Early Day Motions

VAT on tourism

That this House recognises the major importance of the tourism sector to the UK economy and that tourism-related businesses lie at the heart of many local communities; notes that this sector has been disproportionally impacted by the covid-19 epidemic; is concerned by reports that in areas of the UK

SME and pub eligibility for coronavirus grant funds

That this House notes that any SME occupying premises with a rateable value of more than £51,000 is excluded from the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF); believes that this criteria is unfair to a wide range of SMEs, including those for whom land

Closure of bank branches in Kinross

That this House notes with concern the decision of TSB and Bank of Scotland to close their branches in Kinross; further notes that Kinross has already lost a number of bank branches in recent years and that Kinross-shire is set to become the first county in Scotland to be left without a single bank

Charging of commercial rents during closure by pub companies

That this House expresses support for all businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic; notes that the UK's pubs, which are of huge importance to communities, to the economy and tourism are closed and unable to trade and are dependent on Government support to survive; further notes that some pub-owning c

Coronavirus Self Employed Income Support Scheme

That this House welcomes the Coronavirus Self Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) but is concerned that the details do not reflect the reality of self-employment in the UK; notes that the scheme calculates support based on three years of tax returns and therefore financially penalises those who h

Frontline Support Package

That this House celebrates the NHS and care staff who are putting their lives on the line to look after people during the coronavirus pandemic; thanks them for their service and believes that the Government must look after them as well; regrets that many of them are being let down by a lack of prope

Equality in recruitment and employment

This House notes the increase in use of artificial intelligence and automated-decision-making to recruit, manage and pay workers remotely through the coronavirus pandemic; recognises that learning from past patterns of behaviour to inform decisions about the future increases the risk of deepening in

Fife Free Press success

That this House congratulates the Fife Free Press, which was named Scottish Weekly Newspaper of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards; notes that the Fife Free Press previously won in 2015, 2016 and 2019; celebrates the paper’s commit and contribution to local journalism which has been recognised wi

Reallocation of funding from road building to broadband, greenhouse gas emission reduction and economic re-balancing

That this House welcomes the intervention by Chris Stark, head of the Climate Change Committee, calling for a reallocation of funding from road-building to broadband; notes the remarks of AA President Edmund King recognising that the crisis may hasten long-term uptake of remote working practices whi

Travel insurance for UK-bound journeys for people stranded abroad

That the House calls on the Government, Association of British Insurers, and regulators to urgently agree an industry-wide scheme to ensure that British citizens who purchased travel insurance for a foreign visit and whose trip has been extended due to the covid-19 pandemic are able to obtain insura

Economic risk of the Coronavirus pandemic

That this House notes the research conducted by the Centre For Towns and the University of Southampton detailing the towns most economically at risk from the Coronavirus pandemic; notes that the most at risk communities are coastal and ex-industrial towns where deprivation is already entrenched afte

Rojava and covid-19

That this House notes that the North East Syria Autonomous Region (AANES) also known as Rojava is providing sanctuary to 650,000 refugees and IDPs who have fled the attacks of ISIS and the Turkish Government; further notes that the refugees come from diverse ethnicities and religions; further notes

NHS Fife medical graduates

That this House acknowledges the more than 30 graduates from medical schools across the UK who have joined Fife’s medical workforce this week; recognises the extraordinary commitment that these people are making to helping treat people affected by covid-19; thanks them for their service; and recogni

Future of the British Council

That this House notes with concern the impact of the global Coronavirus crisis on the ability of the British Council to continue its work across the world; notes that the British Council was founded in 1934 and is a Non-Departmental Public Body which assists in the teaching of English in over 50 cou

Hamilton Covid-19 Warriors (No. 2)

That this House welcomes the community response to covid-19 and thanks volunteers from across the UK who have worked day and night to ensure that elderly and vulnerable people can continue to access to food, medication and other essential items; pays tribute to Hamilton Covid-19 Warriors who were es

New starters under the CJRS

That this House recognises there are loopholes in the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme for new starters; acknowledges that the support offered of 80 per cent of wages up to £2,500 a month is vital for workers during the coronavirus outbreak; recognises that the cut-off date of 19 March 2020 for an

Support for our local press during covid-19

That this House calls on the Government to introduce a package of support to aid local newspapers who are facing an unprecedented crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic; recognises the key role local newspapers play in our communities; acknowledges that despite this important service, and the hard w

Healthcare charges for migrants

That this House notes that migrant communities, who are disproportionately at risk of exclusion, stigma and discrimination, are not currently receiving the necessary safeguards; further notes that the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Physicians, and Doctors of the World have called

Sophie Donald fundraising success

That this House congratulates Sophie Donald on her recent fundraising efforts for Inverness Women’s Aid; notes that Sophie held an online dance class with the aim to empower women and raise money for the charity; highlights that she raised over £1,500 for Inverness Women’s Aid; recognises that domes

Thank you NHS workers

That this House pays thanks to all key workers and front line staff in the NHS; notes that these workers risk their lives every day by going to work; and recognises their contribution to the safety and health of the public by continuing to work during the current covid-19 outbreak.

Inverness Mosque meals for people in need

That this House pays thanks to members of the Muslim community at Inverness Masjid Highland Mosque who put together 150 meals for people in need; notes that volunteers gave their time to help pack and distribute the meals for homeless people and families in need; and finally, thanks everyone in the

MFR Cash for Kids

That this House notes that MFR Cash for Kids were able to provide 8,001 local children with a hot meal; pays thanks to the local community who donated generously; and pays further thanks to all the volunteers who made this possible.

Kingussie High School provides personal protective equipment

That this House recognises the contribution of PPE from teachers at Kingussie High School to the NHS; notes that teachers designed and donated over 50 full face safety goggles, 200 plastic aprons and 15 boxes of rubber gloves to local NHS workers working on the frontline; and finally pays thanks to

Sharing Stories project

That this House commends pupils of Lasswade High School for their Sharing Stories project; understands that, as part of this project, each week a booklet and audio recording of students’ creative stories is being sent to care homes throughout the local community; recognises that the decrease in visi

Local volunteering efforts in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey

That this House commends the invaluable work of local voluntary groups, organisations, and individuals in facilitating and supporting volunteering efforts across Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey; pays thanks to those offering food delivery services to those who are must vulnerable in our so