| 2 | CENTENARY OF GIRLGUIDING UK | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Natascha Engel | | Chloe Smith | | Mr David Amess | | Stephen Pound | | Jo Swinson |
| That this House congratulates Girlguiding UK on its centenary; commends the work of Girlguiding UK which, for 100 years, has enabled girls and young women to fulfil their potential; celebrates the invaluable work of the organisation's 80,000 adult volunteer leaders and 20,000 supporters, who dedicate their free time to ensuring that 80,000 Rainbows, 225,000 Brownies, 125,000 Guides and 20,000 Senior Section members have access to a vibrant girl-led programme including adventurous activities to build skills, confidence and self-esteem in a supportive all-female environment; notes the challenge the organisation faces in recruiting more volunteers to allow the 48,000 girls on the waiting lists to join, and fully supports the organisation in its efforts to ensure all girls who wish to join have the opportunity to do so; pays tribute to all who have been Guides and leaders over the past 100 years; and wishes Girlguiding UK a successful centenary year which has just commenced, and further success in the years ahead. |
| 4 | LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Simon Hughes | | Andrew George | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Michael Moore | John Mann |
| That this House notes the conclusion of an Ofsted report that learning outside the classroom contributes significantly to raising standards; recognises that learning through experience is a powerful educational tool; applauds the work put into the Manifesto for Learning Outside the Classroom; regrets that despite this work, its aspiration to provide all young people with a wide range of quality experiences outside the classroom, including one or more residential visits, is not yet embedded in all schools; and calls on the Government to find a way of making this a reality for all young people, including those who need financial support. |
| 5 | CYSTIC FIBROSIS AND PRESCRIPTION CHARGES | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lee Scott | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Simon Hughes |
| That this House believes that people with cystic fibrosis should not have to pay prescription charges. |
| 6 | FIRST AID EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Simon Hughes | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House welcomes the British Red Cross report, Life. Live It, on first aid in schools and the launch of its first aid education resource for teachers; notes that every year there are three million attendances at hospitals across the United Kingdom in cases where first aid skills could help; shares the view that in many health emergencies, interventions in the first few minutes, before the emergency services arrive, can make a crucial difference to the outcome of the casualty; believes that people in the UK should have basic first aid knowledge; further notes the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority consultation on the curriculum in secondary schools; and requests the Government to consider ways of promoting first aid education in schools. |
| 10 | CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE GREAT BRITISH PUB | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Simon Hughes | | Andrew George | | Mr Adrian Sanders |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Martin Horwood |
| That this House is alarmed that five public houses are closing down every day, with beer sales in pubs at their lowest level for nearly 40 years; is deeply concerned as to the future of 7,500 public houses and more than 40,000 jobs; supports the campaign to mobilise public and political support to save the Great British pub; believes that traditional public houses are being unfairly priced out of the market while supermarkets offer cheap deals without the level of restrictions and responsibilities required of licensees of public houses; further supports the beer industry and the Campaign for Real Ale's Axe the Beer Tax, Save the Pub campaign which states that tax rises will place traditional public houses at even greater risk of closing down; and calls on the Government to adopt the campaign's Last Orders, a five-point plan to save the British pub, as a way forward in safeguarding the future of Britain's traditional public houses. |
| 12 | USE OF ANIMALS TO TEST FOOD ADDITIVES | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lee Scott | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Andrew George |
| That this House notes that the Home Office's Statistics for Scientific Procedures on Living Animals for 2006 recorded a 368.4 per cent. rise in the number of animals used to test food additives, from 862 animals in 2005 to 4,038 animals in 2006; is concerned at the Written Answer of 11 October 2007 that states that these animals are being used to test ingredients such as stabilisers, sweeteners, colourants and flavouring agents; further notes that the 2006 statistics also recorded a 30.2 per cent. rise in the number of animals used for the purposes of other foodstuffs, from 5,742 animals in 2005 to 7,477 animals in 2006; and calls on the Government to back the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection's call to stop granting licences for experiments on animals for the purpose of testing food additives and other foodstuffs as a matter of urgency. |
| 13 | TREATMENT OF DOGS IN CHINA | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lee Scott | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Simon Hughes |
| That this House supports the joint working of Animals Asia Foundation and the Kennel Club in continuing to highlight the inhumane treatment of dogs in China; is appalled by the acts of extreme cruelty which take place in China's animal markets; notes that millions of dogs have been skinned alive and killed for fur and meat; condemns the cruel ways in which these animals are raised, transported and slaughtered; calls on the Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice, including raising the subject with the Chinese Ambassador in the UK; and further calls directly on the Chinese government to bring its laws and practices into the 21st century in relation to animal welfare standards. |
| 14 | ANIMAL TESTING AND HOUSEHOLD CLEANING PRODUCTS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lee Scott | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Andrew George |
| That this House supports the campaign of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection to end the suffering of animals used in tests for household cleaning products and their ingredients; and urges the House of Commons Commission to demonstrate support for this initiative by ensuring that cleaning products used throughout the parliamentary estate have been certified as not tested on animals. |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Andrew George | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House registers its deep concern at the decline in the butterfly population, with numbers reported by the charity Butterfly Conservation to be at their lowest for 25 years, with the small tortoiseshell showing the biggest decline of 81 per cent.; congratulates the thousands of volunteers who each year provide information for the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme operated by Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; welcomes the comments of Sir David Attenborough, President of Butterfly Conservation, who is promoting an appeal to raise funds for the charity's Stop Extinction Appeal; and calls on the Government to promote cross-departmental policies to assist in safeguarding Britain's butterflies. |
| 17 | ENDANGERED BRITISH MAMMALS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lee Scott | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Andrew George |
| That this House is dismayed that 18 species of Britain's mammals, almost a third of the total, are now listed as endangered; congratulates the People's Trust for Endangered Species for its report the State of Britain's Mammals; and urges the Government to take heed of the warnings contained in the report by promoting policies which protect the nation's indigenous mammals. |
| 18 | GENERAL ELECTION COUNT TIMING | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Colin Breed | | Bob Russell |
| That this House believes the counting of votes cast for the General Election should be carried out without delay and constituency results announced as early as possible; further believes that public interest and engagement are better served by the immediate counting of ballot papers and enabling as many voters as possible to watch the results being announced; and calls on local authorities throughout the United Kingdom to ensure that all ballot papers are counted immediately after the close of polls on General Election night. |
| 19 | EQUITABLE LIFE PENSIONERS AND POLICY HOLDERS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley [R] | | Mr Colin Breed |
| That this House congratulates the Parliamentary Ombudsman on her report on Equitable Life and on her decision that Equitable Life policyholders should be compensated; notes that the Public Administration Select Committee's second report on Equitable Life, Justice denied? concluded that the Government's response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report was inadequate as a remedy for injustice; further notes with regret that many pensioners are passing away without seeing justice done; recognises the vital role the Ombudsman plays in public life, reaffirms the duty of Parliment to support the office of the Ombudsman; and calls on all hon. Members to honour the Parliamentary Ombudsman's recommendations without further loss of time. |
| As an Amendment to Bob Spink's proposed Motion (Equitable Life Pensioners and Policy Holders): |
| Simon Hughes | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Mark Durkan | | Dr William McCrea | | Mr Nigel Dodds | | Mr John Leech |
| Line 8, leave out `all hon. Members' and insert `the Government'. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 20 | REFERENDUM ON THE EU | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Paul Holmes | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr Dai Davies |
| That this House notes that all three main political parties promised a referendum on the EU; and calls on whoever forms the next Government to honour that promise. |
| 22 | EX-SERVICE PENSIONS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Colin Breed |
| That this House calls on the Government to ensure that all ex-servicemen and women of all ethnic backgrounds get equal pension rights, regardless of when or where they served in Her Majesty's armed forces. |
| 23 | ROYAL BRITISH LEGION | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Sandra Gidley |
| That this House recognises the important role that the Royal British Legion plays in the provision of financial, social and emotional support to veterans and those currently serving in the armed forces, and their dependants; congratulates the Legion for safeguarding the Military Covenant and encouraging the nation's moral commitment to its armed forces; and calls on the Government to honour its life-long duty of care to those making a unique commitment to their country. |
| 24 | HOUSING NEEDS FOR PERSONS LEAVING THE ARMED FORCES | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Sandra Gidley |
| That this House notes with concern that those leaving the armed forces are not given housing priority by local authorities and must register as homeless if they require social housing; further notes the difficulties involved with entering civilian life; and therefore calls on the Government to ensure that those returning from active service are given housing priority by local authorities. |
| 25 | CLIMATE CHANGE AND CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Colin Breed | | Alan Simpson | | John Austin |
| That this House recognises that the UK should reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 80 per cent. in 2050 to reduce the devastating effect of climate change on weather conditions, natural habitats, wildlife, economic resources and human life; notes the estimated cost of meeting carbon budgets in 2020 will be less than one per cent. of gross domestic product; further notes that meeting carbon budgets and building a low-carbon economy also presents the UK with significant economic opportunities; further recognises the Government's commitment to tackling climate change; but urges all political parties to develop the much-needed greener policies to deal with the challenge of climate change. |
| 26 | ENVIRONMENT AGENCY FLOOD RISK OBJECTIONS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Alan Simpson | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| That this House notes with concern that 27.3 per cent. of local planning authorities have, in the last four years, approved planning permission for development in spite of an Environment Agency flood risk objection; and calls on the Government to impose tighter controls on development in flood risk areas to defend against the predicted increasing risks and costs of flooding. |
| 29 | SAFETY OF MEDICINES | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Alan Simpson | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Paul Holmes |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Ms Diane Abbott | Jacqui Smith | | | Mr Mike Weir |
| That this House believes that the safety of medicines should be established by the most reliable methods available in order to reduce the large and increasing toll of serious adverse drug reactions; and calls on the Government to initiate an unprecedented comparison of currently required animal tests with a set of human biology-based tests, to see which is the most effective means to predict the safety of medicines for patients. |
| 30 | ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF READ MY LIPS! CAMPAIGN | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Colin Breed | | Mr Edward O'Hara | | Alan Simpson |
| That this House congratulates the Royal National Institute for the Deaf on its Read my lips! campaign to improve access to lip-reading; notes that there are nine million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK and understands the critical importance of lip-reading classes so these people can retain their dignity and independence in work and socially; further notes with concern that a number of counties have introduced fees for these classes and that this is causing hardship, and sometimes preventing vulnerable people benefiting from lip-reading classes; and therefore asks the Government to kindly follow-up previous calls for this matter to be investigated and to seek to persuade county councils, such as Essex which is one of the worst offenders, to take a more caring attitude to lip-reading class charges. |
| 31 | VANISHING OF THE BEES FILM | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Alan Simpson | | Bob Russell |
| That this House supports the film Vanishing of the Bees distributed by the Co-operative and publicising the dangers facing a £10 billion industry and a key species; further supports the Co-operative's Plan Bee campaign to raise awareness of the dramatic demise of bees and the various disorders and diseases threatening honeybee hives; notes that although in the UK bees contribute £165 million a year to the economy, this is only a small part of their contribution to sustaining the country's way of life and the way the planet functions, including their crucial role in pollinating some 90 commercial crops worldwide; further notes that the British Beekeepers' Association survey revealed that 30 per cent. of the UK's 240,000 honeybee hives were lost in the winter and spring of 2008 compared to normal yearly losses of around five to 10 per cent.; welcomes the Co-operative's pledge of £150,000 for research into the causes behind the decline of the honeybee and its 10-point plan on prohibiting the use of a group of eight pesticides on own-brand fresh produce, trialling a wildflower seed mix to attract honeybees and raising awareness of the plight of the UK honeybee; welcomes the Government's efforts to tackle the problems; and calls on the Government to redouble those efforts. |
| 34 | INDEPENDENT NEWSAGENTS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Colin Breed | | Alan Simpson |
| That this House supports the thousands of independent newsagents providing valuable services to local communities; is concerned that the future of independent newsagents is now at risk following the abolition of the National Newspapers Code of Practice on 20 October 2009; and calls on the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to make an urgent referral of the news industry to the Competition Commission for a full market investigation. |
| 35 | LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALISM | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Martin Horwood | David Mundell |
| That this House congratulates local, paid-for daily and free weekly papers on the service they provide for communities, particularly in keeping people informed about news, services and events in their area, campaigning on important local issues, helping to maintain a vibrant local economy, holding elected representatives to account, strengthening democracy and thereby helping to deliver social and economic cohesion for communities; regretfully notes that since the summer of 2008 over 1,000 editorial posts in local news have been cut or left unfilled and that dozens of local newspaper offices have closed despite local newspapers remaining viable businesses; further notes that coverage of court trials, council meetings and local elections is in massive decline; and calls on the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to meet representatives of the industry to discuss how local papers can continue to deliver a much cherished and needed service and explore innovative solutions to preserve local journalism for the future. |
| 36 | URBAN FOX HUNTING | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Simon Hughes | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Edward O'Hara | | Alan Simpson |
| That this House expresses deep concern at the growing number of incidents related to urban fox hunting; notes with shock the cruel manner in which these foxes are tortured and killed, often by dogs used in illegal fights; and congratulates those charities and organisations involved in rescuing and caring for abused and abandoned animals. |
| 39 | LIVING WITH AUTISM | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Sandra Gidley |
| That this House notes that there are over half a million people in the United Kingdom with autism who, to varying degrees, struggle to make sense of the world; further notes that this can cause them considerable anxiety, particularly in understanding and relating to other people and taking part in family, work and social life; further notes with concern that autism is still relatively unknown and misunderstood which means that many of those affected get nothing like the level of help, support and understanding they need; and congratulates the National Autistic Society for working with people living with autism to overcome social isolation, encourage independence and live life with confidence so they can enjoy the same opportunities that the rest of us take for granted. |
| 41 | ANIMAL WELFARE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FOIE GRAS | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Alan Simpson | | Bob Russell |
| That this House notes that foie gras is traditionally produced by forcing metal pipes down the throats of ducks and geese and over-feeding them, causing their livers to swell to 10 times the normal size; further notes that the production, but not the sale, of foie gras is banned in the UK; calls on restaurants to use brands of faux gras which are supported by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Compassion in World Farming and are produced from free-range ducks and geese without force-feeding; and further calls on the Government to prohibit the sale of traditionally-produced foie gras in the UK. |
| 42 | CARERS' POVERTY CHARTER | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Paul Burstow | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes that in the National Strategy for Carers the Government pledged that by 2018 carers will be supported so that they are not forced into financial hardship by their caring role; believes that carers cannot wait because too many are living in poverty and financial hardship now, struggling to afford the basic costs of living, unable to study or work without their benefits being cut off, or facing the removal of their allowance when they start to claim their pension; further notes that the UK's six million carers save the country an estimated £87 billion per year, and that in return, the main carer's benefit is the lowest of its kind, paid at only £53.10 a week for a minimum of 35 hours caring, equivalent to £1.52 per hour, far short of the national minimum wage of £5.73 per hour; supports the Carer's Poverty Charter signed by the Alzheimer's Society, Carers UK, Citizens Advice, Contact a Family, Counsel and Care, Crossroads Caring for Carers, Every Disabled Child Matters, for dementia, Mencap, Macmillan Cancer, Motor Neurone Disease Society, National Autistic Society, Oxfam, Parkinson's Disease Society, Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Rethink, Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers and Vitalise; and calls on the Government to set out an urgent timetable of action to improve carers' benefits and income that protects carers from falling into poverty or financial hardship, reflects carers' different circumstances, helps carers to combine caring with paid work and study and is easy to understand and straightforward to claim. |
| 43 | PROTECTION OF BACK GARDEN LAND | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Paul Burstow | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Sandra Gidley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House welcomes the Government's review of the adverse impact of garden grabbing on local communities, through increased pollution, loss of biodiversity and the harm to the character of towns and villages; regrets that Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3) currently requires local authorities to consider gardens as brownfield sites; further notes that this means a gradual and uncontrollable loss of green space within urban areas; and calls for the Government to complete its review quickly and amend PPG3 to give local councils the right to exercise discretion as to whether to consider gardens to be brownfield sites. |
| 46 | TAXATION OF THE BINGO INDUSTRY | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Russell | | Mr Frank Field | | David Heyes |
| That this House notes the report by Ernst and Young which states that Treasury calculations for gross profit tax rates for bingo earlier this year were inaccurate and will not be of benefit to the industry; further notes the tax increase threatens smaller, independent clubs; congratulates the bingo industry on the contribution it makes to social welfare, leisure and the economy; is concerned about the loss of 4,000 jobs in the bingo industry since 2003; and therefore urges the Government to work closely with the industry to consider the future impact of the increase in bingo duty from 15 per cent. to 22 per cent., whilst the duty has remained at 15 per cent. for online versions of the game and for football pools. |
| 47 | WORLD AIDS DAY 2009 | 18:11:09 |
| Peter Bottomley | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Sandra Gidley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Tom Brake | Mr Adrian Bailey | Ian Stewart | | | Mr Gordon Marsden | Mr David Clelland |
| That this House notes the importance of World AIDS Day; recognises that the number of people living with HIV in the UK continues to increase, with over 80,000 people now living with HIV, and that young gay men remain the group of young people most at risk of acquiring HIV, with new diagnoses amongst this group doubling in the last 10 years; acknowledges the need for sensitive and sensible messages on sexual health to young people in schools; calls on the Government to ensure teachers have support and information to be able to talk confidently and sensitively about sexual health in order to meet the needs of all including young gay men; and further calls on the Government to ensure that a new national strategy for HIV beyond 2011 includes specific actions to address the needs of young gay men. |
| 48 | TELEVISING OF RUGBY LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP FINAL | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Neil Turner | | Greg Mulholland | | Mr James Clappison | | Mr Eric Martlew | | Mark Hunter | | Mr Ken Purchase |
| That this House notes that Rugby League is played in every nation in the United Kingdom, and in every county in England; and believes the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final is a sporting event of national importance that should be available to all fans on free to view terrestrial television, and that the Davies Committee recommendations should be rejected. |
| 56 | WORK AND BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Sandra Gidley |
| | Mr David Chaytor | John Mann |
| That this House recognises that over half of people with autism have spent time with neither jobs nor benefits; further recognises that only 15 per cent. are currently in full-time work; acknowledges that the system is failing people with autism, as over 80 per cent. of people with autism who applied for benefits needed support to do so; agrees that no one should be written off; congratulates the National Autistic Society for highlighting these issues in its campaign Don't Write Me Off; and calls on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to make the system fair for people with autism. |
| 58 | WELFARE OF FARMED RABBITS | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes with concern the lack of detailed regulations concerning the welfare of domestic rabbits farmed in the UK; believes that farmed rabbits should not be kept in cages as this practice is not consistent with good welfare; notes that the welfare of farmed rabbits, including breeding does, is improved by housing in enriched group pens that provide greater environmental complexity, freedom of movement and opportunities for social interaction; further believes that rabbits should be provided with sufficient height and floor space to allow them to adopt normal postures such as rearing up on their hind legs and to carry out meaningful exercise such as hopping; supports a provision for solid flooring to reduce foot injuries in rabbits; further believes that all farmed rabbits should have access to environmental enrichment, including hay or straw and wooden sticks or blocks for gnawing, and improved housing design that allows for hiding and retreat; supports the work of the Four Paws organisation in this area; and calls on the Government to introduce regulations to phase out the keeping of farmed rabbits in cages and to make detailed provisions for their welfare. |
| 63 | ACCESS TO INSULIN PUMP THERAPY FOR PEOPLE WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock [R] | | Peter Bottomley | | Sandra Gidley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House welcomes Diabetes UK's campaign to end the postcode lottery for insulin pump therapy; believes that making a small change through providing the technology can make a big difference to the lives of people with diabetes; notes the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommendation that insulin pump therapy should be available as a treatment option for people with Type 1 diabetes in cases where multiple dose insulin therapy has failed, and the person is willing and able to use insulin pump therapy effectively; further notes with concern that this guidance is not being adhered to locally in a uniform manner; is aware that currently only two per cent. of people with Type 1 diabetes use pumps in the UK, compared to 10 to 20 per cent. in other European member states and around 15 to 20 per cent. in the United States; further believes that the use of pumps can have cost benefits to the local NHS through a reduction in primary care contracts and a reduction in hospital admissions and hospital outpatient contracts; and calls on the Government to oversee the implementation of NICE guidance by primary care organisations to end the postcode lottery. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 64 | ACCESS TO INHALED INSULIN PRODUCTS FOR DIABETICS | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock [R] | | Peter Bottomley | | Sandra Gidley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House disagrees with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's technology appraisal document which proposes the restriction of access to inhaled insulin products on the NHS to patients with a proven injection phobia diagnosed by a psychiatrist or psychologist; is concerned that diabetes sufferers often delay treatment for as long as four years due to a fear of injections, risking the complications of heart disease, blindness and kidney failure, a situation that will only be compounded by attaching the unfortunate stigma of mental illness to those with a phobia of needles; expresses concern at the additional workload that will be placed on already overstretched NHS psychiatric services; and believes that the judgement of expert clinicians should be trusted in managing each individual patient's condition. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 65 | INFORMATION PRESCRIPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock [R] | | Peter Bottomley | | Sandra Gidley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes with concern that 65 per cent. of the two million people in the UK with diabetes are not taking their medications as prescribed because one in three do not understand what those medications are for, or how to take them; welcomes the work of a coalition of Diabetes UK, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Society and Ask About Medicines to facilitate understanding of medicines used to treat diabetes; believes that everyone with the condition has a right to expect a personalised information prescription expressed in an appropriate format as part of their care planning process; further believes that such a personalised prescription should help to ensure that access to clear and consistent information that is accurate, up-to-date and trustworthy will enable people with diabetes to understand their condition and treatment options regardless of their age, ethnicity, disability or postcode; further believes that people should be encouraged to seek information on medicines and other treatments by discussing their condition with and asking questions of a range of healthcare professionals and by accessing other forms of support and information tailored for each person in their particular situation; and calls on the Government to ensure that the NHS at a local level provides diabetes care and support in line with these standards. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 68 | TEXT MESSAGE 999 SERVICE | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Alan Simpson |
| That this House notes that there is no facility to allow people to use text messages to contact blue light emergency services and believes that such a service could assist people needing to contact the emergency services while unable to speak; and calls on the Government to encourage the mobile telephone industry to come up with a text message 999 number through which blue light emergency services can be contacted. |
| 71 | INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY RECOGNITION OF UNITE PARLIAMENTARY STAFF BRANCH | 18:11:09 |
| Jim Sheridan | | Paul Flynn | | Mr Bill Olner | | Mr Clive Betts | | Dr Phyllis Starkey | | Mike Gapes |
| That this House calls on the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to recognise the Unite Parliamentary Staff Branch for all consultation it conducts with regard to the implementation of the recommendations in the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life on parliamentary allowances and expenses that relate to the staff of hon. Members. |
| 73 | CODE OF PRACTICE ON THE WELFARE OF PRIVATELY KEPT NON-HUMAN PRIMATES | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Colin Breed | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Mrs Eleanor Laing | Mr Oliver Heald | Michael Fabricant | | | David Mundell | Mike Penning |
| That this House supports the Code of Practice on the Welfare of Privately Kept Non-Human Primates which sets the standards required for keepers of the estimated 5,000 privately kept primates in the United Kingdom; calls for the Code's adoption under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which would be a step towards the improved welfare of privately owned primates; notes the trade of primates as pets is largely unregulated; and calls for the United Kingdom to set an example to Europe, where the primate pet trade poses a serious threat to the conservation and survival of primates. |
| 74 | FAIR PRICING FOR PRE-PAYMENT ENERGY METERS | 18:11:09 |
| John Austin | | Dr Alan Whitehead | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Miss Anne Begg | | Dr Brian Iddon |
| That this House welcomes Government assurances that, if necessary, legislation would be introduced to outlaw the overcharging of pre-payment meter customers; notes that some energy companies have voluntarily and for the time being equalised pre-payment charges with quarterly billed customers but that over a million households are still paying more for their energy; refutes the claim by Ofgem that it has been successful in its campaign to stop this overcharging; calls on the Government to step in as champion for some of the most vulnerable people on low incomes and introduce legislation to equalise pre-pay charges with those of quarterly billed customers; and supports the proposals in the Equalisation of Tariffs for Gas and Electricity Bill introduced in the last Parliamentary Session. |
| 78 | LOCAL SPENDING REPORTS AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES ACT 2007 | 18:11:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Mr Nick Hurd | | Julia Goldsworthy | | Roger Berry | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Oliver Letwin |
| That this House welcomes the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 requiring the publication of local spending reports; believes that people have a right to know how their money is spent by public bodies; especially welcomes the assurances given by the former Minister for Local Government, the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth, that the local spending reports will include all public agencies; further welcomes the former Minister's assurance that the purpose is to achieve a report that identifies how much will be spent in each area by the authorities; is therefore disappointed that the local spending reports published so far do not adhere to the assurances given by the former Minister and so calls for proper local spending reports to be published, which give effect to those assurances; welcomes the commitment by the Secretary of State to report to Parliament by the end of 2009 on the publication of future local spending reports; and calls upon the Secretary of State to ensure that his report is debated by this House and voted on. |
| Mr Fabian Hamilton | | Richard Younger-Ross | | Dr Nick Palmer | | Dr Phyllis Starkey | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Lynne Jones |
| | Jacqui Smith | Julie Morgan | Mr Khalid Mahmood |
| That this House celebrates the Government's record on animal welfare; believes the Hunting Act 2004 banning fox hunting, hare coursing, hare hunting and stag hunting is in keeping with the current ideas on animal welfare; notes that over 75 per cent. of the public supports the ban; deplores the flouting of the law by some practitioners of fox hunting; and supports campaigns such as Keep Cruelty History that are strongly opposed to any attempt to repeal the Hunting Act. |
| 80 | NETWORK RAIL AND SAFETY | 18:11:09 |
| Mrs Linda Riordan | | John McDonnell | | Geraldine Smith | | Gwyn Prosser | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Paul Holmes |
