Contents

Published – Wednesday 5 March 2025

Early Day Motions tabled on Tuesday 4 March 2025

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

888Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme in York

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Rachael Maskell

That this House notes that from 1 April 2025 the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme will limit VAT relief to £25,000, with no further plans beyond 2026; further notes that while 94% of projects will be unaffected by these changes, it has generated significant challenges for projects which have already commenced such as The Belfrey, in York where its £10m project has now lost £1.5m of funding due to these changes at short notice, while the church has already removed the floor, the windows, stripped back the walls, and is removing the roof, leaving a ruin held together with scaffolding; believes that immediate remedy must be provided to support the few projects which are impacted by these changes, recognising that the places of worship impacted by this change have already signed contracts for works, and this will also impact on their social programmes to the city, their worshipers and their plans for the future; and therefore calls on the Government to work with those projects impacted to find a resolution to the loss in funds as a matter of urgency.

889In memory of Jack Vettriano

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Richard Baker

That this House expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of Jack Vettriano OBE; recognises his remarkable journey from a self-taught artist in Levenmouth, Fife, to an internationally acclaimed painter whose prints of works, including The Singing Butler, have adorned countless homes worldwide; notes that his early inspiration came from the Kirkcaldy Galleries, where some of his earliest works were later exhibited; acknowledges his significant contribution to Scottish artistic life; celebrates his generous philanthropic work; and further recognises that his loss will be deeply felt across Scotland and beyond.

890Impact of independent sector provision of cataract surgery

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Ian Byrne

That this House notes the Centre for Health and the Public Interest’s research showing that the percentage of NHS cataract procedures being carried out by the private for-profit sector increased from 24% in 2018-19 to 55% in 2022-23 and that the increase is likely to mean there are fewer resources available to treat other eye care conditions, such as glaucoma and wet macular degeneration, which are generally considered more serious and can lead to irreversible sight-loss; is concerned that in a survey by the Royal College of Ophthalmology 67% of clinical leads in NHS ophthalmology departments reported that the impact of independent sector provision on patient care has been negative, and that clinical leads were most likely to say the impact of independent sector providers on their ophthalmology department had been negative when it came to training opportunities, 73%, funding of their department, 58%, available workforce, 50%, and their ability to deliver comprehensive services, 48%; is further concerned that the use of the independent sector to deliver cataract procedures does not represent value for money in the light of the damage it is doing to the future of universal comprehensive NHS provision; is concerned too that senior clinicians have raised fears of NHS eye care deserts in the future, just as there are with dentistry, and that increasing numbers of people will lose their sight unnecessarily; and calls on the Government to carry out an urgent review of these matters.

891Own Books and World Book Day

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Manuela Perteghella

That this House celebrates World Book Day and the vital role of reading in shaping young minds; commends Own Books for its exceptional work in providing free books to children across Warwickshire and beyond, allowing them to take books home to keep and fostering a lifelong love of reading; congratulates the charity on receiving the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, recognising its significant contribution to literacy and education; acknowledges the profound impact that access to books has on children’s confidence, wellbeing, and future opportunities; and calls on the Government to support community-led literacy initiatives that ensure every child, regardless of background, has access to books and the joy of reading.

892VAT on Automated External Defibrillators

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 4

Liz Saville Roberts

Ben Lake

Ann Davies

Llinos Medi

That this House calls on the Government to remove VAT on Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs); notes that the Scrap the Heart Restart Tax is a national campaign by the British Healthcare Trades Association which has drawn support from a range of aid and cardiovascular charities including St John Ambulance, the British Heart Foundation, and the British Red Cross; further notes that the proposal would increase the affordability of AEDs and save lives; highlights that early treatment can increase survival rates to as high as 70% if defibrillation is given within three to five minutes of collapse, but drops by 10% for every minute of delay after this time; argues that removing VAT from the sale of AEDs would make them significantly more affordable and bring costs down by up to £500; and further calls on the UK Government to adopt this proposal which would greatly increase the number of defibrillators in community centres, sports clubs and workplaces, and save lives in turn.

893Ashby Netball Club

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Amanda Hack

That this House congratulates Ashby Netball Club for playing 75 hours of non-stop netball; notes that the players raised £54,000 for Kids Village which is a charity that provides respite holidays for children with critical illnesses; further congratulates the players on breaking two world records in the process; applauds them for setting an entirely new one; and recognises all the players involved for their remarkable achievement.

894Fife Church Recording Society and Crail Church

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House celebrates the work of the Fife Church Recording Society; welcomes their recent work documenting the different items found in Crail Church such as memorial headings, stonework, woodwork, textiles and paintings; notes that Crail Church is a historic Church dating back to the 12th century; and thanks the Society for their documentation of all of its incredible details.

