Early Day Motions
These are motions set down for
'an early day'. No time is available for debating them, but they provide an
opportunity to register an opinion and gather support on almost any subject
To see which EDMs I have sponsored or 'tabled' (that I have initiated) and signed
(given my support to) click here.
If you would like to browse other MPs EDMs you can search the EDM Database or look under the House of Commons
on the Parliament website:www.parliament.uk
Below are some examples of EDMs I have tabled recently and in previous
years:
11.05.2009
EDM 1455: MIND WEEK CAMPAIGN ON MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH
That this House supports the Mind Week campaign to raise awareness of men's mental health
in England and Wales; notes that 75 per cent. of all suicides are by men and that one in
seven men who experience prolonged unemployment will develop a mental health problem; is
concerned that the recession will have a disproportionately negative effect on the mental
health of men in England and Wales; and further supports Mind's call for greater awareness
of men's mental health problems.
23.03.2009
EDM 1151: PUT PEOPLE FIRST ALLIANCE
That this House
believes that in light of the global economic crisis and in the context of the forthcoming
G20 talks it is vital that the focus of the UK Government is on creating a new, improved
economic model rather than simply business as usual; therefore commends the Put People
First Alliance report and campaign, backed by over 100 development and climate charities,
non-governmental organisations and trades unions; and hopes that the Government will heed
its recommendations and support the following four principles laid out in the report, when
negotiating and acting on this matter, of ensuring democratic governance of the global
economy, creating and supporting decent jobs and public services, ending global poverty
and inequality and building a green economy.
03.03.2009
EDM 960: LET THEM WORK CAMPAIGN
That this House
welcomes the Let Them Work campaign to allow asylum seekers permission to work while they
are waiting for a decision about their claim; notes with concern that asylum seekers who
fled persecution in their own countries are among the most vulnerable people in the UK and
are being denied the opportunity to work to support themselves and their families, to pay
taxes, and to contribute to the economy; is additionally concerned about the situation of
those asylum seekers without status who are unable to return home, many of whom spend
years in limbo and are reliant on charity hand-outs or forced into illegal work just to
survive; is alarmed that this leaves already vulnerable people open to destitution and
exploitation; and therefore calls on the Government to allow asylum seekers to work if
they have been waiting longer than six months for a full resolution on their asylum claim
and to ensure that permission to work remains for people whose claim for asylum is
refused, but who are unable to return home immediately through no fault of their own.
20.01.2009
EDM 523: PROSTITUTION AND THE CRIMINAL LAW
That this House considers that the measures in relation to prostitution contained in
the Policing and Crime Bill, though well-intentioned, are deeply flawed; believes that
there is no justification for involving the criminal law in consensual transactions that
cause no public nuisance; notes the opposition to the proposals from the Royal College of
Nursing and other members of the Safety First Coalition, who call for an end to the
criminalisation of prostitution, which they consider makes sex workers more vulnerable to
attack; further notes that police evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee has cast
doubts on the enforceability of the proposals on paying for the sexual services of a
prostitute controlled for gain and therefore opposes these provisions in the Bill; and
calls on the Government to make more effective use of existing laws against trafficking
and sexual exploitation and to enlist the support of purchasers of sexual services to help
expose those establishments that use trafficked women.
20.01.2009
EDM 524: POLICING AND CRIME BILL PROVISIONS INTRODUCING ORDERS REQUIRING ATTENDANCE AT
MEETINGS
That this House notes that Clause 16 in the Policing and Crime Bill providing for the
introduction of Orders Requiring Attendance at Meetings for those found to be loitering or
soliciting for the purposes of prostitution is simply a rehash of the abandoned proposal
in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill for compulsory rehabilitation; considers that
there is no evidence that compulsion assists in rehabilitation and agrees with the Royal
College of Nursing that the proposal will lead to greater detention of some of the most
vulnerable, stigmatised and marginalised people in society whose criminalisation helps
institutionalise them in prostitution; and therefore urges the Government to concentrate
instead on providing high-quality outreach programmes, independent of the criminal justice
system, which offer healthcare and support, sexual health advice and drug rehabilitation
opportunities that individuals who want to leave prostitution can access.