| | David Lepper | Mike Gapes | Dr Doug Naysmith | | | Matthew Taylor | Mr Bill Olner | Mr Roger Godsiff | | | Mr Ken Purchase | Mr Dennis Skinner | Ms Sally Keeble | | | Mr Gordon Marsden | Mr Eric Martlew | Dr Ashok Kumar | | | Mr Fraser Kemp | Paul Flynn | Sandra Osborne | | | Mr Tom Clarke | Mr Parmjit Dhanda | Colin Challen | | | Mr Robert Flello | Tim Farron | Mark Hunter |
| That this House notes the decision of Network Rail to announce the loss of thousands of frontline maintenance jobs by spring 2010; believes that this will mean that in a matter of months there will be a drop of up to 20 per cent. in the number of rail workers carrying out essential inspection and maintenance work; further believes that these deep and rapid cuts raise genuine and urgent concerns as to whether Network Rail will be able to ensure the safe and efficient running of the railway, including the adequate inspection and repair of track, signals, overhead lines and other infrastructure; is deeply concerned that Network Rail is failing to consult the trade unions on the safety implications of the proposals; further notes that the cuts are in part due to the fact that the economic rail regulator, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), has asked Network Rail to make efficiency savings of 21 per cent. over the next five years; is further concerned that because the ORR is both the safety and economic regulator it will be difficult for an objective view to be taken as to whether the safety of passengers and workers will be put at risk; believes the cuts cannot be justified; and calls on the Government to use its power as the primary funder of Network Rail to intervene to ensure that Network Rail directors put safety first. |
| 81 | CONFLICT PREVENTION | 18:11:09 |
| Simon Hughes | | John McDonnell | | Mr Gary Streeter | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House recognises that for every dollar spent globally on conflict prevention nearly two thousand times as much is spent on defence and the military; applauds the many local initiatives around the world that help to prevent conflict; calls on the Government to carry out a study into the cost-effectiveness of local and regional peace building initiatives in the run up to the Global Summit on Security and Peace Building in 2010; and encourages the Government through the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to give greater priority to conflict prevention work and in particular to fund from existing resources more local conflict prevention initiatives. |
| 83 | FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LEGISLATION AND ROYAL HOUSEHOLD | 18:11:09 |
| Lynne Jones | | Norman Baker | | Mr Ian Davidson | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Dr Doug Naysmith | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Dr Vincent Cable | Paul Farrelly |
| That this House disagrees with the proposed removal of the public interest test for access through the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to information held by public authorities relating to the Royal Household's function and activities, and with the blanket ban on accessing Royal documents that would result; and instead supports the removal of the exemption of the Royal Household from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. |
| 92 | BEAK-TRIMMING OF LAYING HENS | 18:11:09 |
| Gwyn Prosser | | Mr Chris Mullin | | Mr Eric Martlew | | Peter Bottomley | | Norman Baker | | Bob Russell |
| | Glenda Jackson | Mr Don Foster | Dr Doug Naysmith | | | Jacqui Smith | Joan Walley | Mr John Grogan | | | Hugh Bayley | Tony Lloyd | Nick Ainger | | | Julie Morgan | Mr Mike Weir | John Mann | | | David Cairns | Patrick Mercer | Paul Farrelly | | | Martin Horwood | Ms Celia Barlow | Mr Robert Flello | | | Mr Peter Bone | Ms Katy Clark |
| That this House is opposed to any dilution or postponement of the ban on the beak-trimming of laying hens which was introduced in 2002 and is due to come into force on 1 January 2011; notes that a postponement of the ban is unnecessary as scientific research shows that the correct way to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism is not to beak-trim the hens but to keep them in good conditions and to select birds that are less prone to feather pecking and cannibalism; is opposed not just to traditional beak-trimming with a hot blade but also to the newly developed infra-red method, as research shows that infra-red trimming can result in acute pain and involves the loss of part of the beak, which is a key sensory organ for hens; and calls on the Government to adhere to the 2011 commencement date for the ban on beak-trimming. |
| 94 | RACEHORSE BREEDING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Harry Cohen | | Peter Bottomley | | Frank Cook | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House is alarmed by evidence suggesting that many healthy but unprofitable thoroughbreds are slaughtered in British abattoirs or shot in racing yards every year; notes that the Chairman of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has acknowledged the problem of over-production of racehorses; believes that horse welfare problems flowing from racehorse over-production are likely to worsen as a result of the BHA's future fixtures list which will deny racing opportunities to hundreds of lower-rated horses; further notes that every year more than 160 horses die or are destroyed due to racecourse injuries; calls on the Government to undertake and put into the public domain a full audit of racehorse production, death and injury; and asks it to urge racing's regulators to act decisively to remedy the problems of racehorse over-production and the alarming level of equine death on British racecourses. |
| 96 | ROYAL NAVY AND ROYAL MARINES CHILDREN'S FUND | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Russell | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Colin Breed |
| That this House strongly supports the work of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Children's Fund, the only charity dedicated to helping the children of serving, and ex-serving, Naval Services personnel; notes that the charity has been running for over 100 years and helps children deal with the long-term psychological, emotional, physical, financial and social impacts that can result from having a parent work in the Naval Services; commends the charity for helping over 1,500 children each year, especially when demand is increasing due to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; believes that the Government should encourage local authorities to provide greater assistance for the children and families left vulnerable by the effects of conflict; calls on Ministers to take into account the unique pressures and challenges being faced by the children of serving and ex-serving personnel when formulating policies; and urges everyone to support the excellent work of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Children's Fund. |
| 97 | ANIMAL PROTECTION POLICY | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Paul Flynn | | Mr David Drew | | John McDonnell | | Andrew George |
| | Mr David Heath | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House notes the growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that many animals have complex mental and emotional lives; considers many animals to be conscious, feeling beings with an interest in living, avoiding suffering and experiencing pleasure; acknowledges that each such animal has inherent value and is worthy of serious moral consideration; further considers respect for animals to be indicative of the level of civilisation; is concerned that policy-making tends to be dominated by industries that inevitably compromise animals' welfare and interests, and that the most essential interests of animals and the public's concern for their protection are given insufficient consideration; further notes that there is no Government body whose primary purpose is to protect the interests of animals in policy-making; and calls upon the Government to establish an animal protection commission or similar body, answerable to Parliament via a Minister, with a remit which includes the ongoing examination of the ethical status and rights of animals and how they are affected by policy-making, the facilitation of genuine public participation throughout policy processes which affect animals, and the development of a cross-government agenda for animal protection. |
| 112 | DON'T WRITE ME OFF CAMPAIGN | 19:11:09 |
| Paul Rowen | | Mr Lee Scott | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House recognises that 80 per cent. of people with autism on incapacity benefit want to work, yet only 15 per cent. are currently in full-time work; acknowledges that one-third are without access to either benefits or work; further recognises that the system is failing people with autism; agrees that all adults with autism should be supported to work when they can and be able to access benefits when they cannot work; urges the Government to lead the way with a national strategy that meets the employment needs of people with autism; congratulates the National Autistic Society for highlighting these issues in its campaign Don't Write Me Off; and calls for changes to make the system fair for people with autism. |
| 113 | MUSCULOSKELETAL SERVICES FRAMEWORK | 19:11:09 |
| Paul Rowen | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Stephen Williams | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Mr Ian Taylor | Mr Edward Davey | Nick Ainger |
| That this House welcomes the publication of Joint Working?: An Audit of the Implementation of the Department of Health's musculoskeletal services framework by the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance; notes that musculoskeletal conditions place a significant burden on both the NHS and society, accounting for £3.5 billion of total NHS spending every year and causing a loss of some 11.2 million working days per annum; expresses concern that the Department of Health's musculoskeletal services framework has been implemented in an inconsistent way across the country since its introduction in 2006; recognises that the variations in standards of care across the UK for patients living with musculoskeletal conditions should be addressed; and calls on the Government to consider the recommendation contained in the report for the appointment of a national clinical director to lead and develop new priorities and incentives for musculoskeletal services in the UK. |
| 114 | REMUNERATION OF ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND CHIEF EXECUTIVE | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Bob Spink | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | John McDonnell |
| That this House is appalled that UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI), the public body created by HM Treasury to oversee the taxpayers' interests in the billions of pounds of public money provided to the failing private banks, has seen fit, on behalf of taxpayers, to endorse the obscene financial package worth £9,600,000 per year to Stephen Hester as chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which is 70 per cent. owned by taxpayers; contrasts this utterly unacceptable and incomprehensible UKFI decision with the announcement of RBS a month earlier on 21 May to make redundant 700 workers in the first wave of a planned 4,500 job losses across the United Kingdom, which followed an announcement of 9,000 job losses by RBS in April; does not accept that this absurd level of payment is necessary to incentivise efficient management of RBS, noting that outgoing RBS chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin was paid a massive £4,190,000 a year, and his business decisions brought the bank to the verge of ruin; recalls that Mr Hester told the Treasury Committee on 11 February 2009 `I do think banking pay in some areas of the industry is way too high and needs to come down and I intend us to lead that process'; believes the remuneration package offered to Mr Hester is entirely inconsistent with his own intention; and therefore believes the Chancellor should intervene immediately with UKFI to block this outrageous planned payment to Mr Hester. |
| 118 | NATIONAL AUTISM SOCIETY | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Lee Scott | | Andrew George |
| That this House commends the National Autism Society (NAS) for its work to increase and expand diagnosis and support services for those with autism and related developmental problems; recognises the importance of ensuring that diagnosis and support services are targeted and effective to eradicate the isolation and ignorance that those with autism are at risk of experiencing; further recognises that effective services can only be achieved by the Government working closely with the NAS, local authorities and primary care trusts to develop their knowledge and expertise of autism; and calls on the Government to pursue building these relationships in order to transform the lives of both adults and children with autism. |
| 122 | CO-OP AND FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| That this House congratulates the Co-op for its pro-active policy in selling a wide variety of fair trade products; recognises that the Co-op has maintained an innovative approach to product development going far beyond traditional fair trade products such as tea, coffee, sugar, chocolate and bananas with special seasonal promotions such as fair trade Christmas puddings, mince pies and Easter eggs; pays tribute to the Co-op for taking a strong lead in the promotion and sale of fair trade products; and encourages other stores and supermarkets to follow this lead and expand the range of fair trade goods on sale. |
| 123 | HELP FOR HEROES CHARITY FUNDING | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Lee Scott | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Paul Holmes |
| That this House supports the Help for Heroes charity which was established to help those injured in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; pays tribute to the founders of the charity and the volunteers who help ensure that the money raised goes to those who need it most; notes that the charity aims to raise £20 million through high profile events, sponsorship and individual donations by 2010; and calls on the Government to provide match funding in order that organisations and projects designed to help injured troops have the finances available to provide first-class care and support. |
| As an Amendment to Mr Lindsay Hoyle's proposed Motion (Help for Heroes Charity Funding): |
| Mr Gregory Campbell | | Dr William McCrea | | Mr Nigel Dodds | | Willie Rennie | | Sammy Wilson |
| Line 5, after `2010;' insert `acknowledges the tremendous efforts made by a range of volunteers, including the hon. Member for Upper Bann, in recently raising thousands of pounds for the charity;'. |
| 143 | SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES ACT AMENDMENT BILL | 19:11:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Mr Nick Hurd | | Julia Goldsworthy | | Roger Berry | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Oliver Letwin |
| | Mr David Willetts | Mr James Paice | Joan Ryan | | | Mr Edward Davey | Jim Dowd | Ms Karen Buck | | | Mr Paul Burstow | Mr David Heath | Mr Ken Purchase | | | John Cummings | Mr George Galloway | Sir Robert Smith | | | Paul Farrelly | Dr Richard Taylor | Mr Brooks Newmark | | | Mr Stephen Crabb | Mr Jeremy Browne | Mark Pritchard | | | Greg Clark |
| That this House notes the success of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 as the first step towards building a bottom up democracy; further notes the enthusiasm shown by local authorities across England in deciding to use the Act, with 100 councils having already used that process and a further 50 councils having stated their intention to do so at the next available opportunity, showing that nearly half of all councils wish to use the Act's process in the future; notes also the genuine cross-party support that the original Act commanded; and so supports the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill introduced in Session 2008-09 which would extend the 2007 Act by ensuring that the process of involvement established by the Act becomes an on-going process rather than a one-off event, by involving parish and town councils and their county associations in the process and by empowering citizens to petition their councils to use the Act if they are not already doing so. |
| 148 | CITIZENS' CONVENTION (ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICS) BILL | 23:11:09 |
| Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Douglas Carswell | | Jenny Willott | | Norman Lamb | | Mr David Drew | | Jim Dowd |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Peter Bone | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House is concerned at the current crisis of confidence regarding the political system; maintains that electors and not just politicians should be involved in initiating change; supports the provisions of the Citizens' Convention (Accountability and Ethics) Bill introduced in the last Session; believes that these provisions should be enacted expeditiously; and calls on the Government to provide sufficient additional time for any such Bill introduced in the present Session to be enacted. |
| Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Adam Price | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George |
| That this House urges the Chancellor to use his Pre-Budget Statement to reverse the eight per cent. beer duty increase when value added tax (VAT) returns to its full rate on 1 January 2010; notes that the duty increase denied the British beer and pub industry the benefits of the VAT cut and that pub closures are now running at a record high of more than 50 a week; further notes that the planned VAT increase in January will result in an extra six pence on an average pint of beer and lower tax revenues to HM Treasury; and calls on the Government to pursue a tax policy that benefits low strength alcoholic drinks like beer, Britain's national drink and is fair to an industry that employs more than half a million people and plays a crucial part in supporting the economic and social wellbeing of communities across the UK. |
| 158 | UK INDUSTRY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY | 23:11:09 |
| Mr David Anderson | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Alan Meale | | John McDonnell | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Mr Anthony Wright | Julie Morgan | David Heyes |
| That this House is concerned that despite recycled fuels manufactured from used cooking oil being more environmentally friendly, they are subject to much heavier and costly regulation than the combustion of the most polluting fossil fuels under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007; appreciates that technological advances in the renewable energy industry have allowed waste to be recycled into fuel, known as end of waste fuels; accepts that an end of waste fuel that has passed the stringent Carnwath test should be treated as a virgin fuel and that this concept is recognised in both UK and EU law; notes that used cooking oil produces carbon-neutral electricity and contributes to reducing UK dependency on fossil fuels; further notes the UK commitment to ensure renewable energy makes up 15 per cent. of all energy by 2020; recognises that analysis for the Renewable Energy Strategy indicates that nearly a quarter of the changes to reach the UK renewable energy target could come from bioenergy in the heat and electricity sectors; acknowledges with concern that current environmental legislation does not recognise the end of waste criteria; understands that this disincentivises investment in renewable technology and risks putting the UK at a disadvantage in relation to its European counterparts; therefore calls on the Government to update the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 to recognise the end of waste concept and provide a clear timetable for doing so. |
| 161 | CHILDCARE SOS CAMPAIGN | 23:11:09 |
| Mark Durkan | | Ms Katy Clark | | Bob Russell | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Eddie McGrady | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House recognises the beneficial impact of the childcare voucher tax exemptions introduced in 2005; notes that 340,000 working parents across the UK avail themselves of the childcare voucher scheme and that the majority of these are basic rate taxpayers; is concerned by the Government's proposal to abolish tax relief on childcare vouchers; believes that middle income, hard-working families who are just above the threshold for means-tested benefits would lose out most from such a change; rejects the assertion that the scheme primarily benefits those on a high income; further notes that capping it at a given income would prevent undue benefit to those on higher incomes without denying assistance to those in most need; welcomes the launch of the Childcare SOS campaign by the Employers for Childcare; and calls on the Government to consider the serious implications of the proposal to hit the childcare voucher scheme for worsening the gender pay gap, reducing opportunities and incentives for two parents to work, impairing the quality and affordability of childcare available to working parents and removing a key source of income for nurseries and childminders. |
| 172 | RECALL OF HON. MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS | 23:11:09 |
| David Howarth | | Chris Huhne | | Mr David Heath | | Jo Swinson | | Sarah Teather | | Dr Vincent Cable |
| That this House believes that where an hon. Member has been duly determined seriously to have broken the rules of the House, with the result that the hon. Member has been suspended from the service of the House for a period greater than one week, or where an hon. Member has been convicted of a criminal offence that relates to his or her service in the House, the electors of the hon. Member's constituency should have the right to petition that the seat be vacated and a by-election called. |
| 177 | PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE AND LOWER LIMB AMPUTATION | 23:11:09 |
| Dr Brian Iddon | | Mr Colin Breed | | Dr Richard Taylor | | Dr Ashok Kumar | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Ian Taylor |
| That this House supports the Circulation Foundation's efforts to raise awareness of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and the growing lower limb amputation rate in the UK; notes that over 100,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year and that PAD is often a precursor for heart failure or stroke; recognises that vascular specialists often see patients when little can be done to save their leg; further recognises that the UK has one of the lowest revascularisation rates in legs across Europe; and urges the Department of Health to encourage local vascular networks to agree network-wide protocols for the identification, referral, investigation and treatment of people with peripheral arterial disease. |
| 182 | DEMENTIA CARE IN HOSPITALS | 24:11:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Russell | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House welcomes the publication of the Alzheimer's Society report Counting the cost: Care for people with dementia on hospital wards, which highlights unacceptable variations in dementia care provided in hospitals; notes that people with dementia over 65 years of age are currently using up to one quarter of hospital beds at any one time; further notes that people with dementia stay far longer in hospital than other people admitted for the same procedure; further notes that this is having a detrimental impact on the health of people with dementia as well as placing financial pressure on the NHS; further notes that over half of nurses responding to the Alzheimer's Society survey said they haven't received any work-based development or learning opportunities in dementia care; calls on the Government to provide strong leadership on workforce development, in particular by bringing together all the relevant bodies to reach agreement on the core competencies required in dementia care; and urges the Government to press on primary care trusts the need to implement the recommendations in the National Dementia Strategy for England on improved quality of care in general hospitals. |
| 184 | TEXT MESSAGING THE EMERGENCY SERVICES | 24:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | David Lepper | Alan Keen | Mr Don Foster | | | Andrew Miller | Sir Alan Beith | Mr Paul Murphy | | | Miss Anne Begg | Mark Lazarowicz | Tim Farron | | | Mr Dai Davies |
| That this House welcomes the introduction of a pilot scheme allowing people who are deaf, hard of hearing, and speech impaired to contact blue light emergency services by sending a SMS text message to 999; notes that the pilot scheme is of significant help to people who may have difficulties using a telephone to contact the emergency services; further notes that the scheme makes the help and assistance of the UK's excellent and very hardworking emergency services easily accessible to those who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired; congratulates the Royal National Institute for Deaf People and the communications companies for their work on the pilot; wishes the scheme success; and further hopes to see the introduction of a permanent SMS service as a result of this groundbreaking pilot scheme in order that people who are deaf, hard of hearing, and speech impaired are able to contact the emergency services as a matter of course when necessary. |
| 187 | BHOPAL DISASTER | 24:11:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House remembers with sadness and outrage the tragedy that took place in Bhopal, India, resulting from the leak of thousands of tonnes of chemicals in December 1984; admonishes the Indian government for its negligence in failing to clean up the chemical waste following the disaster; highlights with great sadness the thousands of lives lost directly after the leak and in the 20 years after and the 100,000 people continuing to suffer from health problems from contaminated water supplies and daily exposure to chemicals; and calls on the Indian government to act immediately to end this injustice and clean up the area so that local people can be free from this suffering and distress. |
| 188 | IMPRISONMENT OF HAKAMADA IWAO | 24:11:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House denounces the injustice of the imprisonment of Hakamada Iwao who has been in jail on death row in Japan for 41 years for a crime he did not commit; condemns the fact that for 29 of these years Mr Iwao was in solitary confinement which has led to him suffering from mental illness; highlights that he was convicted in 1968 for the murder of a family of four on the basis of a confession he says was extracted under duress and which he retracted at his trial; notes that of the three judges at Mr Iwao's trial, one has publicly stated that he believes Mr Iwao is innocent; and calls on the Japanese government to end this injustice immediately and give Mr Iwao the fair trial which he deserves. |
| 191 | HIGH PAY COMMISSION | 24:11:09 |
| John Battle | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones |
| | Ms Karen Buck | Mr Bob Laxton | Paddy Tipping | | | Mark Lazarowicz | Jenny Willott | Mr Robert Flello | | | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House believes that the Government should establish a High Pay Commission to examine the effects of high pay on the economy and society; acknowledges that over the last 30 years median earners have seen incomes increase at less than the average while the super-rich including UK chief executive officers have seen their pay increase to 76 times that of the average worker; notes three main concerns over the effect of high pay in Britain: the link between excessive pay and the financial crash, the questionable link between economic performance and high pay and the social effects of inequality due to the increase of wealth concentrated at the top of society; and calls for a public inquiry to bring all of the facts, evidence and arguments into the public domain. |
| 192 | GROCERY MARKET OMBUDSMAN | 24:11:09 |
| Andrew George | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Colin Breed | | Peter Bottomley | | Hywel Williams | | Daniel Kawczynski |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Dr Doug Naysmith | Mr David Heath | | | Tony Lloyd | Mr Robert Flello | David Simpson |
| That this House welcomes the Competition Commission's establishment of a strengthened Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) following its inquiry into the UK grocery market which found that supermarket practices which transfer excessive risk to suppliers, such as retrospective unilateral changes to the terms of supply agreements, charges for loss or damage to goods after delivery and withholding payment without cause could have an adverse effect on investment and innovation in the supply chain, and ultimately on consumers; notes the Commission's recommendation that for the GSCOP to be effective it must be monitored and enforced by an independent ombudsman; is disappointed that the supermarkets affected have failed to agree voluntary undertakings to establish an ombudsman which offers the opportunity for independent verification of their commitment to the principles of fair trading; believes that the current recession has increased pressure on suppliers; further notes that UK supermarkets continue to report healthy profits from their grocery business; recognises that fair treatment of primary producers is crucial to achieving UK commitments to eradicating poverty in the developing world and guaranteeing food security for the UK; and calls on the Government to act on the considered recommendation of the Commission to introduce the neccessary legislation to establish the proposed ombudsman to protect the interests of suppliers and consumers alike. |
| 193 | SERVICES FOR SEVERELY DISABLED CHILDREN AND ADULTS AND THEIR CARERS | 24:11:09 |
| Andrew George | | Dr Hywel Francis | | Tony Baldry | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mark Durkan | | Greg Mulholland |
| | Tom Brake | Mr Edward Davey | Michael Connarty | | | Malcolm Bruce |
| That this House wholeheartedly commends and supports the work of Michael and Henrietta Spink and the Henry Spink Foundation with regard to improving the services, and access to services, for severely disabled children, adults and their carers; has deep and profound sympathy for Henrietta and Michael Spink's personal plight as parents of two severely disabled children; sees them and the millions of other carers in the UK as quietly heroic; further supports Henrietta and Michael Spink's call, which is supported and being advocated by the Law Commission, for the creation of an independent Social Services Tribunal, which would follow the tribunal model in other sectors; further supports their call for the creation of an Ombudsman for Disability as is found in other European Union countries; further supports their call to reform local authority regulations so that local authority care assessments and support packages for children and adults become easily portable from one authority to another; further supports their campaign to encourage public and private leisure and entertainment facilities to admit the carers for severely disabled children and adults without additional charge; and calls on all relevant Government Ministers to bring forward proposals for the necessary changes in the law and regulations to enact these sensible, pragmatic, cost neutral reforms, that would genuinely improve the lives of thousands of carers for severely disabled children and adults across the UK, as soon as possible. |
| 194 | DEFORESTATION, CLIMATE CHANGE AND LIVESTOCK | 24:11:09 |
| Andrew George | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Lynne Jones | | Tony Baldry |
| | David Lepper | Dr Howard Stoate | Jacqui Smith | | | Mr Bruce George | Mr David Chaytor | Mr George Galloway | | | Mr Jeremy Browne |
| That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production contributes 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and is currently the most significant driver of biodiversity loss worldwide; further notes that the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats into croplands for the production of animal feeds such as soy for intensive livestock farming is a cause of particular concern; recognises the associated impacts on small farmers and communities in developing countries who are often forced off their land; urges the Government to undertake an assessment of the scale and impact of this trend and the UK's role in it, and to gauge whether the UK's livestock industry has become overly dependent on soy-based animal feed which has such an unwelcome and unsustainable impact upon the environment; and calls on the Government to bring forward the measures necessary to reduce the UK's impact on global greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss from the livestock sector whilst avoiding the export of these impacts overseas and supporting a viable, sustainable and thriving UK farming industry. |
| 197 | CHRISTMAS BONUS FOR PENSIONERS | 24:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Dr Ashok Kumar | | Jim Sheridan | | Mr Michael Clapham |
| That this House believes that additional payment of £60 to the Christmas Bonus has made a significant difference to the incomes of the poorest pensioners; notes that despite the current low level of inflation, increases in the costs of basic foodstuffs and in energy prices mean that the incomes of pensioners are being squeezed; further notes that Christmas is a particularly expensive time for all people, and especially pensioners; and calls on the Government to maintain the Christmas Bonus at the current level of £70 and to commit to increasing the payment in subsequent years in line with increases in the basic state pension. |
| 198 | NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE | 24:11:09 |
| Mr Mark Todd | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Dr Howard Stoate | Tom Brake | Richard Ottaway |
| That this House endorses the call by the Motor Neurone Disease Association for a national strategy for motor neurone disease (MND) and believes that such a strategy would lead to enhanced cost-effectiveness and good practice; supports the implementation of the National Service Framework for Long-Term Neurological Conditions; is dismayed that no official national clinical guidance or approach exists in relation to MND; notes the extreme cruelty of motor neurone disease, which dramatically curtails lives and traps an often healthy mind in a failing and incapacitated body; and further believes that a national strategy is urgently needed in order to address the inequity of access to best practice in care for people with MND and to ensure as high a quality of life as possible and dignity in death. |
| John McDonnell | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Ronnie Campbell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| That this House expresses its concern that Twinings intends to close down its North Shields plant, resulting in the loss of 263 jobs, and to shed 129 jobs from its Andover plant and move the majority of its production to Poland and China; notes that Twinings and its parent company Associated British Foods (ABF) remain hugely profitable, making in excess of £56 million; further notes the adverse impact that this decision will have on the local economies and people of North Shields and Andover; therefore calls on Twinings and ABF to reverse their decision and to maintain their plant in North Shields and full production in Andover; and calls on the Government to intervene as a matter of urgency to prevent such unnecessary loss of jobs in the UK. |
| 201 | LAND REGISTRY OFFICE CLOSURES | 24:11:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Neil Gerrard | | Mr John Leech | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Michael Mates | Richard Ottaway | Jim Dowd | | | John Cummings |
| That this House expresses its concern at the announcement that five Land Registry offices are to close in Croydon, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Stevenage and Tunbridge Wells with the loss of 1,100 jobs; notes that 1,700 jobs have already been lost in the Land Registry and that there are real concerns about maintaining a decent service; further notes that 30 per cent. of all land in England and Wales remains unregistered and so there is plenty of work to be done; and therefore calls on the Government to withdraw these proposals and invest in maintaining a strong Land Registry with a comprehensive land registration system. |
