| 2 | CENTENARY OF GIRLGUIDING UK | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Natascha Engel | | Chloe Smith | | Mr David Amess | | Stephen Pound | | Jo Swinson |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Andrew Rosindell |
| 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 |
| | Norman Baker | Ms Celia Barlow |
| 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. |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Simon Hughes | | Andrew George |
| That this House notes with grave concern the increase in the number of empty shops in traditional town and neighbourhood centres; calls on the Government as a matter of urgency to consider a range of options to halt further closures and assist in the restoration to retail use of closed premises; specifically urges that value added tax for refurbishment works on retail premises should be reduced from 15 per cent. to five per cent., that business rates for retail premises should be frozen and that upward rent review clauses which automatically allow rents to rise should be scrapped; and further urges that planning, financial and parking policies which discriminate in favour of out-of-town shopping centres should be reviewed so that there is a level playing field with traditional town centres and neighbourhood shopping centres. |
| 9 | AIRPORT FOR THE ISLAND OF ST HELENA | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | John Austin | | Ann Winterton | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| That this House agrees with the people and government of the island of St Helena that the construction of an airport is crucial for the island's economic future; notes that the Government has for many years promised that an airport would be constructed; further notes that an airport is the only way in which the island can become economically self-sufficient, and that its capital cost is the equivalent of 10 years of rapidly rising revenue subsidy; and calls on the Government to proceed with the award of a contract for the construction of an airport on the island of St Helena without further delay. |
| 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. |
| Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Andrew George | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House registers its deep concern at the serious threat to dragonflies as a result of changes in farming techniques and climate change, with some species facing extinction; notes that a third of Great Britain's 39 species of dragonfly and the closely related damselfly are declining; welcomes the launch by the British Dragonfly Society of a five-year campaign to protect the creatures and track their movements, including the establishment of a dragonfly atlas; and calls on the Government to promote cross-departmental policies to assist the British Dragonfly Society in its objectives of safeguarding the nation's dragonflies. |
| 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 |
| | Chris Huhne | Mr Robert Flello |
| 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. |
| 23 | ROYAL BRITISH LEGION | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Sandra Gidley |
| | Mr William Cash | Geraldine Smith | Andrew Rosindell |
| 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. |
| 29 | SAFETY OF MEDICINES | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Alan Simpson | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Paul Holmes |
| | Simon Hughes | Mr David Chaytor | Susan Kramer |
| 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. |
| 35 | LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALISM | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Mr Oliver Heald | Michael Fabricant | Mr David Jones |
| 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. |
| 40 | KEEP BRITAIN TIDY CHARITY | 18:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Simon Hughes | | Alan Simpson |
| | Mr Don Foster | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House warmly congratulates Keep Britain Tidy, the environmental charity and anti-litter campaign for England, on its campaign against litter and neglect and for better cared-for and more attractive places; notes that Keep Britain Tidy is passionate about cleaner, greener places and also runs programmes such as Eco-Schools, Blue Flag and Quality Coast Awards for beaches, and the Green Flag for parks to demonstrate practical action; recognises the Government's support of such charities to enable their work; and congratulates all those who are involved. |
| 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. |
| 47 | WORLD AIDS DAY 2009 | 18:11:09 |
| Peter Bottomley | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Sandra Gidley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Clive Efford | Mr Jim Cunningham | Mrs Joan Humble | | | Mr Tom Watson | Nadine Dorries |
| 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. |
| 52 | PAYING FOR BROADBAND | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Stephen Williams | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Dr Evan Harris | | Mr James Gray |
| That this House notes with concern the Government's plans to place a levy on fixed telephone lines of 50 pence per month to fund the expansion of the UK's broadband infrastructure; believes that this tax will target many who do not wish to have high speed internet and will not target many who do; and calls on the Government to remove its proposals for this poll tax and to assess other potential funding sources. |
| 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 |
| | Patrick Hall | Mr James Plaskitt | Kitty Ussher |
| 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. |
| 67 | CHRISTIAN HOLY DAYS AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Adrian Sanders | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Colin Breed | | Bob Russell | | Stephen Williams |