20.01.2009
EDM 525: DEFINITION OF A BROTHEL
That this House notes with disappointment that the Government has failed to use the
Policing and Crime Bill to honour the commitment in the Home Office report of January
2006, A Co-ordinated Prostitution Strategy and a summary of responses to Paying the Price,
for an amendment to the definition of a brothel so that two or three individuals could
work together from shared accommodation; and is concerned that the omission of this
provision misses an important opportunity to allow women in the sex trade to work more
safely, to have more control over their work and to make it easier for them to leave the
trade should they so wish.
06.11.2008
EDM 2434: SOCIAL SECURITY (LONE PARENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS)
REGULATIONS 2008
That this House notes the report by the Social Security Advisory Committee on Social
Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008 that will force lone
parents with children as young as seven to seek work or suffer benefits cuts of up to 40
per cent.; endorses the Committee's view that in the absence of high quality and reliable
`wrap around childcare' this could increase hardship and be detrimental to family life;
further notes that the report states that `Lone parents who are sanctioned face financial
penalties that will increase child poverty - an outcome at odds with the primary rationale
that the Department for Work and Pensions has put forward'; and further notes that the
reforms could also damage lone parents' health by causing worry and stress and have
negative wider social impacts including on children and considers that the Government
should accept the Committee's recommendation not to implement the regulations.
06.11.2008
EDM 2433
: STONING OF THIRTEEN YEAR OLD RAPE
VICTIM IN SOMALIA
That this House is deeply concerned by the horrific killing of 13 year old
Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow who was stoned to death in Somalia; condemns the al-Shabab militia
who arranged for a group of 50 men to stone Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow in front of a crowd of
1,000 spectators; notes that she was accused of adultery in breach of Islamic law but that
her father and other sources told Amnesty International that she had in fact been raped by
three men; is appalled that when she attempted to report the assault to the al-Shabab
militia, she was detained and sentenced to death; further notes that when some of the
witnesses to the stoning attempted to come to her aid, the al-Shabab militia opened fire
and shot dead a boy who was a bystander; and calls on the Government to intervene in any
possible way to help ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice and to help prevent
any repetition of such a barbaric act.
21.10.2008
EDM 2307
: TITAN PRISONS
That this House notes that 33 criminal justice organisations, including the
Prison Officers' Association, have written to the Secretary of State for Justice calling
for titan prisons to be abandoned and that there is opposition to titan prisons from the
Prison Governors' Association whose President, Paul Tidball, told the Justice Committee
`We are under-whelmed by the case... Our instinct is that smaller is better'; further
notes that the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, has stated that titan prison
complexes go against evidence that smaller prisons work better offering an environment in
which people are known, in which relationships can develop, and where people are often
closer to their homes; further notes her warning that in France in 1992, a titan-style
prison was built outside Paris to hold 2,800 people which now holds 3,600 people and that
France has decided it will never repeat this model; further notes the concern of the
Howard League for Penal Reform that communities near titan prisons would suffer as
thousands of prisoners pass through without additional help with relocation; and therefore
supports the call for titan prisons to be abandoned.
25.02.2008
EDM 1027: WHAT'S THE STORY MEDIA GUIDE ON MENTAL HEALTH
REPORTING
That this House welcomes the guide for the media entitled What's the Story
produced by Shift, the Department of Health-funded campaign to tackle stigma and
discrimination associated with mental illness; notes that headlines continue to carry
derogatory terms like nutter, schizo or maniac and considers that by challenging these
stereotypes, rather than reinforcing them, the media can encourage more openness about
mental illness which will dramatically improve the lives of all those affected and will
encourage others to come forward to get the treatment they desperately need; further notes
the information provided by the guide on the dangers to vulnerable people of sensational
reporting of suicides and the need to avoid reporting excessive detail about methods used
in order to prevent copycat suicides; and urges all those reporting on mental health
issues to make good use of this guide and the contacts listed within it.
