

Patricia Gibson

Deidre Brock

Ian Byrne

Grahame Morris

That this House recognises the vile puppy smuggling trade and sterling efforts by Dogs Trust to end this cruel practice; shares the deep fears of many people about the suffering of dogs and puppies at the hands of smugglers; recognises the seriousness of this welfare issue and acknowledges the disappointment of many that the Kept Animals Bill, which had the potential to crack down on this illegal trade, was dropped; and backs the Trust’s demands that we bring an end to the horrors of puppy smuggling.

73125th anniversary of the University of East London

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 2

Sir Stephen Timms

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates the University of East London on its 125th anniversary; recognises its invaluable contribution to social justice through education, skills training and enterprise in East London and around the world; commends its commitment to championing equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education, and to driving social mobility through expanding the access of people from marginalised backgrounds to graduate employment; welcomes its work towards a green and healthy world through partnerships with businesses and communities; expresses gratitude for its commitment to research and community projects addressing health and economic inequalities; resolves to continue to work with universities to tackle the complex challenges facing the communities we serve; and extends warm greetings to the University of East London on its milestone anniversary and looks forward to its continued success in years to come.

74Ulster Scots Language Week 2023

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 2

Mr Gregory Campbell

Jim Shannon

That this House notes that Ulster Scots Language Week takes place on 20 to 25 November 2023; commends all those involved in the many events organised for the week, including creative writing workshops, heritage, poetry classes, storytelling, song and dance, film and faith based events and many others; acknowledges the growing interest in Ulster Scots; and expresses hope that all minority languages can be supported where they are spoken, promoted in a respectful context and not used for political purposes.

7540th anniversary of the killings at Darkley

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 3

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

That this House remembers the Darkley massacre of 20 November 1983, in which three Republican gunmen attacked worshippers at the Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church, murdering three members; expresses its sorrow at the loss of life of Harold Brown, Victor Cunningham, and David Wilson in what was a blatant sectarian motivated attack; remembers all those innocent victims of the attack and their families on this 40th anniversary of the attack; and reiterates its opposition to sectarianism, terrorism and the glorification of such actions by terrorists

7670th anniversary of the Edenderry Memorial Methodist Girls' Brigade

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 2

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Edenderry Memorial Methodist Girls' Brigade on reaching its 70th anniversary; recognises the positive role played by the Girls' Brigade in our community; thanks all those who have volunteered to lead and support Edenderry Memorial Methodist Girls' Brigade over its 70 year existence; and wishes the organisation a very enjoyable and successful 70th anniversary year.

7740th anniversary of the killings at Darkley Gospel Hall

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 2

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

That this House notes with deep sadness the 40th anniversary of the massacre at Darkley Gospel Hall which took place as families with children and babies who had gathered to worship on 20 November 1983 were shot at with over 70 bullets that killed three men and injured others; extends sincere sympathies on the anniversary of this despicably wicked act to those families who grieve, to those who still deal with their physical injuries and to those left with the mental and emotional scars of the day they went to church to worship God and were met with the evil face of terrorism; highlights the fact that even in their grief and shock their call was for no retribution and pointing to the God of all comfort; and assures the people of this community that we will not forget the horror of the attack on this Church nor allow anyone to portray this as a justifiable part of freedom fighting, acknowledging that there was and can be no excuse for the choice to carry out this vile atrocity.

79Sanctions imposed on Everton Football Club

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 14

Ian Byrne

Kim Johnson

Mick Whitley

Paula Barker

Peter Dowd

John McDonnell

That this House condemns the grossly unjust points deduction imposed on Everton Football Club by a Premier League Commission, a punishment lacking any legal or equitable foundation or justification for the level of sanction; notes that financial-not-sporting penalties for far more severe breaches have been applied, including the industry-and-community-threatening European Super League; declares that sporting sanctions unfairly punish supporters; notices the improper dismissal of extraordinary mitigating circumstances outlined by Everton; impresses on the House Everton’s investment in North Liverpool, its 2028 Euro Stadium, and the club’s long-standing, commendable commitment to Liverpool’s vulnerable; gravely remarks that these investments are now under threat; that this House contends the Premier League can no longer fairly govern top-flight football without independent scrutiny and legislation; asserts that the Commission’s cavalier approach to points deductions necessitates acceleration of the introduction of the Government’s proposed Independent Regulator; urges the Government to immediately establish an Independent Football Regulator that will safeguard the future of the game, enforce compliance with financial regulation, and establish new guardrails for corporate governance, club ownership, fan engagement, and competition regulation; requests the suspension of all proceedings and sanctions made by the Commission until the Regulator makes its own determinations; and demands fan ownership and board representation.

