Early Day Motions

PRESTWICK RUNNER-UP IN GREAT BRITISH HIGH STREET AWARDS

That this House congratulates Prestwick Main Street, Prestwick, on being highly commended and runner-up in the Rising Star Award category for Scotland in the Great British High Street Awards, organised by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; notes that 30 per cent of the final

ANNIVERSARY OF STORM DESMOND

That this House recognises that the flooding caused by Storm Desmond in December 2015 was the most extreme on record in the UK; stands in solidarity with the thousands of people who had their homes and businesses damaged by the storm, many of whom are still struggling three years after the storm; co

SERVICES OF ROYAL MAIL AND POST OFFICE

That this House thanks the Royal Mail and Post Office staff for all their hard work to sort and deliver millions of letters, cards and parcels each week of the year; notes the exceptional pressure upon them over the Christmas period and New Year period; further notes that there will be an additional

THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT CHRISTMAS

That this House expresses sincere thankfulness that we live in a country which allows us to celebrate the birth of Jesus and Christmas; considers those states in which to even whisper the name of Jesus would mean death; prays for those who can only celebrate Christmas in their heart; and affirms the

EASTERHOUSE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU INVESTORS IN YOUNG PEOPLE GOOD PRACTICE AWARD

That this House congratulates Easterhouse Citizens Advice Bureau on achieving the Investors in Young People Good Practice Award; acknowledges that the award is a nationally recognised accreditation which supports organisations as they seek to recruit, develop and retain a dynamic, young workforce; c

TEMPORARY COMMONS CHAMBER DURING RENOVATIONS TO THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

That this House notes that the proposal to demolish Richmond House is an environmentally unsound and financially wasteful destruction of a perfectly usable office building; recognises that the recommendation of the Joint Committee of the Palace of Westminster to build a temporary Commons chamber in

HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES STAFF PENSIONS (No. 2)

That this House notes with concern the decision of Historic Royal Palaces to close the defined benefits pension and move 120 staff to a defined contribution scheme; further notes the negative financial impact this will have on those who are currently in the defined benefits scheme, with some receivi

WATER POLLUTION IN NORTHERN SRI LANKA

That this House expresses concern regarding water quality in northern Sri Lanka; is concerned by reports stating that the Sri Lankan Government refused to allow independent assessments of water quality in the region; notes that the consumption or use of water contaminated by waste oil has been linke

HOME OFFICE AND PASSPORT ISSUE FOR IRAQI KURDS

That this House notes that some Iraqi Kurds have been deprived of their British passports by the Home Office on the grounds that their names and birth dates are inaccurate; further notes that this is the case for those who fled from Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and who feared, in the event of their

APPOINTMENT OF CATRIONA MACINNES AS EDITOR OF THE COURIER

That this House congratulates the new editor of The Courier, Catriona MacInnes, on her appointment following a successful year of running the award-winning regional daily newspaper covering Tayside and Fife as Acting Editor; notes that she is the only female editor of a daily newspaper in Scotland;

FOETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER

That this House is deeply concerned at the new research undertaken by Bristol University which has concluded that up to 17 per cent of children could have symptoms consistent with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder; notes the results of the research that up to 79 per cent of children in the research s

DWP CHRISTMAS BONUS

This House notes with concern that the Department for Work and Pensions Christmas bonus paid to benefit claimants has not been up-rated since it was introduced in 1972 and remains at £10; further notes recent reports that the bonus is being discontinued under universal credit; highlights that, accor

ST ANGELA'S PARTICIPATION CENTRE COMMUNITY SPORT HUB

That this house congratulates St Angela’s Participation Centre Community Sport Hub, based in Darnley in Glasgow, on winning the prestigious title of Team Scotland Club, Community Sport Hub or School of the Year 2018 at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards in Edinburgh; recognises this success re

PAROLE BOARD DECISION ON DAVID MCGREAVY

That this House notes the Parole Board has recently granted release to David McGreavy, who in 1973 murdered three small children he was babysitting and impaled their bodies on garden railings; further notes that the murders have had a devastating life-long impact on the life of their mother; notes t

Guide Dogs in Taxis

That this House expresses concern that guide dog owners are being refused access to taxis; recognises that there should be no barriers to blind and disabled people accessing services, forms of transport and buildings; further recognises that guide dogs play an invaluable role in assisting people wit

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES REJECTS WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT AND POLITICAL DECLARATION

That this House notes the historic vote in the National Assembly for Wales on 4 December 2018 to reject the UK Government's Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration; recognises that the National Assembly for Wales was the first Parliament in the UK to express that view, followed by the Scottis

REVOCABILITY OF ARTICLE 50

That this House notes the initial opinion of the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice, Campos Sanchez-Bordona, that the UK has the right unilaterally to revoke Article 50 and to stay in the EU before its planned departure date on 29 March 2019; further notes that the European Court of J

PROTECTING ELDERLY PEOPLE FROM EXPLOITATION

That this House is concerned that many vulnerable older people are at risk of exploitation including financial abuse; notes that at least 130,000 older people have suffered some form of financial abuse by somebody known to them, with elderly women who are living on their own at greatest risk, accord

ALAN BELL AND THE SCOTTISH CENTRE FOR PERSONAL SAFETY

That this House congratulates Alan Bell, the founder and Executive Manager of the Scottish Centre for Personal Safety (SCPS), based in Ardrossan in North Ayrshire, on winning the Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Inclusive Companies Award ceremony in Manchester; notes that these Awards cover

CATALAN PRISONERS' HUNGER STRIKE

That this House expresses its deep concern over the decision of two jailed Catalan political prisoners, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull, to commence an indefinite hunger strike in protest against the refusal of the Spanish Constitutional Court to respond to eight appeals filed by the defendants regar

70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

That his House notes that Human Rights Day on 10 December 2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to regardless of race, religion, sex or political belief; supports

DELAY IN THE INTRODUCTION OF THE 26-30 RAILCARD

That this House welcomes the Chancellor of the Exchequer's 2017 commitment to introduce a 26-30 railcard which will give holders a one-third discount on rail journeys nationwide; further notes the average 3.1 per cent rail fare increase from 2 January 2019; acknowledges the Rail Delivery Group's pro

BEAUTY WITH A PURPOSE CAMPAIGN

That this House notes the staggering number of people who take their own life every day in the UK; further notes that in 2017 a total of 5,821 people sadly took their own life; recognises the tireless work of people around UK to raise awareness of suicide and mental health and combat it; further rec

VISAS FOR FESTIVAL PERFORMERS

That this House recognises the reports from UK festival organisers of increasingly onerous bureaucratic burdens, delays and refusals of visit visas for international artists invited to attend their events, including the world leading festivals in Edinburgh; expresses concern that frustrations with t

ERIN McGINLEY YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR 2018 FINALIST

That this House notes the entrepreneurial achievements of Erin McGinley, a talented and inspirational youngster based in Pollok; congratulates her on being shortlisted as a finalist in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year category at the Scottish Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2018 for her fantastic