Parliamentary Activity
COVID-19 Inquiry — 234 mentions in Parliament since Jul 2020
Covid Day of Reflection 2026
That this House recognises Sunday 8 March 2026 as the Covid-19 Day of Reflection as a time to remember those who lost their lives since the pandemic began and to acknowledge the profound impact the pandemic had on our country during an unprecedented time; pays tribute to those who worked tirelessly to protect public health; honours the tireless work and acts of kindness shown by NHS staff every day; recognises the findings of the Covid Inquiry report; urges the Government to fully implement t...
Dolly Parton's birthday
That this House wishes Dolly Parton a happy 80th birthday; recognises her philanthropic efforts through the Dollywood Foundation to inspire children in her home county to achieve educational success; acknowledges that the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has been in operation for over 30 years, gifting millions of free books to children from birth to age five; commends her considerable donations to charitable causes, including AIDS research and relief for wildfire, as well $1 million toward...
World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2025
That this House recognises and marks World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2025; notes that the theme this year is Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future and urges bold, united action; further notes that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) contributes to an estimated 35,200 deaths annually in the UK, with drug-resistant infections in humans rising by 13 per cent despite a target to reduce them by 10 per cent; acknowledges that, in England, 1 in 5 hospital beds are occupied by pati...
Cancer Prevention Action Week on alcohol and cancer
That this House commemorates Cancer Prevention Action Week on alcohol and cancer organised by World Cancer Research Fund and supported by 25 organisations working to reduce alcohol harm and cancer incidence and improve public health; acknowledges that alcohol is a Group One carcinogen and a well-established modifiable risk factor for seven cancer types, including two of the most common in the UK, breast and bowel; highlights that these risks are present even at low levels of consumption; note...
Reform of NHS dentistry services
That this House notes with concern the findings of the Public Accounts Committee's report entitled Fixing NHS Dentistry, which highlights the failure of the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England's 2024 dental recovery plan to improve access to NHS dental services; is alarmed that only 40% of adults in England were able to see an NHS dentist in the two years to March 2024, a decline from 49% prior to the covid-19 pandemic; recognises that the current dental contract, established...
Long covid in children and young people
That this House notes with concern the significant impact of long covid on children and young people across the UK, with thousands experiencing prolonged symptoms following covid-19 infection; regrets the serious consequences for children’s health, education, and family wellbeing; further notes the strain on schools and healthcare services; recognises the need for more research into long covid in children; calls on the Government to work with relevant organisations to ensure affected children...
Gary Lineker's contribution to Match of the Day
That this House pays tribute to the extraordinary career and enduring legacy of Gary Lineker as he retires from his role on Match of the Day; celebrates him not only as one of England’s greatest ever goal scorers and a former England team captain, but as the beating heart of Leicester City FC, the club he has always called home; applauds his unwavering composure, both as a player renowned for his calmness under pressure and as a broadcaster whose clarity and humour became the voice of Saturda...
Driving tests in Hampshire
That this House notes significant backlogs in access to practical driving tests in Hampshire; recognises the impacts on young drivers and access to employment opportunities; acknowledges new measures introduced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, including the recruitment of additional examiners and the extension of the driving test cancellation period from three to ten working days; expresses concern over the growth of third-party reselling sites and reports of botting of the driving...
New Lord Lieutenant of Moray
That this House congratulates Air Commodore Alistair Monkman CBE on his appointment as Lord Lieutenant of Moray; pays tribute to the exemplary service of his predecessor, Major General Seymour Monro CBE LVO, who served with distinction for five years and demonstrated outstanding leadership and compassion, particularly during the challenges of the covid-19 pandemic, including co-founding the Moray Emergency Relief Fund; commends Major General Monro’s dedicated involvement in supporting disadva...
Challenges in the hair and beauty sector
That this House is concerned by the challenges facing the hair and beauty industry due to the labour-intensive nature of the sector and structural issues within the VAT system, challenges to the employer model, and the lingering impact of the covid-19 pandemic; acknowledges the year-round demand for these services and the value they bring to high streets; notes the British Hair Consortium report which estimates a loss of £2.4 billion in VAT receipts since 2009; recognises the fast growth of t...
Black Maternal Health Awareness Week 2025
That this House notes with concern that Black women in the UK are still three times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth, and Asian women are two times more likely; is further concerned by reports from MMBRACE UK’s maternity mortality data which indicates a statistically significant increase in the overall maternal death rate in the UK in 2020-22 and that this increase remained statistically significant when deaths due to covid-19 were excluded; acknowledges that racial dispariti...
Covid-19 Day of Reflection 2025
That this House recognises 9 March as the Covid-19 Day of Reflection, a time to remember the lives lost during the pandemic and to acknowledge the profound impact on families, communities, and frontline workers; pays tribute to those who worked tirelessly to protect public health and support those affected; regrets that insufficient action has been taken to learn from the mistakes of the pandemic response; urges the Government to fully implement the recommendations of public health experts an...