| That this House notes that neither Good Friday nor Christmas Day are included in the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 on the grounds that they are traditional days of rest and worship; further notes that the restrictions under the Sunday Trading Act 1994 do not apply to either of these important days in the Christian calendar; recognises that competitive pressures find many Christians in a position where they feel compelled to work on these days, and that many Christians view commercial activities on these days as showing a disregard and disrespect for their religion; and calls on the Government to review existing legislation relating to the holiest days in the Christian calendar and bring forward change that will protect Christians from being compelled to engage in commercial activities on Good Friday and Christmas Day. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| | Andrew Selous | Angela Watkinson | Mr David Jones |
| 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 |
| | Mr Stephen Hepburn | Mrs Anne McGuire |
| 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. |
| 75 | WASTE RECYCLING (END USE REGISTER) BILL | 18:11:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House is concerned at what happens to some materials that are recycled by local authorities; welcomes the initiative of Somerset Waste Partnership in publishing a register of the end use of all recycled materials; believes that such a move will increase public confidence in recycling and therefore help to increase the amount of materials recycled and so supports the provisions of the Waste Recycling (End Use Register) Bill, introduced in the 2008-09 Session by the hon. Member for Stroud; and hopes the measures contained in that Bill will become law in the 2009-10 Session. |
| 80 | NETWORK RAIL AND SAFETY | 18:11:09 |
| Mrs Linda Riordan | | John McDonnell | | Geraldine Smith | | Gwyn Prosser | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Paul Holmes |
| | Dr Howard Stoate | Laura Moffatt | Mr Malcolm Moss | | | Richard Burden | Paddy Tipping | Mr Austin Mitchell | | | Mr Richard Caborn | Mr Greg Pope | Mr Frank Field | | | Frank Cook | Ms Dari Taylor | Mr Denis Murphy | | | Mr Stephen Hepburn | Nick Ainger | Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | | | Lindsay Roy |
| 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. |
| 92 | BEAK-TRIMMING OF LAYING HENS | 18:11:09 |
| Gwyn Prosser | | Mr Chris Mullin | | Mr Eric Martlew | | Peter Bottomley | | Norman Baker | | Bob Russell |
| | Siobhain McDonagh | Miss Julie Kirkbride | Mr Fabian Hamilton | | | Mr Stephen Hepburn | Sandra Osborne | Mr Roger Williams | | | Andrew Rosindell | Kitty Ussher | Lynne Featherstone | | | Greg Mulholland | Susan Kramer |
| 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. |
| 95 | FOOD LABELLING AND WELFARE OF CHICKENS | 18:11:09 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House believes that all chicken meat, including imported chicken meat, should be labelled as to farming method and preferably stocking density; further believes the labelling regulation that requires packs of shell eggs to be labelled as to production method should be extended to chicken meat; congratulates Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Compassion in World Farming on their Chicken Out! campaign calling on supermarkets to introduce labelling as to farming method to allow consumers to make informed choices; notes that most UK chickens are still reared intensively in overcrowded conditions and have been bred to grow so quickly that many suffer from lameness and heart problems; and calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all chicken producers to meet the conditions of the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme. |
| 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 Paul Keetch | Mr Nigel Evans | John Robertson |
| 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. |
| 113 | MUSCULOSKELETAL SERVICES FRAMEWORK | 19:11:09 |
| Paul Rowen | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Stephen Williams | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| 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. |
| 118 | NATIONAL AUTISM SOCIETY | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Lee Scott | | Andrew George |
| | Mr Stephen Hepburn | Greg Mulholland |
| 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. |
| 119 | MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY PAY | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Andrew George | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Danny Alexander |
| That this House notes the 2008-09 Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) annual accounts which show senior management and board members within the MCA received on average a 15 per cent. pay increase whilst those on the frontline received an average one per cent. increase; further notes with surprise the 7.6 per cent. increase in the chief executive's salary from £127,000 in 2007-08 to £137,400 in 2008-09 in contrast to salaries for a coastguard watch assistant which start from £13,260; further notes with concern the continuing poor industrial relations within the MCA and the significant disparities between pay for MCA workers and others doing comparable jobs in other emergency services; further notes that in 2008 over 700 MCA workers took part in their first ever one day strike over pay and that as a result half of the UK's rescue co-ordination centres closed because of strike action; acknowledges the recent decision by the Public and Commercial Services Union to ballot its MCA members for potential future strike action; and calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to intervene in this long running dispute and offer reasonable pay for those who protect and serve the UK's shores and seas. |
