Contents

Published: Thursday 30 November 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Wednesday 29 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

124Scottish independence and the role of the Scottish Government

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 1

Angus Brendan MacNeil

That this House notes that 30 November is St Andrew's Day, the patron saint of Scotland; further notes that the UK government continues to refuse to grant a Section 30 order to test Scottish opinion, post-Brexit, on independence; notes that in November 2022 the UK Supreme Court ruled against the Scottish Parliament from legislating on a lawful referendum due to its consequences stemming from authority of the ballot box, noting that referendums usually have no immediate legal consequences but that the outcome, as Holyrood is a devolved Parliament of Westminster and not a sovereign parliament of a nation or a people, could force the Parliament at Westminster through the political culture of democracy to alter the constitution of the United Kingdom; and further notes that the Scottish Parliament can call an unscheduled election at any time by three means: a resignation by a First Minister with no new First Minister appointed within 28 days, a two-thirds majority of MSPs voting for an election or a change to Section 3 (1)(A) of the Scotland Act 1998, where a majority of MSPs amend the two-thirds rule to a simple majority for holding the unscheduled Holyrood election, and therefore the route to hold such a ballot box event and to put a question on independence to the Scottish people therefore at present lies with the Scottish Government at Holyrood.

12560th anniversary of Dr Who

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 1

Kate Osborne

That this House congratulates Dr Who on reaching its 60th anniversary; welcomes the inclusive and diverse nature of the 60th anniversary episode; notes the long history of Doctor Who breaking barriers in inclusion in gender and diversity including the recent positive representation of trans people; further notes the pleasure and enjoyment that it has brought to many generations of fans; and highlights that the BBC is truly providing its licence payers with the best of the BBC in this programming.

126St Andrew's Day Declaration

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 1

Neale Hanvey

That this House reaffirms and endorses the St Andrew's Day Declaration of 30 November 2022 which states that we the people, elected members and civic organisations of Scotland assert that our nation has the right of self-determination to freely determine our political status and to freely pursue our economic, social and cultural development, mindful of the Scottish constitutional tradition of the sovereignty of the people, we will democratically challenge any authority or government which seeks to deny us that right.

127Shared rural mobile coverage

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 1

Helen Morgan

That this House notes that mobile signal in rural areas is significantly poorer than in urban areas; is concerned that 9 per cent of rural areas in the UK do not have access to a 4G signal; recognises that this has a detrimental impact on communities and businesses in rural areas; is further concerned that the Autumn Statement did not contain plans to address the poor 4G coverage in rural areas; understands that geographically, only 82 per cent of the UK has access to 4G signal from all four Mobile Network Operators signed to the Shared Rural Network; and urges the Government to ensure that there is good access to at at least a 4G mobile signal in all parts of the UK by requiring Mobile Network Operators either to share masts and network equipment or implement rural roaming for consumers.

128BBC investigative journalism

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 2

John McDonnell

Grahame Morris

That this House deplores the announcement by the BBC that more than half the jobs on flagship weekday evening programme Newsnight will be lost as part of the latest misguided Digital First savings strategy; regrets that Newsnight will no longer screen investigative reporting and will be truncated to just thirty minutes; is further concerned by proposed reductions to the budget of Panaroma; welcomes investment into the creation of digital news content but remains deeply sceptical of claims that this will compensate for cuts to flagship investigative news programmes; and calls on BBC management to work constructively with the National Union of Journalists to avoid compulsory redundancies and retain the key skills and expertise of its investigative journalists.

129Pedicabs and Hammersmith Bridge

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 1

Sarah Olney

That this House recognises the closure of Hammersmith Bridge to motor traffic has disproportionately impacted older and less mobile people; acknowledges that the closure has had a negative impact on these groups' access to shops, health services, and public transport; recognises the temporary pedicab service that was put in place when the Bridge first closed as having provided a valuable community service; notes the introduction of the Pedicabs (London) Bill represents a timely opportunity to restore this service with Government support; and calls on the Department for Transport to work with local and regional authorities to introduce a new scheme when the carriageway reopens in early 2024.

130Sportswoman Samantha Gough

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 1

Owen Thompson

That this House congratulates Samantha Gough for winning the Midlothian’s Young People Award in recognition of her supreme dedication to sport; applauds her efforts to advocate for people with disabilities; acknowledges her civic mindedness for volunteering within her local community; notes her success in winning bronze in the European Para Youth Games last year; further notes her outstanding contribution to women's blind football and goalball; and wishes Samantha and her family every success in the future.

