Contents

Published: Thursday 27 January 2022

Early Day Motions tabled on Wednesday 26 January 2022

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

901Social security benefit increases and levels of inflation

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 1

Chris Stephens

That this House notes that social security benefits are set to rise in April 2022 by the rate of general inflation in September 2021, which was 3.1 per cent; further notes that inflation reached 5.1 per cent in November 2021 and is expected to reach approximately 6 per cent in April 2022, resulting in a real terms cut in the value of social security benefits; notes that this will add to the financial difficulties being faced by households on low incomes who, based on recent evidence from the Threehills Community Supermarket and the broader Feeding Britain network, are already struggling to afford food and fuel; and calls on the Government to protect those households from the rising cost of living by using nearer-term forecasts to increase benefits in line with the actual rate of inflation that will apply in April 2022.

902Ayrshire Potato Day

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 1

Patricia Gibson

That this House celebrates Ayrshire Potato Day, to be held on 5 February 2022 at Elm Park Allotments and Community Garden in Ardrossan; commends the work of Ardrossan-based charity, Three Towns Growers, for organising this event promoting locally-grown produce, and its ongoing commitment to providing a community growing space and hub for the residents of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston, inclusively enhancing skills in the community to enable people to grow their own produce, either on site or within their own gardens; notes the positive health and well-being impacts of community gardening, and the environmental benefits of buying locally-grown produce; recognises that this is a day to celebrate the many types of potatoes grown in Ayrshire, particularly the famous Ayrshire Early Epicure potato; and urges everyone who has a keen interest in growing potatoes, or other produce, to attend this wonderful event.

903Register of Overseas Entities and russian influence in the UK

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 1

Layla Moran

That this House notes the warnings as detailed in successive reports, including the Foreign Affairs Committee’s report Moscow’s Gold and the Intelligence and Security Committee’s Russia Report, of the interference of Kremlin-linked elites in the UK; expresses its concern at the ease with which individuals with links to the Kremlin have been able to launder money in the UK and in London in particular; notes with concern new research released by Transparency International which covered £1.5 billion of UK property bought with suspicious Russian wealth; welcomes the UK Government’s decision, in principle, to take action on this; expresses its frustration that, six years on from an initial announcement to establish a register of overseas entities and their beneficiaries by bringing forward a register of overseas entities, no such scheme has been introduced; calls on the Government to formally support the Registration of Overseas Entities Bill, the Second Reading of which is due on 18 March 2022 and has cross-party support; further calls on the Government to implement all the recommendations of the Russia Report; and urges the Government to make democracy a national security priority.

904Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 4

Jon Trickett

Richard Burgon

Rachael Maskell

Emma Hardy

That this House expresses its gratitude and thanks to the hard-working and dedicated staff of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, particularly during the trying period of the covid-19 outbreak; notes that the significant increase in calls answered by the service, from 42,000 to 72,000, between November 2020 and November 2021 has added further pressure on staff; further notes the high level of absences mainly due to covid-19 at a time of stress for ambulance staff; notes with concern the report that 9 out of 10 of leaders across the health service feel that the present situation is unsustainable and that patient care could be compromised; regrets the underfunding of our vital health services; further regrets the added pressure on the service as a result of nearly 200 GP practice closures in Yorkshire since 2010; regrets the fact that Category 1 incidents in Yorkshire at the end of 2021 have an average response time of 9 minutes 49 seconds, compared to a target of 7 minutes; and urges the Government to appropriately compensate hard-working staff by prioritising filling NHS vacancies and accepting health trade unions demands for pay awards that undo the impact of real terms pay cuts since 2010.

905Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 11

Tony Lloyd

Navendu Mishra

Andrew Gwynne

Kate Green

Yvonne Fovargue

Angela Rayner

That this House notes that some 1,200 deaths a year are attributable to poor air quality in Greater Manchester; believes that, on that basis, movement towards establishing a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Greater Manchester is vital; stresses that a CAZ must be properly resourced to prevent it simply becoming a political football rather than saving lives; is aware that it was the Government which mandated the 10 Greater Manchester local authorities to introduce a CAZ and that none of the local authorities can amend, revoke, or suspend their CAZ without the prior written permission from the Secretary of State; is conscious that small businesses, taxi drivers and private individuals are concerned that the cost of vehicle replacement is not backed by government funding; supports the request in letters from both Greater Manchester Conservative and Labour hon. Members calling on the Government to engage in further consultation on the implementation of the CAZ; and calls on the Government to now have a pause in the implementation of the CAZ to allow for that consultation on how to provide the resources required and bring about changes to make the scheme fair for everyone.