| 211 | SHARING VIDEO FOOTAGE OF PARLIAMENT ONLINE | 24:11:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Derek Wyatt | | Stephen Williams | | Mr Ronnie Campbell |
| That this House believes that the public's engagement with politics would be improved by wider viewing of proceedings in Parliament; congratulates the BBC on the launch of its excellent Democracy Live website, which enables members of the public to search for video clips of proceedings from the Houses of Parliament; welcomes recent changes to the licensing conditions for distributing video recordings of Parliamentary proceedings, which now allow hon. Members to upload such video clips to external searchable websites such as YouTube; notes that the Houses of Parliament are still the only legislative body in the UK which does not allow the electorate to share video footage of its proceedings on their own websites; further welcomes the Leader of the House's promise to look into this matter; and calls for the Parliamentary authorities to review the licensing conditions to allow members of the public to share video clips of Parliamentary proceedings on their own websites. |
| 212 | ACCESS TO HUMAN TISSUE FOR HEALTH RESEARCH | 24:11:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Dr Kim Howells |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Ms Diane Abbott | Malcolm Bruce |
| That this House recognises the importance of access to human tissue samples for health research by academics and the pharmaceutical industry; notes that carrying out initial research on human tissue samples can help create more effective drug therapies, reduce the risk of harm to human subjects in drug trials and prevent waste of resources on unsuccessful trials; further notes that lack of access to suitable human tissue can slow down progress towards finding treatments for many diseases; believes that encouraging surgical patients to consent to the use of their residual surgical tissue for research purposes is a valuable objective for Government to pursue; further notes with concern that there is no established standard mechanism in NHS hospitals for sharing and making researchers aware of human tissue which is stored accross the UK for research purposes; and calls on the Government to make an exerted effort to look for ways to increase the accessibility of human tissue samples for health research. |
| 213 | BARRY MCGUIGAN BOXING ACADEMY | 24:11:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Ronnie Campbell | | Mr Jim McGovern | | Mr Gregory Campbell |
| That this House congratulates Barry McGuigan in setting up a boxing academy that highlights the importance of grassroots community sports facilities; notes the significance of icons of the sporting world in establishing projects that will inspire young people to develop their skills and true potential; recognises the contribution to the boxing community that Barry McGuigan as the former WBO Featherweight Champion has made by creating the Professional Boxing Association designed to support the welfare as well as the education of boxers; hopes that the Boxing Academy will be a great success in Leicester; and looks forward to the creation of other new centres in cities across the country. |
| 214 | VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THE NO RECOURSE TO PUBLIC FUNDS RULE | 24:11:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Lynne Featherstone | | Ms Katy Clark | | Ms Diane Abbott | | Peter Bottomley | | Sandra Gidley |
| | Tom Brake | Mr Edward Davey | Dr Alasdair McDonnell |
| That this House commends the work of Amnesty International, the No Recourse to Public Funds campaign and the End Violence Against Women campaign; acknowledges that the current no recourse to public funds rule has a devastating effect on hundreds of women who are trapped in a cycle of abuse, unable to access basic levels of protection and support due to their immigration status; believes that the Government has a duty to protect the human rights of all women entering the UK regardless of immigration status, as stated in the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); further acknowledges the recent Home Office pilot project, but recognises the need for a permanent solution for all women; and therefore calls on the Government to exempt women fleeing domestic violence from the no recourse to public funds rule, to grant women's refuges the funds they need to offer protection from violence to all women suffering abuse, and to launch an integrated strategy to counter violence against women so as to prevent contradictory policies undermining women's rights. |
| 226 | PURCHASE OF SEAFOOD BY PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS | 25:11:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Martin Salter | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mark Pritchard | | Andrew Stunell |
| | Ms Sally Keeble | Ms Celia Barlow | Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) |
| That this House welcomes the success of the documentary film End of the Line in raising public awareness about the sustainability of global fish stocks and the implications of a world without enough fish; believes taxpayers' money should not be used to buy seafood in the public sector that is unsustainable; recognises the health benefits of eating shellfish and the importance of the shellfish industry to the UK seafood industry; and calls on the Government to prohibit public sector organisations from purchasing seafood included on the Marine Conservation Society's fish to avoid list and to require that all wild-caught seafood served in public sector organisations should be either Marine Stewardship Council-certified, or from stocks that meet the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation's Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. |
| 228 | UK YOUNG COMPETITORS FOR WORLD SKILLS | 25:11:09 |
| Mr Gordon Marsden | | Mr Barry Sheerman | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Ian McCartney |
| That this House applauds the efforts of young people countrywide striving for selection in the next few months for Team UK competing in the 2011 World Skills competition being held in London; congratulates UK competitors at this year's World Skills championships in Calgary who brought back three gold and six bronze medals plus 14 medallions for excellence; and believes that participation by the UK's young people in skills competitions, such as the World Skills championship, plays a key part in galvanising support for all young people as they strive to show excellence in their skills, training and educational achievements. |
| 232 | PALM OIL AND DEFORESTATION | 25:11:09 |
| Dr Rudi Vis | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House recognises the manifold value of rainforests; notes that palm oil requires a humid equatorial climate to be profitable, hence the current collision between the expansion of oil palm plantations and rainforests, their communities, carbon stores and endangered wildlife such as orangutans; further notes remarks by Friends of the Earth International that sustainability certification of palm oil by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil is no solution as it does not halt deforestation, it does not halt the expansion of damaging oil palm plantations and it does not benefit local communities; further notes that with high oil prices, palm oil growth for bioenergy poses a grave threat to rainforests around the tropics; therefore urges the Government and world community to make it a priority to stop expansion of palm oil monocultures and other industrial-scale farming and agroforestry onto rainforest land, in particular by acting to control consumption of the respective commodities; and to achieve an effective, equitable agreement to curb the loss of natural forest and carbon sinks, in a manner that ensures justice for forest peoples. |
| 234 | PRODUCTION METHOD LABELLING ON PROCESSED FOODS CONTAINING EGG AND EGG DERIVATIVES | 25:11:09 |
| Mr Colin Breed | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | Jim Dowd | Mr David Heath | Mr Geoffrey Robinson | | | Andrew Stunell | David Heyes | Martin Horwood | | | Mr Robert Flello |
| That this House believes that all food products containing egg and egg derivatives produced in the EU and imported food products from non-EU countries should be labelled as to production method in line with current labelling regulations for packs of shell eggs; welcomes the progress being made to improve the welfare of egg laying hens through the support of EU Directive 99/74/EC banning the conventional battery cage from 2012 across the EU; notes with concern that from 2012 UK egg production is forecast to diminish and that this deficit could be met by processed food companies importing eggs from non-EU egg farmers using conventional battery cage production methods; and therefore calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all processed food products containing egg derivatives sold in the UK to be labelled with the production method to allow consumers to make an informed choice. |
| 238 | REPORTS OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN BURMA | 25:11:09 |
| Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Ann Clwyd | | Mr Edward Davey | | Julie Morgan | | Mr Michael Moore | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| | Ms Karen Buck | Mr Tom Watson | Jenny Willott |
| That this House expresses severe concern at the escalating systematic human rights abuses being perpetrated against the people of Burma by the Junta military dictatorship; notes that there is well documented evidence over many years of widespread torture, forced displacement, sexual violence, extra-judicial killings and forced labour with civilians being deliberately targeted; further notes that these actions constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes; and calls on the Government to urge the United Nations to establish a Commission of Inquiry into these crimes in addition to supporting the International Labour Organisation's calls to refer the use of forced labour to the International Court of Justice. |
| 239 | LABELLING OF SHELL EGGS PRODUCED BY HENS IN ENRICHED CAGE SYSTEMS | 25:11:09 |
| Mr Colin Breed | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | Jim Dowd | Mr David Heath | Mr Geoffrey Robinson | | | Mr Robert Flello |
| That this House believes that all eggs produced by hens in enriched cage systems should be labelled to differentiate them from eggs produced by other production systems; welcomes the progress being made to improve the welfare of egg laying hens through EU Directive 99/74/EC, banning the conventional battery cage from the EU by 2012, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' support for the introduction in EU marketing regulations of a code 4 for eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems; notes that a significant proportion of UK farmers have invested in improved enriched cage production systems; and calls on the Government to introduce a code 4 to distinguish eggs produced by hens housed in enriched systems from those housed in conventional battery cages outside of the EU, to assist UK farmers. |
| 242 | RIGHTS OF THOSE WITH PLEURAL PLAQUES | 25:11:09 |
| Mr Michael Clapham | | Jim Sheridan | | Mr David Anderson | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Stephen Hepburn | | Mrs Betty Williams |
| That this House accepts expert evidence that pleural plaques represent a change to the anatomy of the sufferer evidenced by the abnormal scarring caused by the permanent physical penetration of asbestos fibres; believes the Law Lords ruling that physiological damage as well as anatomical damage is necessary for an injury to constitute actionable damage is clearly inconsistent with other areas of personal injury; notes that many sufferers of the condition would receive compensation if the scarring was on the outside of the body; and calls on the Secretary of State for Justice to restore the status quo ante to allay the strong sense of injustice felt by sufferers who have sustained asbestos exposure through their employers' negligence and have been unable to proceed with a court action since the Law Lords decision of October 2007. |
| 247 | INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE | 25:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Martin Caton | | Jeremy Corbyn | | John Austin | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House supports Turkey's application for membership of the EU; but is concerned about the welfare of thousands of Crypto-Armenians in Turkey; notes the substance of Geoffrey Robertson QC's legal opinion on the Armenian Genocide; calls for an independent inquiry into the revelations of that opinion; and urges the Government to acknowledge that the events which befell the Armenians and Assyrians of Turkey of 1915 amounted to genocide. |
| 248 | BRITISH FORCES POST OFFICE ENDURING FREE POST SERVICE | 25:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House recognises the importance of the British Forces Post Office (BFPO), Enduring Free Post Service to the families of armed forces personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan; notes that this service is regarded as invaluable and represents a considerable financial saving to the families concerned; and therefore calls on the Government to ensure the Enduring Free Post Service is maintained for the lifetime of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| 251 | CIVIL SERVICE COMPENSATION SCHEME | 25:11:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | John McDonnell | | Jim Cousins | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mr Paul Burstow | Clare Short | Mr Geoffrey Robinson | | | Mrs Joan Humble | Mr Jim Hood | Mr Ian Davidson | | | Mr Peter Robinson | Mark Hunter |
| That this House recognises the essential work done by civil servants across all Government departments; notes that without the dedication and professionalism of civil servants Government would be unable to function effectively; therefore expresses deep concern at proposed changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme published by the Cabinet Office that would leave many civil servants worse off in the event of voluntary or compulsory redundancy; is further concerned that such a change could lead to civil servants losing over 50 per cent. of their redundancy entitlement; believes that the Government should be looking to protect those who have given loyal service over a large number of years during these difficult times; and urges the Government urgently to re-examine these disappointing and unfair proposals before they are implemented. |
| 253 | LABELLING OF PRODUCTS MADE FROM ANIMAL FUR | 25:11:09 |
| Judy Mallaber | | Dr Nick Palmer | | Norman Baker | | Mr David Amess | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Martin Linton |
| | Ms Karen Buck | Mr David Heath | Jacqui Smith | | | Richard Burden | Mr Geoffrey Robinson | Hugh Bayley | | | Mr Denis Murphy | Mr Michael Moore | Mr Parmjit Dhanda | | | Angus Robertson | Mr Alistair Carmichael | Jenny Willott | | | Dan Rogerson | Stewart Hosie | Mr Robert Flello | | | Mr Peter Bone | David Simpson |
| That this House notes that recent advances in the quality and look of fake fur make it difficult for many consumers to tell the difference between items made with fake fur and those made with real fur; further notes that there is now evidence that consumers are confused and some may be purchasing items made or trimmed with real fur believing the fur to be fake; further notes that some people are allergic to real fur; further notes that a law has been introduced in the states of New York, Delaware and New Jersey requiring all real fur and fur-trimmed clothing to carry a label; and calls on the Government to introduce, as soon as possible and as a measure to protect consumers, legislative proposals for a labelling order requiring all other real fur on sale to carry a label that clearly states that the item is made using real animal fur, whether or not it has been dyed and the country of origin of the fur. |
| 254 | CITIZEN'S CHARGE ON BANK BONUSES AND DIVIDENDS | 25:11:09 |
| Jim Cousins | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Michael Meacher | | John McDonnell | | Mr Frank Field | | Frank Dobson |
| That this House notes that almost every bank based in the United Kingdom required liquidity and other support from the British authorities in 2008 and, in addition, a number required public ownership or capital support; further notes the public concern about the contrast between this welfare dependency of the British financial sector and the recent return to big bonus payouts; calls on the Government to introduce a citizen's charge or people's dividend on the growth of the bonus pools and dividend payouts in the institutions that receive public support; and believes that this citizen's charge should start in the 2009-10 financial year. |
| 256 | VISTEON PENSIONERS | 26:11:09 |
| Mrs Siân C. James | | Dr Hywel Francis | | Mr Andrew Love | | Bob Spink | | Mark Williams | | Mr Michael Clapham |
| | Mr Martyn Jones | Mr Paul Murphy | Julie Morgan | | | Dr Alasdair McDonnell |
| That this House congratulates the former Visteon employees in their successful campaign with support from hon. Members and Unite the union for their right to redundancy pay, after Visteon closed their UK factories; notes that the company pension scheme is now being investigated by the Pensions Regulator and despite support from the Pension Protection Fund some former Visteon employees are facing cuts in their pensions by more than 40 per cent.; further notes with great concern that these employees are former Ford employees who were guaranteed Ford terms and conditions, including pensions, for life before they were transferred to Visteon; and calls on Ford and Visteon to ensure that this commitment is honoured. |
| 257 | REMUTUALISATION OF BANKS | 26:11:09 |
| Mr Ian McCartney | | Paul Holmes | | John Battle | | Lynne Jones | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Mr Mike Weir |
| That this House congratulates the success of mutuals and recognises their important contribution to the UK's economy; notes that one in three citizens is a member of at least one mutual and the sector has continued to grow despite the dramatic economic backdrop; further notes that overall revenues now exceed £98 billion which have risen from £84 billion in 2008 and mutuals are going from strength to strength and provide security and choice for consumers; further notes there are currently 52 mutual building societies in the UK and collectively they have 22 million members, employ 42,300 people and have assets of £341 billion; further notes that it is the ethics of the principle of mutuality that make these institutions so strong; further notes that not one building society survived as an independent British Bank after the regrettable demutualisations of the 1980s and 1990s; and urges the Government, as part of the restructuring of the banking sector, to enable and encourage the remutualisation of a significant part of it, including the conventional banking side of Northern Rock. |
| 258 | SAVE THE CHEQUE CAMPAIGN | 26:11:09 |
| Mark Hunter | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr Lee Scott | | Angela Watkinson | | Mr Russell Brown |
| | Mr Greg Knight | Dr Alasdair McDonnell |
| That this House notes with concern that high street banks are planning to stop accepting cheques despite protest from consumer groups and businesses; further notes that nearly four million cheques are still being written each day and that many people still prefer to pay for goods and services in this way; is concerned that the Payments Council which represents the major banks will vote in December 2009 on whether or not to scrap the cheque as a method of payment; believes many people, particularly the elderly, would be inconvenienced as a result; calls upon the Government to remind the banks that they exist to serve customers and not the other way round; and urges the banks to reconsider their proposals to abolish the cheque. |
| 264 | SUPPORT FOR ADULTS WITH COMMUNICATION NEEDS | 26:11:09 |
| Roger Berry | | Mr David Amess | | Mrs Betty Williams | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Holmes | | John Battle |
| | Alan Keen | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Phil Willis | | | Mrs Anne McGuire | Mr Dai Havard |
| That this House welcomes the formation of the Adult Communication Coalition England (ACCE) which aims to ensure that all adults and older people get the speech, language and communication support, equipment and services they need to communicate effectively; notes the ACCE estimate that at least 1.5 million people in England have Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN); is concerned that at present many adults with SLCN do not receive the communication support, equipment and services they need and that wide geographical variations exist in access to these services, particularly during transition into adulthood; recognises that without such support adults with SLCN are being denied opportunities to live independently and fulfil their social and economic potential; regrets the low priority given to the needs of adults with SLCN at a national level and the lack of a comprehensive national strategy for adult SLCN; and calls on the Government urgently to undertake an audit to assess the current state of services for adults with SLCN and to identify the barriers they face in getting their needs identified and met. |
| 265 | WORLD VISION CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY | 26:11:09 |
| Dr Phyllis Starkey | | Peter Bottomley | | John Battle | | Andrew George | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the World Vision campaign highlighting the 8.8 million children under the age of five years who die every year from preventable causes; recognises that the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 on child and maternal health are those where progress is most behind; notes that 30 countries account for four out of five of the preventable deaths of children under the age of five years; and calls on the UK Government to prioritise spending in those countries, to support governments of low-income countries by developing and funding national plans that prioritise cost-effective preventative interventions such as breast feeding, hand washing and immunisation, and to publish action plans setting out how the money already allocated for health will be spent to ensure that it reaches those most in need. |
| 267 | BOTOX TESTING ON ANIMALS | 26:11:09 |
| Annette Brooke | | Mr David Drew | | Paul Holmes | | John Battle | | Andrew George | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| That this House welcomes The Ugly Truth investigation by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection into the testing of botox on animals; notes that despite being licensed as a medical treatment, botox is regularly used for cosmetic purposes; is concerned that thousands of animals are still used each year for botox testing despite an alternative being available which does not involve the use of animals; further notes that the LD50 test is used which is classed by the Home Office as being of substantial severity; and calls on the Home Office to ensure that the LD50 test is not used in botox tests undertaken for cosmetic purposes. |
| 270 | MOBILITY SCOOTERS | 26:11:09 |
| Peter Bottomley | | Lynne Jones | | Bob Spink | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Dai Davies |
| That this House notes that disabled adults are twice as likely to live in low-income households as non-disabled adults, and that two-fifths of adults aged from 45 to 65 who are living on below-average incomes have a limiting, long-standing illness or disability; further notes that the reclassification of mobility scooters by the European Union means that they are now subject to a 10 per cent. import tax and that this will in many cases be passed on to the consumer; therefore believes that this reclassification amounts to a tax on the disabled; and joins the charity Elizabeth Finn Care in calling on the Government to press the EU to reverse this decision or introduce measures in the UK that will ensure that the hardship of some of the most financially vulnerable people in society is not increased. |
| 272 | MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES | 26:11:09 |
| Nick Harvey | | Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger | | Mr Colin Breed | | Norman Lamb | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House recognises that myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of blood disorders affecting approximately 10,000 people in the UK in which around one third of cases progress to acute leukaemia, and that more than 90 per cent. of patients are over the age of 50 when they are diagnosed; notes that there is a lack of awareness of MDS by the public, Parliament and non-specialist healthcare professionals; welcomes the work of the MDS UK Patient Support Group in raising the profile of the conditions and in providing support to patients; calls for continued progress to be made in the diagnosis and treatment of MDS patients across the UK to minimise regional inequality of access to essential, specialist treatment and care through the NHS; calls for clinically effective pharmaceutical interventions to be made available to patients; and recommends that updated national guidelines for treatment are developed. |
| 273 | VOTE CRUELTY FREE COALITION | 26:11:09 |
| Dr Nick Palmer | | Mr David Amess | | Norman Baker | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Mr Adrian Sanders |
| That this House welcomes Vote Cruelty Free, a new coalition working to ensure the political process reflects concern for animal protection; notes that the coalition comprises the BUAV, Compassion in World Farming, International Fund for Animal Welfare, League Against Cruel Sports and Respect for Animals and covers a wide range of animal welfare issues; and calls on all prospective Parliamentary candidates to support this coalition. |
| 276 | FEED-IN TARIFFS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY | 26:11:09 |
| Alan Simpson | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Simon Hughes | | Mark Durkan | | Adam Price | | Mr Mike Weir |
| | Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews | Frank Dobson | Mike Gapes | | | Mr Edward Davey | Ms Karen Buck | Roger Berry | | | Joan Walley | Derek Twigg | Hazel Blears | | | Mr Martyn Jones | Julie Morgan | Dr Alasdair McDonnell |
| That this House underlines the importance of demonstrating a strong commitment to policies to tackle climate change in the run-up to negotiations in Copenhagen; reiterates its welcome for the inclusion of feed-in tariff legislation in the Energy Act 2008; notes the strong support for this legislation from a wide variety of businesses, environmental, consumer and fuel poverty groups, trades unions, farmers and social landlords; further notes the huge technical potential for sub-5 megawatt decentralised renewable technologies to deliver up to one-third of the UK's electricity; believes that decentralised energy could make a considerable contribution to cutting the UK's carbon emissions, tackling fuel poverty, increasing energy security and generating green jobs; is concerned that tariffs proposed for the Government's Clean Energy Cashback scheme will mean decentralised renewable electricity is anticipated to contribute just two per cent. of the UK's electricity by 2020; considers this to be a wholly inadequate level of ambition; supports calls for a suitably ambitious tariff which delivers a higher return on investment; and calls on the Government to revise the proposed tariffs substantially to increase the level of ambition of the scheme and offer communities, households and businesses a significant role in driving UK renewable energy deployment. |
| 277 | FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION | 30:11:09 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew | | Bob Russell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Adrian Sanders |
| That this House notes that section 24 of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, as recently interpreted by the Court of Appeal, prevents the Home Office from disclosing all information, however trivial, about animal experiments that researchers want kept secret; agrees that information such as researchers' names and addresses and genuinely confidential information should remain secret; but believes that the public should be able to access all other information, including what is being done to the animals and for what purpose; and calls on the Government to repeal section 24 using its powers under section 75 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. |
| 279 | SUPERMARKET LABELLING OF MEAT | 30:11:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House notes that currently most fresh meat produce is labelled to include its source of origin; expresses concern that a similar standard of labelling is not as strictly enforced in the case of ready meals which include processed meat; notes that it is permissible for meat and other products to be produced overseas, imported to the UK and processed then labelled as British; further notes that actual British meat is of a very high standard, and that British animal welfare standards are some of the best in the world; regrets that those purchasing products containing processed meat may be misled by incorrect labelling into purchasing an inferior product; calls on the Government to close this loophole; and further calls on supermarkets and other retailers to exceed the prescription of law by ensuring that only produce that has been produced in the United Kingdom is labelled as British. |
| 283 | BANK PENALTY CHARGES | 30:11:09 |
| Dr Vincent Cable | | John Thurso | | Mr Jeremy Browne | | Mr Colin Breed | | Andrew Stunell | | Kate Hoey |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr David Heath | Jenny Willott |
| That this House notes the judgement of the Supreme Court that banks and building societies were legally entitled to charge penalty fees for unauthorised overdrafts; further notes that the Supreme Court conclusion was not a judgement on the fairness of such charges; condemns the disproportionate penalty charges levied on customers by banks and building societies; welcomes the Office of Fair Trading's assessment that such charges are unfair; urges the Office of Fair Trading to continue to pursue this issue using the other powers available to it; calls on the British Bankers' Association to amend the Banking Code to make explicit the industry's principles on service charges; further calls on the Government to review existing pricing structures; and further calls on banks and building societies to voluntarily refund unfair and disproportionate penalty charges. |
| 285 | TAX STATUS OF HON. MEMBERS | 30:11:09 |
| Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Virendra Sharma | | John Mann | | Mr Ken Purchase | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House believes it to be wholly inappropriate for hon. Members to have non-domiciled tax status; and calls on the Government to bring forward amendments to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill to make non-domiciled persons ineligible for membership of the House. |
| 286 | KICK BULLYING INTO TOUCH CAMPAIGN | 30:11:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr David Drew | | Stephen Williams |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr David Crausby |
| That this House commends and supports Premier Rugby's Kick Bullying Into Touch campaign which teaches young people about how to deal with bullying; praises the Guinness Premiership clubs for nominating ambassadors such as Paul Sackey, Ugo Monye and England captain Steve Borthwick as inspirational figures to represent the campaign; further praises the programme reaching over 17,000 children to date, with 97 per cent. of children taking part having a better understanding of different forms of bullying; and hopes that the programme will continue to flourish and help young people to kick bullying into touch. |
| 287 | HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY | 30:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Martin Caton | | Glenda Jackson |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Don Foster | David Howarth | | | Mr Brian Binley | Lindsay Roy |
| That this House notes that 27 January marks Holocaust Memorial Day, the day on which Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and death camp was liberated; recognises the significance of this day and the importance of remembering and learning from the past especially when there are those who seek to denigrate and deny its significance; further notes that the theme for January 2010 Legacy of Hope, is inspired by the testimony of holocaust and genocide survivors and teaches the lessons of hope for a safer, inclusive society; condemns denial and denigration of the memory of the Holocaust, as well as of the 1915 Genocide of Armenians and Assyrians in Turkey, and the politics of hatred and division which led to these events; commends the Holocaust Educational Trust for its work in educating on the horrors of the past, reaching thousands of students across the country; and calls on hon. Members to respect Holocaust Memorial Day and to ensure that the Holocaust, the 1915 Genocide and modern atrocities such as the 1988 Anfal Genocide are never forgotten. |
| 288 | SHARIA COUNCILS AND THE SINGLE LEGAL SYSTEM | 30:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Philip Davies | | Dr William McCrea | | Mr Brian Jenkins | | Mr Graham Stuart | | Mr Robert Syms |
| That this House notes the increasing use of Sharia councils in some circumstances in the UK; further notes that a single legal system operates in the UK under the authority of the Crown; recognises the importance of rigorously adhering to and maintaining a single legal system to ensure the equal treatment of all citizens; and calls on the Government to ensure there is no acceptance in any way of any alternative legal systems in the UK. |
| 289 | RUGBY LEAGUE STATUE AT WEMBLEY STADIUM | 30:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Derek Wyatt | | Jim Dobbin | | Paul Rowen | | Greg Mulholland | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| That this House notes the lack of any statue dedicated to rugby league at Wembley Stadium; recognises the important historical link between the game of rugby league and Wembley Stadium, the venue which has hosted the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final since 1929; welcomes the recognition given to other sports in the form of statues and artwork at the new Wembley Stadium; believes that rugby league should also be recognised, given the long and successful Challenge Cup Final tradition; and calls on the Rugby Football League to work with the Wembley authorities to ensure that a statue is erected at the site. |
| 292 | 60th ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL PARKS AND ACCESS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE ACT 1949 | 30:11:09 |
| Alun Michael | | Mr Clive Betts | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr Roger Williams | | Mr Stephen Crabb | | Lembit Öpik |
| | Mr David Crausby | David Mundell |
| That this House welcomes the 60th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949; notes that this visionary piece of legislation led to the creation of National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Nature Reserves, the Public Rights of Way framework and National Trails; sees the UK's protected landscapes as assets to the nation which enjoy widespread public support and are enjoyed by millions of visitors, as well as being home to farmers and local communities who are vital to sustaining them; celebrates the diversity of the UK's protected landscapes from upland to lowland areas across Great Britain; notes that they provide havens for wildlife, stunning scenery, cultural heritage, opportunities for promoting physical, mental and spiritual well-being, a playground for learning for all ages, and are exemplars in sustainable farming, links between urban and rural communities, demonstrators of sustainable development in practice, stores for carbon and places that promote solutions to the challenges of climate change; welcomes the significant achievements obtained from those working in partnership in these areas; acknowledges that the benefits of protected landscapes are enduring though the challenges they face have changed over time; welcomes the support that successive Governments and all political parties have given to protected landscapes; and urges future administrations to demonstrate continuing support for these special areas. |