895Cavendish School Outstanding Ofsted rating

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Josh Babarinde

That this House congratulates Cavendish School in Eastbourne for achieving an 'Outstanding' grade in their Ofsted inspection of 2025; thanks Cavendish School staff, including Headteacher Mr Marchant, and governors for their hard work to secure this result; and recognises the commitment of Cavendish School’s pupils - and parents, guardians and carers of pupils - for contributing to the school’s Outstanding grade.

896Impact Assessments of changes to Official Development Assistance

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Monica Harding

That an Humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that he will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be deposited in the House of Commons Library all impact assessments which His Majesty’s Government have made regarding the impact of the reduction of Official Development Assistance from 0.5% to 0.3%.

897Colleges Week 2025

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Ian Sollom

That this House welcomes Colleges Week 2025 from 3-7 March 2025; celebrates the impact colleges have on local communities across the country in building brighter futures for their students and staff; and calls on the Government to address the persistent underfunding of further education colleges in the forthcoming Spending Review to ensure they can continue to deliver high-quality education and skills training that is vital for individual opportunity and national prosperity.

898In memory of Penny Uprichard

Tabled: 4/03/25 Signatories: 1

Wendy Chamberlain

That this House expresses its deepest condolences following the death of Penny Uprichard; acknowledges her incredible decade long campaign to preserve the historic character of St Andrews, the town she had called home since childhood; notes that she took Fife Council to the Supreme Court in 2013 over their 2006 Fife Structure Plan; recognises that her friend and former planning convener of St Andrews Preservation Trust, David Middleton, described Penny as a force of nature which is evident in her single-handedly challenging the introduction of parking ticket machines in the town centre; understands this loss is felt widely; and expresses sympathy to his friends and family following the sad news of his passing.

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.

803UAE imprisonment of Ryan Cornelius

Tabled: 13/02/25 Signatories: 12

Munira Wilson

Calum Miller

Helen Maguire

Ellie Chowns

John McDonnell

Jim Shannon

That this House notes with concern that Ryan Cornelius, a British citizen, remains imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates, notwithstanding a finding by the United Nations that he has been arbitrarily detained, and notwithstanding a finding by the United Nations that Mr Cornelius should be immediately released and provided with compensation and other reparations in accordance with international law; calls upon the UAE government to release Mr Cornelius in accordance with international law; further calls upon the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to secure the release of Mr Cornelius; and asks the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to raise this matter with his Emirati counterpart.

808Cash acceptance

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 23

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Jim Shannon

Richard Burgon

Apsana Begum

Ian Lavery

Margaret Mullane

That this House is concerned at the rapidly increasing trend for UK businesses, local authorities and leisure facilities, including those supported by taxpayer funding, to refuse to accept cash for payments; appreciates that this issue is of ever-increasing importance to the 16 million British adults who run their household budgets using cash, along with many of the 13 million UK citizens over 65 struggling to make ends-meet; recognises that the estimated 4 million people in the UK at risk in abusive relationships may use discretely saved cash as an escape route from abuse; deplores the fact that the imposition of app-only payment, including for car parking and other travel-related purchases, severely threatens the financial inclusion of the 8 million plus adults who do not own smart phones; notes that most of the UK’s European neighbours, including Belgium, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain, have already put cash acceptance legislation in place; understands that a recent survey by YouGov established that 71% of British adults want similar legal measures introduced in the UK; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to require all businesses in the UK to accept cash for payment.

809LGBTQI+ people in immigration detention

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 14

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Richard Burgon

Shockat Adam

Apsana Begum

Ian Lavery

That this House welcomes the ongoing review of the Home Office's Adults at risk in immigration detention policy; notes that LGBTQI+ people face heightened levels of harassment, discrimination, abuse, and physical and sexual violence in immigration detention; recognises that the bullying of and discrimination against LGBTQI+ people in detention can re-traumatise those who have fled persecution; believes that immigration detention is costly and punitive, and that cheaper and more humane alternatives to detention exist; further welcomes the community-based Alternative to Detention pilots undertaken by the Home Office and supports their wider expansion; calls on the Government to include being gay, lesbian, bisexual or queer in the Adults at risk in immigration detention policies indicators of risk and to remove the categorisation of vulnerability based on evidence levels; and supports the greater use of community-based alternatives to detention.

817Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919

Tabled: 24/02/25 Signatories: 11

John McDonnell

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Jim Shannon

Richard Burgon

Shockat Adam

Jon Trickett

That this House notes the horrific events that took place on the 13 April 1919 where more than 1500 unarmed children, women, men and the elderly were brutally shot and murdered and more than 6,000 were injured without any warning or reason under the order of Brigadier General R.E.H. Dye; further notes the massacre and the humiliations that followed are a deep stain and scar on British history; and calls on the Government to make a formal apology which would give some solace to the victims, their families and the people of the Indian subcontinent.

837Regional Inequalities in energy pricing

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 38

Mr Angus MacDonald

Wera Hobhouse

Edward Morello

Jim Shannon

Martin Wrigley

Helen Maguire

That this House acknowledges the severe disparity in energy costs between mains gas and electricity, which disproportionately affects rural communities and high rise buildings across the UK; notes that while renewable electricity is cheaper to generate, market structures result in electricity consumers paying significantly more than those using mains gas; further notes that many areas lack access to mains gas, forcing reliance on costly alternatives; highlights the Environmental and Social Obligation taxes that apply to electricity but not gas; and calls on the Government to decouple energy pricing to ensure fairer costs for all.

838Energy price cap increase

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 6

Shockat Adam

Jim Shannon

Ellie Chowns

Ben Lake

Rachael Maskell

Ayoub Khan

That this House notes with concern the further increase of the energy price cap by Ofgem from April 2025; further notes at 6.4%, or an average £111 per year, this is higher than expected and higher than the rate of inflation and average pay increases; acknowledges the research by Citizens Advice which shows the energy network owners have made excess profits of nearly £4 billion over four years after Ofgem miscalculated their costs; and calls on the Government to step in to prevent these damaging rises, either through introducing an emergency windfall tax on these excess profits and the introduction of targeted energy bill support or by instructing Ofgem to ensure they put the protection of consumer interests first and reverse the price cap rises and pass the costs onto the owners of the energy network.

845British Science Week

Tabled: 25/02/25 Signatories: 15

George Freeman

Jim Shannon

Wera Hobhouse

Sadik Al-Hassan

Tom Gordon

Pippa Heylings

That this House marks British Science Week - a ten-day celebration of science, research and innovation – featuring thousands of events and activities across the UK for people of all ages; commends the efforts of the British Science Association to inspire and enable schools, community groups, cultural organisations, research institutions and businesses to celebrate science, research and innovation and its crucial role in our lives; and recognises the support of UK Research and Innovation for making British Science Week possible.

848Changes to Overseas Development Assistance

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 47

Monica Harding

Calum Miller

Jim Shannon

Helen Maguire

Liz Jarvis

Wera Hobhouse

That this House expresses concern over the Government’s decision to reduce the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income (GNI); agrees with the importance of strengthening the UK’s national security and defence commitments, particularly in light of increasing global security challenges, but recognises that a cut to ODA diminishes the UK’s soft power; regrets that the UK’s retreat from its status as an international aid superpower creates a vacuum into which Russian and Chinese influence will flow; acknowledges the intimate connection between supporting international aid and preventing conflict abroad; reflects on the benefits to UK security of promoting stability abroad; notes that ODA investment is an essential tool in tackling poverty, promoting stability, and reducing the causes of conflict and migration, all of which serve the UK’s own security interests; further regrets that this cut represents the lowest UK aid contribution as a percentage of GNI since 1999, diminishing the UK’s long-standing reputation as a global leader in humanitarian assistance and development; further notes with alarm that an increasing proportion of the UK’s ODA is being spent on in-donor refugee costs rather than directly supporting poverty reduction, humanitarian aid, and sustainable development overseas; calls on the Government to reconsider this decision and explore alternative means to meet its defence spending commitments without cutting international aid; and urges Ministers to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to global security and development, ensuring that national strength is not built at the cost of global responsibility.

852Anniversary of the Darfur genocide

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 5

Shockat Adam

Jim Shannon

Ellie Chowns

Rachael Maskell

Ayoub Khan

That this House commemorates the anniversary of the Darfur genocide in 2003 when hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were killed, and millions more were displaced from their homes; acknowledges the suffering inflicted upon indigenous tribes in the region, including the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups; further acknowledges the profound and lasting impact of the conflict on the people of Darfur and the wider Sudanese population; calls for continued support for the people of Darfur and for greater accountability for those responsible for the atrocities; expresses deep concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur and wider Sudan where atrocities continue to be committed; urges the Government to prevent further genocidal acts in Darfur; further urges the Government to enhance peacekeeping efforts and provide aid to the region; and reaffirms the importance of preventing future genocides by ensuring justice, promoting human rights, and holding perpetrators of mass atrocities accountable for their actions.