906Providing financial restitution to women born in the 1950s

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 1

Ian Byrne

That this House welcomes the positive interventions from so many hon. Members from across the House on behalf of women born in the 1950s who have lost their pensions; and pays tribute to constituents and campaigners in their ongoing fight for justice; recalls that women born in the 1950s were subject to discriminatory employment and pension laws; recognises that this included being excluded from some pensions schemes; recognises that this had the negative effect for them of losing the opportunity to have the same level of pension as their partner or spouse; further recognises that this has had the consequence of women in this position never being able to have equal pensions to men; further notes that this has negatively and profoundly impacted on them including increased poverty, deteriorating health and homelessness; notes that at least 3.8 million women have been impacted by the loss of their pensions from the age of 60 in three separate age hikes; and calls on the Government to enact a temporary special measure as permitted by international law to provide full restitution to women born in the 1950s who have lost their pensions from the age of 60 because of the impact of the rise in retirement age.

907DH Robertson Butchers, Arbroath

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 1

Dave Doogan

That this House warmly congratulates Steve and Pam Bennet at DH Robertson butchers in Arbroath on their win at the Scottish Craft Butchers Awards 2022 becoming champions in the Best Link Sausage category; further congratulates DH Robertson on winning at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards 2022 in three categories, a diamond medal in the Sausage Roll Category, gold medal in the Football Pie or Savoury Category for Arbroath FC and bronze medal in the Hot Savoury Category; notes that these awards are incredibly competitive and are judged by 60 independent industry experts and professionals; and offers best wishes in their future success as a multi-award winning butcher.

908One year anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar

Tabled: 26/01/22 Signatories: 2

Rushanara Ali

Dame Margaret Hodge

That this House, on the one year anniversary of the military coup on 1 February 2021 in Myanmar (Burma), condemns the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Myanmar military against the people of Myanmar; stands in solidarity with the Burmese people opposing the military coup; notes in horror the increased attacks by the military in ethnic areas including Chin, Karenni and Karen State over the recent months which includes the burning of people alive, torching of villages and killings of children; demands an urgent stop to the attacks; demands the release of all political prisoners; welcomes the UK Government’s condemnation of the coup and the introduction of targeted economic sanctions on military businesses; calls for further economic sanctions targeting military revenues; calls for sanctions on aviation fuel to ground military bomber jets; further calls on the Government to increase its efforts to encourage other countries to introduce unilateral arms embargoes; calls on the Government to increase cross-border aid through local organisations working directly with the people affected by the military attacks; and calls on the Government to join the Rohingya genocide case at the International Court of Justice to secure justice for the Rohingya genocide, and to publicly support the referral of the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.

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.

849Healthy Start Vouchers

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 21

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Mick Whitley

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Charlotte Nichols

Apsana Begum

That this House notes that 218,002 families on low incomes in England are currently unable to access their entitlement to the Healthy Start scheme; also notes that, between November and December 2021, take-up of the scheme dropped by more than a fifth, from 65 per cent to 51 per cent, meaning that out of 449,748 potential beneficiaries, only 231,746 are enrolled on the scheme; further notes that no local authority in England has a take-up rate of higher than 62 per cent; and calls on the Government to enact Feeding Britain's proposal for an automatic registration scheme, similar to the one which sees pensioners on low incomes receive their Warm Home Discount automatically, to secure full take-up of the scheme and overcome barriers such as low awareness, bureaucracy, and stigma which prevent take-up being higher.