| 293 | BISPHENOL A AND BABY BOTTLES | 30:11:09 |
| Mr Roger Williams | | Annette Brooke | | Charlotte Atkins | | Julie Morgan | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Bob Russell |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Ms Diane Abbott | Frank Dobson | | | Mr Neil Gerrard | Mr Jim Cunningham | Frank Cook | | | Mr Tom Harris | Mr Dai Havard | Nadine Dorries |
| That this House notes that baby bottles made using the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) are still being sold in the UK despite being withdrawn in Canada and the US; further notes that hundreds of studies and evaluations published in peer-reviewed medical journals have raised consistent and compelling concerns about the potential impact of low level exposure of this chemical; further notes that the Environmental Health Perspectives Journal in March 2009 published a letter from 36 of the world's leading scientific experts on BPA, criticising the European Food Safety Authority for relying predominantly on two outdated studies funded by the chemicals industry and saying that its decisions based on this logic are misguided and will result in continued risk to public health from exposure to BPA; further notes that babies in their first year have not fully developed the ability to clear BPA from their bodies as quickly as adults; welcomes the No More BPA campaign led by Breast Cancer UK and whose call is backed by NCT, formerly the National Childbirth Trust, UNISON, the Women's Environmental Network, the Cancer Prevention and Education Society and CHEM Trust; and urges the Government to introduce regulations to end the use of BPA in baby bottles sold in the UK. |
| 295 | STATUTORY REGISTRATION OF HERBALISTS | 30:11:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Andrew George |
| That this House notes that certain herbal medicines, including Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Kampo, traditional Tibetan medicine, Unani Tibb and western herbal medicine, may be effectively outlawed in the UK by the EU unless statutory regulation is introduced by the Government before April 2011, and that the Government's recent consultation on this issue has concluded; and therefore calls on the Government to bring forward promptly a statutory system for registering and regulating herbalists, acupuncturists and practitioners of other traditional medicine systems to meet the EU requirements and thus ensure that patients continue to have access to the full range of traditional medicines they are currently able to receive. |
| 299 | HUMAN RIGHTS IN WESTERN SAHARA | 1:12:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mark Williams | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House condemns the escalating wave of human rights violations against Saharawi human rights activists in October and November 2009 including the detention of seven prominent Saharawi prisoners of conscience; expresses concern over the intention of the Moroccan authorities to try these prisoners in a military court where they may face the death penalty; is dismayed over the expulsion of prominent Saharawi human rights activist and winner of the 2009 Civil Courage Award Aminatou Haider from Western Sahara; notes with concern the actions of the Moroccan authorities to prevent Saharawi human rights activists from travelling abroad; expresses regret over the arrests of several Saharawi human rights defenders; opposes the regressive and systemic trend of human rights violations against those who peacefully resist the occupation of Western Sahara; and calls on the Government to condemn these actions and urge the United Nations to implement human rights monitoring in the region. |
| 301 | AVAILABILITY OF VITAMINS AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS | 1:12:09 |
| Mike Penning | | Mr Andrew Lansley | | Chris Grayling | | Mr Stephen O'Brien | | Mr Mark Prisk | | Mr David Amess |
| That this House notes that the United Kingdom has a rigorous and effective regime for permitting onto the market under the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 only such higher potency vitamin and mineral supplements as are accepted as safe and appropriately labelled by the Food Standards Agency; is deeply concerned that the future availability of such safe and popular supplements is now threatened by the current process through which the European Union is proposing pan-European limits on the potencies of such supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; further notes that successive Ministers have pledged to defend the future availability of such supplements but have not yet secured sufficient support from other member states and the European Commission to ensure that the policy objectives of the Government can be achieved; and calls on the Prime Minister personally to intervene with the President of the European Commission to ensure that the right of UK manufacturers to produce, specialist retailers to sell, and informed consumers to choose to buy such safe and popular supplements is not unacceptably curtailed through an unnecessarily restrictive interpretation of the legislation. |
| 302 | LAW ON ASSISTED SUICIDE | 1:12:09 |
| Miss Ann Widdecombe | | Ann Winterton | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr Ronnie Campbell | | Dr William McCrea | | Stephen Pound |
| | Mr John Gummer | Mr David Crausby | Ruth Kelly | | | Mr Tom Harris | Nadine Dorries | Mr Andrew Pelling |
| That this House notes the judgement of the Law Lords in the appeal of Debbie Purdy requiring that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) publish guidelines for those contemplating assisting another to commit suicide; further notes that in following the Law Lords, the DPP has produced a document informing people what to do to avoid prosecution; further notes that the DPP, like the Law Lords, states clearly that it is the function of Parliament, not the judiciary to make and amend legislation; considers that the guidelines override the will of Parliament; recalls that twice recently the House of Lords has rejected by a clear majority attempts to change the law on assisted suicide, the second time in July 2009 when a clause to introduce assisted suicide through the Coroners and Justice Bill was defeated by 191 votes to 141; further notes the comment of Lord Carlile of Berriew QC, a foremost human rights lawyer, that before prosecution for theft or grievous bodily harm, `we are not told how much we can steal...or how much injury we can inflict...'; further notes that through indicating to would-be offenders how best to avoid prosecution, the DPP will put the vulnerable at grave risk; and calls on the Government to require the withdrawal of the guidelines, leaving Parliament rather than the judiciary or unelected civil servants to consider whether to change the law, and making it clear to the judiciary that they are not permitted to override the supremacy of Parliament. |
| Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House notes that Mr Andrew Stephenson, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Pendle, is using his Pendle Matters newspaper to urge people to shop local; regrets that Pendle Matters, which has been delivered free by Royal Mail to all 37,000 households in Pendle for the last three years, is printed in Guildford, Surrey; applauds Mr Stephenson's view that there are in Pendle many fantastic local independent retailers, offering great goods and services and that `if we don't use them we will lose them'; is bemused by Mr Stephenson's statement that he has been unable to find a printer in Burnley or in Pendle whose estimate is even close to what he is currently being charged; believes that the solution is for Mr Stephenson to disclose how much he pays for his publication and for him to invite all local printers to respond with better quality and price offers; further notes that there are over 20 printing companies in the Pendle and Burnley area; and invites Mr Stephenson to shop locally and to contact each one to get a quote. |
| 304 | ELECTRIC CINEMA IN BIRMINGHAM | 1:12:09 |
| Mr Tom Watson | | Mr Khalid Mahmood | | Richard Burden | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Gordon Prentice |
| That this House recognises the value of independent cinemas to the cultural and social life of local communities; celebrates the continued success of Britain's oldest working cinema, The Electric in Birmingham; notes that on 2 December 2009 a centenary celebration is taking place for the cinema that started life as a silent movie theatre, became a news theatre during the Second World War and succumbed to dereliction in 2003; further congratulates proprietor Mr Thomas Lawes who has lovingly restored the cinema to its former Art Deco glory whilst preparing it for the new age of digital content; and calls on the Government to confirm its support for independent cinemas which are a vital part of Britain's cultural film heritage. |
| 305 | EQUALISATION OF TARIFFS FOR GAS AND ELECTRICITY BILLS | 1:12:09 |
| Dr Ashok Kumar | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mark Durkan | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell |
| That this House believes that it is unacceptable that individuals and families using prepay meters pay more for their gas and electricity than anyone else and that is is morally wrong to charge the country's poorest citizens the most exorbitant rates; believes that gas and electricity companies should take immediate action to bring prepay meter prices into line with the national average; and calls on Ofgem to reconsider its implementation of regulatory guidelines on companies' charging practices. |
| 306 | FREE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH LONG-TERM CONDITIONS | 1:12:09 |
| Mr Neil Gerrard | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Spink |
| | Miss Ann Widdecombe | Mr Peter Ainsworth | Ms Karen Buck | | | Mr Robert Syms | Mr David Heath | Mr Barry Sheerman | | | John Battle | Derek Twigg [R] | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | | Mr Andrew Pelling | Mr Brian Binley | Mark Pritchard |
| That this House supports the Prescription Promise campaign in urging the Prime Minister to implement his promise, made in September 2008, to abolish prescription charges for people with long-term conditions as soon as possible; believes that timely access to appropriate medication is crucial in order to minimise the impact of living with a long-term condition for the individual and to minimise the cost of treating long-term conditions for the NHS; is therefore concerned that the recession has made it harder for large numbers of people with long-term conditions to pay for their prescriptions and that many are going without vital medicines; notes that the Government has identified savings from the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme of around £550 million per year from 2010, which will be more than sufficient to cover the £250-£350 million cost, estimated by the Department of Health, of implementing free prescriptions for people with long-term conditions; further notes with concern that Professor Ian Gilmore's review of prescription charges has not yet been published; and calls on the Government to publish this review and its own response as soon as possible. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 308 | SECOND WORLD WAR MUNITIONS WORKERS AND THE SWYNNERTON ROSES | 1:12:09 |
| Mr Robert Flello | | Mark Fisher | | Joan Walley | | Paul Farrelly | | Harry Cohen | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House honours and gives thanks to the brave individuals who served in Britain's armed forces during the Second World War; acknowledges, also, the vital and often dangerous work carried out by the people who worked on the home front; welcomes efforts over recent years to give official recognition to such groups; notes with some concern the fact that munitions workers, such as those at Royal Ordnance Factory 55 Swynnerton, have received no such formal recognition; further notes that work in munitions factories was extremely dangerous and that many workers were killed or received serious injuries which continue to affect them to this day; and therefore urges the Government to formally recognise the contribution of former munitions factory workers as a matter of urgency. |
| 309 | ACTION ON EQUITABLE LIFE | 1:12:09 |
| Mr Robert Flello | | Harry Cohen | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell |
| That this House notes the Parliamentary Ombudsman took the unusual step of using powers under the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 to present Parliament with a further and final report on Equitable Life; further notes that the Public Administration Select Committee's second report on Equitable Life, Justice Denied?, concluded that the Government response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report was inadequate as a remedy for injustice; believes that many losses at Equitable Life were due to poor investment decisions and that the Government should be responsible for compensation only for those resulting from maladministration; welcomes the formation of the All Party Group on Justice for Equitable Life Policyholders; further notes with regret its necessary formation and the fact that over 30,000 people have already died waiting for a just resolution to this saga; urges the Government to take strong action to expedite matters and to set a date by which a final decision will be made; and recommends that the Government make interim payments to those who are in most desperate need of assistance and review all such cases once a final decision on a compensation scheme has been made. |
| 310 | NETWORK RAIL BONUSES | 1:12:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Mrs Siân C. James | | Mr David Drew | | Ms Katy Clark | | Jim Cousins | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes that Network Rail is funded in the region of £5 billion a year by the taxpayer; further notes that Network Rail has confirmed in its most recent interim results that it will lay off in the region of 1,500 rail maintenance workers and that Chief Executive Iain Coucher has confirmed to the Transport Select Committee that there will be compulsory redundancies; shares the concerns expressed by the unions that these job cuts will increase safety risks and the job losses should be reversed; is appalled that despite the proposed redundancies Network Rail directors continue to receive bonuses of over a million pounds; is concerned that this unfairness is funded by the taxpayer; and therefore calls on Network Rail directors to do the decent thing and at the next Network Rail Board meeting agree to pay back their bonuses with immediate effect. |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Bob Laxton | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes that the current exemption from stamp duty on properties valued at £175,000 or less is due to expire on 31 December 2009; recognises the importance of the current exemption in helping stimulate the housing market which has witnessed rising prices for the past seven months; further notes the need to continue helping families and individuals to buy property in the current economic climate; and urges the Government to extend the stamp duty exemption in order to stimulate the housing market further and to help the economy grow in 2010. |
| 314 | DRAFT EUROPEAN STATEMENT ON EAST JERUSALEM | 1:12:09 |
| Martin Linton | | Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews | | Dr Phyllis Starkey | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mark Durkan | | Richard Burden |
| That this House supports the proposed statement by the Council of the European Union drafted by the Swedish Presidency calling for negotiations on a two-state solution leading to an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital; welcomes the statement's clear reiteration that settlements are illegal under international law, as are the separation barrier on occupied land and the demolition of homes; agrees that all three constitute an obstacle to peace by threatening to make a two-state solution impossible; and asks the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to endorse this document at the meeting in Brussels on 7 December 2009. |
| 315 | SILVER STREET AND BBC RADIO DRAMA | 1:12:09 |
| John Hemming | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Ms Gisela Stuart | | Miss Julie Kirkbride | | Mr Roger Godsiff |
| That this House is concerned at the proposed cut back in radio drama proposed for the West Midlands by the termination of the Asian radio network production Silver Street in March 2010; notes that the proposed replacement radio drama output will be a cut of 80 per cent. of the BBC's Asian network production in the West Midlands since 2004 and reduce the viability of the Birmingham Mailbox radio drama production site, as well as diminish opportunities for writers, technical staff and for lead roles for ethnic minority actors in the Midlands; believes that this action contravenes the commitments given by the BBC to the House, to take production outside the M25 at Charter Renewal, and to spread production to all the English regions and the nations; and calls on the BBC to rethink this proposal. |
| 318 | CHARITIES AND RECORDED MUSIC LICENCES | 1:12:09 |
| Tom Levitt | | Alun Michael | | Bob Russell | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mark Durkan |
| | Mr Robert Walter | Mr David Crausby | Mr Gordon Prentice | | | Angus Robertson | Mr Alistair Carmichael | Stewart Hosie |
| That this House notes the Government's decision to make charities and other not-for-profit organisations pay for a licence when they play recorded music in their own premises from April 2010; further notes the proposals would result in an unacceptable financial burden on the voluntary and community sector upwards of £20 million per annum; further notes the devastating impact that these proposals would have on local tea dances, youth clubs, coffee mornings, charity shops and others; and therefore calls on the Government to maintain the status quo and continue the current exemption for all charities and other not-for-profit organisations from this music licence regime. |
| 322 | COPENHAGEN AND GREEN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | 2:12:09 |
| Derek Wyatt | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House notes the progress achieved over the past two years by the UN-ITU and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development groups on green information technology led in part by UK officials; congratulates them on their work; and calls on the UK delegation at the Copenhagen summit on 7 to 18 December 2009 to ensure that green information technology strategies are at the heart of the UK's negotiations. |
| 323 | SAVE OUR SOUND UK CAMPAIGN | 2:12:09 |
| Peter Luff | | Mr John Whittingdale | | Andrew Mackinlay | | John Battle | | John Barrett | | Bob Russell |
| | Ms Diane Abbott | Dr Vincent Cable | Mr David Heath | | | Angus Robertson | Mr Peter Bone | Mr Jim Devine | | | Lindsay Roy |
| That this House agrees with the Save Our Sound UK campaign that wireless microphones are essential to live music, musical theatre, newsgathering, filmmaking, television production, sports events, concerts, conferences and community events in the UK; understands that over 95 per cent. of stocks of existing equipment will become redundant as a consequence of the impending clearance of the radio spectrum that they use; notes that this spectrum, once cleared, will be auctioned with significant revenues going to government; recognises that if these activities are to continue at current levels then all affected equipment will need to be replaced, at significant cost; further understands that Ofcom has consulted on a compensation package that the Government has committed to provide in its Digital Britain White Paper; but notes that Ofcom's proposals would only entitle some users to partial replacement costs, and the rest to nothing; is concerned that many of those who own and supply existing equipment could not afford to replace entire inventories, jeopardising all productions that depend on them; and therefore urges the Government to provide a compensation package that covers all fifteen spectrum channels being cleared, and at levels that cover the full costs of replacing existing equipment with like-for-like alternatives as this would prevent serious damage to this vital part of the UK's creative industries at a small fraction of the revenues that the spectrum auctions are likely to generate for government. |
| 324 | PROVISION OF NEW COUNCIL HOUSING | 2:12:09 |
| Lynne Jones | | Richard Burden | | Clare Short | | John Hemming | | Mr Roger Godsiff | | Ms Gisela Stuart |
| That this House welcomes the initiative taken by Birmingham City Council and other local authorities to bring forward new council housing schemes and the investment made by the Government in these schemes; further welcomes the long-awaited consultation by the Government on the reform of council housing finance; and urges the Government to take forward these reforms as speedily as possible so that local authorities can once again provide adequate social housing to meet local needs, including using rental income from local tenants. |
| 326 | NATIONAL HOUSE-BUILDING COUNCIL HEALTH AND SAFETY AWARDS 2010 | 2:12:09 |
| Gordon Banks | | Lindsay Roy | | Mr Jim Devine | | Mr David Anderson | | Peter Bottomley | | Mark Durkan |
| | Julie Morgan | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House welcomes the National House-building Council (NHBC), the UK house-building standard setter and warranty provider, establishing the new health and safety awards which recognise and promote best on-site health and safety practice in the house-building sector; notes that on average there are 15 fatalities on Britain's house-building sites each year; further notes that history shows that as the UK emerges from recession, the number of on-site accidents in the house-building sector rises; recognises that the NHBC award scheme is the only scheme of its kind for house-builders; commends builders who invest in on-site health and safety and who provide a safe working environment; and hopes that their efforts will be recognised by these awards. |
| 327 | NATIONAL DEFENCE MEDAL | 2:12:09 |
| Mr Michael Mates | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Ann Winterton |
| | Norman Baker | Frank Dobson | Dr Vincent Cable | | | Mr David Crausby | Andrew Stunell | Ann Clwyd | | | John Mann | David Cairns | Jo Swinson | | | Ms Katy Clark |
| That this House notes the significant personal sacrifice armed forces personnel make in their service to the nation once they take the oath or affirmation of allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen; acknowledges that ex-service personnel are proud to receive and wear Her Majesty's Veterans Badge, but notes that it is not awarded posthumously and it is considered by many to be insufficient recognition for the contribution veterans have made to the safety of the nation since the ending of the Second World War; and therefore calls on the Government to rescind its recent decision not to more appropriately recognise the veterans by the award of a national defence medal and instead to establish a working group to work with the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals, with a view to implementing a national defence medal as soon as possible. |
| 330 | 400th ANNIVERSARY OF THE KING JAMES BIBLE | 2:12:09 |
| David Simpson | | Dr William McCrea | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson | | Mr Peter Robinson | | Mr Nigel Dodds |
| | Mr Oliver Heald | David Mundell | Mike Penning |
| That this House recognises the very significant religious, spiritual, social, political and literary contribution to the United Kingdom that the King James or Authorised Version (AV) of the Bible has had on its people; further recognises the positive impact the AV has had across the world; notes that 2011 will mark the 400th anniversary of the authorised version; congratulates the 2011 Trust in the plans it is making to celebrate this anniversary; welcomes the advance commitment of the BBC to mark it on radio, television and online; and calls on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport officially to mark this highly important anniversary. |
| 331 | INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 2009 | 2:12:09 |
| Malcolm Bruce | | Mark Durkan | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Andrew George | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes that 3 December 2009 is International Day of People with Disabilities which aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and the rights of persons with disabilities; recognises the gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of the political, social, economic and cultural life of their communities; welcomes this year's focus on the millennium development goals which should reflect persons with disabilities; further notes that around 10 per cent. of the world's population, or 650 million people, live with disabilities; and calls on the Government to do all it can to support persons with disabilities in this country and abroad. |
| 332 | PROVISION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY HOUSING | 2:12:09 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Mr David Drew | | Paul Holmes | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Dr Brian Iddon |
| | Glenda Jackson | Mr Adrian Sanders | Mr Paul Keetch | | | Joan Walley | Mr Bill Olner | Mr Bruce George | | | Mr Dennis Skinner | Keith Vaz | Mr David Crausby | | | Ian Stewart | Tony Lloyd | Mr David Clelland | | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | Michael Connarty | Mr George Galloway |
| That this House welcomes the new direct investment in existing and new council housing but considers that the level of funding in the proposed Housing Revenue Account reforms is not sufficient to meet housing need; believes that the 3,200 new council homes will be nowhere near enough to provide the public housing for rent needed by the five million people on council housing waiting lists and that the new homes built will be heavily outnumbered by council homes lost through privatisation and sales to finance decent homes improvement in the year ahead; and recommends that to avoid further loss of much-needed local authority housing stock the Government should impose an immediate moratorium on the further sale of council housing, should provide funding on the scale necessary to meet the level of need including the £7 billion backlog of capital works, and should provide a new system of funding council housing which creates a level playing field on debt write-off and stock transfer so as to achieve the `sustainable, long-term system for financing council housing' promised by Ministers, and to begin the big council and social house-building drive necessary to put people and builders back to work and ensure that the building of public housing reaches the level necessary to check the rise in private house prices and prevent people being forced to take up mortgages they cannot afford as the only way of being housed, trends which have led to the present crisis. |
| Tony Lloyd | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Phil Willis | | Ian Stewart | | Pete Wishart | | Mr Gerry Sutcliffe |
| That this House recognises Kevin Flack's commitment over 10 years as the Secretary of the UNITE T&G Parliamentary Staff trade union branch; appreciates that over the past decade he has worked tirelessly in representing staff of hon. Members and MEPs' staff both in individual matters and in seeking to improve their collective conditions; acknowledges and thanks him for his good humour and dedication; and wishes him the best of luck in all his future activities. |
| 334 | SAVE GENERAL ELECTION NIGHT CAMPAIGN | 2:12:09 |
| Mr Tom Harris | | Mr Eric Pickles | | Geraldine Smith | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Bob Russell | | Mr Peter Bone |
| | Patrick Hall | Mr Oliver Heald | Mr Edward Davey | | | Joan Walley | Mr David Crausby |
| That this House is concerned at reports that growing numbers of returning officers are considering postponing the counting of votes cast on the day of the General Election until the day after polling; believes that in the 21st century it would be a regressive move not to announce constituency results as early as possible; further believes that public confidence in the results could be undermined by delays in the counting of ballot papers and that fewer voters would be able to watch the results being announced if this were done on a Friday afternoon; and calls on local authorities throughout the United Kingdom to ensure that all ballot papers are counted immediately after the close of polls on General Election night, as has been the practice in previous general elections. |
| 336 | IMPACT OF THE FOOD SUPPLEMENTS DIRECTIVE | 2:12:09 |
| Dr Brian Iddon | | Kate Hoey | | Jo Swinson | | Frank Cook | | Mr John Leech | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Clare Short | Mr David Crausby |
| That this House notes that after much delay proposals for maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive are expected to be published by the European Commission in early 2010; further notes that despite efforts from the UK Government and Food Standards Agency the levels remain likely to be set in a disproportionately restrictive way and will have a devastating impact on the UK health food industry; welcomes the recent impact assessment carried out by the Health Food Manufacturers' Association and the National Association of Health Stores to quantify the impact that the setting of maximum permitted levels will have on UK businesses; expresses its profound concern that the impact assessment suggests that the setting of maximum permitted levels could potentially lead to the loss of well over £100 million worth of sales, the closure of more than 700 independent retail stores and around 4,000 job losses; fears that smaller specialist manufacturers and retailers will be the hardest hit by this legislation; suggests that this process will restrict the choice to British consumers and leave such consumers exposed to the additional risks of buying products from unregulated overseas suppliers through the internet and mail order; and invites the Government to redouble its efforts in Europe to safeguard the future of the UK health food industry and the continued availability of safe, higher potency food supplements that have been on the UK market for decades. |
| 337 | UN RESOLUTION ON TREATMENT OF MINORITIES IN IRAN | 2:12:09 |
| Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Lynne Jones | | Derek Wyatt |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr David Crausby |
| That this House notes with grave concern the continuing human rights violations against ethnic and religious minorities in Iran; strongly condemns the discrimination against Bahá'is, Arabs, Azeris, Baluchis, Kurds, Christians, Jews, Sufis and Sunni Muslims in Iran; further condemns the persistent harassment, intimidation and persecution of human rights defenders, political opponents, ethnic and religious minorities and other groups by the Islamic authorities; welcomes and supports the resolution passed by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on 20 November 2009 strongly condemning the continuing abuse of the fundamental human rights of these groups and Iran's failure to comply with international standards in the administration of justice; and urges the Government to further support this Resolution, to work with international partners and use every influence to ensure that the rights of Bahá'is and all the other minority groups are upheld by the Iranian authorities. |
| 338 | REVIEW OF TIER 4 POINTS-BASED SYSTEM FOR STUDENT VISAS | 2:12:09 |
| David Lepper | | Mr Robert Syms | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Dr Vincent Cable | Martin Horwood |
| That this House recognises the important role of the English language teaching sector in the UK economy and in promoting a positive image of the UK; welcomes the steps taken by the Government and by the sector to introduce more robust forms of registration and the accreditation of course providers; acknowledges the need to deal with abuses of the student visa system, but is concerned that proposals being consulted on in the review of the Tier 4 Points-based System for student visas could result in some 50,000 fewer legitimate students a year coming to the UK's language schools, further education colleges and universities to study, causing severe damage to the sector and a major loss of income to the UK; believes that it is possible to deal with any abuses in the system in ways which do not damage properly registered and accredited providers of courses; and calls on the Government to work closely with representatives of those providers to agree an alternative solution to that currently being consulted on. |
| 342 | CARERS' RIGHTS DAY 2009 CAMPAIGN | 3:12:09 |
| Dr Hywel Francis [R] | | Mr David Anderson | | Mark Williams | | Hywel Williams | | Mr Paul Burstow | | Tony Baldry |
| | Jim Dowd | Mr David Crausby | Julie Morgan |
| That this House notes that 4 December is Carers' Rights Day 2009; congratulates the organisers of the 1,500 events taking place across the UK which will inform carers about their rights and entitlements; further notes that Carers UK and the Department for Work and Pensions are calling on carers to check that they get all the financial help and practical support to which they may be entitled, including their future pension entitlement; welcomes changes to the state pension coming into force in April 2010, including the new Carers Credit which will help carers to protect their pension in the future; expresses concern about new Carers UK research which found that over a third of carers had missed out on benefits, leading them to struggle financially and risk their own health; and calls on all professionals who come into contact with carers to encourage them to find out about their rights and to recommend that they contact Carers UK. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 343 | JOSEPH ROWNTREE FOUNDATION AUDIT ON POVERTY | 3:12:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| That this House registers its dismay that an audit undertaken by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows that poverty is at the same level as it was in 2000, with two million children in low-income households, unemployment at a 12-year high and repossessions at six times the level of 2004; and urges the Government to pursue policies to eradicate poverty and promote equality. |
| Kate Hoey | | Lynne Jones | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Mike Weir |
| | Dr Howard Stoate | Mr Malcolm Moss | Joan Ryan | | | Glenda Jackson | Richard Burden | Mr Ken Purchase | | | Mr David Crausby | Andrew Stunell | Mr Joe Benton | | | Mr Don Touhig | Ms Celia Barlow | Emily Thornberry | | | Anne Main | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House welcomes the Prime Minister's recent announcement on the extension of banking services offered through the Post Office; further welcomes the Government's consultation on providing such services; notes that proposals for a Post Office Bank present a unique opportunity to return trust to the banking sector by creating a fairer institution to tackle financial exclusion, boost the economy by lending to small businesses, improve the sustainability of the Post Office Network and re-establish a local bank in areas affected by bank closures; regrets however, the limited scope of the consultation, which will not cover the appropriate structure and funding model necessary for its delivery; further notes that the Business and Enterprise Select Committee urged the Government to review the current strategy for the delivery of financial services; and calls on the Government urgently to support the delivery of a Post Bank. |
| As an Amendment to Kate Hoey's proposed Motion (Post Bank): |
| Mr Ian McCartney | | Mrs Betty Williams | | Mr Phil Willis | | Mr Dennis Skinner | | Mr David Chaytor | | Ann Clwyd |
| Line 11, at end add `which includes credit unions as local, ethical providers of inclusive financial services with a natural synergy with the Post Office, and which should be a central part of any Post Bank.'. |
| 347 | ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND DIRECTORS | 3:12:09 |