80Local Housing Allowance and housing supply

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 27

Paula Barker

Kim Johnson

Mary Kelly Foy

Caroline Lucas

Jim Shannon

Mick Whitley

That this House acknowledges the endemic housing crisis which now affects all communities across the country and the unsustainable rent increases across the private rented sector; affirms the current inadequacy of Local Housing Allowance, frozen since April 2020; believes that Local Housing Allowance has not kept pace with rising rents; recognises that Discretionary Housing Payments are insufficient in reducing the burden on local authority homelessness teams; expresses concern at the strain temporary accommodation is placing on local authority budgets; welcomes any commitment by any of the major parties to increase housing supply over the medium and long term; implores any potential party of government to commit to immediate interventions to alleviate the housing and homelessness emergency in the short term; and urges the Government to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance during forthcoming fiscal events and restore it to, at the very minimum, the 30th percentile of rents in every local authority area.

81Ethnicity data collection for business owners

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 2

Sarah Olney

Jim Shannon

That this House believes that entrepreneurs of all ethnic backgrounds should have equal access to finance; recognises the recommendation of the Office for National Statistics that the introduction of a national system of data collection on the ethnicity of business owners would be an important step in improving transparency and addressing inequality in this area; believes that the introduction of an ethnicity field on Companies House director registrations would be an important step toward developing a national framework for capturing the ethnicity of company directors in the UK; welcomes the Government's commitment to Action 55 in its Inclusive Britain report which would take steps towards improving transparency and reducing barriers; and calls on the Government to take immediate action to enact these recommendations.

82Safe access zones

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 5

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Kim Johnson

Ms Diane Abbott

Ian Byrne

Jonathan Edwards

That this House celebrates the legislative introduction of Safe Access Zones around abortion clinics and buildings offering abortion services in the Public Order Act 2023; notes that although the Act received Royal Assent on 2 May 2023, provisions within the Act about Safe Access Zones, as outlined in section 9, have yet to come into force and require the introduction of a statutory instrument, as outlined in section 35(5) of the Act; is concerned that, until Safe Access Zones are enforced, pro-life protestors are permitted to continue staging protests outside abortion facilities, potentially hindering access to services and intimidating service users and staff; acknowledges that Safe Access Zones are a key instrument to protecting women’s access to healthcare and their right to choose; and therefore calls on the Home Secretary to bring forward a statutory instrument to enforce Safe Access Zones around abortion clinics and buildings offering abortion services without further delay.

83Hearings on the return of African artefacts and ancestral remains

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 11

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Mary Kelly Foy

Kim Johnson

Ms Diane Abbott

Zarah Sultana

Ian Byrne

That this House seeks to honour and continue the work of the late Bernie Grant, former Member of Parliament for Tottenham, on the restitution of African artefacts and ancestral remains; notes the recent report by the APPG on Afrikan Reparations entitled, Hearings on the Restitution of Stolen African Artefacts and Ancestral Remains, which brings together a diverse range of experts and perspectives on the matter of restitution of African artefacts and human remains from museums and other cultural institutions; agrees that countries have the right to care for their own cultural heritage, and their own cultural artefacts; is appalled by the disregard shown by the British Museum for the significance of some of the cultural artefacts in its possession, which has led to several cultural artefacts being improperly quantified, organised or labelled; believes this demonstrates the British Museum’s unsuitability to be a proper custodian of the cultural artefacts of other nations; regrets that British institutions are falling behind other countries such as Germany who are now leading on restitution issues after having recognised the moral and ethical dimensions of the issue; suggests that through supporting restitution efforts and implementing necessary changes to legislation and museum practices, the Government can take significant steps towards rectifying historical injustices and fostering a more equitable and inclusive approach to cultural heritage; and calls on the Government to acknowledge and enact the seven recommendations in the APPG for Afrikan Reparation’s report entitled, Hearings on the Restitution of Stolen African Artefacts and Ancestral Remains.

84Review of the charity lottery annual sales cap

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 2

Patricia Gibson

Jim Shannon

That this House acknowledges the incredible amount of money raised by charity lotteries in the UK, including Scottish-based People’s Postcode Lottery, whose players have raised a phenomenal £1.2 billion for good causes across the country; notes that the demand for funding from charities has greatly increased amid the cost of living crisis and the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic; believes that the current £50 million cap on annual charity lottery sales serves no purpose and is affecting the ability of charity lotteries to increase the amount of funding they can provide charities and good causes; further notes that charities, including those in North Ayrshire and Arran, will continue to miss out on millions of pounds of funding so long as the sales cap remains in place; and calls on the Government to remove the charity lottery annual sales limit as a matter of urgency so that charities across the country are not missing out on vital funding when they need it most.