Contents

Published: Friday 1 December 2023

Early Day Motions tabled on Thursday 30 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

132Economic contribution of Urdd Gobaith Cymru

Tabled: 30/11/23 Signatories: 1

Jonathan Edwards

This House welcomes an independent report by Arad Research which calculated that Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Wales’ National Youth Movement, contributed £44.9m to the Welsh economy during the 2022-23 financial year; notes that the Urdd’s turnover has increased by 88% over the last five years to £19.6m; further notes that every £1 in income received by the Urdd resulted in an economic value of £6.96; welcomes the fact that 42% of the 362 staff employed by the movement are under the age of 25; and congratulates the 80% of apprentices who participate in Urdd employment schemes and find work with the Organisation.

133Musselburgh Racecourse and the Racecourse Association’s Showcase Awards

Tabled: 30/11/23 Signatories: 1

Kenny MacAskill

That this House congratulates Musselburgh Racecourse on being crowned overall Champion Racecourse at the Racecourse Association's (RCA) Showcase Awards, as well as winning the Marketing, Food and Beverage and Racing Post Readers’ Awards; understands that The Champion accolade is the highest honour bestowed and means Musselburgh joins a very select list of British racecourses and will also have the opportunity to welcome the sport to their home next year as the RCA host the event in East Lothian; commends Musselburgh’s continued drive for excellence in food and beverage in the Pinkie’s Deli, a Taste of Scotland’s Larder initiative, and a move to more a locally-sourced and evidence-based menu which was a resounding success with racegoers, with the racecourse seen as best in class throughout British racing for its fantastic food and drink offerings; notes that the Racing Post Readers’ Award asked the racing public to nominate their favourite racecourse based on race day experience, customer service and value for money, and that Musselburgh scored the highest average across these metrics and polled almost 20 per cent of the overall votes; acknowledges that as a highly successful one-off event in 2019, the Corgi Derby returned to Musselburgh and was integral to a campaign which won the Marketing category; and wishes everyone involved the very best of luck with future events.

134Teachers' pay in Northern Ireland

Tabled: 30/11/23 Signatories: 3

Claire Hanna

Colum Eastwood

Stephen Farry

That this House notes the long-standing teachers and schools leaders pay dispute in Northern Ireland; stands with unions and their members campaigning for change; further notes that teacher’s pay in Northern Ireland has dropped by a staggering 25% in the past decade, causing recruitment and retention issues, resulting in a continued shortage of teachers and an impact on the quality of education for children and young people; additionally notes that Northern Ireland teachers are paid significantly less than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK; highlights the lack of action on this and the devastating impact this is having on the morale of the profession; calls on the UK Government to take action to implement parity and a fair pay settlement to ensure teachers in NI are properly remunerated for the critical job they do; is concerned by the long-term systemic defunding of school budgets, which is severely hampering schools’ abilities to meet the immediate needs of enrolled children; further highlights the demise of many supporting services and initiatives, resulting in additional heavy responsibilities being devolved to schools; and is further concerned by the collapse of support services for children with additional and special educational needs and the severe shortage of special school places, resulting in children being taught in inappropriate settings with inadequate resourcing for their needs.

135University of Edinburgh and generative artificial intelligence

Tabled: 30/11/23 Signatories: 1

Tommy Sheppard

That this House celebrates the successful launch of the Generative Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (GAIL) at the University of Edinburgh on 9 November 2023; acknowledges that the university is a leader in artificial intelligence (AI), as exhibited by its celebration of 60 years of AI research this year; supports that GAIL will develop techniques for generative AI in key areas such as robotics, drug discovery, medical diagnoses, semi-conductor development and tackling climate change; understands experts will also work with the university’s Centre for Technomoral Futures to develop ethical, legal and regulatory frameworks necessary to ensure the safe and responsible use of AI; further supports the university’s development of relationships with various public and private sector partners, which will allow for even more innovative discovery and economic growth in Scotland and the wider UK with the implementation of GAIL; and once again congratulates the university on its successful launch of GAIL and its continued work on AI.

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.

79Sanctions imposed on Everton Football Club

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 27

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.

82Safe access zones

Tabled: 20/11/23 Signatories: 13

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Kim Johnson

Ms Diane Abbott

Ian Byrne

Jonathan Edwards

John McDonnell

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.

89Asbestos-related lung cancer

Tabled: 21/11/23 Signatories: 17

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.

101Go North East bus strike

Tabled: 23/11/23 Signatories: 10

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: 14

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.

105The Fire Brigades Union's DECON Campaign

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 13

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: 7

Daisy Cooper

Jim Shannon

Gavin Robinson

Jonathan Edwards

Rachael Maskell

Owen Thompson

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: 12

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: 13

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.

114Dogs

Tabled: 27/11/23 Signatories: 7

Sir Christopher Chope

Sir Julian Lewis

Paul Bristow

Philip Davies

Sir Edward Leigh

Ian Lavery

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.

121Anniversary of the Bhopal gas leak

Tabled: 28/11/23 Signatories: 8

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.

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

Tabled: 28/11/23 Signatories: 12

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.

124Scottish independence and the role of the Scottish Government

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 2

Angus Brendan MacNeil

Neale Hanvey

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: 13

Kate Osborne

Grahame Morris

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Mick Whitley

Nadia Whittome

Richard Burgon

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.

127Shared rural mobile coverage

Tabled: 29/11/23 Signatories: 7

Helen Morgan

Wendy Chamberlain

Tim Farron

Jim Shannon

Richard Foord

Jamie Stone

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: 7

John McDonnell

Grahame Morris

Rachael Maskell

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

Ian Lavery

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: 2

Sarah Olney

Jim Shannon

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: 2

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

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: 2

Carla Lockhart

Jim Shannon

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.