Zarah Sultana Portrait

Zarah Sultana

Independent - Coventry South

10,201 (23.9%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 12th December 2019


Science and Technology Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 29th Nov 2022
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 29th Nov 2022
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee
21st Sep 2020 - 22nd Feb 2021
Business and Trade Committee
21st Sep 2020 - 22nd Feb 2021


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Zarah Sultana has voted in 73 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

23 Jul 2024 - Immigration and Home Affairs - View Vote Context
Zarah Sultana voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 7 Labour Aye votes vs 361 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 103 Noes - 363
View All Zarah Sultana Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
David Lammy (Labour)
Foreign Secretary
(7 debate interactions)
Keir Starmer (Labour)
Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury
(4 debate interactions)
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(4 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Home Office
(4 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(3 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Employment Rights Bill 2024-26
(377 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Zarah Sultana's debates

Coventry South Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petitions with highest Coventry South signature proportion
Petitions with most Coventry South signatures
Zarah Sultana has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Zarah Sultana

7th October 2024
Zarah Sultana signed this EDM on Wednesday 29th January 2025

Transition to animal-free research and testing

Tabled by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
That this House notes 2.68 million scientific procedures were carried out on animals in British laboratories in 2023; further notes the urgent need to accelerate medical progress, with over 92 per cent of drugs that show promise in animal tests failing to reach the clinic and benefit patients; recognises the …
48 signatures
(Most recent: 30 Jan 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 25
Independent: 6
Scottish National Party: 5
Green Party: 4
Plaid Cymru: 4
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Conservative: 1
Liberal Democrat: 1
Alliance: 1
24th January 2025
Zarah Sultana signed this EDM on Monday 27th January 2025

Mobile phone theft

Tabled by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
That this House notes with concern that an estimated 78,000 people had phones or bags snatched from them in Britain in the year to March 2024; further notes that this represented a 153% rise when compared to the year to March 2023; acknowledges that 70% of all thefts in London …
30 signatures
(Most recent: 30 Jan 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 18
Independent: 7
Liberal Democrat: 2
Alliance: 1
Ulster Unionist Party: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Zarah Sultana's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Zarah Sultana, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Zarah Sultana has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Zarah Sultana has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

3 Bills introduced by Zarah Sultana


A Bill to extend eligibility for free school meals to all children in state primary schools; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 15th September 2023

A Bill to make provision for an inquiry into the end use of arms sold to foreign states to determine whether they have been used in violation of international law; to immediately suspend the sale of arms to foreign states where it cannot be demonstrated that arms sold will not be used in violation of international law; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 21st January 2025
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 14th March 2025
Order Paper number: 7
(Unlikely to be Debated - would require unanimous consent to progress)

A Bill to make provision for an inquiry into the end use of arms sold to foreign states to determine whether they have been used in violation of international law; to immediately suspend the sale of arms to foreign states where it cannot be demonstrated that arms sold will not be used in violation of international law; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 19th January 2024
(Read Debate)

Latest 12 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
4th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including (a) taekwondo and (b) other martial arts in the activity lists for (i) GCSE, (ii) AS and (iii) A-Level physical education.

The current GCSE, AS and A level PE activity lists were last reviewed in 2018. These lists are based upon the reliability and practicality of activities as a basis for assessing whether students had demonstrated the skills required by the relevant qualification specification.

The government has launched an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review covering ages 5–18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review will consider the current qualification pathways available at Key Stages 4 and 5. A call for evidence will be published in the coming weeks which will set out the areas where the review group would particularly welcome input. More information about the Review is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-curriculum-and-assessment-review. Decisions on any possible changes to specifications and assessment arrangements for exams will be taken in the light of the Review.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
4th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of (a) buses, (b) trains and (c) other public transport for disabled people; and what steps she plans to take to improve such accessibility.

This Government is fully committed to our promise to deliver reliable, affordable and accessible transport, with accessibility at the heart of our bold reforms for bus and rail reform and improved passenger standards across the transport network.

The Department has recently published an annual evaluation of accessibility through the Inclusive Transport Strategy scorecard, based upon analysis by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). In addition to this the department publishes annual statistics on disability, accessibility and blue badge holding, which includes data on public satisfaction with different aspects of public transport provision. The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee is the Department’s expert committee on accessibility, making sure that proper consideration and assessment of disabled people’s views and needs are central to our decision making.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
7th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the additional £880 million allocated to the Social Care Grant.

The £880 million uplift in the Social Care Grant is in recognition of the important role local authorities have in commissioning and delivering social care services. This funding will support social care delivery and will take the total funding in the Social Care Grant to £5.9 billion in 2025/26.

This additional funding forms one part of a wider increase in local government funding, with up to £3.7 billion of additional funding being made available for social care authorities in 2025-26. Overall, the Government is providing an increase to core local government spending power in 2025/26 of 6% in cash terms.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for ensuring the adequacy of local government budgets. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, local authorities, and the adult social care sector to understand what the impact of cost and demand pressures will be on service delivery and budgets.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made (a) to his Egyptian counterpart and (b) to the President of Egypt on the safe release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will use one of the three formal recommendations of the UK to the upcoming UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review on Egypt to advocate for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will visit Alaa Abd el-Fattah during his visit to Egypt.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Egyptian counterpart on the safe release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah during his visit to Egypt.

The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
17th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Pakistani government to secure the safe release of Imran Khan.

The Foreign Secretary met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on 24 October to discuss a range of key issues, including Pakistan's domestic political situation and Imran Khan's detention. I also raised this on my recent visit to Pakistan. While Pakistan's judicial processes are a domestic matter, we have been very clear that the Pakistani authorities need to respect fundamental freedoms, including the right to a fair trial, due process and humane detention. This applies to Imran Khan as it does to all Pakistan's citizens.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
17th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the human rights situation in Islamabad, in the context of reports of deaths and mass detentions of protesters from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on 26 and 27 November 2024.

The UK strongly supports individuals' rights to expression without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to respect these fundamental freedoms, underlining that any human rights violations should be fully investigated in line with international human rights law. I raised the importance of upholding civil and political rights with senior Ministers, including the Minister for Human Rights and Interior Minister, on my visit to Pakistan last month. The British High Commission also regularly raises these issues with the Pakistani authorities at a senior level.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of F-35 components exported from the UK to the US that have since been received by Israel Government since October 2023.

The global distribution of F-35 components is controlled by the US Government led F-35 programme. The Government does not have visibility of F-35 components distributed by the programme to each F-35 nation and is unable to provide an estimate.

Maria Eagle
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of the (i) provision of disabled toilets and (ii) systems that seek to ensure that only disabled people can access disabled toilets using RADAR keys and (b) effectiveness of (A) RADAR keys and (B) the National Key Scheme in offering disabled people independent access to locked public toilets.

This government has made no recent assessment of the adequacy of provision of wheelchair-accessible toilets. Research assessing layout and equipment of unisex wheelchair-accessible toilets has been published on GOV.UK but, as RADAR keys are not part of the regulated built fabric, research of their use was not included. RADAR keys involve a management oversight which goes beyond the powers and scope of the Building Act. The Building Act gives no powers to building control bodies over how buildings are operated post completion. RADAR keys are managed by building owners to serve the community of people able to access a RADAR key. The sale or use of RADAR keys is not a government backed scheme, nor is the design and use of RADAR keys an expectation of Part M of the Building Regulations. The functional requirement in Part M of the Building Regulations is for new building works to make reasonable provision for people to access and use a building and its facilities.

Alex Norris
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)