School absences
That this House notes with concern the impact of low school attendance on pupils' futures; acknowledges the significant effect of covid-19 on overall absence rates, which have increased by 57% since 2015; further notes with alarm that 26.5% of secondary school pupils in West Berkshire were persistently absent in 2023; recognises the detrimental consequences of high absence rates on children’s educational achievements and future opportunities; calls on the Government to prioritise addressing t...
Lavender Drive Christmas lights
That this House commends the residents of Lavender Drive in Newton Mearns for their annual Christmas lights display, in memory of much loved, husband dad, and valued community member Fred Banning; recognises the work Fred Banning carried out during the pandemic in campaigning for the Scottish and UK Governments to consider prioritising those receiving palliative care for the Covid-19 vaccine, so that the terminally ill could make the most of their final days months; notes that Fred Banning re...
Uphall Golf Club
That this House congratulates Uphall Golf Club for triumphantly reopening its clubhouse after a fire during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 which destroyed the building; commends its response to the challenge by successfully getting the golf club back up and running; applauds its innovation by franchising the restaurant and golf shop to allow for greater focus on the golf course and its members; celebrates the welcoming role which it plays in the local community through its provision of a resta...
Grangemouth Boys Brigade
That this House commends the Grangemouth Boys Brigade for its remarkable contribution to the community of Grangemouth and beyond, having served as a guiding light for young men since its founding in 1897 and its re-establishment at Kerse Parish Church in 1903; applauds its resilience in continuing operations through both World Wars, the Covid-19 pandemic, and other challenges over its 121-year history; recognises its long-standing tradition of summer camps, including its first in Aberfoyle, P...
Carers Rights Day 2024
That this house recognises the importance of carers in the UK, in the light of Carers Rights Day; in addition acknowledges the poor working conditions and low pay that carers struggle with; highlights the value of carers to societies across the UK; notes that while the recent budget has added more support for the care sector more needs to be done following the repercussions of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic; further acknowledges that unpaid carers are now providing care worth £184 billion p...
Four day working week
That this House recognises that UK workers put in some of the longest full-time working hours across Europe, yet the longer hours worked are not translating into increased productivity; notes that since the covid-19 pandemic a four-day working week with no reduction in pay for employees has been successfully trialled across the world, including in the UK; believes that, as these trials have shown, a four-day week with no loss of pay could lead to increased productivity, while also bringing be...
Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh
That this House marks that on 24 April it is 11 years since the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which killed at least 1,132 workers and injured more than 2,500, a large proportion of whom were women in what was one of the worst industrial accidents on record; is concerned at the ongoing poor labour conditions, low wages and unsafe work environments, with a high incidence of work-related accidents and deaths, faced by workers in the garment sector worldwide; is alarme...
Women Against Pit Closures
That this House commends Women Against Pit Closures on the 40th anniversary of the miners’ strike for their fortitude, resilience and solidarity during the 1984-85 strike and beyond; believes that the 1984-85 strike would not have lasted as long without the support of women; notes that women’s groups, like those in the North East of England, were feeding up to 1000 people a day, five days a week, as well as providing assistance with household bills; further notes that women’s groups provided ...
VAT and the hospitality sector
That this House recognises the continuing challenges facing the hospitality sector during the cost of living crisis; notes that the Government implemented a temporary cut of 5% on VAT for hospitality businesses during the pandemic; further notes that VAT is not devolved and can therefore only be set by the UK Government; notes that the UK is an outlier for having a higher rate of VAT for the hospitality sector compared to other European economies; further notes that organisations such as the ...
Minimum salary threshold for skilled worker visa
That this House notes with concern that increasing the skilled worker visa salary thresholds for chefs to £38,700 will have a detrimental impact on the hospitality industry and local economy of rural tourist destinations on top of the lasting effects of covid-19; and calls on the Government to ensure that any salary threshold increase for chefs reflects the needs of the rural tourism economy.
School Meals Coalition
That this House welcomes the creation of the School Meals Coalition; notes the Coalition is a partnership of 96 countries, with responsibility for over 60 percent of the world’s population, spanning the full range of geographies and across high, middle and low-income countries; congratulates the Coalition in supporting the reinstatement of school meals programmes following the closure of schools as a result of covid-19; further welcomes the fact that in 2022, 418 million children benefited fr...
Paxlovid and clinically vulnerable patients
That this House calls on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to reject the request from NHS England to delay the roll-out of Covid antiviral treatment Paxlovid; further calls for the additional funds and resources necessary to be provided to NHS England to ensure this treatment reaches all recommended patients this winter; notes with grave concern that a 12 month delay would deny treatment to an estimated 10 million patients at high and moderate risk of hospitalisation and death...
Review of the charity lottery annual sales cap
That this House acknowledges the incredible amount of money raised by charity lotteries in the UK, including Scottish-based People’s Postcode Lottery, whose players have raised a phenomenal £1.2 billion for good causes across the country; notes that the demand for funding from charities has greatly increased amid the cost of living crisis and the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic; believes that the current £50 million cap on annual charity lottery sales serves no purpose and is affecting the...