850Lullaby Lane Nurseries named finalists in the SME Employer of the Year category at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards

Tabled: 17/01/22 Signatories: 8

Amy Callaghan

Allan Dorans

Alison Thewliss

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Douglas Chapman

That this House congratulates the team at Lullaby Lane Nurseries in East Dunbartonshire on being named finalists in the SME Employer of the Year category at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards 2022; understands that Lullaby Lane Nurseries has been providing quality childcare services across the community since 2013; notes how valued these nurseries are in the community; further notes the team’s focus on attachment-led practices for children which enable them to reach their full potential and how passionate the staff are about early years learning; commends Lullaby Lane Nurseries for their efforts to support families and the community throughout the covid-19 pandemic; recognises that this achievement is a testament to the team’s hard work over the years; and looks forward to seeing what more Lullaby Lane Nurseries will achieve in the future.

860War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation payments

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 40

Owen Thompson

Angela Crawley

Hannah Bardell

Ian Blackford

Marion Fellows

Carol Monaghan

That this House believes that the current process for claiming War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation payments is not fit for purpose and drives many veterans to give up on claims, severely deteriorates many veterans’ mental health, drives many into poverty, and increases the risk of suicides; applauds our veterans for the immense sacrifices they have made and believes that all veterans deserve to be fairly compensated for injury, illness and death caused by their time in service; but is deeply concerned about the mental health impact on veterans of the complexity, lack of transparency and lack of impartiality in the process of putting in a claim, requesting a review of evidence and engaging with the War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Tribunal, which results in too many veterans not getting the level of payment they need and then facing complex processes in order to get an increase; believes that serious questions must be answered with regards to the use of Veterans UK medical assessors in assessing claims, in particular the practice of the same medical assessor assessing a veteran’s claim at three separate stages of the process instead of separate assessors being used to ensure impartiality and a range of opinions; is deeply concerned by reports of medical evidence and paperwork being removed from veterans’ evidence bundles by Veterans UK during the tribunal process; and calls on the Government to honour its duty of care to veterans by launching an independent inquiry into the failings of the current system.

862Low carbon vehicles and construction work

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 5

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

Sir Peter Bottomley

Apsana Begum

Richard Thomson

That this House recognises that many businesses use Volumetric Mobile Plants (VCM) that deliver concrete to many other small local businesses and that VCM businesses contribute £386 million annually to the national economy, support 5,800 FTE jobs and an additional 9,850 jobs in the wider economy; accepts the evidence of 200 UK construction companies that reducing their weight from 38.4 and 44T to 32T damages the ability of those vehicles to supply the widest possible range of cements to the biggest number of customers in one trip, replacing single lorry journeys with multiple journeys, causing a much higher carbon footprint, with more fuel used and generating more CO, Nox, SO2, VOCs and PMs; further recognises that the Government’s decision to limit operations at 32 tonnes from 2028 means that many current mobile plants, which cost £230,000, are effectively scrap; considers the carbon impact of this policy that will add 23 million more VCM/lorry kilometres to UK roads, 598,000 more VCM/lorry journeys each year, 120,000 additional tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere and extra carbon costs in excess of £7 million per year; and thus calls on the Government to commission an up-to-date study from Highways UK on the impact of 38.4T and 44T VCMs on the road infrastructure as well as an environmental impact of the policy to use lighter VCMs with a view to make permanent the temporary 38.4T and 44T weight limits.

865Miscarriage leave and employment policy

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 34

Angela Crawley

Hannah Bardell

Allan Dorans

Jim Shannon

John Nicolson

Paula Barker

That this House believes that the Government should introduce a policy of paid miscarriage leave; is aware that the Government has so far been hesitant to introduce such a policy; notes that, in the UK, two weeks parental bereavement leave and pay is in place after stillbirth, however there is no such support for anyone who has experienced a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy; understands that miscarriage is an extremely traumatic experience and that more support should be provided to families that experience such a loss; considers unacceptable the Government’s position that Statutory Sick Pay or annual leave are adequate compromises for a specific miscarriage leave provision; recognises that the provision of paid miscarriage leave is in line with the need to develop a more proactive approach to workplace health and wellbeing as expressed in the Taylor review of modern working practices; assesses that this issue should be viewed under the Taylor review’s ambition of fair and decent treatment in the workplace, including health and wellbeing protections in employment law which serves the wider public interest; and calls on the Government to include paid miscarriage leave in its upcoming Employment Bill.