131Verification of gestational age for at-home abortions

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 1

Carla Lockhart

That this House welcomes the introduction of the At Home Early Medical Abortion (Review) Bill [HL] that seeks a review into the risks to women of at-home abortion under current law; expresses its support for the Bill; calls on the Government to reinstate in-person medical appointments before abortion pills may be prescribed to determine the gestational age of a baby and to ensure women seeking abortion are not facing coercion; notes that recent illegal late-term abortions of viable unborn babies would not have been able to occur had in-person appointments to accurately assess gestational age been required; further notes that self-performing a late-term medical abortion away from a clinical environment without in-person medical supervision puts the lives of women at considerable risk; and calls on the House to reject proposals that would likely lead to a worsening of the situation and the lives of many more women being endangered, by removing offences that make it illegal to perform a self-abortion right through to birth.

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.

60Scottish Gymnastics lifetime achievement award

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 8

Drew Hendry

Jonathan Edwards

Allan Dorans

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

Chris Stephens

That this house congratulates Liz Danby on receiving a lifetime achievement award from Scottish Gymnastics for the decades of service she has committed to helping children and young people get involved in gymnastics; notes that she set up a schools gymnastics programme to improve accessibility to the sport; recognises that her enthusiasm and support helped hundreds of young people across the Highlands; pays thanks to her for her commitment and dedication over the years; and wishes her all the best for her retirement.

61Litter on motorways

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 6

Sir Mike Penning

Jonathan Edwards

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Jim Shannon

John McDonnell

Rachael Maskell

That this House deplores the huge amount of litter on motorways, access road, junctions and verges; notes that there is a crystal clear legal obligation on National Highways to ensure roads are kept clear of litter; and calls on National Highways to act on this obligation, use motorway gantries to promote anti-littering messaging, ensure staff and contractors remove signs, sandbags and cones following roadworks in a timely manner and ensure contracts include financial penalties for not doing so.

62VAT on audiobooks

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 12

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: 10

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: 12

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.

65Redundancies at Reach plc and sustainability of the press

Tabled: 15/11/23 Signatories: 14

Ian Byrne

Grahame Morris

Chris Stephens

John McDonnell

Rebecca Long Bailey

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House is dismayed at the extent of substantial job cuts announced by Reach plc, publisher of titles including The Mirror, Daily Record, Daily Star, Manchester Evening News, Irish Mirror and Liverpool Echo; notes that the company has indicated an estimated 450 posts will be made redundant at the company, including 320 editorial roles; further notes that this represents the third round of job cuts at the publisher this year alone; fears that the quality of news provision will inevitably be impacted by the loss of talented and experienced staff; calls on the management to work collaboratively with the National Union of Journalists to avoid compulsory redundancies; and urges the Government to take immediate action to protect the sustainability of the press and encourage investment in quality journalism at local, regional and national levels.

70Sewage discharges

Tabled: 16/11/23 Signatories: 13

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.

72Puppy smuggling

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 22

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.

74Ulster Scots Language Week 2023

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 8

Mr Gregory Campbell

Jim Shannon

Gavin Robinson

Paul Girvan

Conor McGinn

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

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.

7740th anniversary of the killings at Darkley Gospel Hall

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 5

Jim Shannon

Sir Mike Penning

Gavin Robinson

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Carla Lockhart

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.

7810th anniversary of Hillmount Bangor

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Gavin Robinson

Carla Lockhart

That this House notes the 10th anniversary of the Hillmount Store in Bangor, which opened in October 2013; further notes that Hillmount is a fourth-generation family-owned business that was first started over 80 years ago and has grown into a well-established business with three stores in Northern Ireland, including one in Newtownards; highlights their expansion to England, with the opening of their fourth store in Cheshire, conveying their continuing success; and wishes Hillmount all the best for their future and thanks them for their wonderful contribution to the local community and economy.

80Local Housing Allowance and housing supply

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 32

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: 4

Sarah Olney

Jim Shannon

John McDonnell

Rachael Maskell

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.

83Hearings on the return of African artefacts and ancestral remains

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 22

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: 3

Patricia Gibson

Jim Shannon

Anne McLaughlin

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.

85Paxlovid and clinically vulnerable patients

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 4

Daisy Cooper

Jim Shannon

John McDonnell

Rachael Maskell

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.

87175th Anniversary of Inch Orange Hall

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 4

Jim Shannon

Gavin Robinson

Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

Carla Lockhart

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.