856West Bank

Tabled: 26/02/25 Signatories: 27

Calum Miller

Helen Maguire

Wera Hobhouse

Wendy Chamberlain

Pippa Heylings

Zöe Franklin

That this House is deeply concerned by recent developments in the West Bank; believes that the deployment of Israeli military personnel to the West Bank, which constitutes one of the most significant military operations in the area since 2002, further escalates tensions and undermines the stability of the fragile ceasefires in the wider region; notes with alarm the expulsion of over 40,000 residents from the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps; condemns remarks by those who advocate the annexation of the West Bank to Israel and who incite violence to achieve that end; further believes that such extremism undermines the efforts of those Israelis and Palestinians who are working towards peace; calls on the Government to legislate to cease the import to the UK of goods produced in illegal settlements; further notes the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the West Bank, with many displaced Palestinians struggling to access clean water, food, shelter and medical care; and further calls for the urgent delivery of aid to displaced Palestinians.

858Social care day of action

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 17

Helen Morgan

Alison Bennett

Jess Brown-Fuller

Ellie Chowns

Ian Roome

Adam Dance

That this House notes the unprecedented decision of social care providers to protest outside Parliament; believes this must be a wake-up call for the Government on the disastrous state of adult social care; echoes their plea to save the sector from total collapse; further notes that inadequate social care accounts for one in every eight hospital beds currently occupied; regrets the years of neglect under the last Conservative Government, which saw elderly and disabled people left without care, families at breaking point and an NHS on its knees; further regrets the self defeating and foolish national insurance rise, which will see carers laid off and care homes shut their doors; regrets the decision to postpone cross party social care talks on the basis of scheduling conflicts; urges the Government to ensure the cross party commission finishes its work within a year, so that vital reforms can be implemented to bring social care back from the brink, recognise carers and promote their professional development, recruit more carers to address shortages, and properly support unpaid and family carers; and calls on the Government to recognise that this challenge, which touches on the lives of every family in the country, is of existential importance for our NHS, and for the care, comfort and dignity of all across our country.

85980th anniversary of Operation Open Door

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 4

Blair McDougall

Douglas McAllister

Tristan Osborne

Jim Shannon

This House commemorates the 80th anniversary of Operation Open Door, when the British Royal Navy and Norwegian service personnel rescued 502 civilian refugees from the Nazi-Occupied Island of Soroya, Norway; notes the bravery of the people of Soroya in the face of Nazi brutality; celebrates the heroism of all those who took part in the rescue raid and the merchant seamen who helped take the civilians to sanctuary in Scotland; especially commends the 27 members of the crew and Naval Armed Guard of the Liberty ship, the SS Henry Bacon, who sacrificed their own lives to save those of refugees; further notes that the SS Henry Bacon was the last Allied ship sunk by the Luftwaffe in the Second World War; congratulates the village of Neilston in East Renfrewshire for providing a warm welcome and a happy home to these refugees; further commends the work of Matt Drennan and the Neilston War Memorial Association for developing and maintaining a memorial and information board at Kingston Park where the refugees were housed, including 27 trees planted to commemorate the lost sailors; and resolves to live up to the lessons of heroism and humanity offered by the story of those involved in Operation Open Door.

860Sir Tom Clarke CBE

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 2

Frank McNally

Luke Akehurst

That this House commends Sir Tom Clarke CBE for his six years of service as Chair of Coatbridge Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Board of Trustees; notes that Sir Tom’s stellar career in public and community service spans six decades, with his chairmanship of the Coatbridge CAB succeeding a successful career in local government and thirty-three years as a Member of Parliament; praises the advice and assistance offered to residents of Coatbridge and its outlying villages by Coatbridge CAB’s staff and 29 volunteers, which helped secure £2.7 million for local people last year; and welcomes that while stepping down as chair, Sir Tom will continue to play a role in Coatbridge CAB as an invaluable member of its Board of Trustees.

862Climate Change Committee's 7th Carbon Budget

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 13

Pippa Heylings

Ellie Chowns

Adam Dance

Wendy Chamberlain

Helen Maguire

Rachael Maskell

That this House recognises the Climate Change Committee (CCC)’s 7th carbon budget as a clear pathway to UK energy security, protecting families and businesses from volatile fossil fuel prices controlled by authoritarian regimes; is deeply concerned by the CCC's findings that the UK has deliverable plans for only a third of the emissions reductions needed to meet climate targets; understands that urgent action is required to expand domestic energy capacity; regrets that the former Conservative government cut the home insulation schemes established by the Liberal Democrats, which would have saved customers thousands and made homes warm and safe; is concerned by the Government’s continued subsidies for the Drax biomass plant, airport expansion, and delays to the energy-saving benefits of Future Home Building Standards; calls for ambitious upfront investment in a ten-year emergency upgrade programme to provide free insulation and heat pumps for low-income households; urges the Government to introduce an energy social tariff to tackle fuel poverty and health inequalities caused by cold, damp homes; welcomes the CCC’s recognition of nature’s role in tackling climate change and strengthening communities against extreme weather; calls for urgent action on nature recovery, including tree planting and regenerative farming, to ensure food security, restore ecosystems, and reduce carbon emissions; and urges the Government to restore the UK’s position as a global leader in renewable energy.