866East Lothian rowers cross the Atlantic in third place

Tabled: 18/01/22 Signatories: 17

Kenny MacAskill

Jim Shannon

Margaret Ferrier

Douglas Chapman

Joanna Cherry

Ben Lake

That this House congratulates Ian Baird, Duncan Hughes, Ross McKinney, Fraser Potter and Clive Rooney of North Berwick Coastal Rowing Club, known as Five in a Row, for finishing in third place in the 2021 Talisker Atlantic Challenge; understands that the five men completed the 3000 mile journey from La Gomera in Spain to Antigua in the Caribbean in 36 days, 3 hours and 33 minutes, each taking turns to have two hours of sleep; notes that the group finished third out of thirty six boats, and describe the journey as the hardest thing they have ever done, as falling from the boat would have been fatal as the craft could not be turned around fast enough to find a crew member in the darkness; commends the fundraising efforts that the group made to get them to the starting line, with additional funds raised to be given to the charity Reverse Rett; and wishes the group the best of luck in their futures.

870Campaign to introduce a PumpWatch body for fair fuel prices

Tabled: 19/01/22 Signatories: 6

Robert Halfon

Sir Mike Penning

Sir Greg Knight

Margaret Ferrier

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jim Shannon

That this House recognises the significant financial impact on the motorists from retailers failing to reflect the fall in oil prices at the pump; understands that when oil prices rise companies often pass that increase on to motorists, but when they fall, the saving is not passed on; further recognises the action the Government has taken to freeze fuel duty for twelve consecutive years saving the average motorist £15 every time they fill up; notes the success of the campaign group FairFuelUK and Howard Cox in saving motorists billions of pounds; and calls upon the Government to take further steps to form a PumpWatch body to ensure fair prices at the pumps.

871Holocaust Memorial Day

Tabled: 19/01/22 Signatories: 30

Ian Paisley

Ian Mearns

Sir Mike Penning

Jim Shannon

Hywel Williams

Chris Law

That this House notes that on 27 January 2022 the UK will observe Holocaust Memorial Day marking the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where an estimated 1.1 million Jewish men, women and children were murdered; commemorates the six million victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution; further notes that the House pays tribute to the commitment of Holocaust survivors and Kindertransport refugees who share their experiences with young people across the country; acknowledges the importance of the Holocaust Educational Trust's work in schools across the UK and in particular the Lessons from Auschwitz Project, which has so far given more than 41,000 students and teachers the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau; welcomes the establishment of a permanent National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre adjacent to Parliament; pays tribute to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for organising the national Holocaust Memorial Day event; and urges all Right hon. and hon. Members to observe this day so that the appalling events of the Holocaust are always understood by future generations.

875Play Alloa fundraiser

Tabled: 20/01/22 Signatories: 7

John Nicolson

Jim Shannon

Marion Fellows

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Amy Callaghan

That this House commends Aaron Anderson for his efforts for local charity, Play Alloa; wishes him and other participants luck in their fundraising kickboxing match on 26 February 2022; and finally, recognises the hard and essential work that Play Alloa do, especially throughout the covid-19 pandemic.

878Tractor runs and HMRC

Tabled: 20/01/22 Signatories: 11

Mr Alistair Carmichael [R]

Jim Shannon

Sir Greg Knight

Hywel Williams

Ben Lake

Liz Saville Roberts

That this House recognises and welcomes the Tractor Runs organised by farmers in rural communities throughout the country around the Christmas and New Year period; congratulates all those taking part for their creativity and the good cheer that they brought to many people during the darkest period of the year; further welcomes the money raised for charities by these events; notes in particular the achievement of the organisers of the Orkney Tractor Run in raising more than £44,000 for CLAN Cancer Support Orkney and Kirkwall Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre; is dismayed that HM Revenue and Customs are reported to be insisting that, in the future, participants in such events will be obliged to use white diesel with full duty being paid on it instead of the agricultural red diesel on which agricultural vehicles normally are fuelled; and calls on HMRC to classify Tractor Runs as an agricultural activity so that they may continue to bring much needed cheer to farming communities in the depths of winter.

