Early Day Motions

Meeting between parliamentarians and Julian Assange

That this House expresses its concern at the refusal of the UK Government and prison authorities to allow an online video meeting between Julian Assange and a cross-party group of British parliamentarians; notes that the request was first made in December 2020 in a letter signed by 17 British parlia

Heavy Goods Vehicle Driver Shortages

That this House notes with concern that the transport industry currently estimates the labour shortages of Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers to be between 60,000 and 76,000; recognises that whilst shortages are a longstanding issue, a combination of factors have exacerbated the situation and led to

Anti-Asian hate crime

That this House congratulates the British Born Young Talent Association (BBYTA) on holding its recent seminar on Conversations on Anti-Asian Hate; notes from the seminar that many of our Asian communities, in the wake of covid-19, have experienced an increase in hate crime; appreciates BBTYA raising

Apple Daily and freedom of speech in Hong Kong

That this House notes its concern over the recent arrests of a further five employees of Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily on the suspicion of national security violations; recognises the importance of a free, open and robust media for holding the powerful to account and is concerned that these arrest

Independent Bookshop Week 2021

That this House celebrates Independent Bookshop Week 2021, which takes place from 19 to 26 June; notes the role of independent bookshops in sustaining and cultivating reading habits and enhancing literary skills; further notes the financial contribution that independent bookshops make to the UK’s cr

EU Settlement Scheme

That this House is concerned that many resident EU citizens may lose their rights to live and work in the UK following the 30 June 2021 deadline of the EU Settlement Scheme; notes that over 5 million applications have been made to the Scheme, over 90,000 coming from people in Wales; further notes th

The protection of black bears in Asia

That this House commends the work of Animals Asia Foundation in their campaign to protect Black Bears in Asia; is horrified by the pain caused to the bears when the bile is drained from them and appalled that the bears are kept for years in rusting, cramped cages with no room to stand up or turn aro

Alternative student finance

That this House notes that a significant number of Muslim young people do not take up a university place because the only student finance available involves payment of interest; notes that former Prime Minister David Cameron pledged in October 2013 at the World Islamic Economic Forum in London that

Dr Sulaiman Tameer and animal welfare in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

That this House commends the determination of Dr Sulaiman Tameer, a vet from Duhok and founder of the Kurdistan Organization for Animal Rights Protection, to advance animal welfare legislation, as recently detailed by Joanne Stocker-Kelly for the Guardian newspaper; notes growing political support f

The BBC One drama Time

That this House congratulates the creators, cast and crew of the BBC One drama Time for shining a much-needed spotlight on the poor conditions endured by prisoners and prison staff; praises the authenticity and originality of this mini-series and the mesmerising but distressing way it highlights the

Retirement of East Lothian teacher Sheila Laing after 45 years' service

That this House applauds the dedicated work of East Lothian's first virtual headteacher Sheila Laing, who is retiring after 45 years as a teacher; pays tribute to her outstanding supportive and innovative work with care experienced young people; acknowledges the recent challenging time for teachers

Windrush Day 2021

That this House notes that 22 June 2021 will be the 73rd anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Dock and the fourth annual Windrush Day; supports the commemorations across the country recognising the immense impact that the Windrush generation has had on the UK's society and cu

Serena Baker, Britain’s best amateur sewer 2021

That this House congratulates former Mearns Castle High School student Serena Baker for gaining the title of Britain’s best amateur sewer by winning the Great British Sewing Bee 2021; applauds Serena for her fantastic final garments, in particular her striking acid yellow tulle evening gown inspired

Jailing of Darya Polyudova

That this House notes with great concern the jailing of Darya Polyudova leader of the Left Resistance movement in Russia; further notes that on 31 May 2021 the Western District Military Court in Moscow sentenced the 32-year-old activist to six years in a prison colony for postings on social media,

Kashmiri Hindus and World Refugee Day

That this House pays tribute to the resilience of the persecuted minorities, victims of Jehad, living as refugees, fighting for their rights, the world over; empathises with the plight of those people; highlights the special case of Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits) who continue to live as refugees in their

Historical literary documents

That this House recognises the cultural significance of maintaining historical literary documents within the UK for the enjoyment and education of future generations; notes that the Honresfield collection is set to be auctioned later in 2021; further notes that allowing that collection to move into

Scotland coronavirus tracker

That this House commends the work of Dunoon resident John Frace, a student at the University of the Highlands and Islands, who set up the Scottish and UK covid-19 tracking website; recognises John's hard work during the covid-19 pandemic, collating data and statistics on that pandemic, including mor

University of Edinburgh’s Community Grants Scheme award for The Ridge, Dunbar

That this House congratulates The Ridge, based in Dunbar, on its award from the University of Edinburgh’s Community Grants Scheme; notes that the award was made for the Sunny’s Kitchen project, which provides a three course meal to the local community, using food diverted from landfill and produce f

Support for the music sector and the covid-19 roadmap

That this House notes that stage four of the covid-19 roadmap has been moved from 21 June to 19 July 2021; further notes that many music businesses and freelance workers have been without work since March 2020 and that, in 2020, 70 per cent of musicians lost over three quarters of their work due to

Royal Society of Biology's Parliamentary Links Day

That this House congratulates The Royal Society of Biology on organizing this year’s Parliamentary Links Day on Tuesday 22 June 2021 on behalf of the science and engineering community; applauds the timely theme of Science and Climate Change; welcomes the Society’s continuing commitment to serve the

Appointment of Naftali Bennet as Israeli Prime Minister

That this House notes the appointment of Naftali Bennett to serve as the 13th Prime Minister of Israel; extends the best wishes of this House for a prosperous term as Prime Minister; acknowledges the difficult political situation that Israel has historically found herself in; and takes this opportun

Christian persecution in Nigeria

That this House notes the recent report by Intersociety Rule of Law which stated that 1,470 Christians were murdered and over 2,200 were abducted by jihadists in the first four months of 2021 in Nigeria; further notes the increase in Blasphemy cases in Northern Nigeria resulting in long prison sente

Low carbon homes, community buildings and churches

That this House notes the delay to the Heat and Buildings Strategy; further notes the delay to the Future Homes Standard, the withdrawal of funding for the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme, and the discontinuation of the Renewable Heat Incentive; and encourages the Government to come forward urgentl

Zero-carbon domestic renewables

That this House recognises the UK's legal commitment to reduce carbon emissions, including those from domestic dwellings, to Net Zero by 2050; further notes that 30% of UK carbon dioxide emissions are from domestic dwellings; recognises that micro-generation of home grown energy and heating is vital

Australian trade deal

That this House notes the prospective agreement of a trade deal with Australia; expresses strong concern at the potential implications of any deal on British farmers; asks that farmers across the country are properly consulted; further asks that MPs are given the time to adequately read, scrutinise