Last week a parliamentary debate was initiated by Rob Marris the MP for Wolverhampton, South West. The Labour Government was reminded on the floor of the House of Commons of a number of issues of concern to British Sikhs. As a newly elected MP Rob Marris has shown a remarkable interest in the last 4 years in issues concerning Sikhs and a willingness to take up matters on behalf of Sikhs. He commenced the debate last week by reminding UK MPs that Panjab was divided by partition in 1947 and there are many Sikh holy sites in Pakistan, most notably the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In what many believe to be a swipe at the Indian High Commission and its supporters in the UK he also referred to his private visit to Panjab last October and made it clear during the debate that he paid for the visit himself. Some have questioned him about his visit to Harmandar Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, Chandigarh and Jallandhar by implying members of the British Sikh community sponsored his visit. At the start of his speech Rob Marris also referred to the number of Sikhs in the UK being about 700,000. This is significant in that this number was not contradicted by the UK Government in its response. Rob Marris then raised a number of issues with the Labour Government. He specifically asked for: • The separate monitoring of Sikhs to discover the demographic profile and to help target the provision of services. He pointed out Sikhs are recognised as a separate race in UK law and Sikhs had considerable cross-party support on this issue. • Separate consultation with the Sikh community and steps to encourage an increase in the number of public appointments in local and national decision-making bodies. • A change to the pension credit rules that penalise those who are abroad for more than four weeks, suggesting a thirteen week period would be more appropriate. • The Government to rethink its policy regarding English language proficiency tests for Granthis, Kirtanis and Katha Vachaks as no Government should seek to dictate the language in which a religion is practised. • Clear guidance to the police regarding Nagar Kirtans to facilitate road closures and Government support for Vaisakhi celebrations. • Government support for Sikh faith schools. • Information on what progress has been made on the issue of the wearing of kirpans by Sikh employees in restricted areas at UK airports and what steps the Government are taking to widen knowledge of the importance of the kirpan and the sensitivities surrounding it. • Information on what representations the UK Government has made to the Government of France and to the EU regarding Sikhs right to wear the dastaar. • Information on what further pressures the UK Government and the EU are bringing to bear on the Government of India for a proper investigation and, where appropriate, for proper criminal charges to be brought and convictions secured, particularly against police officers, for those human rights abuses in June and November 1984 and for many years after that. Rob Marris MP concluded his speech by inviting the Home Office Minister to attend a public meeting at the House of Commons in Committee Room 10 on Wednesday 9 March from 3-5pm. This meeting has been organised to coincide with the next Sikh Lobby Day, which could prove to be the last before the next General Election. It is important that as many Sikhs as possible from towns and cities across the UK contact their MPs in advance about the 9 March and ask them to meet with them at 2pm in the Central Lobby of the Houses of Parliament and then to attend the public meeting between 3-5pm in Committee Room 10.