89Asbestos-related lung cancer

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 14

Martin Docherty-Hughes

Jim Shannon

Mary Kelly Foy

Paul Girvan

John McDonnell

Jeremy Corbyn

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: 12

Daisy Cooper

Jim Shannon

Michael Shanks

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Wendy Chamberlain

Caroline Lucas

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: 39

Mrs Paulette Hamilton

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Mick Whitley

Layla Moran

Jon Trickett

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: 8

Patricia Gibson

Jim Shannon

Steven Bonnar

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Patrick Grady

Chris Stephens

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.

94Lawfield Primary School in Midlothian

Tabled: 22/11/23 Signatories: 2

Owen Thompson

Anne McLaughlin

That this House congratulates Lawfield Primary School for becoming the first school in Midlothian to win the Sport Scotland Gold School Sports Award; acknowledges that the Mayfield school is one of only 104 schools to achieve the accolade; recognises the work of acting headteacher Jennifer Allison, active schools co-ordinator Carolyn Cameron, PE teacher Enrique Castillo and pupils and other staff; further recognises the school’s bid to use sport to support wider achievement; admires the school’s work to break down barriers to participation and make sure all pupils have opportunities to be active, inspired and enjoy sport; and wishes all pupils, staff and parents every success in the future.

95Retirement of Stephen McLellan from Recovery Across Mental Health

Tabled: 22/11/23 Signatories: 7

Mhairi Black

Kirsten Oswald

Gavin Newlands

Patrick Grady

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Stephen McLellan for his 33 years of service in the West of Scotland for Recovery Across Mental Health (RAMH); notes that RAMH do vital work giving support to individuals and communities that experience mental ill health; recognises that Stephen’s efforts and contribution in supporting our communities have been both admirable and invaluable; and wishes Stephen all the best for his retirement.

98Cost of applying for indefinite leave under the bereaved partner concession

Tabled: 22/11/23 Signatories: 15

Stuart C McDonald

Steven Bonnar

Stewart Malcolm McDonald

Claire Hanna

Patrick Grady

Ben Lake

That this House supports the Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex and London’s call for a fee waiver to be introduced for grieving widows applying for indefinite leave to remain under the bereaved partner concession; notes that the death of a loved one brings multiple emotional, practical and financial costs; acknowledges that people whose leave to remain in the UK is tied to a partner who dies are in a particularly vulnerable situation; regrets that the spouses of deceased partners are now required to pay £2,885 for the concession despite the application costing just £491 for the government to process; further notes that people who cannot afford this fee may be forced to leave the UK or face detention and removal after the death of their partner; notes that the lack of a fee waiver for the concession discriminates against women who constitute almost 70 per cent of those on family visas; believes it is irrational for the government to introduce a concession in recognition of these applicants’ vulnerability but first insist on payment of a fee that people cannot afford; and calls for a fee waiver to be introduced.

100Sporting ambitions of children on dependent visas

Tabled: 23/11/23 Signatories: 5

Daisy Cooper

Wendy Chamberlain

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

John McDonnell

That this House notes that some people who are legally residing in the United Kingdom have children attached to their dependent visas who are extremely talented at sports; expresses extreme disappointment at the refusal of the Home Office to establish a route for these talented children on dependent visas to enter a professional sporting environment to further their career; regrets that children who have entered the UK dependants are precluded from pursuing a professional sporting career; and calls on the Government to engage with the Professional Footballers Association, football clubs and other sporting bodies that want to nurture the sporting talent of these young people.

101Go North East bus strike

Tabled: 23/11/23 Signatories: 8

Grahame Morris

Mary Kelly Foy

Jon Trickett

Kate Osborne

Chris Stephens

Jim Shannon

That this House condemns Go North East for their failure to resolve ongoing industrial action; notes that when at full operation Go North East is part of a failed status quo of sub standard public transport provision in the North East region outside of major cities; believes Go North East undermines the local economy by paying drivers 20% less in the North East than in the North West; supports pay parity and equal pay for equal work and North East drivers should receive the same rates of pay as colleagues in the North West; and calls on the Government to recognise that privatised deregulated bus services is damaging our community, local economy and employment and urgent reform is required to create publicly owned, publicly run municipal bus provision that reinvests profits into better wages, terms and conditions, lower fares, more frequent and reliable service that meets the needs of the community and new green and environmentally sustainable infrastructure rather than continuing to pay excessive executive pay and shareholder dividends.