879Witchcraft Act 1563

Tabled: 21/01/22 Signatories: 6

Tim Farron

Wera Hobhouse

Sir Peter Bottomley

Paula Barker

Apsana Begum

Jim Shannon

That this House acknowledges the brutal torture and execution of innocent people tried by the Witchcraft Act from the 16th to 18th centuries; condemns the Act, which contributed to the deaths of between 500 to 1,000 people in England, ninety per cent. of whom were women; notes the Scottish Government’s decision to pardon those accused of witchcraft; and calls on the Government to apologise and pardon those accused and convicted as witches under the Witchcraft Act 1563.

880Visit Inverness Loch Ness

Tabled: 21/01/22 Signatories: 9

Drew Hendry

Alyn Smith

Steven Bonnar

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

That this House congratulates Visit Inverness Loch Ness (VILN) on becoming the first Carbon Neutral Business Improvement District in the UK; recognises the work put in by VILN and their partnership with Trees for Life, aiming to plant a tree for every ton of C02 emissions; commends their commitment to actioning all climate goals within 12 months; and congratulates them on the development of their own carbon tracker, set to monitor their footprint each month.

881International Day of Education 2022

Tabled: 21/01/22 Signatories: 8

Layla Moran

Munira Wilson

Margaret Ferrier

Wera Hobhouse

Sir Peter Bottomley

Jeremy Corbyn

That this House recognises the incredible work of schools across the UK on International Day of Education 2022; celebrates teachers, support staff, parents and students who have all worked tirelessly to keep young people learning; and wishes the very best of luck to students who have exams coming up over the next few months.

882Retirement of Alex Meikle at East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action

Tabled: 21/01/22 Signatories: 8

Amy Callaghan

Stuart C McDonald

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Marion Fellows

That this House congratulates Alex Meikle on his retirement as Chief Officer of East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action after over three-and-a-half years at the post; notes Mr Meikle's contribution to supporting voluntary and third sectors in this role; further notes the tremendous work done by EDVA and Mr Meikle over the course of the covid-19 pandemic to assist those in need; recognises the leadership that Mr Meikle has shown in his time as Chief Officer; understands that EDVA continues to play an integral role in the wider community of East Dunbartonshire; thanks Mr Meikle for his professionalism and outstanding service to the community over the years; and wishes him all the best with his future endeavours.

883Campaign for an Osteogenesis Imperfecta national awareness month

Tabled: 24/01/22 Signatories: 9

Chris Law

Joanna Cherry

Jim Shannon

Sir Peter Bottomley

Allan Dorans

Carol Monaghan

That this House recognises the Brittle Bone Society’s campaign to mark the month of May as the National Awareness Month for Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI); notes that OI is a genetic bone disorder characterised by fragile bones that affects a person from birth; recognises that around 5,000 people across the UK are affected by the condition; celebrates the work of the Brittle Bone Society, who offer a variety of support to those affected, including but not limited to practical assistance; believes that a national awareness month would help raise awareness among the general public of the condition; and calls on the Government to back the campaign and officially recognise May as the National Awareness Month for OI.

884Kinglassie Primary School, Young Writer’s Champions 2021

Tabled: 24/01/22 Signatories: 9

Peter Grant

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Allan Dorans

Carol Monaghan

Marion Fellows

That this House congratulates Mr Noble’s P4/5 class (now P6/7) of Kinglassie Primary School on winning the Young Writer’s Competition in the 2019-20 academic year; highlights that the class wowed the judges with their tales and were picked as winners out of more than 13,000 entries from over 690 schools across the whole of the UK; commends the hard work of all the pupils who submitted their crazy stories in the Ridiculous Writers category in order to win and put Kinglassie Primary School on the map as having some of the best young writers in the UK; notes their unusual inspiration for their stories in the form of rolling a dice to choose adjectives and nouns to form the basis of their story; applauds the class on winning £500 for their school and on being published in a book showcasing the work of the very best young writers from across the UK; and wishes the pupils all the best for their future writing endeavours.