19.12.2006
EDM 539: OPEN BETHLEHEM CAMPAIGN
That this House notes the unacceptable power that the Israeli authorities
hold over access to and within the Palestinian territories; is concerned about the
increased tendency to refuse access to international visitors, including the hon. Member
for Birmingham, Selly Oak and a party of women from Birmingham on a mission whose purpose
had been fully explained in advance to the Israeli Embassy; trusts that the pilgrimage to
the Holy Land of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of
Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Moderator of the Free Churches, the
Reverend David Coffey, and the Primate of the Armenian Church of Great Britain, Bishop
Nathan Hovhannisian, meets with no such difficulties; and hopes that their visit will not
only draw attention to the campaign by Open Bethlehem, an international project working to
draw attention to the city's plight and to the devastating effect on the economy of
Bethlehem of the illegal wall and the associated restrictions on movement, but will also
help promote the goodwill needed to end the cycle of violence and secure lasting peace and
security for both Israelis and Palestinians.
14.12.2006
EDM 512: FAIRFORD
COACH ACTION CAMPAIGN VICTORY
That this House congratulates the Fairford Coach Action campaign on
obtaining a House of Lords ruling that the police acted unlawfully in preventing 120
people from demonstrating at RAF Fairford airbase on 22nd March 2003 by searching their
coaches for nearly two hours when only two miles from the airbase and then forcing the
coaches back to London by police escort; notes that passengers were not permitted toilet
or rest breaks during the return two and a half hour journey to London, despite repeated
requests; further notes that, despite the then Home Secretary's allegations, no cudgels
and swords were found on the coaches, but agrees with Lord Justice May that two pairs of
scissors actually found `would not make much impression on the perimeter fencing of the
airbase'; notes that stop and search powers under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000
were used 2,254 times at RAF Fairford as people demonstrated there between 6th March and
27th April 2003 but no arrests followed, providing evidence for the view that the
Terrorism Act was used to harass protestors who wished to dissent against the war in Iraq;
and celebrates that this ruling protects the right to freedom of protest in the future,
ensuring that members of society can make their voices heard and call politicians and
Government to account for their actions.
Click
here to see my press release in support of the campaign in 2004
From a previous Session, I tabled the following EDM on 25 Feb 04:
KATHARINE GUN AND REFORM OF THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT
That this House applauds the courage and patriotism of GCHQ translator Katharine Gun
who made public information about a memo from the US Government National Security Agency
requesting UK assistance with a covert surveillance campaign of the United Nations
Security Council members such as Mexico and Chile prior to voting on a resolution which
would have endorsed the proposed invasion of Iraq in March 2003; welcomes the decision to
drop the charges against her for breaching the Official Secrets Act; considers that the
actions of Ms Gun qualify her as a whistleblower - an employee who, on the basis of
principle, exposes a malpractice or a miscarraige of justice that deserves public
attention; calls on the Government to reform the Official Secrets Act so that
whistleblowers are able to have a public interest defence so that if a jury can be
persuaded that a breach of the Official Secrets Act is in the public interest this should
be an absolute defence; and calls on the Government to make a statement on the information
made public by Ms Gun.
Another example from a previous Session, the following EDM was tabled on
07 January 2003:
WITHDRAWAL OF ASYLUM SUPPORT FOR IN-COUNTRY APPLICANTS
That this House supports the statement from the Refugee Council, Shelter, Amnesty
International UK, Asylum Rights Campaign, CRISIS, JCORE, JCWI, Maternity Alliance, Medical
Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, Migrant Helpline, Oxfam, Refugee Action and
Refugee Arrivals Project against the Government's decision to deprive destitute in-country
asylum applicants of the right to food and shelter from 8 January 2003; notes that the
National Asylum Support Service is only available to people who show they would otherwise
be destitute and people who lose this support through the operation of Section 55 of the
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 will become destitute; is deeply concerned
that Section 55 will affect all in-country applicants who represent two thirds of those
applying for asylum; notes that refugees are often unable to claim asylum at ports of
entry for the reasons cited by the 1996 Social Security Advisory Committee, including lack
of knowledge of the UK asylum process, language difficulties and trauma; further notes
this is supported by official figures showing that 65 per cent of all successful claims,
including Exceptional Leave to Remain, are made by in-country applicants; regrets that the
Government focus on deterrence of people seeking asylum has seen a more punitive
philosophy take hold of government policy and notes this has had no long-term effect in
reducing numbers of asylum applications but has had a detrimental effect on the well-being
of refugees; believes that all asylum applicants should have their cases considered fairly
and be treated with dignity.
click here for more information on
refugees
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