103Rwanda asylum scheme and the UK's legal obligations

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 13

Caroline Lucas

Afzal Khan

Alison Thewliss

Mr Alistair Carmichael

Liz Saville Roberts

Claire Hanna

That this House celebrates the role the United Kingdom has played in helping to shape the international rules based order, including its contribution to the drafting and early ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in the aftermath of the horrors of WWII; notes the recent judgment of the Supreme Court that the UK could breach its obligations under the ECHR, and other international law such as the Refugee Convention, UN Convention Against Torture, UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as domestic law, by sending refugees to Rwanda; rejects in principle the use of emergency legislation to ride roughshod over the judgment of the UK’s highest domestic court; further notes such a move would contravene the rule of law and undermine the separation of powers fundamental to UK democracy; considers any legislative proposals to disapply the Human Rights Act (HRA) and ECHR, and restrict judicial review and other legal safeguards would violate the principle of universality that rights belong to all; further considers that a country's safety is determined by the facts on the ground not by the passing of legislation or the signing of a treaty; acknowledges the positive role the ECHR and HRA play in the protection of human rights; and calls upon the Government to abandon its cruel, immoral and unworkable Rwanda plan and to re-establish the UK's good standing as a member of the ECHR and international community.

104Lodge Hill Junction

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 3

Layla Moran

Jim Shannon

Sarah Dyke

That this House celebrates the success of local campaigners in securing £17.3 million of funding for improvements to the Lodge Hill Junction, including new southbound sliproads, on the A34; notes the vital nature of this piece of local infrastructure in reducing traffic flow in the centre of Abingdon, supporting development and reducing journey times in the area; commends the work of local councillors Alison Rooke, Nathan Ley and Neil Fawcett in their tireless campaigning to get this project over the line; regrets delays in delivering funding commitments from the government; recognises that more work must be done to ensure the first shovel hits the ground; and further recognises the fantastic contribution that local Liberal Democrat campaigners and councils make to their communities.

105The Fire Brigades Union's DECON Campaign

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 11

Mary Kelly Foy

Jim Shannon

Jon Trickett

Apsana Begum

John McDonnell

Zarah Sultana

That this House recognises the exceptional work of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) to protect firefighters against toxic contaminants and prevent cancer; commends Professor Stec and her team at the University of Central Lancashire for leading Britain’s first major study into the link between cancer and fire contaminants; congratulates the FBU on the success of its DECON campaign since its launch in 2021; notes that approximately 1,000 firefighters around the country have now been tested for cancer and other health issues as a direct result of the campaign; and calls on the Government to acknowledge cancer as an occupational hazard within firefighting and implement annual health monitoring to protect firefighters and their families from this risk.

106Nuclear test veterans

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 5

Daisy Cooper

Jim Shannon

Gavin Robinson

Jonathan Edwards

Rachael Maskell

That this House acknowledges the treatment of nuclear test veterans in the UK; notes their continuing battle for justice and recognition for their role; further notes with disappointment the delays in issuing of medals to these veterans; further acknowledges their ongoing anger and frustration; affirms the nation’s duty of care to this group of people; applauds the work of Labrats International, a campaigning group for descendants of atomic testing programs across the world; and calls on the Government to fully support these veterans and their families.

107154th anniversary of the founding of the Durham Miners’ Association

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 11

Mary Kelly Foy

Jim Shannon

Jon Trickett

Grahame Morris

Jonathan Edwards

Kate Osborne

That this House celebrates the 154th anniversary of the founding of the Durham Miners’ Association; recognises that, within three years of its founding, the Durham Miners’ Association had secured the abolition of bonded labour practices; further recognises its remarkable contributions to trade unionism and the wider labour movement; thanks the Durham Miners' Association for its cultural and economic contribution to Durham and beyond; commends the Durham Miners' Association for the enormous success of the 2023 Durham Miners’ Gala, which saw thousands of people gather for the 137th iteration of the Big Meeting; encourages everyone to attend the Durham Miners Gala next year to mark the 40th anniversary of the great strike of 1984-5; and further encourages everyone to become a Marra by joining the Friends of the Durham Miners’ Gala.

108Free school meals

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 11

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Tahir Ali

Mary Kelly Foy

Jim Shannon

Jon Trickett

John McDonnell

That this House notes that free school meals ensure millions of children get a hot and healthy meal each day; is concerned that children whose families meet financial eligibility requirements, but receive their education other than at school, do not benefit from these meals; congratulates both Brighton and Hove City Council and East Sussex County Council for their work to guarantee equity of access for all eligible families; and calls on the Government to provide clearer guidance and, if necessary, additional funding to ensure that no child in education goes hungry during the school day.