| Mr Gordon Prentice | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Lynne Jones | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House urges the Government to resist the demands of the directors of the Royal Bank of Scotland to be allowed to pay million pound bonuses to their investment banking staff, and to accept without hesitation the resignations of those directors when they are offered. |
| 350 | NATIONAL CHILDMINDING ASSOCIATION | 3:12:09 |
| Mark Williams | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House congratulates the National Childminding Association for its work in ensuring that children receive high quality home-based childcare; acknowledges the importance of consistent, flexible and personalised care in helping children achieve their potential; welcomes the role it plays in organising both national and local events to promote home-based childcare and to provide support to childminders; notes the success of National Childminding week in raising awareness of the work done by childminders; and wishes the National Childminding Association well for the future. |
| 354 | STATIONS MADE EASY FACILITY AND NATIONAL RAIL ENQUIRIES | 3:12:09 |
| Martin Linton | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the launch of the Stations Made Easy facility on the National Rail Enquiries website; notes that it provides passengers with interactive maps of every railway station in Great Britain and routes that avoid stairs and other potential obstacles; believes it will make an important contribution to improving access to the rail network, particularly for disabled and older passengers, but also for first-time visitors and passengers with luggage, bicycles or pushchairs; congratulates the Association of Train Operating Companies on this achievement; and supports the partnership of train companies, Network Rail, the Department for Transport and Transport Scotland that funded it. |
| 355 | 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD | 3:12:09 |
| Annette Brooke | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Lynne Jones | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Glenda Jackson |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr David Crausby | David Howarth |
| That this House welcomes the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC); recognises the achievements made through the UNCRC over the last 20 years in promoting and protecting the rights of children around the world; notes that significant progress has been made in the UK, but agrees with the Government's assessment that `there is more to be done' in order to see children reach their fullest potential; further welcomes the Government's Working Together, Achieving More action plan to address the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; calls for the rights of children to be protected whatever their circumstances and setting, including children in the criminal justice system, children facing discrimination, refugee and asylum-seeking children and children in the media; and further calls on the Government to fulfil its commitments under the UNCRC in order to achieve its ambition to make the UK the best place for all children and young people to live. |
| 360 | DECENT HOMES FUNDING | 3:12:09 |
| Mr Clive Betts | | Mr Paul Burstow | | Jim Dowd | | Mike Gapes | | Tom Brake | | Harry Cohen |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Dr Doug Naysmith | Frank Cook |
| That this House is deeply concerned that funding has been redirected from the Decent Homes Programme to pay for new build homes; notes that this means that any Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) that has not yet received its 2* rating will no longer receive all the funding they were promised, and that therefore several ALMOs will not not be able to bring tenants' homes greatly in need of renovation up to a decent standard; further notes that tenants who supported the creation of an ALMO will now feel badly let down; believes that the Decent Homes Programme is highly efficient and is sustaining local construction jobs, some of which may now be lost; and calls on the Government to restore Decent Homes funding to its planned levels for both 2009-10 and 2010-11. |
| 361 | MEDICAL DISCHARGE BOARDS AND ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL | 3:12:09 |
| Nick Harvey | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mark Oaten | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Colin Breed |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Roger Williams | Nadine Dorries | | | David Howarth | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House recognises the difficulties with the current Medical Discharge system by which three medical boards discuss the injured person's medical treatment and discharge; believes that insufficiently reliable information about benefits and entitlements is available to service personnel prior to discharge, as well as information about the Discharge board process itself, which is often convoluted and conducted in an uninformative manner; notes that the appointments with the boards can often be intimidating; calls for better support from outside agencies such as the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency; and urges the Government to investigate the matter and to transform medical discharge boards so that they become fairer, more transparent and more accessible in terms of advice and guidance throughout the whole process. |
| 362 | MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS | 3:12:09 |
| John Austin | | Mr Robert Walter | | Paul Rowen | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Dr Richard Taylor | | Mr David Amess |
| | Laura Moffatt | Mr George Howarth | Nick Ainger | | | Mr Eddie McGrady | David Mundell |
| That this House notes that arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions affect one in four of the population, causing widespread pain and disability; is concerned that 60 per cent. of primary care trusts have not audited outcomes against over £4 billion of NHS expenditure; and calls on the Government to ensure that musculoskeletal services receive improved strategic direction. |
| 364 | WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AND PNEUMONIA | 3:12:09 |
| Dr Desmond Turner | | Jim Dobbin | | Dr Richard Taylor | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Nick Harvey | | Dr Brian Iddon |
| That this House calls on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board to highlight the importance of pneumonia at the Executive Board meeting in Geneva, 18 to 23 January 2010, by placing pneumonia on the agenda; further calls on members of the Executive Board to raise the issue of pneumonia and the devastating burden it has on the developing world; congratulates the work of the WHO and the UN for the work undertaken to date to fight the scourge of pneumonia which kills more than four million people every year, half of whom are children under the age of five; notes that one child dies every 15 seconds from pneumonia which kills more children under the age of five than measles, malaria, and AIDS combined, accounting for 20 per cent. of all deaths of children under the age of five worldwide; highlights the effective and available methods of preventing and treating pneumonia; further notes the need to increase access to these simple interventions; further notes the link between pneumonia and H1N1 deaths; and further calls on the global community to join the call for members of the WHO Executive Board to add pneumonia to the agenda for its meeting. |
| 367 | RURAL TOURISM AND FURNISHED HOLIDAY LETS RELIEF | 3:12:09 |
| Mr Mike Weir | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mark Durkan | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Colin Breed | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House calls on the Government to reconsider plans to abolish furnished holiday lets relief; recognises this decision will impact on the rural tourism industry by increasing the taxation burden on small businesses; understands the Treasury was attempting to close a loophole that allows people with a single holiday home abroad to get relief, but regrets Ministers have failed to differentiate between such cases and small tourist businesses; and further calls on the Government to urgently rethink this tax change before irreparable damage is caused. |
| 369 | FAIRTRADE CHOCOLATE | 7:12:09 |
| Hugh Bayley | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Tom Levitt | | Malcolm Bruce | | Mr John Greenway | | Richard Ottaway |
| | Mr David Crausby | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House supports the work of the Fairtrade Foundation to improve sustainable sourcing practices, trading relationships and the livelihoods of farmers through certifying consumer products; welcomes Nestlé's recent announcement of Fairtrade certification to Nestlé's four finger Kit Kat, and its commitment to work towards certifying the whole Kit Kat range in the UK and Ireland; recognises the role that Fairtrade products have had in increasing consumer awareness of sustainability issues; notes the popularity of Fairtrade, with over £700 million of certified products sold in the UK each year; acknowledges the role that food manufacturers can play in helping farmers to access better trading conditions; is encouraged by Nestlé's actions; and looks forward to further commitments from manufacturers to promote growth and reduce poverty in the developing world. |
| 371 | RIGHTS OF PHOTOGRAPHERS | 7:12:09 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Kate Hoey | | Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Mr David Crausby | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House views with concern the rash of incidents of photographers, both amateur and professional, being stopped by over-officious police constables and police community support officers (PCSOs) from taking photographs of St Paul's Cathedral, fish and chip shops in Chatham, the Houses of Parliament, the Millennium Bridge, Christmas lights in Burgess Hill, strategic buildings in Hull and other public places, all under the provisions in anti-terrorist legislation against eliciting information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism; considers that it ill becomes a state which trains more cameras on its people than any other on the globe to harass its citizens when they use theirs; commends the view of Lord Carlisle that the police should show common sense; and urges the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Association of Police Officers to inform the police and PCSOs that photography is a right as well as an enjoyable pastime for both tourists and a large section of the population and to educate constables and PCSOs on the rights of photographers in their training so that they can recognise that the joy photography and happy snapping brings to citizens and tourists alike should not be inhibited. |
| 372 | MANIFESTO FOR THE BRITISH PUB | 7:12:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Lynne Jones | | Bob Russell | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Mr David Crausby | David Cairns |
| That this House believes that a real manifesto is needed to support and preserve the pub which must include all the main issues and problems currently facing pubs; notes the main areas of focus of the Parliamentary Save the Pub group include reform of planning law to protect the pub, outlawing the practice of restrictive covenants, reductions in beer duty, measures to deal with unacceptably low supermarket beer pricing, reform of the current model of the tie as operated by some pub companies' covenants and other measures; further notes the British Beer and Pub Association's (BBPA) recently launched campaign and manifesto The Life and Soul of Britain's Communities, and supports the majority of its aims, but believes that this is only a partial manifesto and is disappointed that the manifesto deliberately omits some issues which, whilst of critical importance to preserving and supporting pubs, are not in the interests of some of the BBPA's members, who include big pub-owning companies that are responsible for closing many pubs; believes that a real manifesto would include reform of the tied system to make it fair and transparent, reform of planning law to protect the pub and to give communities a say over their future and a ban on restrictive covenants; urges all other trade associations to bring forward a real manifesto including all the important issues; and calls on all pub-supporting hon. Members and peers to support all these measures and not only those in the BBPA campaign. |
| 373 | RELOCATION CASES | 7:12:09 |
| David Maclean | | Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Colin Breed | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mr John Grogan | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | Mr Martin Caton | | | Jenny Willott |
| That this House believes that a child's relationship with its parents requires greater legislative protection with regard to the Family Court's current application of precedent in international and national relocation cases; further believes that the Family Courts of England and Wales' position on the importance of the father/child relationship does not reflect the current authoritative research on the importance of father involvement in educational and psychological development in relocation cases; further believes that the courts in practice place too great an emphasis on the unsubstantiated emotional risk to the child from the mother's possible distress and disappointment if not allowed to relocate; considers that this emphasis over-rides all other considerations including the needs and rights of the child; and calls on the Government to respond positively to the research report by the charity Reunite, entitled Relocation, funded by the Ministry of Justice and published in July 2009. |
| 375 | ARMY CADET FORCE | 7:12:09 |
| Angus Robertson | | Mr James Gray | | Mr David Drew | | Bob Spink | | Mr Colin Breed | | Mr Gregory Campbell |
| That this House expresses concern at UK Government plans to cut the Army Cadet Force budget by £4 million; believes that the army cadets are the soldiers of tomorrow and these short-sighted cuts risk the future of an organisation which has given young people a taste of military discipline and leadership for nearly 150 years; notes the UK Government's turnaround on residency rights for the Gurkhas and planned cuts to the Territorial Army; and now calls for Ministers to abandon proposed cuts to the Army Cadet Force. |
| 377 | MICROGENERATION STRATEGY | 7:12:09 |
| Mr Martin Caton | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Simon Hughes | | Mr Tim Yeo | | Dr Alan Whitehead |
| | Jim Dowd | Mr Bill Olner | Mr Brian Binley |
| That this House welcomes the publication of the Microgeneration Manifesto drawn up by the Micropower Council, which recommends that the Government defines a clear, simple access route to all available support and information for householders in order to facilitate a comprehensive energy efficiency and microgeneration retrofit programme for all homes, including those in the private rental sector; notes that the press release by the Department of Trade and Industry of 12 December 2005 stated that microgeneration could, with the right policy support, provide between 30 and 40 per cent. of UK electricity needs and contribute 15 per cent. towards carbon dioxide savings by 2050; further notes that a study by the Sustainable Consumption Round Table showed that consumers become more energy-aware as a result of installing microgeneration; and hopes that the policies in the Microgeneration Manifesto will form the basis of a new microgeneration strategy and of the energy policy of both this Government and the next. |
| 379 | HOME CREDIT MARKET | 7:12:09 |
| Mr Ian McCartney | | John Battle | | Dr Alan Whitehead | | Mr Russell Brown | | Ian Stewart | | Eric Joyce |
| | Mr Eddie McGrady | Mr Alan Reid | Mr Tom Harris | | | Anne Main |
| That this House notes the ongoing lack of price competition in the home credit market and the devastating impact that high cost credit is having on the poorest communities as reported by Channel 4's Dispatches programme on 7 December 2009; further notes that the Competition Commission's remedies for this market have not had any impact since its inquiry into the home credit market in 2006; further notes that Provident Financial now charges £82 for every £100 lent, which is 26 per cent. higher than was reported three years ago; further notes that Provident now have an estimated 70 per cent. of the market and that the `unfair credit relationship' test introduced by the Consumer Credit Act 2006 has not led to a single instance of prices being lowered; believes that urgent and effective action is now required to help low income borrowers obtain credit at a fair price; and calls on the Government to provide the Office of Fair Trading with a power to cap prices in non-competitive areas of the credit market, or the Competition Commission to immediately review its remedies for the home credit market and or the Financial Services Authority to introduce a rule requiring banks to demonstrate how they are helping to expand access to affordable credit, for example by partnering with credit unions. |
| 380 | TRIDENT REPLACEMENT | 7:12:09 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Alex Salmond | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Jon Cruddas | | Colin Challen | | Dr Gavin Strang |
| That this House notes that the UK is facing its biggest economic crisis since the Second World War and can ill afford to spend in excess of £76 billion on replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system; further notes that the UK's security needs are not met by nuclear weapons which do nothing to combat the threats posed by terrorism or climate change; further notes that while countries such as the UK justify their retention and replacement of nuclear weapons on the grounds of an uncertain future, the more likely it is that non-nuclear states will use the same rationale to justify developing their own weapons systems; and calls on the Government to cancel the replacement of Trident, to re-orientate the skilled manufacturing base towards the needs of a post-carbon future, making significant investment in green jobs and reallocating funds towards socially useful spending. |
| 383 | PEOPLE WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY AND VOTING | 7:12:09 |
| Mr Tom Clarke | | Tom Levitt | | Shona McIsaac | | Dr Gavin Strang | | Mr Brian Jenkins | | Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods |
| | Mr Oliver Heald | Richard Ottaway | Mr Edward Davey | | | Mr David Crausby | Julie Morgan |
| That this House is concerned that less than 20 per cent. of those eligible to vote with a learning disability voted in the last General Election; believes that in order to encourage more effective engagement of people with a learning disability in the democratic process, local authorities, political parties and central government should produce accessible material in relation to electoral matters; notes the work of Mencap's Get My Vote campaign to encourage political parties to produce easy to read manifestos and United Response's Every Vote Counts campaign to ensure that people with a learning disability are engaged in the democratic process; and calls on all prospective parliamentary candidates to make their election material easily accessible for people with a learning disability. |
| 386 | WELFARE OF RACING GREYHOUNDS | 8:12:09 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Frank Cook | | Andrew George | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Mr John Whittingdale | Tom Brake | Mr John Horam | | | Dr Vincent Cable | Mr David Heath | Mr Geoffrey Robinson | | | Mr Adrian Bailey | Mr Gordon Prentice | Sandra Osborne | | | Mr Khalid Mahmood | Angus Robertson | David Howarth | | | Jenny Willott | Stewart Hosie | Paul Rowen | | | Mr Peter Bone | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House calls on the Government to acknowledge that the draft regulations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 on the welfare of the 30,000 greyhounds used for racing are, following consultation, acceptable only to the gambling industry and have been conclusively rejected by over 10,000 concerned individuals and animal welfare organisations because of their inadequacies in regulation and extension to kennelling and retirement; and further calls on the Government to ensure that hon. Members are given adequate opportunity to consider the provisions of any regulation laid before the House before being asked to decide on them. |
| 387 | FUTURE OF TEESSIDE CAST PRODUCTS | 8:12:09 |
| Dr Ashok Kumar | | Ms Dari Taylor | | Frank Cook | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Martin Caton | | Paul Flynn |
| That this House regrets the recent announcement on the future of Teesside Cast Products (TCP); notes the worry and uncertainty of those at risk of losing their jobs; calls on the TATA Corus leadership to use the time granted by the remaining orders to look for a long-term future for TCP; and supports the community union and other unions' campaign to save jobs and save UK steel. |
| 388 | BID FOR CADBURYS | 8:12:09 |
| Mr Alan Meale | | Bill Etherington | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Martin Caton |
| That this House is alarmed by reports of a hostile £10 billion-plus city takeover bid by foreign competitors to buy out the UK manufacturer Cadburys; notes this company's unique British heritage and its well-regarded ethical credentials, regularly displayed in its functioning and expressed recently in its £45 million Cadburys Cocoa Partnership which gave Fairtrade accreditation to Dairy Milk in July 2009; understands the company's recent trading update shows significant improvement in its market position; and therefore believes that the selling off of such a fundamental cornerstone of British manufacturing in this sector is neither necessary nor in the interest of the UK, as it risks relinquishment of control over the UK economy and consequently the nation's prosperity. |
| 391 | INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY | 8:12:09 |
| Mr Nigel Evans | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House welcomes International Human Rights Day on 10 December 2009; condemns those countries where human rights abuses occur on a daily and systematic basis; notes that on Monday Iranian authorities ordered foreign news outlets not to cover the protests that came on National Student Day, which were reportedly dispersed with the use of tear gas and militia brutality; further notes that in Burma, the case of Aung San Suu Kyi highlights the cruel suppression of democracy and perpetration of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the military junta; and calls on international agencies, including the UN and EU, and each sovereign state, to refocus their attention on human rights violations wherever they occur throughout the world. |
| 392 | AFFORDABLE RURAL HOUSING | 8:12:09 |
| Mr Roger Williams | | Mr James Gray | | Tim Farron | | Peter Bottomley | | Chris McCafferty | | Paul Holmes |
| That this House is deeply concerned about the shortage of affordable housing in rural areas and the threat it poses to the viability of rural communities; notes that the average price of a home in the countryside is now around £40,000 more than in urban areas, pricing many lower income earners and young people out of the communities in which they work and were brought up; believes that in order for the shortage to be addressed, local authorities must be fully aware of housing need in each of their rural wards; supports calls by the National Housing Federation and the Countryside Alliance for the Government to ensure that local authorities and their residents have easy access to all relevant national and regional data about rural housing need in their area; and calls on the Government, in conjuction with local authorities, to make the provision of affordable rural housing a priority. |
| 395 | PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN ONLINE | 8:12:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House supports greater protection for children online; congratulates the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) centre on its initiative of a report button for websites, allowing users to contact specially-trained CEOP officers for advice; notes with concern that CEOP says it receives 10,000 hits a month; congratulates social networks Bebo and MSN Instant Messenger for adopting the button; further congratulates the Government on its commitment to incorporate the button on all 270,000 computers provided under its Home Access Scheme; and calls on all social network providers and websites which are used by children to also adopt the button. |
| 397 | LANGUAGE SCHOOLS AND THE POINTS-BASED SYSTEM TIER 4 REVIEW | 8:12:09 |
| Damian Green | | Chris Grayling | | Tim Loughton | | Mr Andrew Lansley | | Kate Hoey | | Bob Spink |
| | Alistair Burt | David Mundell |
| That this House is concerned that the proposals in the Home Office consultation regarding limiting Tier 4 student visas to only higher educational institutions would have serious consequences for genuine language schools; recognises the role English language schools play in local communities and economies; is extremely concerned about abuses of the student visa system for immigration purposes; and calls on the Government to crack down on bogus colleges and students, but opposes unnecessary restrictions on the applications of students to legitimate language schools. |
| 399 | SUPPLY TEACHERS AND AGENCY WORKERS REGULATIONS | 8:12:09 |
| Jon Cruddas | | Tony Lloyd | | Frank Cook | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Paul Truswell | | Alan Simpson |
| | Mr Andrew Love | Mike Gapes | Mr Bill Olner | | | Mr Dennis Skinner | Colin Burgon | Mr David Crausby | | | Mr David Chaytor | Mr Michael Meacher | Mr Gordon Marsden | | | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | Julie Morgan | Mr Tom Clarke | | | Michael Connarty | John Mann | Paul Farrelly |
| That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to introduce Agency Workers Regulations to give agency workers equal treatment with permanent staff on pay and holidays after 12 weeks in a job; notes however that the draft regulations published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills state that if there were a break in service for six weeks this would break the continuity for the purposes of the 12-week qualifying period for equal treatment rights; shares the concern of the National Union of Teachers, that having a six week break clause would offer very little protection to supply teachers as the school summer holidays would constitute a break in service and it would be simple for agencies to avoid the provisions by moving supply teachers between schools; further notes that it would be virtually impossible for teachers working in local authorities that have moved to four or five shorter academic terms to acquire 12 weeks continuous service in a single school; and urges the Government to strengthen the regulations before publication to ensure supply teachers can benefit from the equal treatment provisions. |
| 400 | CHARITY DROUGHT RELIEF IN KENYA | 8:12:09 |
| Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House notes the horrendous ongoing problems in much of Africa in the battle against drought, famine and corruption that has been fought for generations; commends the many volunteers, church groups and charities that continue to offer hope to those most affected; draws particular attention to groups such as Excellent Development, a British charity that has constructed 200 sand dams in Kenya, offering help and hope to Kenyans in such a way as to combat drought and corruption; and expresses the hope that support for their, and other, such ventures will be sufficient to allow them to expand their efforts and bring assistance to millions more throughout the East African region. |
| 401 | ADOPTION MATTERS NORTHWEST | 8:12:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr David S. Borrow | | Mr George Howarth |
| That this House acknowledges the invaluable support and guidance offered by Adoption Matters Northwest to children who may otherwise be denied the benefits of a secure family environment; notes that they are a specialist voluntary adoption agency who recruit and prepare people who are able to adopt or provide permanent care for such children; and recognises the positive difference the organisation makes to children and families throughout the North West and its wider contribution to raising awareness of adoption alongside the British Association for Adoption and Fostering and other organisations who contributed to the success of this year's National Adoption Week. |
| 402 | CAFOD REPORT ON TREATMENT OF WORKERS IN THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY | 8:12:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Joe Benton | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| That this House commends CAFOD in sponsoring a report by CEREAL and exposing the shameful treatment of electronic workers along the supply chains in Mexico for some of the best-known consumer electronics, including telephone company Nokia and the suppliers making Xbox video game stations and products for Blackberry; notes with disapproval that Nokia terminated the employment of 2,000 workers, including 20 pregnant women, during the economic crisis; further notes their recruitment agency asked workers to sign voluntary resignation forms, removing their rights to severance pay and threatening those who refused with being blacklisted; further notes with disapproval that Microsoft Xbox manufacturers Flextronics made workers share two toilet passes between 70 employees leaving some for up to eight hours without access to toilets; further notes that these companies are making millions of pounds on products and have a responsibility and obligation not to turn a blind eye to such degrading practices in the supply chain, as highlighted in this research; believes that these companies should ensure that all workers in the supply chain are treated fairly, with dignity and have the opportunity to join genuine unions; and calls on these companies to look at the root causes of these problems and to urgently do all possible to improve the working conditions of these workers. |
| 404 | FALKLAND ISLANDS BATTLE DAY | 8:12:09 |
| Andrew Rosindell | | Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Geraldine Smith | | Ann Winterton | | Mr Henry Bellingham |
| That this House joins the people of the Falkland Islands in marking Battle Day, commemorating those who lost their lives on 8 December 1914, in what was the second major naval engagement of the First World War, when a small British fleet destroyed the infamous German South Atlantic Squadron; notes that, following the war, 8 December became known as Battle Day and was established in the Falkland Islands as a national holiday, a day to be commemorated with reverence, and an occasion to be enjoyed as a celebration of freedom and liberation; reaffirms the continued support of the people of the United Kingdom in maintaining the Islands as a self-governing British Overseas Territory; and looks forward to seeing the Union Flag continuing to fly over the Falkland Islands for evermore. |
| 407 | WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS FOR OVER 80 YEAR OLDS | 8:12:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew | | Dr William McCrea | | Mr Gregory Campbell |
| That this House congratulates the Government on the provision of winter fuel payments for those aged 60 and over; further congratulates the Government on providing an increase in the payment for those aged 80 and over; notes with concern, however, that those people who turn 80 after the arbitrary date of 27 September are not eligible for the increased payments throughout the following winter; and therefore calls on the Government to change the qualifying date to ensure that those aged 80 on or before 31 December receive the increased payment in the year they are 80. |
| 409 | HOME EDUCATION AND THE BADMAN REVIEW | 9:12:09 |
| Mr Oliver Letwin | | Andrew George | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | John Hemming |
| | Tim Farron | Mr Edward Timpson |
| That this House acknowledges and celebrates the hard work of the many home educators in Britain who teach their children to an exceptionally high standard; recognises the excellent value they represent to the Government; notes with concern the conflation of welfare concerns with education issues in Government statements on home education; further notes with concern the recommendations of the Badman Review which suggest closer monitoring of home educators, including a compulsory annual registration scheme and right of access to people's homes for local authority officials; and calls on the Government to focus on its own ability to fulfil the Every Child Matters objectives rather than undermine the independence and integrity of home educators by enforcing the Badman recommendations. |
| 411 | PARK HOMES AND FUEL POVERTY | 9:12:09 |
| Mr Mark Oaten | | Andrew George | | Paul Holmes | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House notes park home residents across the country are particularly susceptible to fuel poverty; further notes that because of the nature and classification of park homes they cannot currently benefit from fuel poverty and other energy efficiency programmes; believes this places park home residents in a particularly vulnerable position; welcomes the recent investment in trials to establish the technical feasibility of products to reduce fuel costs in park homes; and calls on the Government to commit to introducing quickly these products if the pilot studies are successful and reclassify park homes to enable residents to access affordable warmth, improve their living standards and bring them more in line with the benefits and safeguards in place for more traditional homes. |
| 412 | FRONT PAGE CAMPAIGN | 9:12:09 |
| Lindsay Roy | | Miss Ann Widdecombe | | Mr Tom Clarke | | John Robertson | | Sir Menzies Campbell | | Mrs Anne McGuire |
| | Dr Howard Stoate | Tom Brake | Mr John Horam | | | Mr Phil Willis | Derek Twigg | Dr Brian Iddon | | | Mr David Chaytor | Ian Stewart | Stephen Hesford | | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | Mr Eddie McGrady | Mr Alan Reid | | | Mr Dai Havard | Mark Durkan |
| That this House believes that politicians, retailers, publishers and distributors have a collective responsibility to protect children and young people from displays of sexually graphic material that they are not emotionally equipped to deal with; calls for an urgent review of existing guidelines drawn up between the Home Office and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents; further believes that such a review must consider the availability of sexually graphic publications to children and young people, the positioning of these publications on the shelves of retailers, and the potential for concealing these publications in bags and consider the question of age-rating such publications; and further believes that failure to follow the revised guidelines could lead to calls for legislation covering all aspects of the availability and display of sexually graphic material to children and young people throughout the retail and publishing industries. |
| 413 | PROTECTION OF RIVER HABITATS | 9:12:09 |
| Mr Oliver Heald | | Martin Salter | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Harry Cohen | | Paul Holmes |
| | Mr Nigel Waterson | Mr Peter Lilley | Simon Hughes | | | Mr Graham Brady | Mr David Crausby | Dr Kim Howells | | | Alistair Burt | Anne Main |
| That this House believes that the chalk rivers of England provide a unique habitat for a rich diversity of fish, riparian creatures and rare plant species which is under serious threat; expresses concern at the recent Environment Agency finding that less than 20 per cent. of the rivers and lakes of England and Wales are currently at `good' status due to growing pollution, over-abstraction of water and habitat destruction; and calls on the Government to develop a plan to protect and enhance the condition of rivers, including the chalk rivers, setting firm and demanding targets. |