863Cumbria farmers

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 6

Tim Farron

Helen Morgan

Helen Maguire

Mr Angus MacDonald

Jim Shannon

Sarah Dyke

That this House recognises the pivotal role that farmers play in producing the food on our plates and caring for the environment; expresses strong concern over the Government’s changes to inheritance tax rules for farmers and the impact this will have in particular on small family farmers in our rural communities; and strongly supports Newsquest Cumbria’s Back Our Farmers Campaign in The Cumberland News and The Westmorland Gazette which calls for the Chancellor to think again.

864Israel’s military presence in the West Bank

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 45

Richard Burgon

Imran Hussain

Zarah Sultana

Ian Byrne

John McDonnell

Apsana Begum

That this House expresses alarm over the escalating Israeli military assaults across the illegally occupied West Bank, including the use of armoured tanks in Jenin for the first time since 2002; notes that since 21 January 2025, Israel has launched a major offensive resulting in the deaths of at least 51 Palestinians, including at least 7 children, and the forced displacement of over 40,000 Palestinians from refugee camps in the north of the West Bank; condemns the targeting and killing of children including Ayman Al-Hemouni, 12, and Rimas Ammouri, 13, both shot in the back by Israeli forces on 21 February; further expresses alarm at Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s statement that Palestinian refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas are now empty of residents and his instruction to prepare for a prolonged military presence; further condemns coordinated attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinian communities, including in Masafer Yatta and occupied East Jerusalem, where homes and structures have been set ablaze; recalls the International Court of Justice ruling in July 2024 that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful and that all states have a legal obligation not to aid or assist this illegal occupation and to act to bring it to an end; and urges the Government to take steps including a ban on all goods from illegal Israeli settlements and to end military cooperation and arms trade with Israel and all other trade that aids or assists Israel’s unlawful occupation.

865Educationally subnormal schools in the 1960s and 1970s

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 16

Kim Johnson

Ellie Chowns

Rachael Maskell

Apsana Begum

Brian Leishman

Neil Duncan-Jordan

That this House acknowledges the historical injustice suffered by Black children who were wrongly classified as educationally subnormal and placed in schooling for those with severely physical and mental disabilities under racist policies; notes the findings of Subnormal: A British Scandal and the exceptional work of educational campaigners starting with Bernard Coard, who have highlighted the lifelong harm caused by this systemic discrimination; further recognises the generational impact on families and communities whose children were denied access to a fair and equal education; notes the fortieth anniversary of the Swann Report entitled Education for All and its recommendations to combat racism in education, and regrets the lack of full implementation of its conclusions and findings; calls on the Government to issue a formal apology to those affected and to ensure their experiences are properly acknowledged; and urges the Government to establish a full public inquiry into this historic educational injustice to ensure accountability, transparency and meaningful policy changes to prevent such discrimination from ever occurring again.

866Christians Against Poverty and debt advice funding

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 5

Lillian Jones

Ben Lake

Peter Lamb

Rachael Maskell

Jim Shannon

That this House commends the outstanding work of Christians Against Poverty (CAP) in providing free, expert debt advice and practical support to people and families facing financial hardship; acknowledges the invaluable role played by CAP in helping people escape problem debt, build financial resilience and restore hope in their lives; recognises the increasing demand for debt advice services amid the high cost of living and economic pressures; expresses concern that many frontline debt advice providers face funding challenges that threaten their ability to support those in need; and calls on the Government to do what they can to help free face-to-face debt advice services to ensure that organisations like Christians Against Poverty can continue their vital work from the excellent Howard Centre in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency and in communities across the UK.

867National oversight mechanism

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 12

Carla Denyer

Ellie Chowns

Kim Johnson

Rachael Maskell

Graham Leadbitter

Steve Witherden

That this House believes that the State owes it to bereaved families and victims to learn and implement lessons from deaths involving the State and corporate agencies; notes that the Grenfell Inquiry recognised a failure of the State to follow up on recommendations made by inquests and inquiries; acknowledges the Government’s commitment to a publicly available record of these recommendations as a step in the right direction; urges the Government to also create a national oversight mechanism to ensure that these recommendations are routinely monitored by an independent body to help enact learning and prevent future deaths; further notes that such a Mechanism would go beyond facilitating transparency and ensure accountability, which is desperately needed for bereaved families and for public confidence; and believes that for victims of large scale tragedies such as Hillsborough and Grenfell, as well as victims of individual state failings, the Government must ensure that lessons are learned from their deaths and the same mistakes are not repeated.

