Votes won in the House of Commons

In the House there were two important debates on Wednesday 20 April 2016. I signed both motions and both motions were passed.

The first motion: that this house believes that Daesh’s genocide of minorities including the Yazidi’s, Christian’s and other ethnic and religious minorities and calls on the Government to make an immediate referral to the UN Security Council with a view to conferring jurisdiction upon the International Criminal Court so that perpetrators can be brought to justice.

Since June 2014 Daesh have been the perpetrators of horrific crimes against humanity, including the mass killings, torture, rape and sexual slavery, forced religious conversions and the conscription of children and the intent of destroying religious and ethnic minorities in the Syria and Iraq.

Both the debate and the vote signalled that the House recognises the deplorable crimes against minorities, as well as the majority Muslim populations in Iraq and Syria, and we hold the perpetrators accountable. I hope the Government refers the matter to the UN Security Council.

The motion passed with: Ayes: 278 Noes: 0

The second debate was the Record Copies Act. The motion was : That this House disagrees with the conclusion of the House of Commons Administration Committee’s First Report of Session 2015-16; welcomes the view expressed by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General that government funds would be available to pay for the continued use of vellum for printing Acts of Parliament; is unwilling to amend or resile from the terms of the Resolutions agreed by both Houses on 12 February 1849; and accordingly instructs the Clerk of the House to convey to the Clerk of the Parliaments that the House of Commons has withheld its consent to the use of archival paper rather than vellum for the printing of record copies of public Acts of Parliament.

This debate concerned the continued use of vellum for printing Acts of Parliament and other important historical documents.

The use of vellum for printing Acts of Parliament is an ancient tradition. Vellum was used for the recording of the Magna Carta, the Domesday Book, the Lindisfarne documents or many other important historical documents. Vellum is more durable than even the most high quality papers and even archival paper. It is also produced by a Milton Keynes company home to the last British producer of vellum, William Cowley, founded in 1870 and family-owned throughout, which currently employs six people. Continuing the use of printing Acts of Parliament on vellum will preserve these jobs.

I voted in favour of the motion which was won by: Ayes 119 Noes:38.