| 415 | BANKERS' REMUNERATION AND THE PUBLIC PURSE | 9:12:09 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Eric Illsley | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House regards the salaries and bonuses of the chief executives of the leading high street banks as totally unacceptable when public sector workers have had legitimate claims for wage rises rejected on the grounds that to grant them would increase inflation; notes that at the same time ordinary bank workers are themselves still facing the uncertainty of possible job losses; further notes the respective salaries before bonuses in financial year 2007-08 of four of the leading high street banks were £4.19 million for Sir Fred Goodwin, Chief Executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland, £2.8 million for Eric Daniels, Chief Executive of Lloyds TSB, £2.4 million for John Varley, Chief Executive of Barclays and £1.9 million for Andy Hornby, Chief Executive of HBOS; believes that the remuneration of the chief executive of each bank accepting taxpayers' money for recapitalisation should be reduced to the equivalent of the average of all its employees, with no end-of-year bonus and that United Kingdom registered banks should be subject to a significant multi-billion windfall tax to raise funds for public investment; and further believes that the Government should ensure that any bank in receipt of taxpayers' support should not make redundant any ordinary workers. |
| 421 | ST MONICA'S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL, BOOTLE | 9:12:09 |
| Mr Joe Benton | | Mr George Howarth | | Colin Burgon | | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | | Mr Edward O'Hara | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House congratulates the pupils, staff and parents of St Monica's Catholic Primary School, Bootle, for its inclusion in the recent Ofsted report `Twenty outstanding primary schools - Excelling against the odds'; notes that St Monica's School and the Bootle community deserve this accolade; and endorses the comment by Ofsted that the school is an exemplar of outstanding practice for all 23,000 schools across the country to aspire to. |
| 422 | EDUCATION MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE | 9:12:09 |
| John Robertson | | Jon Cruddas | | Jacqui Smith | | Jim Sheridan | | Keith Vaz | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Mr Anthony Wright | Dr Doug Naysmith | Mr David Crausby | | | Mrs Louise Ellman | Julie Morgan | Sandra Osborne | | | David Heyes | John Mann | Mr Robert Flello |
| That this House supports the extension of education maintenance allowance to over half a million young people who have signed up to receive the allowance since it was rolled out nationally in 2004; calls on the Government to never waiver in its commitment to 16 to 19 year olds who wish to stay on in higher education; opposes any attempts to deny the poorest young people in society the financial assistance to stay on in education; and calls on the Government to guarantee the future of the education maintenance allowance. |
| 423 | LIBEL LAW REFORM | 9:12:09 |
| Dr Evan Harris | | Mr Denis MacShane | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Farrelly | | Philip Davies | | Adam Price |
| | Jacqui Smith | Mr Geoffrey Robinson | Ms Sally Keeble | | | Derek Twigg | Mr George Galloway | David Heyes |
| That this House notes that human rights activists, scientists, writers and journalists are prevented from publishing, and the public prevented from reading, matters of strong public interest due to the chilling effect of English libel law; further notes that libel actions in England and Wales cost 100 times more than the European average; further notes that the costs of defending a libel case are usually prohibitive and that even successful defendants do not recover their full costs; further notes the report of the United Nations Committee on Human Rights which criticises English libel law for its stifling of free expression globally due to libel tourism whereby foreign complainants bring cases against foreign writers for alleged libel in overseas publications; believes that public interest is endangered by powerful vested interests and corporations being able to intimidate writers into not publishing; recognises the recent report by Index on Censorship and English PEN, Free speech is not for sale and further notes the campaign for scientific freedom by Sense About Science; welcomes the formation of the Libel Reform Coalition to campaign for law reform; and calls for a re-casting of the libel laws such that, while individual reputation is protected against malicious or reckless smears, lawful free expression is not chilled and there is a fully effective public interest defence for both scholarship and responsible journalism. |
| As an Amendment to Dr Evan Harris's proposed Motion (Libel Law Reform): |
| Mark Durkan | | Mr David Anderson | | Mr Edward O'Hara | | Mr Roger Godsiff | | Miss Ann Widdecombe | | Dr Alasdair McDonnell |
| Line 11, after `publishing;', insert `further believes that the libel laws discriminate against average and low paid people when victims of defamatory comment in the pages of national publications;'. |
| 424 | A DOG IS FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN | 9:12:09 |
| Andrew Rosindell | | Mr Richard Benyon | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lady Hermon | | Tim Loughton | | Mr Simon Burns |
| That this House notes the Dogs Trust's famous slogan, A Dog is For Life, Not Just for Christmas, which was created in 1978 by the charity's Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin, at a time when thousands of people were buying puppies to give to family and friends as Christmas presents, resulting in puppies being abandoned in the New Year; recognises that despite many years of campaigning by the Dogs Trust, there still exists a problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents; further recognises that the Dogs Trust has seen that the most popular time of year for pups to be abandoned is at the start of the Easter holidays, when pups who were given as Christmas presents have grown up to be big, boisterous dogs; further notes the problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents is still a major concern in a country where there were over 96,000 stray and abandoned dogs taken in by local authorities last year, over 5,000 of which were put to sleep; and wholeheartedly supports the Dogs Trust in its determination to ensure that one day all dogs are cared for by responsible owners, and have a home for life. |
| 425 | CONTRIBUTION OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL NEWSPAPERS | 9:12:09 |
| Mr Paul Burstow | | John Hemming | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Pelling |
| | Mr Oliver Heald | Sir John Stanley | Mr Edward Davey | | | Mr John Horam | David Heyes | David Mundell | | | Mike Penning | Emily Thornberry | Christopher Fraser |
| That this House believes that local and regional newspapers have a long track record of serving and being at the heart of their communities; notes that local media are widely acknowledged as the most trusted of all media; further believes that the independence of local media is vitally important to proper scrutiny and accountability; is concerned that local authority subsidy of news can create unfair competition, making local commercial media unviable and pose a threat to free speech; is further concerned that 100 local newspapers across the UK closed in 2009; further believes that the requirement to place statutory notices with publications independent of the placing authority should be preserved; and calls on the Competition Commission and Audit Commission to review the impact of the growth of local authority funded newspapers on the local media market and free speech. |
| 428 | REGIONAL AIR SERVICES AND AIR PASSENGER DUTY | 10:12:09 |
| Mr Doug Henderson | | Mr Peter Atkinson | | Mr David Clelland | | Frank Cook | | Mr Fraser Kemp | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House calls on the Government to carry out a robust and transparent assessment of the impacts of air passenger duty on regional air services, to consult airlines and airports before proceeding with any further increases, and, should this assessment confirm that damage is being done to regional services, consider measures to relieve or protect those services under threat. |
| 429 | PERSONAL FINANCE EDUCATION GROUP AND PERSONAL FINANCE EDUCATION | 10:12:09 |
| Dr Vincent Cable | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Terry Rooney | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Edward Davey | David Heyes |
| That this House recognises the work of the Personal Finance Education Group in delivering personal finance education to children and young people, and the importance of personal finance education in schools in the current economic climate; acknowledges that for future generations to be financially responsible adults, school-age children must be equipped with the financial know-how to analyse, challenge and question money matters and make reasoned financial decisions; and notes that money management skills are essential in empowering individuals to take charge of their lives and aspirations and to positively influence psychological well-being. |
| 430 | FREE TELEVISION LICENCES FOR PENSIONERS | 10:12:09 |
| Mr John Leech | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Bob Laxton |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | David Heyes |
| That this House recognises that the elderly are amongst the most vulnerable during these tough economic times; is concerned at the increasing numbers of pensioners who are finding themselves in fuel poverty; further recognises the benefits of giving those aged over 75 years a free television licence; and encourages the Government to extend the free licensing scheme to all pensioners, regardless of age. |
| 431 | ACCESS FOR DISABLED RAIL USERS | 10:12:09 |
| Mr John Leech | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Eric Martlew |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Eric Illsley | David Heyes | | | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House appreciates the efforts made to allow disabled persons to use rail services as easily as possible; notes, however, that having to give advance warning of travel by wheelchair-bound persons constitutes a great inconvenience for such rail users; further notes the timekeeping, health and safety and practicality issues involved in having to store mobile ramps for use at stations; calls for more research into the possibility of fitting automated disabled access ramps to all new rolling stock put into operation in the UK; and further calls on the Government to examine every possible development which could lead to this being put into action. |
| As an Amendment to Mr John Leech's proposed Motion (Access for Disabled Rail Users): |
| Dr Brian Iddon | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| Line 3, after `users;', insert `notes that the stepping height between platform and carriage at some stations, such as on the Manchester-bound platform at Kearsley Station in Bolton South East constituency, prohibits the use of trains by all wheelchair users and many other physically disabled people including older travellers;'. |
| 432 | MINIMUM WAGE RATES AND SUPPORT WORKERS | 10:12:09 |
| Mr John Leech | | Lynne Jones | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Andrew Pelling |
| That this House recognises the valuable work of support workers who provide overnight support to vulnerable adults; notes with concern that employers are able to pay rates below the minimum wage to support staff who sleepover but remain on call throughout the night; further recognises that it is often impossible for staff to spend any time asleep while on shift; and therefore urges the Government to bring forward proposals to put an end to the legal practice of paying support workers below the minimum wage for their sleep rate and to ensure that they are paid the minimum wage for sleepover hours. |
| 434 | GURKHA PENSIONS AND PUBLIC EXPENDITURE | 10:12:09 |
| Mr George Howarth | | Ben Chapman | | Mr Edward O'Hara | | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | | Jane Kennedy | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House welcomes the settlement rights given to former Gurkha soldiers; notes that one serious inequality remains, as Gurkhas who served prior to 1997 still do not receive a fair and equal pension compared to their fellow Commonwealth soldiers; acknowledges that pre-1997 Gurkhas currently receive a pension worth approximately £2,150, which falls below the poverty line in the UK; understands that this has disillusioned many veterans, who now believe that UK residency is the only option to receive fair treatment financially; recognises that most Gurkhas in this minority would rather remain in Nepal; further notes that these veterans are entitled to claim up to £9,000 per annum in pension tax credit if they settle in the UK; further notes that this figure increases to approximately £20,000 if other welfare benefits are included; acknowledges that the Gurkhas are not demanding the backdating of any pension payments, but are calling for equal future pensions of approximately £5,000 per year; further acknowledges that the Ministry of Defence estimates the cost of future equal monthly pensions would cost £75 million a year compared to between £300 and £400 million a year to pay for the settlement policy in terms of welfare and healthcare provision on the basis that 10,000 to 15,000 applicants plus their dependants settle in the UK; understands that an equal and fair pension would create considerable cost saving for the government; and calls on the Government to consider giving all pre-1997 Gurkhas an equal and fair pension settlement. |
| 435 | SUPPRESSION OF CHRISTIANITY | 10:12:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House notes with concern the large number of Christians who are suppressed from practising their beliefs in countries such as China and India; recognises that as Christmas approaches, Christians around the world wish to celebrate the birth of Christ and promote the virtues of peace and love; expresses grave concern that basic human rights are suppressed; and calls on the Government to promote the virtues of religious tolerance so that Christians can not only celebrate Christmas but also practise their faith all year round. |
| 436 | FUTURE OF LOCAL RADIO | 10:12:09 |
| Mr John Grogan | | Mr David Chaytor | | Philip Davies | | Bob Russell | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Oliver Heald | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Robert Flello |
| That this House is concerned that the Digital Economy Bill in its present form will threaten the future of local radio by creating a two-tier radio industry in which over 100 local stations, that do not have a clear digital migration path, are consigned to an uncertain future on the analogue spectrum once digital switchover has occurred; notes that, with 46 million adults listening to the radio every week and only three per cent. of listeners expressing dissatisfaction with their present service, radio is thriving in its current form; requests the Government to protect the future of local radio by ensuring that where appropriate, all local radio stations have a viable digital migration path; and calls on the Government to address this before committing the industry to analogue switch-off. |
| As an Amendment to Mr John Grogan's proposed Motion (Future of Local Radio): |
| Julia Goldsworthy | | Mr Colin Breed | | Matthew Taylor |
| Line 4, after `occurred;', insert `is further concerned that popular local radio stations, such as Pirate FM and Atlantic FM in Cornwall, would be threatened by larger regional stations which will not provide radio services with a local focus; believes that the Government should delay the digital switchover until at least 2020 to allow local commercial radio stations to prepare properly; and calls on the Government to come forward with amendments to the Digital Economy Bill that will ensure that there is a viable platform for existing local commercial stations following switchover to a digital format'. |
| 437 | FUTURE OF LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY | 10:12:09 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Lee Scott | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Bob Spink | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Glenda Jackson |
| That this House notes the independent report by Sir David Melville CBE on the situation at London Metropolitan University (LMU) and agrees with his assessment that the level of clawback expected from the university is `off the scale'; further agrees that there was a fundamental failure of management and governance at the institution and a continual dismissal of known funding rules by those in charge which led to misreporting of student figures; further notes that because of the inaccurate reporting hundreds of jobs have been lost, more are at risk and educational opportunities for students, many of them non-traditional students, including some of the most disadvantaged in the capital, have been put at risk; and calls for those responsible for scrutiny and oversight at the institution to consider their positions at LMU, on Higher Education Funding Council for England to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to ensure a stable future for LMU under new leadership, with proper scrutiny, on the Government to secure that there are proper measures in place to safeguard public funds and the education of students at LMU and across the country and on all institutions to consider the points made by Sir David and to institute proper and thorough governance throughout the sector. |
| 438 | RAPE CRISIS CENTRES | 14:12:09 |
| Ms Diane Abbott | | David Lepper | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr David Drew | | Glenda Jackson | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House notes that the Mayor of London pledged in his 2008 manifesto to set up four new rape crisis centres in addition to the existing centre in Croydon at a total cost of £2.23 million, or £744,000 per year, for the following three years; is concerned at the rising levels of gang rape in London, with boroughs such as Croydon, Newham and Hackney having some of the highest recorded incidences; further notes that the age of gang rape victims is decreasing and that there is a link between gang rapes and youth violence; is concerned that in reality there may be many more victims than is recorded due to the number of victims who do not report this crime; recognises that victims of gang rape are in need of specialist support and advice; and calls on the Mayor of London to fulfil his 2008 manifesto pledge by reserving £2.23 million over three years for the maintenance of the Croydon Rape Crisis Centre and to establish four more such centres in problem areas such as those London boroughs noted above. |
| 439 | USE OF SECRET EVIDENCE IN COURTS | 14:12:09 |
| Ms Diane Abbott | | Peter Bottomley | | David Lepper | | Mr David Drew | | Glenda Jackson | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House believes the use of secret evidence in courts is fundamentally wrong; notes that secret evidence is evidence held by the Home Office against an individual that neither the individual, nor their legal representation, may see; further notes that in recent cases secret evidence has been used to detain individuals in prison for up to three years without charge or trial; further notes that these individuals may also be put under a control order or severe bail conditions; further believes that the use of secret evidence by the state against individuals runs entirely contrary to habeas corpus; recognises the European Court of Human Rights' ruling that detaining individuals on the basis of secret evidence is unlawful because `detainees had not been able to effectively challenge the allegations against them'; further recognises the High Court's rulings that `everyone is entitled to the disclosure of sufficient material to enable him to answer effectively the case that is made against him' in both control order and deportation order cases; is disappointed to learn that recent Special Immigration Appeals Court hearings have denied bail on the basis of no evidence whatsoever; and calls on the Government to respond immediately to the High Court ruling by ending the use of secret evidence in courts. |
| 441 | INCLUSION NOW CAMPAIGN | 14:12:09 |
| Mr David Anderson | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mr Gregory Campbell |
| That this House welcomes the three recent investigations undertaken by over 100 young disabled people across the UK into transport, education and leisure; applauds the work of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's Trailblazers network for its Inclusion Now campaign; is alarmed that 10 years after the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 young disabled people still face discrimination in accessing goods and services; and calls on the Government, local authorities and service providers to take note of the three hard-hitting reports, End of the Line, University Challenge and Calling Time, and to consult the Trailblazers Ambassadors as a matter of urgency. |
| 445 | AFGHAN CASUALTIES | 14:12:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Mr David Drew | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | John Hemming |
| That this House salutes the courage and dedication of Britain's soldiers in Afghanistan; regrets the comment by Army Chief General Sir David Richards that the Afghan campaign should not be judged by casualties alone; asserts that wounds of bereavement suffered by the loved ones of the 237 fallen will never heal, and that the loss of arms, legs, genitals, eyesight, hearing and mental faculties suffered by 1,000 seriously injured soldiers are of supreme importance that should be the UK's prime concern in determining future strategy. |
| 449 | LABELLING OF SETTLEMENT GOODS | 14:12:09 |
| Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mr David Drew | | Stephen Williams |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Tim Farron |
| That this House welcomes the labelling guidelines recently issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to assist consumers to identify products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, regarded as illegal under international law; and calls on all catering establishments in both Houses of Parliament strictly to adhere to these guidelines. |
| 450 | NETWORK RAIL REDUNDANCIES ON MIDLAND MAINLINE | 14:12:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr Martin Caton | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House is extremely concerned at the decision of Network Rail to introduce massive compulsory redundancies amongst rail maintenance workers despite receiving Government subsidy of £5 billion per annum; notes with dismay that these redundancies will affect most of the rail network, including the loss of over 50 jobs on Network Rail's Midland Mainline route; is appalled that skilled green jobs are being lost when they will be needed to expand and improve the nation's railway; is also alarmed at the safety implications of reducing a workforce who are responsible for ensuring the safe inspection and repair of track, signals and other rail infrastructure; and calls on Network Rail to review immediately its decision. |
| 451 | NETWORK RAIL REDUNDANCIES ON WEST COAST MAINLINE | 14:12:09 |
| Geraldine Smith | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones | | Mr David Drew | | Glenda Jackson | | Sir Nicholas Winterton |
| That this House is extremely concerned at the decision of Network Rail to introduce compulsory redundancies amongst rail maintenance workers despite receiving Government subsidy of £5 billion per annum; notes with dismay that these redundancies will affect many parts of the rail network including the loss of over 600 jobs on the West Coast Mainline; is appalled that skilled green jobs are being lost when they will be needed to expand and improve the nation's railway; is also alarmed at the safety implications of reducing a workforce who are responsible for ensuring the safe inspection and repair of track, signals and other rail infrastructure; and calls on Network Rail to review immediately its decision. |
| 453 | REDUNDANCIES ON NETWORK RAIL SUSSEX ROUTE | 14:12:09 |
| David Lepper | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr Martin Caton | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House is extremely concerned at the decision of Network Rail to introduce compulsory redundancies amongst rail maintenance workers despite receiving a Government subsidy of £5 billion per annum; notes with dismay that the redundancies will affect most of the rail network, including the loss of 40 jobs on Network Rail's Sussex Route; is appalled that skilled green jobs are being lost when they will be needed to expand and improve the nation's railway; is also alarmed at the safety implication so reducing a workforce who are responsible for ensuring the safe inspection and repair of track, signals and other rail infrastructure; and calls on Network Rail to review immediately its decision. |
| 454 | NETWORK RAIL WESTERN REGION REDUNDANCIES | 14:12:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Roger Berry | | John McDonnell | | Stephen Williams | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr Martin Caton |
| That this House is extremely concerned at the decision of Network Rail to introduce compulsory redundancies amongst rail maintenance workers despite receiving Government subsidy of £5 billion per annum; notes with dismay that these redundancies will affect most of the rail network, including the loss of over 300 jobs on Network Rail's Western Region route; is appalled that skilled green jobs are being lost when they will be needed to expand and improve the nation's railway; is also alarmed at the safety implications of reducing a workforce who are responsible for ensuring the safe inspection and repair of track, signals and other rail infrastructure; and calls on Network Rail to review immediately its decision. |
| 456 | NETWORK RAIL REDUNDANCIES IN SCOTLAND | 14:12:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Mr David Hamilton | | Mr Ian Davidson | | Mr David Drew | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr Martin Caton |
| That this House is extremely concerned at the decision of Network Rail to introduce compulsory redundancies amongst rail maintenance workers despite receiving Government subsidy of £5 billion per annum; notes with dismay that these redundancies will affect most of the rail network, including the loss of over 100 jobs in Scotland; is appalled that skilled green jobs are being lost when they will be needed to expand and improve the nation's railway; is also alarmed at the safety implications of reducing a workforce who are responsible for ensuring the safe inspection and repair of track, signals and other rail infrastructure; and calls on Network Rail to review immediately its decision. |
| 457 | DOG CONTROL LEGISLATION | 14:12:09 |
| Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House recognises that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is not working; notes with alarm that 5,221 victims needed hospital treatment last year as a result of dog attacks; further notes that 6,000 postal workers were attacked last year while going about their duty, and that five children have been killed in the last three years by dog attacks; considers that fresh legislation is needed to tackle the increasing use of dogs as weapons by gang members; believes that new dog control legislation is also required which puts the emphasis on the owner, not the dog or the breed, and which allows for early intervention by the police in order to prevent out of control dogs endangering people and animals alike, making use of devices such as control notices and dog control orders; further recognises that this approach should involve giving police the powers they need to take stringent action against the very worst cases of irresponsible dog ownership, including fines, imprisonment and the `three Ds' of disqualification orders, deprivation orders and destruction orders; further believes that the ability to prosecute the owners of dogs who attack and cause serious injury should be extended to cover attacks on private property, with appropriate protection for dog owners against attacks on trespassers and burglars; further recognises that legislation should be accompanied by increased resources for dog ownership education in order to increase responsible dog ownership; and calls on the Government to deal with this as a priority and for all political parties to make a manifesto commitment to dealing with this problem. |
| 458 | BLISS CHARITY AND NEONATAL CARE IN ENGLAND | 14:12:09 |
| Bob Spink [R] | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Eddie McGrady | Mr Peter Bone |
| That this House notes that 70,000 babies were admitted to neonatal care in England in 2008, almost 20,000 of those being admitted to intensive care; further notes that Bliss is the only UK charity that helps care for premature and sick babies; congratulates Bliss on 30 years of campaigning that has resulted in an NHS neonatal taskforce conducting the most comprehensive review of neonatal care ever undertaken in England; and calls on the Government to implement fully the Taskforce's recommendations in order to make a lasting improvement in the way babies and their families are cared for. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 459 | AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION | 14:12:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr David Drew | | Glenda Jackson |
| That this House recognises that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of poor sight in people over 60 years; notes that there are two types of AMD, wet and dry, dry being the most common form of the condition; further notes that there is research which suggests that vitamin supplements can help slow down the progression of dry AMD; expresses concern that provision of vitamin supplements to treat AMD on the NHS is decided by local primary care trusts and therefore postcode-controlled; congratulates the Government for providing treatment for wet AMD on the NHS; and urges it to provide treatment for dry AMD on the NHS to all those over the age of 60, irrespective of where in England they happen to live. |
| As an Amendment to Bob Spink's proposed Motion (Age-related Macular Degeneration): |
| Dr Brian Iddon | | John Mann | | Chris McCafferty | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mr Brian Jenkins | | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| Line 9, at end add `and to support research with stem cells to repair the damage caused by AMD such as that being carried out at University College London in the Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine.'. |
| 460 | WARM FRONT AND EAGA | 14:12:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Eric Illsley | David Heyes | | | John Mann |
| That this House is concerned that the entirety of Warm Front's budget of £450 million has already been used up; notes that the payments made for relatively standard work are very high compared to industry standards; further notes that Eaga, the Warm Front manager, has purchased Ideal Boilers' interest in Warm Sure, now the repair arm of Eagaheat; further notes that an average of 15 per cent. of all Warm Front referrals during the three months July to September 2009 were second surveys and generated by Eaga's Warm Front marketing team; recognises that second calls for repairs may be necessary but believes these should be met by whoever was at fault and not generally by new public funds; and therefore urges the Government to investigate Eaga's practice as Warm Front supplier to ensure that Warm Front funds are used efficiently. |
| 461 | ASBESTOS IN SCHOOLS | 14:12:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Eddie McGrady | David Heyes |
| That this House is concerned that the Government will not publish responses or names of the local authorities which failed to respond to the Department for Children, Schools and Families' survey asking for information on whether school buildings have asbestos-containing materials; believes it is unacceptable that the public are not aware of the names of the local authorities that have failed to reply to the Government's asbestos survey or are being investigated by the Department; and therefore calls on the Government to make public the full results of the survey, including all local authority responses or refusals to respond, without further delay. |
| 463 | AUTOMATISM AS A DEFENCE IN LAW | 14:12:09 |
| Harry Cohen | | Peter Bottomley | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Michael Clapham |
| That this House considers current UK law which provides sleepwalking as a defence for rape or murder to be grossly unreasonable following recent cases, including a not guilty verdict on a man who killed his wife; notes that the jury in this recent case were presented with the option of not guilty by way of insane automatism or not guilty due to non-insane automatism; further notes that sleep specialist Dr Chris Idzikowski is quoted in The Guardian on 5 December 2009 as saying that insane automatism is intrinsic to the person's behaviour, whilst non-insane automatism is used if a person has had a blow to the head, or is withdrawing from drugs, which creates the condition; further notes that the same article states that an estimated 10 million people in the UK have sleep problems; further notes that very many people at any one time suffer the effects of a blow to the head or withdrawal from drugs, prescription or otherwise; considers that those are not proper defences for rape or murder which warrant walking free without any consequence and if they are now deemed to be so, represent a massive legal loophole; further considers that anyone who kills or commits rape cannot be considered completely safe to walk free in the community without much more extensive tests to check that they will not act in the same manner again and that the seriousness of the act should require detention for such tests in all cases; and calls for a full-scale legal inquiry to consider this matter and to bring sense to UK law. |
| 464 | INCIDENCE OF DIABETES IN CHILDREN | 15:12:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Andrew George |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House notes with concern that a recent study into fructose by the University of California has revealed a link between high levels of fructose, a sweetener commonly found in children's products, and incidences of diabetes and weight gain; is concerned that there is an increase in children under 15 years with Type 1 diabetes across Europe from 94,000 in 2005 to a predicted 160,000 in 2020; states that 90 per cent. of people diagnosed with pre-diabetes are overweight or obese; and calls on the Government to increase its efforts to raise the public's awareness of diabetes in children, particularly the dangers of high levels of fructose, and how it can be prevented. |
| 465 | BENEFIT TRIBUNALS | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Eddie McGrady | | Lynne Jones | | Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Andrew George | | Ms Katy Clark |
| That this House calls for improved measures for appellants in benefit tribunals; recognises that at present most appellants, who are often amongst the most vulnerable members of society, have no source of income, or only reduced rates of benefit, whilst their appeal is being listed and their entitlement to other secondary benefits is also removed; further recognises that the appeals process can take several months to complete, which places many appellants in difficult financial circumstances with no discernible form of income; and calls on the Department for Work and Pensions to review current guidelines to prevent appellants from experiencing financial hardship. |
| 466 | TAXATION STATUS OF HON. MEMBERS | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Paul Flynn | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Colin Burgon | | Ms Katy Clark |
| That this House believes that Members of both Houses of Parliament should be domiciled and ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom; notes that the Government is to bring forward a draft House of Lords Bill which will include provisions to exclude peers who are non-domiciled from sitting in that Chamber; nevertheless believes that this timetable is too leisurely; notes that it deals only with the House of Lords; takes the view that the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill which has already had its second reading in the House of Commons provides a better vehicle for making an early change to the law in this respect; and calls on the Government to table its own amendments which would prevent non-domiciled persons from serving in Parliament and require existing Members of both Houses to certify that they have been resident in the UK for tax purposes in each year since 2000. |