868Cap exemption under Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Tabled: 27/02/25 Signatories: 6

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Ellie Chowns

Rachael Maskell

Richard Burgon

Jim Shannon

Sir Desmond Swayne

That this House notes with concern that the new £25,000 cap on the Listed Places of Worship scheme has created significant financial difficulties for churches across the country that have building projects already in progress; believes that the sudden and unexpected introduction of the cap on January 22nd amounts to an unfair change of policy for places of worship that have already signed contracts; notes that the cap has put in jeopardy projects that are designed to restore important historic buildings and provide crucial community services, such as Holy Trinity Clapham which has raised £6.2m to expand its community services for the homeless and vulnerable, families and children but which now faces an extra £1m tax bill; recognises the scheme has received cross-party support across successive governments; and calls on the Government to ensure the introduction of an exemption for places of worship that already have signed contracts for projects set to conclude in the 2025-26 financial year, before the cap was introduced.

869Edmund Dene Morel

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 3

Stephen Gethins

Chris Law

Jim Shannon

That this House notes the role of Edmund Dene Morel in leading the campaign against the atrocities committed in the Congo Free State during the late 19th century; recognises that Morel’s campaign was instrumental in the passing of the 1903 House of Commons Resolution stating that the Congolese people should be governed with humanity; acknowledges his service as the hon. Member for Dundee from 1922 to 1924; and further acknowledges The Rest of History podcast for their recent episodes recognising the importance of Edmund Dene Morel in campaigning against the crimes of the Congo Free State and marking his legacy of the tradition of human rights activism.

870Friends of Dawson Park, Langlees and Bainsford

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 2

Euan Stainbank

Jim Shannon

That this House commends the Friends of Dawson Park for their outstanding work in uniting the Langlees and Bainsford community and improving local facilities; applauds their successful partnership with Coo Park United, Grahamston Community Football Club, and Bainsford War Memorial; welcomes their securing of £500,000 from Falkirk Council’s Regeneration Fund to enhance Dawson Park Playpark, install CCTV, and improve lighting for public safety; recognises their wider efforts to promote local heritage and biodiversity through UK Government and National Lottery funding; and calls on the Government to support grassroots initiatives that deliver real change for communities.

871Fife Whisky Festival 2025

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 5

Wendy Chamberlain

Mr Angus MacDonald

Helen Maguire

Jim Shannon

Christine Jardine

That this House celebrates the Fife Whisky Festival 2025 beginning on Friday 28 February and continuing over the weekend; notes that the Fife Whisky Festival was founded by Karen Somerville and Justine Hazelhurst and the inaugural festival took place in 2018; welcomes the over 40 distilleries and independent bottlers from all over Scotland coming to Cupar to showcase their whisky; highlights that the staple event brings the local community together; and that hon. Members look forward to attending.

872Coal mining in Radstock

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 5

Anna Sabine

Jon Trickett

Mr Angus MacDonald

Grahame Morris

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises and celebrates the work of the Radstock Museum in educating people and communities on the history of coal mining in Radstock; notes that coal mining has been an important part of the town since coal's discovery in 1763; further notes that the town largely grew out of the coal mining industry; acknowledges the work of the Somerset District Miners’ Welfare Trust in spreading awareness of the importance of coal mining in Somerset; and further acknowledges the importance and legacy of coal mining in the South West of England.

873UK-USA trade deals and the NHS

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 14

Jon Trickett

Jeremy Corbyn

John McDonnell

Apsana Begum

Steve Witherden

Richard Burgon

That this House notes the ongoing bilateral trade negotiations between the United Kingdom and the United States of America; declares that the NHS is not for sale; believes that the NHS is a vital British institution that must remain publicly owned, universal, free at the point of use and based on clinical need rather than an ability to pay; rejects the idea of a privatised insurance based system; and demands that a future trade agreement must not include access to any part of the NHS.

874Triggers to Claiming Personal Independence Payment report

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 5

John McDonnell

Jon Trickett

Brian Leishman

Jim Shannon

Neil Duncan-Jordan

That this House congratulates John Pring for securing the publication of the research report Triggers to Claiming Personal Independence Payment, March 2022, through a Freedom of Information request; expresses concerns that the Government had delayed publication of the report for so long; believes the report provides strong evidence to explain the need for increased spending on personal independence payment (PIP); notes the report called for the Department for Work and Pensions to expand its work raising awareness of PIP with the public sector, charities and the general public; further notes that disabled people were being made aware of PIP through their contact with formal services, including JobcentrePlus, and not through the media or social media; and calls on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to bring forward a report on lessons learnt from this survey.