109Community ownership of Lismore Post Office and shop

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 4

Brendan O'Hara

Jim Shannon

Anne McLaughlin

Dr Philippa Whitford

That this House congratulates Lismore Community Trust and the residents of the island on successfully bringing into community ownership the Lismore Post Office and shop, which were earmarked for closure; notes that, through the purchase of community shares by more than 200 people in the local community, the Trust raised the remarkable sum of £80,000 and was therefore able to secure the future of Post Office and shop for at least the next five years; commends the Trust and the local community for recognising the importance of the Post Office, not just as a lifeline for many in the community but for being absolutely crucial to the future viability of island; further commends the Trust and local community in having the vision and confidence to take the Post Office into the community ownership; wishes the Trust and the people of Lismore every success in the future; and hopes that other communities facing the loss of vital services will be encouraged to explore the option of community ownership and be inspired by what has been achieved by the community of Lismore.

112HALO Trust mine clearance record

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 8

Fabian Hamilton

Jim Shannon

Gavin Robinson

Chris Law

John McDonnell

Kim Johnson

That this House pays tribute to the HALO Trust on successfully clearing two million mines since its establishment in 1988; commends the staff, past and present, who have contributed to this remarkable milestone; notes that the HALO Trust is one of just two British mine clearance organisations; notes that the HALO Trust has cleared landmines in 29 countries, saved an estimated two million lives and enabled over ten million people to have safer access to schools, health clinics and farming land; reiterates our commitment to clearing landmines which continue to endanger lives around the world; and expresses our gratitude to the HALO Trust for its remarkable work in conflict affected countries in making communities safer and more prosperous.

113COP28

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 10

Caroline Lucas

Alex Sobel

Claire Hanna

Mary Kelly Foy

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

That this House notes that COP28 in Dubai marks a critical moment in efforts to secure a liveable future; expresses profound alarm that, according to the UN, governments plan to produce double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than is consistent with limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees and that current pledges under the Paris Agreement would lead to a 2.5-2.9°C temperature rise this century; welcomes the Prime Minister's attendance at COP28 in person and calls on him to work with other leaders to deliver an agreement on the urgent and just phase-out of all fossil fuels in recognition of the end of the fossil fuel era; calls on the UK to back an ambitious political deal in response to the Global Stocktake; further notes the damaging impact of the delayed delivery of the $100bn climate finance pledge and the UK’s changes to its climate finance definitions on trust between countries and efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement goals; urges the Government to deliver its existing climate finance commitments in full, ensure funding is new and additional and support efforts to increase climate finance at COP28, laying the ground work for agreement of the New Collective Quantified Goal; notes that the full operationalisation of a properly resourced Loss and Damage Finance Fund will be the litmus test of success at COP28; and further urges the UK to support this goal and to contribute by providing grant-based funds which are additional to existing ODA and climate finance commitments.

114Dogs

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 5

Sir Christopher Chope

Sir Julian Lewis

Paul Bristow

Philip Davies

Sir Edward Leigh

That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Dangerous Dogs (Designated Types) (England and Wales) Order 2023 (S.I., 2023, No. 1164), dated 31 October 2023, a copy of which was laid before this House on 31 October 2023, be annulled.

11625th Anniversary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Liver Support Group

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 5

Jim Shannon

Gavin Robinson

Paul Girvan

Carla Lockhart

Jonathan Edwards

That this House celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Liver Support Group in Belfast; notes the work they are doing to monitor the position of liver cancer across Northern Ireland and furthermore, across the UK; highlights that unlike screening for breast cancer, there is no standardised, central screening programme for liver cancer, which is most commonly detected at a late stage in those most likely to develop the disease and that this late detection results in poor outcomes for those patients, with a survival rate, post-diagnosis, of only 13% after 5 years; further notes their work in lobbying for a clear, adequately funded and resourced pathway for liver care in Northern Ireland, which should focus on early detection and on-going management of liver patients, with the aim of educating the public on liver health risks such as obesity, substance abuse and poor exercise; thanks in particular Jim Kilpatrick for his incredible dedication to the RVH, after being diagnosed with Liver Disease himself in 2017; and further thanks all the staff and volunteers involved for their work and effort paving the way in terms of support for those with Liver Disease and Liver Cancer.