885Celebration of the birth and legacy of Robert (Rabbie) Burns

Tabled: 24/01/22 Signatories: 17

Allan Dorans

Kirsten Oswald

Joanna Cherry

Jim Shannon

Stuart C McDonald

Chris Law

That this House notes and celebrates the 263rd anniversary of the birth of Robert (Rabbie) Burns, Scotland’s National Bard, in Alloway on 25 January 1759; notes that he is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic literacy movement, and after his death became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism and a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora; further notes that he was a poet and lyricist who penned the words of Auld Lang Syne, which is sung across the globe on New Year’s Eve; notes that he wrote over 700 other poems and songs including Tam O’Shanter, Ae Fond Kiss, To a Mouse, Scots Wa Hae, A Red, Red Rose and A Man’s a Man for A’ That, and whose work has been translated into more than 40 languages and his memory honoured by more than 50 official statues including in the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Russia and Estonia; and further notes that he has had his image portrayed on postage stamps, banknotes and coins in a number of countries and whose life, works and immortal memory are celebrated at Burn’s Suppers across the world by millions of people on 25 January every year.

886DVSA test centre closures

Tabled: 24/01/22 Signatories: 6

Kate Osborne

Jim Shannon

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

Ian Lavery

Apsana Begum

Grahame Morris

That this House notes with concern the current programme of closures of local DVSA driving test centres across the country, including the South Shields DVSA Test Centre in the Jarrow constituency; acknowledges that the loss of the Bede Industrial Estate facility is yet another blow to South Tyneside, while lesson times, prices and waiting lists all increase at a period when waiting times for driving tests are at an all-time high; further notes that such closures are being undertaken without any consultation with those directly affected or the local community; strongly believes that moving the test centre away from South Tyneside could discourage many from learning to drive in the borough and risks skilled instructors and examiners leaving the industry which will further exacerbate already high waiting times; further acknowledges that the added distance South Tyneside learners will be forced to drive to take lessons will increase emissions and impact negatively on the environment; calls on the DVSA to reconsider any such closures; and further calls on the Department for Transport to suspend immediately any such closures and to instruct the Driving Vehicle Standards Agency that no closures may be undertaken without a full public consultation.

887Mandatory covid-19 vaccinations

Tabled: 24/01/22 Signatories: 8

Rachael Maskell

Mick Whitley

Ian Lavery

Margaret Greenwood

Paula Barker

Apsana Begum

That this House condemns the Government for twice passing legislation to introduce mandatory covid-19 vaccination of health and care workers in 2021; notes that by Government’s own assessment this will result in up to 115,000 staff members being dismissed, putting severe pressure on NHS and social care, causing additional stress to NHS and care staff and further hindering retention, while NHS pressures and backlog grow; notes the NHS Constitution is clear that healthcare must be delivered by informed consent, through a personal choice; further notes that the legislation will only provide a supported conversation by a line manager, rather than with a professional with appropriate competencies and if staff have not received their first vaccination by 3 February 2022, they will be dismissed; notes that these measures are opposed by the health and social care staff professional bodies, such as the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Nursing, as well as all the health and social care trade unions; and is further concerned that according to Government data, the depleting efficacy of the vaccine over a 10-week period is just 40 to 50 per cent against the Omicron variant, and will therefore provide little protection against the transmission of covid-19 in comparison to daily testing and better graded PPE; and calls on the Government to immediately withdraw the regulations with immediate effect to avert this health and social care workforce and service crisis.

888Family Fund 2020-21

Tabled: 24/01/22 Signatories: 10

Marion Fellows

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Claudia Webbe

Sir Peter Bottomley

Allan Dorans

That this House recognises the invaluable work of Family Fund, as the UK’s largest charity providing grants to families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children; commends their role in supporting families by providing grants for essential items, family breaks, sensory equipment and more; further recognises the significance of this work, supporting 8,468 carers with grants worth over £3.6 million in 2020-21; and commends all of their staff on their excellent work to support families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children in Motherwell and Wishaw, Scotland and the UK, particularly during these difficult times, and wishes them the best for the future.

889Child citizenship fees

Tabled: 24/01/22 Signatories: 12

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Jim Shannon

Claudia Webbe

Beth Winter

Sir Peter Bottomley

Carol Monaghan

That this House believes that no child should be priced out of British citizenship; is appalled by the Home Office practice of charging a fee of £1,012 to register a child for British citizenship; is further appalled that the Home Office makes a profit of £640 from each child citizenship application; notes the Court of Appeal ruling of 19 February 2021 which declared this practice unlawful; believes that children born in the UK should be granted automatic British citizenship; urgently calls on the Home Office to immediately cease profiting from child citizenship fees and limit charges associated with child citizenship to the cost of processing applications; and further calls on the Government to review the impact of such fees on children’s human rights.