875Fibrenest and Persimmon homes

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 4

David Chadwick

Mr Angus MacDonald

Jim Shannon

Christine Jardine

That this House expresses concern over the lack of broadband competition in many Persimmon homes estates, where residents are limited to the use of Fibrenest, a broadband provider which is owned entirely by the Persimmon Homes group; highlights that this practice prevents Persimmon homeowners from easily accessing alternative broadband providers and therefore limits consumer choice; notes that this forces consumers into a monopolistic arrangement at the mercy of a company that has full control over service standards and pricing; further notes that this practice has anti-competition, and market fairness implications, eliminating any incentive for service improvement; argues that Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority investigate this monopolistic and exploitative practice; and further argues that the Government legislates to ensure that residents of new build estates are allowed free and fair access to decide their own broadband arrangements.

876120th anniversary of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 16

Graeme Downie

Kim Johnson

Luke Akehurst

Brendan O'Hara

Peter Swallow

Gill Furniss

That this House congratulates the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service (RFA) on the 120th anniversary of its formation as a civilian Merchant Seafarer crewed Royal Navy support service in March 1905; applauds the work of the 1,650 civilian Ratings, Officers and apprentices in the RFA today who play an invaluable and flexible support role, including the UK’s response to grey zone threats to critical subsea energy and communications infrastructure; pays tribute to the hundreds of civilian Merchant Seafarers killed or injured on RFA and Ministry of Defence chartered ships during the major conflicts of the twentieth century, from both World Wars to the Falklands and Gulf conflicts; notes that new solid support and multi-role support ships will not be delivered to the RFA until the 2030s; welcomes the constructive resolution of the 2023-24 pay dispute between the recognised maritime unions and the RFA; notes the importance of UK civilian seafarers to strategic defence capacity; is concerned that UK resident crew only hold 11% of 160,000 jobs in the UK shipping industry; and calls on the Government to work with the maritime trade unions, including the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, to increase investment in recruitment and retention of civilian Merchant Seafarers and new RFA ships to maintain the UK’s maritime security and the discharge of international responsibilities of safe passage and navigation for the rest of this century.

877GHA Rugby Football Club National League 1 champions

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 2

Blair McDougall

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates GHA Rugby Football Club on becoming champions of the National League 1 for Season 2024-2025; notes the team's unbeaten run in the league; recognises that this magnificent achievement is down to the work of a wider team of coaches, physio, and volunteers who have backed the team's efforts on the pitch; looks forward to seeing GHA play in the Premiership next season; and commends the club on the opportunities to enjoy sport that they provide to people of all ages from across East Renfrewshire and beyond.

878Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 6

Jim Shannon

Helen Maguire

John McDonnell

Graham Leadbitter

Tristan Osborne

Christine Jardine

That this House notes that March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the UK, created by Ovarian Cancer Action in 2005; highlights that only three-in-ten women diagnosed with ovarian cancer live beyond ten years and that 7,500 women in the UK sadly receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis each year; underlines that understanding the symptoms is pivotal for early detection and that some of the main symptoms include persistent bloating, pelvic and abdominal pain, fatigue and unexplained weight loss or weight gain; further notes that more progress must be made to reach a vision of ovarian cancer being survivable; and calls on the Government to do more to raise awareness of the impacts of ovarian cancer.

880Lucy Baldock

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 6

Neil Duncan-Jordan

Jon Trickett

Jeremy Corbyn

Brian Leishman

Jim Shannon

Apsana Begum

That this House commemorates the life of Suffragette Lucy (Minnie) Baldock, who died in Hamworthy, Poole on 10 December 1954, aged 90; notes that she was a member of the Independent Labour Party and helped to set up the first London Branch of the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1906; understands that she was a prominent campaigner for equal rights for women and was arrested twice for her activities which included shouting votes for women through a megaphone during the opening of Parliament and in 1908 spending one month in Holloway Prison for holding a meeting outside the House of Commons while it was sitting; further notes that she was diagnosed with cancer in 1923 and spent her remaining years at 73 Lake Road, Hamworthy; recognises that she is commemorated on the plinth of the statue of Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square; and calls on the Government to support the efforts of the hon. Member for Poole and the local community to have a blue plaque erected in the town to celebrate and honour her life.