| 467 | NETWORK RAIL REDUNDANCIES IN WALES | 15:12:09 |
| Mrs Siân C. James | | Mr Dai Havard | | Albert Owen | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Martin Caton | | John McDonnell |
| That this House is extremely concerned at the decision of Network Rail to introduce compulsory redundancies amongst rail maintenance workers despite receiving government subsidy of £5 billion per annum; notes with dismay that these redundancies will affect most of the rail network including the loss of over 100 Network Rail jobs in Wales; is appalled that skilled green jobs are being lost when they will be needed to expand and improve the railway network; is also alarmed at the safety implications of reducing a workforce who are responsible for ensuring the safe inspection and repair of track, signals and other rail infrastructure; and calls on Network Rail to review immediately its decision. |
| 469 | BRITISH TROOPS AT CHRISTMAS | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lee Scott | | Lynne Jones |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House recognises the courageous work and immeasurable sacrifices made by all members of the UK armed forces serving around the world this festive season; acknowledges how hard this time of year is for troops' families and friends; and wishes all service personnel at home and abroad a safe and happy Christmas. |
| 470 | POLICE AND KILLINGS IN BRAZIL | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Lynne Jones | | Bob Russell |
| That this House notes with concern the Human Rights Watch report that attributes up to 11,000 deaths to the hands of Brazilian police since 2003; urges the Brazilian federal government to challenge state governments about the figures and to question the power the police have to investigate internally all homicides involving law enforcement authorities; and calls on the Government to support international human rights groups in raising awareness of the matter and thereby putting pressure on the Brazilian authorities to address the factors involved. |
| 471 | AGE CONCERN'S ACTION AGAINST BURGLARY CAMPAIGN | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lee Scott | | Lynne Jones |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | David Heyes | Dr Alasdair McDonnell |
| That this House commends the joint Home Office and Age Concern campaign to help older people take measures to feel secure at home this winter; and welcomes the free advice leaflet available through Age Concern offering advice on how to beat bogus callers, deter thieves and, most importantly, provide assurance for older people. |
| 472 | TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY REVIEW OF OUTDOOR SCIENCE TEACHING | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Phil Willis | | Robert Key | | Andrew Miller | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George |
| That this House welcomes the Government's decision to ask the Training and Development Agency to review the Qualified Teacher Status standards; notes that the number of school students choosing to study physical science subjects post-16 has fallen over the last 25 years and that many studies have indicated a major decline in positive attitudes from students towards science; further notes the report, Initial Teacher Education and the Outdoor Classroom produced jointly by the Field Studies Council (FSC) and the Association for Science Education (ASE) and its recommendations, commonly known as the Malham Protocol, which seeks to reverse this trend; recognises that outdoor learning helps young people learn about assessing and managing risk and is an inspirational approach to teaching science; further notes with concern that there are currently a number of barriers to improving fieldwork, including Initial Teacher Training, which is not working effectively enough to help produce sufficient numbers of high quality teachers with the confidence, competence and commitment to teach outdoor science to the next generation of children and young people; further notes with concern that Qualified Teacher Status standard 30 only requires that trainee teachers should be able to identify opportunities for out-of-school learning, with no requirement for trainees to plan, organise, take part in, and lead outdoor learning activities; congratulates the FSC and the ASE on their work to improve teacher training; and calls for Qualified Teacher Status standard 30 to be strengthened in order to provide an incentive for fieldwork to be used as a teaching method. |
| 473 | MEDICAL DISCHARGE BOARDS | 15:12:09 |
| Dr Liam Fox | | Dr Andrew Murrison [R] | | Mr Gerald Howarth | | Dr Julian Lewis | | Mr John Baron | | Andrew George |
| That this House welcomes the recent willingness of the armed forces to adapt work to accommodate injuries and illnesses of their personnel; notes the potential advantages of unifying the medical board procedures of the three armed forces; hopes that free and open dialogue conducted in an unintimidating and informative environment will characterise the boarding process so that the right decision for the individual and organisation is reached; and urges the Government to do all it can to facilitate a smooth transition to civilian life of good quality for those who are not retained in the armed forces. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 474 | KAUPTHING SINGER & FRIEDLANDER ISLE OF MAN DEPOSITORS AND BONDHOLDERS | 15:12:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mark Hunter | | Mr Michael Clapham | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Frank Field |
| | Mr Michael Mates | Mr John Horam | Mr David Heath | | | Jenny Willott | David T. C. Davies | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House recognises the decision by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to revoke Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander UK's (KSF UK) deposit-taking licence led to the ultimate collapse of Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Isle of Man (KSFIOM); notes that the decision taken by KSFIOM's directors to transfer over 50 per cent. of assets to KSF UK, which was approved by the Financial Supervision Commission following extensive consultation with the FSA, contravenes both UK and European banking practice; further recognises that some 3,000 KSFIOM depositors with savings above the £50,000 compensation threshold, many of whom are British pensioners, are yet to be fully recompensed; further notes that British offshore depositors remit tax to the UK via income declaration or withholding tax and are therefore deserving of action by the Government; asks the Government to intervene directly and calls on the Isle of Man authorities to ensure all depositors receive full compensation, in line with UK depositors; further calls on the 10 life companies that mis-sold over 1,000 bondholders in KSFIOM, a product offering capital security, low risk and regular income potential, to re-evaluate their businesses and marketing practices and recompense policyholders accordingly; and requests that the Ministry of Justice further investigates whether the Isle of Man has the necessary skills, experience or processes in place to ensure effective self-regulation, as well as the conflicts of interest of those holding positions in the Isle of Man's political, judicial, regulatory bodies and financial services industry. |
| As an Amendment to Bob Russell's proposed Motion (Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Isle of Man Depositors and Bondholders): |
| Mr Mark Todd | | Mr Brian Jenkins | | Andrew George |
| Line 5, leave out from `following' to end and add `consultation with the FSA, contravenes both UK and European banking practice; further recognises that some 3,000 KSFIOM depositors with savings above the £50,000 compensation threshold, many of whom are British pensioners, are yet to be fully recompensed; further notes that British offshore depositors remit tax to the UK via income declaration or withholding tax and calls on the Isle of Man authorities to ensure all depositors receive full compensation, in line with UK depositors; further calls on the 10 life companies that mis-sold over 1,000 bondholders in KSFIOM, a product offering capital security, low risk and regular income potential, to re-evaluate their businesses and marketing practices and recompense policyholders accordingly; and requests that the Isle of Man authorities investigate whether the Isle of Man has the necessary skills, experience or processes in place to ensure effective regulation, as well as the avoidance of conflicts of interest between those holding positions in the Isle of Man's political, judicial, regulatory bodies and the financial services industry.'. |
| 476 | KRAFT BID FOR CADBURY | 15:12:09 |
| Lynne Jones | | Mr Jim Cunningham | | Richard Burden | | Ms Gisela Stuart | | Mr Ken Purchase | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House celebrates the fact that Cadbury has shown both its capacity and potential as a standalone company to deliver sustainable growth through the production of high-quality products; notes with concern the hostile bid for Cadbury by the Kraft corporation; further notes with alarm Kraft's record of closing 22 plants and cutting 60,000 jobs in the past decade in a desperate bid to cut costs, and the high level of debt which Kraft already carries; is concerned about the ease with which a hostile takeover bid can be made for a UK company; fears that the takeover of a profitable and well-loved company will lead to further job losses on a considerable scale; believes that decisions concerning investment in UK and Ireland plants must be made in these isles and not in some far-off boardroom; and congratulates Unite the Union on its campaign to maintain Cadbury as an independent and successful company. |
| As Amendments to Lynne Jones's proposed Motion (Kraft Bid for Cadbury): |
| Line 11, at end add `though it regrets that Cadbury showed scant regard for its employees when it closed the Trebor factory in Colchester.'. |
| Line 11, at end add `congratulates Cadbury's on its fair trade policy; and notes the reservations of the financial press towards other potential partners such as Hershey's, in particular in regard to concerns about the effect which a bid by Hershey's would have on their own credit rating.'. |
| 477 | UK INDUSTRY AND RECOVERED FUEL OIL | 15:12:09 |
| Tom Levitt | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Paddy Tipping | | Mr Roger Williams | | Charlotte Atkins | | Andrew George |
| That this House is concerned that the use of Recovered Fuel Oil (RFO) in the lime manufacturing industry is taxed 10 times higher in the UK than minimum EU levels, making it three times the price of natural gas; understands that RFO is manufactured from recycled waste oils that have undergone a process to turn them into a safe and sustainable fuel product; notes that when RFO is burnt in Waste Incineration Directive (WID) compliant plants, which are stringently controlled, it is safer for the environment and public health; further notes that the EU Energy Products Directive explicitly states that the UK is under no obligations to tax RFO use within mineralogical processes, yet does so; further notes that an exemption has been introduced for the steel industry and a tax rebate for the electricity industry which are not required to use WID compliant facilities; acknowledges that the lime manufacturing sector can play a considerable part in minimising the UK's fossil fuel dependency and encouraging low carbon growth, yet currently has no incentive to do so; considers this situation to demonstrate a distinct lack of joined up government thinking between financial and environmental policy, which is damaging the industry's competitiveness; further notes that the Government is missing an opportunity to dispose of this waste in an environmentally sound way; and therefore calls on Government to reduce the tax on RFO used in WID-compliant facilities to address the lack of commercial incentive for companies to invest in greener technologies and use recycled energy in their manufacturing processes. |
| 478 | 2009 NATIONAL TREE WEEK | 15:12:09 |
| Simon Hughes | | Andrew George | | Bob Spink | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Lady Hermon | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House congratulates the Secretary of State for the Environment on planting the first tree to celebrate the launch of the Tree Council's 35th National Tree Week with its theme of Grow Your Own; hopes that many more people across the UK will follow his lead and plant trees for food crops, trees for fuel sources, trees for wildlife, trees for biodiversity, and not least, trees for future generations; commends the actions of tree wardens, community groups, schools charities and other Tree Council supporters who are planning tree planting events in the weeks to come; recognises, in particular, that traditional British orchards have become a nationally scarce resource over the last 50 years and regrets that Britain now imports nearly twice as many apples from abroad as are grown in the UK; acknowledges that better varieties can be grown throughout Britain, even in small back gardens, and the UK can thereby benefit from free food for years to come and help preserve some of the wonderful native varieties that are peculiar to different parts of the UK; suggests that more trees are also needed to create shade in streets, around buildings, in open rural spaces, to provide a habitat for biodiversity that is threatened by a changing climate and to further beautify the landscape; further acknowledges that wherever the right tree can be planted in the right place, communities come together and think about their environment, increasing awareness of the impact of their own actions; and encourages everyone to get out their tree planting boots, wield a spade and grow their own. |
| 480 | BESTWAY NORTHERN LIMITED | 15:12:09 |
| Sir Gerald Kaufman | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | John McDonnell | | Alan Simpson | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Janet Anderson |
| That this House expresses its extreme disapproval of Bestway Northern Limited, a business which seeks to treat its employees like serfs, which conducted a show-trial of two employees, constituents of the right hon. Member for Mancheter Gorton, defamatorily accusing them of gross misconduct when their alleged offence was simply waiting for a decision on their immigration status by the UK Border Agency, which was entirely outside these two employees' control; strongly objects that they have now been dismissed on the grounds stated by their director, Dawood Pervez, that these employees `are not permitted to work in the UK', which is a lie, since the right hon. Member has in his possession a letter dated 4 December 2009 from the UK Border Agency confirming that these two men `will be allowed to continue with their employment in the United Kingdom, until a decision has been made on their outstanding appeals'; warns anyone seeking a job to steer clear of Bestway Northern Limited; and further warns possible customers and clients to have nothing to do with these duplicitous tyrants. |
| 481 | EMERGENCY SERVICES AT CHRISTMAS | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Lee Scott | | Mark Durkan |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | David Heyes |
| That this House shows its support and gratitude to the emergency services around the UK at Christmas; acknowledges the vital and often life saving services provided by the police, ambulance services and fire brigades all year round, and notes particularly their hard work and dedication during the Christmas holidays; and wishes all front line and support emergency service staff a safe, peaceful and happy Christmas. |
| 483 | AIRPORT FOR THE ISLAND OF ST HELENA (No. 2) | 15:12:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr Greg Pope |
| That this House deplores the decision of the Government to delay still further the building of an airport on the island of St Helena, announced in a Written Statement on 15 December 2009 by the Secretary of State for International Development; points out that residents of this remote island in the South Atlantic are British citizens and should be treated on the same terms as residents of the other South Atlantic islands of Ascension and the Falklands, both of which have airports; reminds the Government that the economic case for building an airport on St Helena would transform the island's economy from being dependent upon an ever-increasing annual subsidy to one of self-sufficiency within 10 years, thus making its construction the most cost-effective option; and therefore calls on the Government to honour its past pledges to the people of St Helena to proceed without further delay on the construction of the airport which was due to start in early 2009. |
| 484 | W B GURNEY AND SONS | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Frank Field | | Laura Moffatt | | Alan Keen | | Ms Katy Clark |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Julie Morgan | Mr Charles Kennedy |
| That this House acknowledges the excellent service provided by W B Gurney and Sons since 1813 as Official Shorthand Writers to the Houses of Parliament; is concerned that splitting of the Select Committee contract into different tranches may result in poorer quality transcripts and may possibly result in the demise of Gurney's, the oldest parliamentary reporting company in the world; and calls on officials to reflect on the great work carried out by Gurney's before making any permanent changes to the current contract. |
| 485 | LITTER AND FLY-TIPPING | 15:12:09 |
| Joan Walley | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Martin Horwood | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell | | Bob Spink |
| | Mr John Whittingdale | Mr Oliver Heald | Mr Ian Taylor | | | Mr Edward Davey | Jim Dowd | Dr Doug Naysmith | | | Mr David Heath | Miss Julie Kirkbride | Mr Eric Illsley | | | David Heyes | Patrick Mercer | Mark Williams | | | Dan Rogerson | Christopher Fraser |
| That this House supports Stop the Drop, the campaign by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and its President Bill Bryson to clean up litter and fly-tipping in the countryside; is concerned that, according to the Local Environmental Quality Survey for England, litter levels in many areas remain `unsatisfactory'; welcomes a recent fall in the number of fly-tipping incidents reported to local authorities, but notes that only one in 600 reported incidents of fly-tipping results in a prosecution; and calls on the Government to support high-profile, sustained national educational campaigns on litter, in partnership with industry, to introduce a national deposit scheme for drinks containers, including plastic and glass bottles and cans to back improved training and support for local councils to use the powers they have to punish those who drop litter and fly-tip, and to give councils more powers so that the registered keepers of vehicles, or the responsible person, can be fined if litter is thrown from a vehicle. |
| 487 | DRAFT REGULATIONS ON BLACKLISTING OF TRADE UNIONISTS | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Michael Clapham | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Ken Purchase | | Ian Stewart | | Mr Stephen Hepburn | | John Austin |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Eddie McGrady | David Heyes |
| That this House is disappointed by the Government's response to the public consultation on the blacklisting of trade unionists because it is insufficiently robust; in this context calls for amendments to the draft regulations to recognise that compiling a blacklist of workers is an appalling practice and should be a criminal offence, as should the reprehensible use of such a list by an employer for the purpose of blacklisting, as was proposed in the House on 30 March 1999 by the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry; further calls for them to include the right to a basic award of compensation for the fact of being blacklisted; and urges the Government to make the necessary amendments to the proposed draft regulations. |
| 488 | WELLBEING IN PUBLIC POLICY | 15:12:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Mr John Gummer | | Chris Huhne | | Mr Andy Reed | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr David Chaytor |
| That this House believes that the promotion of happiness and wellbeing are legitimate and important goals of Government; notes that large surveys such as Eurobarometer show the UK's happiness has remained broadly static for at least a quarter of a century; congratulates the French government on publication of the Sarkozy/Stiglitz commission report, which provides alternative measures of progress to GDP; and calls for the introduction of official and regularly conducted statistics on national wellbeing in the UK to inform policy-making. |
| 489 | VOTING AGE OF 16 | 15:12:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Stephen Williams | | Peter Bottomley | | Natascha Engel | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Andrew George |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr David Chaytor | David Heyes |
| That this House welcomes the Prime Minister's confirmation that he would support lowering the voting age to 16 years; notes that in the eyes of the law young people aged 16 years can take on full-time jobs, pay taxes and become parents; further notes that a recent report by the Electoral Reform Society shows that polling of 16 and 17 year-olds consistently shows that a majority want the voting age lowered to 16 years; recognises that the UK Youth Parliament voted for lowering the voting age to 16 years as their top campaign priority of the year after debating in the House of Commons Chamber; acknowledges that Jersey and the Isle of Man have both introduced a reduction in the voting age to 16 years, setting a predecent for the UK to follow; and urges the Government to introduce a bill to lower the voting age to 16 years before the next General Election. |
| As an Amendment to Jo Swinson's proposed Motion (Voting Age of 16): |
| Line 2, leave out from `years;' to end and add `but considers that there should be a serious debate about adopting the most radical approach of lowering the voting age to 14 so that all young people will have the chance to vote in at least one general election while they are in full-time education.'. |
| 490 | REFRESHED COMPACT | 15:12:09 |
| Tom Levitt | | Alun Michael | | Andrew Stunell | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Alistair Burt | | Hugh Bayley |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Eddie McGrady | David Heyes |
| That this House welcomes the publication of a new Refreshed Compact, which will enable greater and more effective working between Government and the Third Sector; notes that the Compact enjoys the support of many organisations which use its principles to the benefit of their constituents; further notes that the Compact enjoys cross-party support and is championed across Government; and further welcomes it being used to encourage stronger and better relationships between Government and the Third Sector and those they represent. |
| 491 | MAXIMUM WORKPLACE TEMPERATURE | 15:12:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Kelvin Hopkins | | John Austin | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mike Wood | | Mr Neil Gerrard |
| | Mr Paul Keetch | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | | Dr Gavin Strang |
| That this House notes that whilst there is a legal minimum workplace indoor temperature, there is no clear legal maximum workplace temperature so that conditions can vary greatly from employer to employer; further notes the many employees, particularly those working in bakeries, are often subjected to very high temperatures which can impact seriously on their health and well-being with effects ranging from discomfort, stress, irritability and headaches, to extra strain on the heart and lungs, dizziness and fainting and heat cramps due to loss of water and salt; and urges the Government to provide clear and coherent guidelines to employers about how to combat heat in the workplace, and to introduce a maximum working workplace temperature of 30°C (86°F) and of 27°C (81°F) for those doing strenuous work. |
| Mr Neil Gerrard | | David Howarth | | John McDonnell | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Ms Katy Clark | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House urges the Government to ensure that the Probation Service in England and Wales has sufficient resources to ensure that it can carry out its statutory duties in an effective and efficient manner. |
| 493 | EAST COAST NETWORK RAIL JOB LOSSES | 15:12:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Jim Cousins | | Colin Challen | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Glenda Jackson | | Harry Cohen |
| That this House is extremely concerned at the decision of Network Rail to introduce compulsory redundancies amongst rail maintenance workers despite receiving Government subsidy of £5 billion per annum; notes with dismay that these redundancies will affect many parts of the rail network, including the loss of over 100 jobs on the East Coast Main Line route; is appalled that skilled green jobs are being lost when they will be needed to expand and improve our railway; is also alarmed at the safety implications of reducing a workforce who are responsible for ensuring the safe inspection and repair of track, signals and other rail infrastructure; and calls on Network Rail to review immediately its decision. |
| 494 | FEMALE PRISONERS | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Neil Gerrard | | David Howarth | | John McDonnell | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Chris McCafferty |
| That this House notes that there are 14 women's prisons, four purpose-built female juvenile units and seven mother and baby units in England; further notes that over the last 10 years there has been a significant increase in the numbers of women in prison from an average of 1,560 in 1993 to around 4,463 in June 2006; is concerned at the large number of women in prison, given that women tend to commit less crime and their offences are generally less serious; is alarmed at reports from the Prison Officers' Association of the high occurrence of mental illness within the female estate, with approximately 30 per cent. of female prisoners self-injuring each year; and therefore calls on the Government to urgently reassess all the factors, including sentencing policies as recommended by the Corston Report, which have led to the large increase in female prisoners and to ensure that female offenders receive the appropriate emotional, psychological and medical support whilst in prison and following release. |
| 495 | PUBLIC SPENDING LEVELS | 15:12:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | John McDonnell | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Mr Neil Gerrard | | Mr David Drew | | Colin Burgon |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House acknowledges that the current financial crisis and recession was caused by irresponsible behaviour within the banking and financial sectors; further acknowledges that during a recession it is vital that the Government maintains public spending to maintain jobs and services; expresses deep concern that the current debate on the financial crisis centres on public sector cuts which will disproportionately affect those most dependent on public services and public sector workers, who are not responsible for the current economic difficulties and many of whom are on low incomes; and therefore urges the Government to maintain investment, jobs and public services and look for alternative ways to reduce the current deficit, including taking effective measures against tax avoidance and making proper use of public ownership. |
| 496 | BELOW-COST SELLING | 15:12:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mr David Anderson | | John Austin | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mike Wood |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House notes the negative impact of below-cost selling in the food industry on a whole range of issues, from employment conditions and consumer choice to animal welfare and the maintenance of the UK producer base; is concerned at retailers demanding high levels of discounting disproportionate to production costs and attempting to shift costs to manufacturers and growers both locally and internationally; and therefore supports the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, representing many of those working in the food industry in the UK, in its call for greater regulation to tackle the unfair advantages of big retailers in order to protect employment conditions within the food industry and the diversity of small manufacturers and producers. |
| 497 | EAST COAST MAIN LINE (No. 2) | 15:12:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Mr Mohammad Sarwar | | Mr Russell Brown | | Mr Frank Doran | | Sandra Osborne | | Mr David Drew |
| | Dr Doug Naysmith | Mr Eric Illsley | Sir Alan Beith | | | Mr Tom Clarke | Dr Gavin Strang | Michael Connarty | | | David Cairns |
| That this House is deeply concerned at continued reports that proposals are being discussed to scrap direct London King's Cross to Glasgow rail services; believes that there are significant social, environmental and economic benefits to retaining this service and that this new publicly-owned railway should be exploring ways to increase rather than cut this service; and calls on the Government to end the uncertainty for passengers, rail workers and businesses and to confirm without delay that there will continue to be regular direct services between London and Glasgow on the East Coast Main Line. |
| 498 | 400th ANNIVERSARY OF BERMUDA'S LINKS TO BRITAIN | 15:12:09 |
| Andrew Rosindell | | Mr Henry Bellingham | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Nadine Dorries | | Mr Nigel Dodds | | Mr David Amess |
| That this House joins the people of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda in celebrating the 400th anniversary of the historic events of 1609, when a flotilla of ships set sail from Plymouth for Jamestown, Virginia, led by the flagship, Sea Venture, which was swept ashore amidst a vicious storm leading to the discovery of Bermuda by British colonists, resulting in four hundred years of continuous habitation of these small, beautiful Atlantic islands; is proud of the strong historical bonds that have developed between Bermuda and the United Kingdom over the centuries and cherishes that special relationship which continues to flourish to this day; notes with pride the recent visit to the territory by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as the Head of State and Sovereign of Bermuda; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to strengthen the close constitutional, economic and cultural ties that have endured between the peoples of Bermuda and the United Kingdom for over four centuries. |
| 499 | GREYHOUND WELFARE | 15:12:09 |
| Andrew Rosindell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Nadine Dorries | | Miss Ann Widdecombe | | Mr Nigel Dodds | | Mr David Amess |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | David Heyes | Lorely Burt |
| That this House welcomes the draft regulations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 that will introduce minimum welfare standards across all greyhound racing in England and notes that the regulations will supplement existing primary legislation already imposing a duty of care on all those responsible for a racing greyhound; further notes that the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) licenses and inspects all greyhound trainers and kennels within its jurisdiction; applauds the GBGB's ongoing work to become the first sports governing body to secure UK Accreditation Service accreditation; further notes that industry financial support for the re-homing of retired greyhounds has increased by 500 per cent. since the year 2000, with the result that approximately 8,000 greyhounds are now placed in loving homes on their retirement from racing; and encourages GBGB to continue to develop and promote such practices within the industry. |
| 500 | CHILDREN AND FAMILY COURT ADVISORY SUPPORT SERVICE | 15:12:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Ms Diane Abbott | | Mr Neil Gerrard |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House believes that the fundamental principles of the Children Act should inform the approach and practice of Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (CAFCASS) and that the welfare of the child should be the paramount consideration; further believes that there should be active parliamentary oversight of the agency's important work; is alarmed at reports from unions representing staff in CAFCASS of growing backlogs, soaring workloads, low morale and constant restructuring; recognises that CAFCASS has had an increase in real terms in its budget of seven per cent. during the past two years, and is due a similar increase next year; but is concerned that unless the severe problems the organisation continues to face are resolved that practitioners will be unable to fulfil their statutory duties in providing a vital service to children and families. |
| 501 | WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY | 15:12:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mr David Anderson | | John Austin | | Mike Wood |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | David Heyes |
| That this House recognises that Workers' Memorial Day is an internationally recognised day, 28 April, on which workers and trades unionists conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and a whole host of other activities to commemorate those who have died, been seriously injured, or made seriously ill by their work diseases; notes with regret that according to the Health and Safety Executive during 2008-09 1.2 million people were suffering from a long-standing or new case of illness they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work, 180 workers were killed at work, and thousands of people died of mesothelioma and other occupational cancers and lung diseases; reaffirms the right of all workers to work in a safe and healthy workplace; and calls on the Government to officially recognise Workers' Memorial Day as a day of national remembrance. |
| 502 | LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS | 15:12:09 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | John McDonnell | | Mr David Drew | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mark Durkan | | John Austin |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Mr Mark Oaten | Gwyn Prosser | | | Glenda Jackson | Mr Paul Keetch | Mr Jim Cunningham | | | Mr Eric Illsley | Hazel Blears | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Mr Eddie McGrady | Dr Hywel Francis | David Heyes | | | Mr Roger Williams | Anne Main | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House believes that universal jurisdiction for human rights abuses is essential as part of the cause of bringing to justice those who commit crimes against humanity and will oppose any legislation to restrict this power of UK courts. |
| 505 | FIRST FLIGHT OF THE AIRBUS A400M | 16:12:09 |
| Dr Doug Naysmith | | Lembit Öpik | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mrs Betty Williams | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Andrew Miller |
| That this House welcomes the successful completion of the first flight of the Airbus Military A400M transporter; notes that Britain has ordered 25 A400Ms to provide the Armed Forces with vital and much needed strategic airlift capability; further notes that the A400M is suitable for a variety of military and humanitarian missions because it can transport heavy payloads over long distances and land on makeshift runways in hostile environments while also supporting interoperability between different Armed Forces, making it ideal for today's joint operations; and calls on the Government to congratulate all those involved in the programme, in particular employees of Airbus in the UK who are responsible for the design and manufacture of the A400M's wings. |
| 506 | TALKING BUSES CAMPAIGN | 16:12:09 |
| Norman Baker | | Mr John Leech | | Mr David Amess | | Sir John Butterfill | | Miss Anne Begg | | Roger Berry |