890Sewage dumping in UK waterways

Tabled: 24/01/22 Signatories: 18

Jon Trickett

Kate Osborne

Jim Shannon

Claudia Webbe

Beth Winter

Dawn Butler

That this House expresses its concern at the 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; believes the problem is a result of the lack of investment by the private water companies who have persistently failed to address this issue; notes that £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; 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.

891Tony Blackburn's 79th birthday

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 3

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Dave Doogan

That this House notes and celebrates the birthday of BBC Presenter, Tony Blackburn, who turns 79 on Saturday 29 January 2022; further notes his continued efforts and dedication to the music, television and presenting industry and that he is a much thought of household name throughout the UK and beyond; celebrates that he has spent over 50 years providing entertainment to the nation and looks forward to many more years of this in the future; and wishes him health and success in the years ahead.

892RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2022

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 4

Jim Shannon

Caroline Lucas

Paul Girvan

Chris Law

That this House notes the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' annual Big Garden Birdwatch 2022, taking place from the 28 to 30 January 2022; further notes that the RSPB is the country's largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home; highlights the continued efforts by the RSPB to bring people together throughout the covid-19 pandemic by encouraging them to take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch from their own homes; notes the importance of the Birdwatch as it enables the RSPB to gather crucial information on bird and wildlife trends across the UK, the result of which help to inform environmental changes if needed, as well as celebrating success stories; and celebrates and thanks the RSPB for their dedicated work for the environment across the UK and encourages all to get involved in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2022.

893A wealth tax as an alternative to National Insurance increases

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 26

Richard Burgon

Ian Lavery

John McDonnell

Kate Osborne

Bell Ribeiro-Addy

Zarah Sultana

That this House calls on the Government to abandon its regressive plans for a 1.25 percentage point increase in National Insurance contributions; believes this will add to the cost of living crisis people are already experiencing as a result of big increases in energy bills, high inflation, real-term wage cuts and cuts to universal credit; and calls on the Government to replace the proposed National Insurance increase with taxes on the wealth of the richest one per cent.

894Appeals process for fines under covid-19 restrictions

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 5

Dawn Butler

Apsana Begum

Ian Byrne

Grahame Morris

Dan Carden

That this House is concerned by increasing reports of alleged social gatherings and events in Downing Street during periods of covid-19 lockdown; is further concerned by the fact that the police have issued over 100,000 fixed penalty notice fines to members of the public for breaking covid-19 restrictions; believes that it is wrong that people had no formal right of appeal under those restrictions; and calls on the Government to immediately implement a retrospective appeals process for everyone who was issued a fine under those restrictions.

895Nature Recovery Networks

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 2

Mr Barry Sheerman

Sammy Wilson

That this House notes the importance of Nature Recovery Networks in combatting biodiversity loss in the UK; further notes the urgent need to take action that halts the alarming trend of biodiversity decline; welcomes the findings and recommendations of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee report, Biodiversity in the UK: bloom or bust, HC 136, June 2021; appeals to the Government to implement that report in full; gives particular emphasis to the need for Nature Recovery Networks to be given priority in building a healthier local environment; accepts gladly the provisions laid down in the Environment Act 2021 that mandate the creation of Local Nature Recovery Strategies to act as a spatial planning framework for Nature Recovery Networks; reiterates the recommendations of the Environmental Audit Committee that far more detail is needed to translate this ambition into transformative action; believes that to be a successful policy approach the Government must develop a plan for ensuring that Local Nature Recovery Strategies are rolled out across the entire country and that they successfully evolve into a national network; calls on the Government to link environmental and planning policies into one coherent policy approach; and further calls on the Government to make a formal assessment of the ability of local authorities to deliver their Local Nature Recovery Strategies.