881Primary care workers

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 9

Mr Lee Dillon

Mr Angus MacDonald

Helen Maguire

Steve Darling

Jess Brown-Fuller

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the vital work carried out by primary healthcare professionals in sustaining the NHS; notes that primary care services provide essential health and social care to communities across the country; commends the nine GP practices in Newbury for their role as the first point of contact for residents seeking medical attention and for delivering excellent care to the local community; particularly recognises the outstanding contribution of Elaine Edlin, who has recently retired from Strawberry Hill Medical Centre in Newbury after 22 years of dedicated service; and affirms that healthcare professionals like Elaine are fundamental to maintaining high-quality primary care services across the UK.

882Petrol prices

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 4

Mr Lee Dillon

Mr Angus MacDonald

Helen Maguire

Jim Shannon

That this House notes with concern the disproportionate increase in petrol prices in Newbury, which are on average eight pence more expensive per litre compared to prices within a 20-mile radius; calls on fuel providers to lower their prices in Newbury to align with neighbouring constituencies to reduce this pricing disparity; recognises that this issue has persisted for over a decade, potentially causing financial pressure on constituents, many of whom may already be struggling financially due to record high living costs; and urges the Government to take further action to lower pump prices and ensure fairer pricing for all.

883Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 8

Graeme Downie

Patricia Ferguson

Tracy Gilbert

Jim Shannon

Gregor Poynton

Alison Taylor

That this House congratulates Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill on her retirement from the House of Lords; thanks her for her over 30 years of service in the other place promoting social justice, opportunity and the importance of democracy; believes her work in setting up the John Smith Memorial Trust in the name of her late husband, the Rt hon. John Smith MP, has put down the enduring roots of democracy, peace and the rule of law in many former Soviet Republics, including in Ukraine where their work has been vital in helping the country withstand the invasion Russia and build the foundations for a better future; notes the creation of the John Smith Centre for Public Service at the University of Glasgow, which works across political divide and strives to promote the highest levels of public service here in the UK; further notes that both her daughters have a similar commitment to public service, which will continue the incredible family legacy; and wishes Baroness Smith a long and happy retirement.

884University of Aberdeen breast cancer breakthrough

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 3

Kirsty Blackman

Brian Leishman

Jim Shannon

That this House hails the groundbreaking new Field Cycling Imager scanner developed by scientists at the University of Aberdeen; notes that the technology is a world first in breast cancer scanning and diagnosis and can see previously undetectable cancer; further notes that this follows recent breakthroughs in AI technology at the University of Aberdeen which facilitated the discovery of 12 percent more cancers than routine breast exams; commends those from the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian who worked on these breakthroughs; and hopes that this technology will mean that cases of breast cancer will be detected earlier in future.

885Morgan Rogers Champions League hat-trick

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 2

Alex Ballinger

Jim Shannon

That this House congratulates Halesowen native Morgan Rogers on his fantastic achievements in the Champions league; notes his brilliant hat-trick against Celtic, and being the first player in history to score twice in the opening five minutes of a Champions League match; and wishes Rogers the best with his career moving forward.

886Headway North East Fife branch

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 6

Wendy Chamberlain

Mr Angus MacDonald

Helen Maguire

Steve Darling

Jim Shannon

Tom Morrison

That this House welcomes the launch of a volunteer-led branch of Headway in North East Fife on 6 March 2025; acknowledges that Headway is a charity who promote the understanding of all aspects of brain injury and provide information, support and services to survivors, their families and carers; notes that Headway also campaigns to reduce the incidence of brain injury; celebrates the important work that Headway does; and thanks them for their work assisting people with brain injuries to return to community living.

887Shortages of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy

Tabled: 3/03/25 Signatories: 22

Jess Brown-Fuller

Helen Morgan

Alison Bennett

Dr Danny Chambers

Wera Hobhouse

Mr Angus MacDonald

That this House expresses deep concern over the ongoing shortage of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), a vital medication relied upon by 61,000 people across the UK, including those with pancreatic cancer and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency; notes with alarm that PERT shortages are predicted to continue until 2026, with no signs of resolution, leaving 82% of patients struggling to access their usual prescriptions, 80% forced to alter their diet or dosage, and many skipping meals altogether; recognises that without PERT, patients suffer from severe malabsorption, leading to malnutrition, muscle wasting, debilitating diarrhoea, and, in extreme cases, death by starvation; further notes the significant mental health impact of this crisis, with 51% of affected individuals experiencing increased stress, anxiety, and worry; and calls on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to urgently outline the steps being taken to address the root causes of the shortage, ensure a stable and adequate supply of PERT, and provide clear clinical guidance to support patients and healthcare professionals in managing this critical situation.