| | Gwyn Prosser | Miss Ann Widdecombe | Tony Baldry | | | Mr Ian Taylor | Hon Nicholas Soames | Ms Diane Abbott | | | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Neil Gerrard | Steve Webb | | | Mr Gary Streeter | Mr James Gray | Mr Mark Todd | | | Hugh Bayley | Ann Winterton | Tony Lloyd | | | Mr Nigel Evans | Mr Eric Martlew | Julie Morgan | | | Mr Richard Bacon | Nadine Dorries | David Howarth | | | Mr Adam Holloway | Mr Brian Binley | Mark Pritchard |
| That this House, acknowledging the role of accessible local bus services in the mobility of disabled people, recognises that the lack of audio visual information systems on buses makes those services difficult to use for many people; supports the Talking Buses campaign led by Guide Dogs and supported by 20 other national organisations; and calls on the Government to amend the Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations to require audible and visual information systems on all new buses, which would announce next stop and final destination information. |
| 507 | BANNING BATTERY CAGES FOR GAMEBIRDS | 16:12:09 |
| Martin Salter | | Paddy Tipping | | Mr Eric Martlew | | Mr Ian Cawsey | | Mr Elliot Morley | | Mr David Drew |
| | Dr Howard Stoate | Tom Brake | Mr Edward Davey | | | Jim Dowd | Ms Karen Buck | Dr Doug Naysmith | | | Mr David Heath | Joan Walley | Mr Roger Godsiff | | | Mr Geoffrey Robinson | Hugh Bayley | Mr Eric Illsley | | | Tony Lloyd | Mrs Joan Humble | Mr Gordon Marsden | | | Mr Denis Murphy | Mr Don Touhig | Julie Morgan | | | Michael Connarty | Malcolm Bruce | David Cairns | | | Angus Robertson | David Howarth | Jenny Willott | | | Stewart Hosie | Julia Goldsworthy | Ms Celia Barlow | | | Mr Brian Binley | Mark Durkan | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House notes with concern that several large game farms have introduced battery cage systems for game bird laying stock and that the available space in such cages is so limited that the welfare of the birds is seriously compromised and that the system does not conform, whether enriched or not, to the five freedoms which are the basis of the UK's animal welfare law; further notes that the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals have separately called for such cages to be banned; and calls on the Government to implement option 3 from its draft Code of Practice within the consultation on game birds, a ban on such cages by regulation, or in the forthcoming statutory Code of Practice on game farming. |
| 508 | CARERS AND CHRISTMAS BONUSES | 16:12:09 |
| Mr Eddie McGrady | | Andrew George | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Michael Clapham | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Mr Michael Mates | Mr Edward Davey | | | Clare Short | David Heyes | Mr Roger Williams | | | Mr Dai Havard | Gordon Banks | Dr Alasdair McDonnell |
| That this House calls for a review of the decision not to award carers their Christmas bonus this year; and recognises that carers save HM Treasury thousands of pounds per year and that they deserve a bonus for the hard work and dedication they provide in their role. |
| Alan Keen | | Stephen Pound | | John McDonnell | | Chris McCafferty | | Derek Wyatt | | Mr Clive Betts |
| That this House congratulates Outwest on being granted charitable status by the Charity Commission; notes with approval that it has received a grant of £10,000 from Awards for All Lottery Funding; applauds the sponsorship of a gay football team that encourages involvement in sports with limited funding; recognises the important role Outwest plays in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community by visibly supporting relevant issues such as World Aids Day; and commends Outwest for its remarkable achievement and all the work the volunteers have done for the LGBT community. |
| 512 | CONSULTATION ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES | 16:12:09 |
| Dr Alan Whitehead | | Simon Hughes | | Mr Tim Yeo | | Mark Lazarowicz | | Colin Challen | | Tony Baldry |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Jim Dowd | Mr John Horam | | | Mr Bill Olner | Mr Eric Illsley | David Heyes | | | David Howarth |
| That this House believes that new and emerging technologies such a voltage optimisation, passive flue gas heat retention systems, standby down-powering and other innovative ideas could have a significant effect in combating climate change and fuel poverty; and calls on the Government to consult on the usefulness and development of these technologies as part of the microgeneration strategy consultation required by the Green Energy Act 2009 or in a separate consultation, and to report to Parliament on the results. |
| 513 | ENGLAND'S 2018 WORLD CUP BID | 16:12:09 |
| Alan Keen | | Mr John Horam | | Ian Stewart | | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | | Mr Clive Betts | | Mr Eric Illsley |
| That this House welcomes the announcement of the host cities for England's bid for the FIFA 2018 World Cup; congratulates the successful cities and praises all of the applicant cities for the strength of their applications and support for the bid as well as their dedication and commitment to both football and their communities; and calls on everyone throughout England to build on this enthusiasm to demonstrate the nation's unique passion for football, and to back the bid. |
| 514 | FARESHARE FOR LEEDS | 16:12:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Philip Davies | | John McDonnell | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House supports FareShare's work in Leeds to help vulnerable groups including the homeless, children and the elderly; recognises the importance of FareShare's work to keep fit for purpose food from landfill; welcomes Sainsbury's generous donation of dozens of food items to the StreetSmart 2009 campaign, which is then split between the campaign's five official charities Caring For Life in Cookridge, St George's Crypt, St Anne's Community Services, Teen Challenge and the Simon Community in Leeds; and acknowledges the fantastic work of these charities in helping vulnerable groups and thanks Sainsbury's for helping to maintain through these charities the essential services for homeless people living in and around Leeds. |
| 516 | GLOBAL LEARNING CHARTER | 16:12:09 |
| Malcolm Bruce | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Mr David Blunkett | | Annette Brooke | | Mr David Amess | | Bob Russell |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | David Lepper | Jim Dowd | | | Hugh Bayley | Mr Andy Slaughter | Julia Goldsworthy | | | Ms Celia Barlow |
| That this House welcomes the launch of Development Education Association's Global Learning Charter, signed by a wide coalition of organisations supporting learning that offers citizens an understanding of global issues and the capabilities to create a more just and sustainable world; is concerned by reports that indicate 93 per cent. of school-age children feel it is important to learn about these issues at school but that 63 per cent. of them feel they do not learn enough about the wider world; further recognises that we live in an interdependent and globalised world, collectively facing a range of challenges including inequality and poverty, climate change and racial and religious intolerance; believes that through the power and creativity of an engaged public these challenges can be met; calls on the Government, business and the third sector to help promote leadership and innovation on global learning; and urges the Government to support UK citizens to learn about global issues and their interdependence in order to promote justice and sustainability. |
| 518 | INDEPENDENCE OF NHS CHARITIES | 16:12:09 |
| Jenny Willott | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Andrew Stunell | | Mark Hunter |
| | Mr Eddie McGrady | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House is alarmed at the manner in which the Department of Health and Monitor are applying International Accounting Standard 27, which will come into effect from April 2010, to NHS charities; notes the serious concern amongst the Association of NHS Charities and the Charity Commission that this could lead to the consolidation of NHS charities' funds, worth over £300 million annually, and assets, worth over £2 billion, into the public accounts of their parent NHS bodies; believes this would seriously undermine the independence of those charities and damage their level of income from donations; further believes that the manner in which these accounting standards are being applied is entirely inappropriate for NHS charities; and calls on HM Treasury and the Office of the Third Sector to take action to ensure that the existing independence of NHS charities from public sector bodies is maintained. |
| 519 | WALKER REPORT AND WATER POVERTY IN THE SOUTH WEST | 16:12:09 |
| Julia Goldsworthy | | Dan Rogerson | | Andrew George | | Matthew Taylor | | Mr Colin Breed | | Linda Gilroy |
| That this House welcomes the final recommendations of the independent Walker Report on charging and metering for water and sewerage services, which singles out the difficulties that many South West Water customers face in affording the highest bills in the country; notes its identification of the botched privatisation of the utility in the 1980s as the primary cause of these problems; further notes that this privatisation programme has resulted in bills £150 above the national average, and leaves up to one third of South West Water customers living in water poverty, according to estimates by the Consumer Council for Water; further welcomes the fact that the recommendations of the report are being immediately progressed for consideration by the regulator; and uges the Government to ensure that action is taken to permanently address this longstanding issue. |
| 520 | NOISE FROM MODIFIED CAR EXHAUST SYSTEMS | 16:12:09 |
| Julia Goldsworthy | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr James Gray | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Eric Illsley |
| That this House notes with concern the level of noise that is emitted from modified car exhaust systems; further notes the impact that this anti-social behaviour has on people's daily lives; calls on the Government to consider tightening regulations 54 and 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 to ensure that exhaust systems remain in good working order and do not make excessive noise; asks that the Government considers banning from sale exhaust attachments that create a noise nuisance; and further calls on the Government to include a noise exhaust monitor as part of the MOT test. |
| As an Amendment to Julia Goldsworthy's proposed Motion (Noise from Modified Car Exhaust Systems): |
| Line 1, after `car', insert `and motorcycle'. |
| 521 | PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARES IN LONDON | 16:12:09 |
| Mr Andy Slaughter | | Clive Efford | | Ms Karen Buck | | Martin Linton | | Stephen Pound | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr George Galloway |
| That this House notes the Mayor of London's January 2010 fare increase, in which fares will rise significantly above inflation, and sees the price of a single bus or tram journey by Oyster rise by an enormous 20 per cent. to £1.20, the price of a weekly bus and tram pass go up by 20 per cent., bus fares go up overall by 12.7 per cent., tube fares go up by 3.9 per cent. overall, and many single tube fares outside Zone 1 go up by 18 per cent.; further notes the report of The Financial Times on 15 October 2009 that this constitutes the biggest real terms fare increase in Transport for London's history; fears that such high fare rises will deter some Londoners from using public transport by pricing them off the system; believes that many of the least well-off Londoners will be hit hardest by these rises, and that the Mayor appears to show greater willingness to defend the richest than protect the fare payer; condemns the Mayor for punishing Londoners in the pocket; and calls for lower fares for public transport in London. |
| 522 | NETWORK RAIL AND MAINTENANCE SAFETY | 16:12:09 |
| Mr John Leech | | Norman Baker | | Mark Hunter | | Lorely Burt | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| | Mr Michael Clapham | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House asserts that there can be no compromise to safety in maintenance of the railways, including the adequate inspection and repair of track, signals, overhead lines and other rail infrastructure; notes Network Rail's commitment to ensure safety in its programme of works; and calls on Network Rail to ensure that any changes to maintenance schedules to ensure efficiency in delivering necessary improvements do not compromise safety in any way. |
| 523 | BIOFUEL FROM USED COOKING OIL AND RENEWABLES OBLIGATION SCHEME | 16:12:09 |
| Anne Main | | Mr Mark Oaten | | Mr David Amess | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr James Gray | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mr Edward Davey | John Battle |
| That this House recognises that biofuels produced from used cooking oil are widely recognised as one of the most sustainable biofuels available; notes that a recent ruling by Ofgem prevents bio-diesels produced this way from being included in the Renewables Obligation Scheme due to a small proportion of fossil fuel-derived methanol; acknowledges that the ruling means that one of the most sustainable biofuels is now excluded from the main Government scheme incentivising renewable electricity generation; further notes that the ruling runs counter to recommendations made in the Gallagher Review which recommended incentives to spur the development of advanced technologies including the use of wastes to produce biofuels; recognises that this is likely to have a negative impact on the UK's renewable energy industry; and therefore calls on the Government to consider recognising the renewable element of this fuel within the Renewables Obligations Scheme, and to review the policy decision surrounding the ruling and better support the incentivisation of the production of sustainable biofuels through the Renewables Obligation Scheme. |
| 524 | RECOGNISING CLIMATE CHANGE | 16:12:09 |
| John Robertson | | Jim Sheridan | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Michael Clapham |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Eric Illsley | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House agrees that climate change is happening and is man-made; calls for hon. Members on all sides of the House to recognise this fact, which has the support of the overwhelming majority of the scientific community; and calls for cross-party support in tackling this problem that affects all of our constituents. |
| 525 | CLARITY IN TELEVISION PHONE-IN COMPETITIONS AND VOTING | 16:12:09 |
| Alan Keen | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Michael Clapham | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House supports the action taken by Ofcom to ensure third party verification and auditing of all premium rate services (PRS) voting and competitions and the changing of licence conditions to make clear that broadcasters are fully responsible for all forms of contact with the public, including via PRS mechanisms; and encourages Ofcom to require broadcasters to be completely transparent by showing live, the running totals of votes cast for each competitor and, in the case of phone-in competitions to require broadcasters to indicate the full financial implications for the public by publishing the total income and value of the prizes given in the immediate previous similar competition so that those competing are given some guidance as to the likely odds they face. |
| 528 | RWANDA AND THE COMMONWEALTH | 16:12:09 |
| Eric Joyce | | Mr Stephen Crabb | | Paul Rowen | | Judy Mallaber | | Mr Bruce George | | Susan Kramer |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Eric Illsley | John Battle | | | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House welcomes Rwanda's entry into the Commonwealth as its 54th Member State and the decision of Commonwealth leaders to accept Rwanda's application; recognises the remarkable progress Rwanda has made since the genocide of 1994; supports Rwanda's commitment to continue working towards complete realisation of all Commonwealth values; and hopes that membership will accelerate and enhance that process. |
| 529 | AL-MUHAJIROUN DEMONSTRATION | 5:1:10 |
| Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr James Gray | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Peter Luff | | Mr Brian Binley |
| That this House notes that Anjem Choudary, the UK leader of al-Muhajiroun, plans to stage a march through Wootton Bassett town carrying empty coffins as a protest against Britain's presence in Afghanistan; considers that such a demonstration would be a gross mark of disrespect to the soldiers who have died or been wounded in Afghanistan, their families and those who continue to fight on active service in Afghanistan; believes that such a march would cause great distress to those who have lost loved ones; further notes that the Muslim Council of Britain has described the proposed march as `deplorable'; calls on the Home Secretary urgently to investigate the breaching of public order and other related offences; and urges Wootton Bassett Town Council and Wiltshire Police to ensure that any proposed demonstration that breaches the Public Order Act 1986 be rightly refused. |
| 530 | TRAFFICKING HOTLINE | 5:1:10 |
| Jo Swinson | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink |
| | Mr Edward Davey | John Battle | Andrew Stunell | | | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House notes with deep concern the numbers of women and girls trafficked into the UK for commercial sexual exploitation and the inadequate availability of specialist resources for them; welcomes the Government's new strategy, Tackling violence against women, and the introduction of a 24-hour sexual violence helpline; and calls for the advertising of this hotline to be required as part of the sex establishment licence for all sexual entertainment venues in the UK to ensure maximum numbers of victims can be identified and offered the crucial early care they require. |
| 531 | SPECULATIVE BANKING | 5:1:10 |
| Alun Michael | | John McFall | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Martin Caton | | John Austin |
| | Mr Eddie McGrady | David Heyes |
| That this House notes the enormous damage that the international banking crisis has done to jobs, businesses and public finances and to some of the world's poorest people; recognises the substantial and continuing resources provided by taxpayers to support banks; acknowledges that an important part of this crisis was caused by a number of traditional deposit taking retail banks becoming involved either directly or indirectly with speculative, casino-style, investment banking; welcomes the support of all political parties for continuing to provide a government guarantee for retail deposits held in banks; further notes that when banks are systemically important it is the taxpayer rather than the shareholder who carries the ultimate risk; supports much stronger regulation of banks to help prevent such a crisis in the future; recognises that, given constant financial innovation, regulation on its own will never be completely successful in always preventing massive losses on speculative `casino-type' investment banking; further acknowledges that in a bank that combines speculative investment banking and traditional retail banking, massive losses on the speculative side would threaten its retail deposits thus necessitating taxpayers to rescue such a combined bank; and therefore calls on the Government in its forthcoming banking legislation to separate speculative casino banking from traditional retail banking and, as well as leading by example, to encourage a similar approach internationally. |
| 533 | NATIONAL LUNG CANCER AUDIT | 5:1:10 |
| Sandra Gidley | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Spink |
| | John Battle | Mr Eddie McGrady | David Heyes |
| That this House notes the publication of the National Lung Cancer Audit 2009 which identifies wide regional variations in the active treatment of lung cancer and patients' access to specialist lung cancer nurses; is concerned by the Audit's findings that only half of lung cancer patients are currently seen by a lung cancer specialist nurse and that only a quarter of patients have a nurse specialist present to give them support when receiving their diagnosis; welcomes the publication of the United Kingdom Lung Cancer Coalition's Lung Cancer Review, which benchmarks progress and makes recommendations for change across important aspects of lung cancer, including prevention and awareness, diagnosis and treatment, workforce capacity, data collection and research; and calls on the Government to work with the UK Lung Cancer Coalition and its members to help deliver the ambitious but achievable aim of doubling lung cancer survival in the UK. |
| 534 | PROPOSED CLOSURE OF RAF COTTESMORE | 5:1:10 |
| Mr Alan Duncan | | Nick Harvey | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Mr Paul Keetch |
| That this House regrets the Ministry of Defence's decision to close RAF Cottesmore, home to the Harrier Force as part of changes to the defence programme announced in December 2009; notes the decision pre-empts the Government's prior pledge to consider the capabilities and configuration of the armed forces as part of a Strategic Defence Review; expresses concern at the considerable impact the closure of RAF Cottesmore will have on the community in Rutland; and calls on the Government to postpone the closure of RAF Cottesmore until the conclusion of the Strategic Defence Review. |
| Richard Burden | | Mr Colin Breed | | Peter Bottomley | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Dr Phyllis Starkey | | Martin Linton |
| | Ms Diane Abbott | Dr Doug Naysmith | Mr Eric Illsley | | | Andrew Stunell | Mr Eddie McGrady | Mr Andrew Pelling |
| That this House calls for the immediate lifting of the blockade of the Gaza Strip, which 12 months on from Israel's invasion of the territory continues to prevent both the unfettered distribution of humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of Gaza's shattered infrastructure; notes that Operation Cast Lead, launched on 27th December 2008, killed 1,300 Palestinians, including 340 children, damaged or destroyed 50,000 homes, 280 schools and kindergartens, as well as numerous hospitals; further notes that under Israel's blockade essential food items and fuel are routinely prevented from entering the territory, whilst over two-thirds of the population live in poverty and require United Nations aid merely to survive; highlights the fact that many Palestinians, now suffering in the grip of winter, are forced to live in temporary shelters or partially destroyed homes; and calls on the Government to apply meaningful pressure upon Israel to abide by UN Security Council Resolution 1860 and end this flagrant abuse of international law. |
| 537 | UNDER 18 YEAR OLDS AND SUNBEDS | 5:1:10 |
| Julie Morgan | | Miss Julie Kirkbride | | Mrs Siân C. James | | Mr John Baron | | Frank Dobson | | Dr Evan Harris |
| | Patrick Hall | Dr Desmond Turner | Andrew Mackinlay | | | Mr Simon Burns | Mr Michael Mates | Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews | | | Mr Ian Taylor | Mr Malcolm Moss | Mike Gapes | | | Mr Edward Davey | Mr John Horam | Mr Neil Gerrard | | | Mr Don Foster | Roger Berry | Steve Webb | | | Nick Harvey | Mr Adrian Sanders | Mr Robert Walter | | | Robert Key | Joan Walley | Mr Bill Olner | | | Clare Short | Mr David Winnick | Mr Bob Laxton | | | Tom Levitt | Mr Mark Todd | Paddy Tipping | | | Mr John Greenway | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Michael Clapham | | | Mr Richard Caborn | John Battle | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | | Ruth Kelly | Sir Gerald Kaufman | Mrs Louise Ellman | | | Mr Martyn Jones | Mr Don Touhig | Charles Hendry | | | David Heyes | Anne Moffat | Mr Parmjit Dhanda | | | Dr Andrew Murrison | Mrs Madeleine Moon | Mr Jim McGovern | | | Mr Andy Slaughter | Mr Lee Scott | Mr Brian Binley | | | Mr Peter Bone | Mark Hunter |
| That this House expresses concern that under 18 year olds are able to access easily unsupervised sunbed salons; further expresses strong concern that malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is increasing at an alarming rate across the UK; notes with concern that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has re-classified sunbeds into its highest cancer risk category alongside tobacco; further notes research commissioned by Cancer Research UK found that in 2008-09 six per cent. of 11 to 17 year olds have used sunbeds; further notes that the research also found that 50 per cent. of 15 to 17 year old girls in Liverpool and Sunderland have used a sunbed; recognises that 87 per cent. of the UK public believe under 18 year olds should not use sunbeds, with 90 per cent. supporting sunbed salons being staffed; welcomes the private Member's Sunbed (Regulation) Bill which would make it an offence for an operator to allow under-18s to use sunbeds; and calls on hon. Members of both Houses to support legislation to protect children from sunbeds. |
| 538 | CONTAMINATED BLOOD (SUPPORT FOR AFFECTED AND BEREAVED PERSONS) BILL [LORDS] | 5:1:10 |
| Mr Edward O'Hara | | Alistair Burt | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Jessica Morden | | Jenny Willott | | Bob Spink |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Dr Howard Stoate | Mr Anthony Wright | | | Mr Neil Gerrard | Jacqui Smith | Joan Walley | | | Mr Eric Illsley | John Battle | Mr Gordon Marsden | | | Mr George Howarth | Mr Tom Clarke | Mr Eddie McGrady | | | David Heyes | Mr Robert Flello | Mr Peter Bone |
| That this House most warmly welcomes the Contaminated Blood (Support for Infected and Bereaved Persons) Bill [Lords] with its provisions for the relief of privation for those afflicted and bereaved through treatment with contaminated NHS blood and blood products; and calls on the Government and hon. Members of all parties and of none to ensure this humane Bill's passage into law in this session of Parliament. |
| 539 | BLACKPOOL'S ENTERTAINMENT HERITAGE AND THE CRITCHLOW COLLECTION | 5:1:10 |
| Mr Gordon Marsden | | Geraldine Smith | | Bob Spink | | Mark Hunter | | Mrs Joan Humble | | John Mann |
| That this House celebrates Blackpool's acquisition of a unique collection of over 20,000 items of entertainment and theatre memorabilia covering the town's history from the 1860s to 1990s and collected by the late Cyril Critchlow, working magician and champion of that heritage; welcomes the collection's official opening in Blackpool's Central Library by legendary comedian Ken Dodd; pays tribute to the generosity of Cyril's family for donating the collection and to Blackpool Council for acquiring it and to all those involved with the project, particularly local history librarian Tony Sharkey and Professor Vanessa Toulmin of Sheffield University's National Fairground Archive; and further welcomes all the work being done to celebrate Blackpool's heritage, including that of Carl Carrington at Blackpool Council, Elaine Smith at the Civic Trust and all their colleagues as the town prepares to celebrate that heritage on the new Tower Headland being built with support from the Government's Sea Changes programme. |
| 540 | CROWN DEPENDENCIES AND REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY | 5:1:10 |
| Andrew Rosindell | | Mr James Arbuthnot | | Mr John Whittingdale | | Mrs Eleanor Laing | | Mr Henry Bellingham | | Tim Loughton |
| | John Battle | Mr Edward O'Hara |
| That this House recognises the enormous contribution by members of Her Majesty's armed services from each of the Crown Dependencies in wars and conflicts over the years, fighting for Queen, or King and Country; believes that the sacrifices of all these brave men and women should be fully acknowledged in a similar way to members of the Commonwealth of Nations, by granting representatives from the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark the right to lay a wreath in their own right at the annual Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, each year on Remembrance Sunday; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to ensure that all the appropriate arrangements for this to happen are in place in time for Remembrance Sunday to be held on 14 November 2010. |
| 541 | BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AND REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY | 5:1:10 |
| Andrew Rosindell | | Mr James Arbuthnot | | Mr John Whittingdale | | Mrs Eleanor Laing | | Mr Henry Bellingham | | Tim Loughton |
| | John Battle | Mr Edward O'Hara |
| That this House recognises the enormous contribution by members of Her Majesty's armed services from each of the British Overseas Territories in wars and conflicts over the years, fighting for Queen, or King and Country; believes that the sacrifices of all these brave men and women should be fully acknowledged in a similar way to members of the Commonwealth of Nations, by granting representatives from Ascension Island, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos Islands, the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands the right to lay a wreath in their own right at the annual Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, each year on Remembrance Sunday; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to ensure that all the appropriate arrangements for this to happen are in place in time for Remembrance Sunday to be held on 14 November 2010. |
| 542 | VICTIMISATION IN THE WORKPLACE | 6:1:10 |
| Mr David Anderson | | Mr David Drew | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Lynne Jones | | Alan Simpson | | Paddy Tipping |
| | Mr Neil Gerrard | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Michael Clapham | | | John Battle |
| That this House recognises that people who are victimised in the workplace or treated unfairly in the recruitment process need to be able to challenge employers and seek redress; understands that a very small number of serial litigants are abusing this right for financial gain and condemns their actions; does not accept that these individuals are a big problem, and does not believe that measures designed to expose them should jeopardise the employment prospects of the vast majority of genuine victims; further condemns the launch of a website by Gordon Turner of Partners Employment Lawyers and Damian McCarthy from Cloisters Chambers which allows employers to find out if a person has taken an employer to tribunal in the past; believes that such a website could be used to screen unfairly applicants who have legitimately taken their employer to tribunal in the past, which runs contrary to the Government's progress on dealing with the victimisation of trade union members; is concerned that such a website would be in breach of data protection laws; and calls on the Information Commissioner's Office to investigate whether the website is compliant with the Data Protection Act. |
| 545 | NATIONAL POLICY STATEMENTS | 6:1:10 |
| Mr Paul Truswell | | Mr David Drew | | Peter Bottomley | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Lynne Jones |
| | Mrs Jacqui Lait | Mr Paul Burstow | Steve Webb | | | Mr Eric Illsley | Andrew Stunell | Mr Dai Havard | | | Colin Challen | Mr David Laws |
| That this House welcomes the Government's stated intention to enable proper parliamentary scrutiny and debate of National Policy Statements (NPSs); is concerned therefore that the current scrutiny process does not appear to adhere fully to the Government's commitments made earlier this year during debate on the Planning Bill; regrets that the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee's simultaneous scrutiny of all five NPSs has been compressed into an inordinately limited timescale that overlaps with the public consultation period; believes that NPSs and their legitimacy would be considerably strengthened by ensuring a process of select committee scrutiny for each individual National Policy Statement and by allowing the public consultation process to be completed before the parliamentary scrutiny process commences; considers that the public should be given meaningful opportunities to provide evidence or bring expert witness to bear particularly on site-specific NPSs; and calls on the Government to reconsider whether the current process provides the full and proper parliamentary scrutiny process to which such crucial documents should be subjected. |
| 546 | FOOD AID TO SOMALIA | 6:1:10 |
| Harry Cohen | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Lynne Jones | | Alan Simpson | | Gwyn Prosser |
| | Mr Neil Gerrard | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House expresses alarm at the suspension of the UN World Food Programme to Somalia following threats and attempted extortion by al-Shabaab militia extremists; notes that this could result in up to one million people facing starvation; considers this, the never-ending conflict and the strengthening of al-Qaeda groups in Somalia, to be the diabolical consequence of the misjudged US toppling of an Islamic government, which the world could have worked with, by the sponsoring of an Ethiopian invasion in December 2006; now considers that the best way to get vitally-needed food into the country is by an urgent, massive increased commitment of African Union troops for this purpose, but that this needs to be organised and fully funded by the international community, particularly Western governments; and calls on the Government to make this a high priority. |
| 547 | RELEASE OF SHAKER AAMER, LAST BRITISH RESIDENT IN GUANTÁNAMO | 6:1:10 |
| Martin Linton | | Mr Edward Davey | | Jeremy Corbyn | | John Austin | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George |
| | Ms Karen Buck | Mr Eric Illsley | Andrew Stunell | | | Emily Thornberry |
| That this House welcomes President Obama's commitment to close Guantánamo and his appeal to European countries to take in released detainees; supports the representations by the Government for the release and return of Shaker Aamer, the last British resident held in Guantánamo; notes that Mr Aamer has been detained for nearly eight years without trial or charge; further notes that he was a UK resident before his detention and that his wife and children have always lived in this country; and urges the Government to make renewed representations to the US to secure his release and return to this country. |
| 548 | TYPE 2 DIABETES AND VISCERAL FAT | 6:1:10 |
| Keith Vaz | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Andrew George | | Mr David Drew | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| | Mr Eric Illsley | Mr Eddie McGrady |
| That this House notes with concern that a recent study into diabetes by GlaxoSmithKline has revealed a link between visceral fat - fat accumulated around internal organs - and type 2 diabetes; is concerned that a survey of 12,000 Europeans found most had no idea that being overweight could be attributed to being at risk of type 2 diabetes; further notes that 90 per cent. of people diagnosed with pre-diabetes are overweight or obese; commends a diabetes study by the University of Oxford that explores the genetic roots of type 2 diabetes; and calls on the Government to increase its efforts to raise the public's awareness of the link between weight and diabetes and to support further research into the area. |
| 549 | CONTINUING DETENTION OF BAHÁ'Í LEADERS IN IRAN | 6:1:10 |
| Lembit Öpik | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George | | Mr David Drew | | Dr John Pugh | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| | Mr Edward Davey | Mr Neil Gerrard | Mr Eric Illsley | | | Andrew Stunell |
| That this House notes the continuing apparent intention of the Iranian authorities to place seven leaders of the Bahá'í community on trial; further notes the appearance in various Iranian government-affiliated news agencies articles wrongly alleging that the Bahá'ís faith is among the groups fomenting civil unrest in Iran; fears this unfounded claim may nevertheless be used as a reason to take measures against these seven individuals; further notes reports of arrests and intimidation of other members of the Bahá'í community in Iran; and calls on the Government to approach the Iranian authorities to request the cancellation of the trial, and to seek assurances that any trial of Bahá'ís is always conducted in public, following the basic tenets of justice and fair trial. |
| 550 | FISCAL STRATEGY FOR NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES | 7:1:10 |
| Colin Challen | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Andrew Stunell | | Mr David Drew | | Tom Levitt | | Bob Spink |
|