896Buy Now Pay Later products and consumers

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 5

Patricia Gibson

Jim Shannon

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

That this House calls on the Government to take urgent action to introduce stronger consumer safeguards on the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) market; understands that BNPL products have become an increasingly popular payment method in the UK, experiencing huge growth during and since the covid-19 pandemic, with a third of UK consumers using this payment method; acknowledges that those products allow consumers to spread the costs of goods and services interest-free, with the option to defer payment for 30 days or in instalments after they have received their purchases; notes that BNPL products are on the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulatory perimeter, with providers relying on a regulatory exemption originally intended to allow businesses to offer ongoing services, such as gym membership; acknowledges that the Financial Conduct Authority’s recent Woolard Review expressed concerns about how BNPL schemes are presented by online retailers, frequently without clear information about late fees, credit checks and how repayments work and, in some instances, used as the default method of payment; believes that BNPL products are marketed and presented as a means of payment rather than a form of credit which encourages consumers to use them without fully understanding the risks; and calls on the Government to introduce proportionate regulation and ensure greater transparency on this method of payment so that consumers fully understand the risks involved.

897World Cancer Day 2022

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 9

Patricia Gibson

Apsana Begum

Claudia Webbe

Jim Shannon

Paul Girvan

Jonathan Edwards

That this House notes that 4 February 2022 is World Cancer Day which aims to raise awareness, improve education and call for nations to work together to tackle cancer globally; understands that one in two people will develop cancer in their lifetime and recognises that early detection of cancer is crucial in improving the chances of effective treatment results; supports measures to assist in reducing tobacco and alcohol consumption and to tackle obesity, which may assist in the prevention of one in three cancers; believes that no-one should feel alone or confused when being diagnosed with cancer and commends the work of Cancer Research UK and its volunteers, who provide invaluable information and support to those diagnosed with cancer and their families; and calls for increased investment in cancer research to save lives and allow more people living with cancer to lead fuller, healthier and happier lives as we look forward to a future without cancer.

898Elections Bill

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 5

Ben Lake

Brendan O'Hara

Claudia Webbe

Jonathan Edwards

Chris Law

That this House recognises the importance of ensuring that elections are fair and accessible for all voters; strongly condemns the proposed changes to reserved elections under the Elections Bill, including the introduction of compulsory photographic identification to vote; notes that the knock on effects of those changes risk undermining the functioning and vitality of devolved elections; notes that the Welsh Government and Scottish Government have refused to grant legislative consent to the Elections Bill on those grounds; supports the #HandsOffOurVote campaign that seeks to ensure that no legitimate voter is turned away from the ballot box; and calls on the Government to withdraw the Elections Bill and introduce legislation that enhances rather restricts democratic participation.

899Pastel Bakery at the 22nd World Championship Scotch Pie Awards

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 4

Owen Thompson

Jim Shannon

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

That this House congratulates Newtongrange-based Pastel Bakery on its success at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards in 2022; notes that Pastel Bakery was awarded the diamond award for its macaroni pie and gold awards for its steak, stornaway black pudding and peppercorn sauce pie and its Balmoral chicken pie; recognises that the awards are in their 22nd year and seek to recognise the production of perfect pies in their 11 categories; commends the success and popularity of the awards, which had over 400 entries this year; and celebrates the huge economic and cultural benefits of bakeries and bakers across Midlothian and the country as a whole.

900The death of former Celtic manager Wim Jansen

Tabled: 25/01/22 Signatories: 8

Brendan O'Hara

Jim Shannon

Richard Thomson

Alan Brown

Chris Law

Patrick Grady

That this House mourns the passing of Wim Jansen, footballer, manager and coach who has died at the age of 75; acknowledges the enormous contribution he made to European football as part of the Feyenoord side which won the Dutch league title four times between 1964 and 1975, the European Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup in 1974; notes that Jansen was a key part of the legendary Dutch international team which reached the final of the World Cup in both 1974 and again in 1978; recognises Jansen’s importance to European football in the words of his teammate and friend Johann Cruyff who said of Jansen that he considered him to be one of only four people worth listening to when they spoke about football; also acknowledges the hugely significant part Win Jansen played in the history of Celtic Football Club when as manager he led his team to their first Scottish Premier League title in a decade following a dramatic last day victory over St. Johnstone in May 1997; and thanks Wim Jansen for all he did in a lifetime in football and conveys its deepest condolences to his family.