118Carntyne Primary School win road safety award

Tabled: 28/11/23 Signatories: 3

Anne McLaughlin

Jim Shannon

Dr Philippa Whitford

That this House congratulates pupils from Carntyne Primary School for winning Best Props at the School Travel and Road Safety Film Awards Ceremony; recognises the hard work and dedication of the pupils and staff who have highlighted the importance of road safety; acknowledges the time and effort put into raising awareness of road safety by pupils, staff and parents; and looks forward to hearing more success stories from Carntyne Primary School and its talented pupils in the future.

11970 years of Panorama

Tabled: 28/11/23 Signatories: 4

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Rachael Maskell

That this House celebrates 70 years of Panorama, that first appeared on screens on 11 November 1953; highlights how loved the programme is and the light it sheds on some of the world's most talked about events, including crime, international affairs, health, politics and social matters; notes the exploration of complex stories which appeals to millions of watchers across the UK and further afield; thanks the producers for their work in creating such an interesting, much loved series; and wishes the programme many more years of success.

12040th anniversary of Spark

Tabled: 28/11/23 Signatories: 3

Hannah Bardell

Jim Shannon

Dr Philippa Whitford

That this House celebrates the 40th anniversary of Spark in West Lothian; commends every volunteer and staff member who are dedicated to supporting the Livingston community and preventing social isolation by ensuring that all members of the community feel valued and have the chance to spark their potential; recognises that the group started 40 years ago as the Craigshill Good Neighbour Network that allowed those moving to the New Town of Livingston to connect and share skills; further recognises that Spark have now significantly expanded their services to include weekly craft session, computer skills courses, exercise sessions and mindfulness classes; and wishes every ongoing success to Spark for the future.

121Anniversary of the Bhopal gas leak

Tabled: 28/11/23 Signatories: 7

Mr Virendra Sharma

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

Kim Johnson

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

That this House remembers 2 and 3 December 1984, when a Union Carbide factory leaked ultra-toxic chemical methyl isocyanate across sixteen square miles of the city of Bhopal, India, exposing 573,000 people to poison gases; deplores the continuing suffering in Bhopal 39 years after the world's worst industrial disaster; recognises a 2023 study of the university of San Diego that finds eight times higher rates of cancer among those in utero in 1984; notes that 200,000 people now live in areas in which persistent organic pollutants such as organochlorines, solvents and heavy metals contaminate drinking water due to thousands of tons of toxic wastes dumped around the factory being left uncleaned, despite Carbide knowing of the threats to health since the 1980’s; notes Carbide’s owner Dow Inc refuses India’s criminal jurisdiction, in violation of international law, in a manslaughter case concerning the deaths of over 23,000 people; commends the work of Indian civil society groups, the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, the Trades Union Congress, UNISON and Action for Bhopal in campaigning on this issue; further commends UK charity the Bhopal Medical Appeal for providing free care to Bhopal’s damaged children; and calls for justice and dignity for the victims, who have been waiting 39 years to finally receive closure.

122UN Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement

Tabled: 28/11/23 Signatories: 4

Neale Hanvey

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Rachael Maskell

That this House recognises that our oceans are vital to all life on Earth; notes that our oceans are home to countless species and provide food and livelihoods to billions of people whilst also regulating our climate; welcomes the United Kingdom having become a signatory to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, which will help protect marine life by creating sanctuaries covering 30% of the oceans by 2030; and calls upon the Government to take all possible steps to ensure that the Treaty is ratified as a matter of priority.

123Launch of The Rational Policy-Maker’s Guide to the NHS report

Tabled: 28/11/23 Signatories: 11

Richard Burgon

Caroline Lucas

Kenny MacAskill

Margaret Greenwood

Ian Byrne

Jim Shannon

This House welcomes the publication of the report The Rational Policy-Maker’s Guide to the NHS; supports the report’s main conclusions that the NHS is the best and most cost-effective healthcare model yet to be demonstrated in practice in an advanced economy, that the current serious underperformance of the NHS is not the result of its publicly-funded and publicly-provided model but the inevitable result of 13 years of underfunding, and that the worsening health of the British public resulting from this underinvestment is holding back economic growth; notes that the NHS was, until recently, consistently regarded as the best health service in the world by the Commonwealth Fund; further believes that NHS funding has failed to keep pace with need and that no healthcare system can withstand the levels of sustained underfunding experienced by the NHS since 2010 without significant deterioration in its performance; rejects calls for any greater role for the private sector in the NHS, for any privatisation of the NHS or any replacement of funding through progressive taxation with direct charges or what would be a more expensive insurance-based system; and encourages all hon. Members to read the report and policy-makers to act in line with its recommendations and findings.