| 120 | CHARITIES AND CHURCHES AT CHRISTMAS | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House recognises the many charities, organisations and churches around the country working tirelessly to support those for whom Christmas is a difficult time; acknowledges their provision of homeless shelters, support for those with health problems, and company and support for those on their own; recognises the invaluable role the church plays at Christmas by uniting the community and providing help to families, homeless and those on their own; and congratulates the thousands of volunteers throughout the UK who give up their spare time to support others during the holidays. |
| 121 | SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT FOR FARMERS | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House calls for procurement policies on the purchasing of food supplied by local farmers to supply the supermarkets and shops in their local area; recognises the quality of locally grown and reared produce by local farmers; further calls for efforts to ensure less environmental damage by reducing the number of food miles; further calls for the creation of sustainable communities by bringing together farmers and buyers; and further calls for the establishment of local farm co-operatives to help build relationships between food outlets and their neighbourhood farmers. |
| 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 |
| | Mr Stephen Hepburn | Greg Mulholland |
| 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 |
| | Simon Hughes | Mr Roger Godsiff | Mr Stephen Hepburn |
| 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;'. |
| 124 | DOLPHIN SLAUGHTER IN JAPAN | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lee Scott | | Andrew George |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House condemns the annual Japanese dolphin hunt that takes place between September and March; questions the Japanese government's claim that the slaughtering of dolphins is necessary pest control; finds no reason to slaughter on average thousands of dolphins in Japanese waters; is concerned that the majority of Japanese people are not aware of the practice and are buying chemically enhanced dolphin meat disguised as whale meat; notes the work of the British group Campaign Whale and their work in collaboration with the international Save Japan Dolphins coalition; and calls on the Government to support these groups in raising awareness of the issue. |
| 127 | CANNED LION HUNTING | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Lynne Jones | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House condemns the practice of canned lion hunting in South Africa; notes that an estimated 1,000 lions annually are bred specifically to be killed in unethical canned hunts; denounces the barbaric treatment and conditions the lionesses and cubs are subjected to before they reach maturity; further notes with concern that canned hunting was banned in 2006 but successive legal appeals have allowed the breeders to continue making money whilst the ban is suspended; acknowledges the work of charities such as Born Free that have been fiercely campaigning for the matter to be addressed with urgency; and calls on the South African government to commit to enforcing the 2006 legislation. |
| 129 | PROTECTION AND CREATION OF BRIDLEWAYS | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House calls for increased protection, maintenance and creation of bridleways and off-road facilities for horse riders; notes with concern the sharp increase in road accidents involving horses, riders and motor vehicles; further calls for measures to be taken to ensure everyone can enjoy access to the countryside safely; recalls the aims of the Discovering Lost Ways project which sought to produce a definitive map of pathways to become modern rights of way; and further calls on the Government to liaise with equestrian groups, rambling societies and others who value the countryside to use the data collected to invest smartly in maintaining and improving access for equestrians. |
| 130 | COMMUNICATION AT CHRISTMAS FOR FRONTLINE TROOPS | 19:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Lee Scott | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House calls for the Ministry of Defence to repeat last year's provision of extra minutes of free talk time over the festive period for British military personnel serving overseas; further calls for an assessment of the adequacy of mobile broadband internet terminals to ensure adequate access to email; and recognises how valuable being able to communicate with family and friends at home is for troops particularly during the Christmas holidays. |
| 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 Lidington | Mr James Clappison | Mr Michael Fallon | | | Mrs Jacqui Lait | Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown | Mr Alan Meale | | | Mr John Grogan | Andrew Miller | Sir Gerald Kaufman | | | Sandra Osborne | Hywel Williams | John Barrett | | | Lady Hermon | Andrew Rosindell | Kitty Ussher | | | Mr Shailesh Vara | Mr David Gauke | Daniel Kawczynski | | | Mr Peter Bone | Mr David Davis |
| 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. |
| 147 | THE PRINCE'S RAINFORESTS PROJECT | 19:11:09 |
| David Maclean | | Bob Spink | | Glenda Jackson | | Stephen Williams | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House supports the work of The Prince's Rainforests Project, which aims to halt the current rate of forest destruction of 32,000 hectares per week; recognises that rainforests absorb 10 per cent. of all the carbon dioxide produced in the world, but that burning them produces 17 per cent. of the earth's carbon dioxide, more than all the transport systems in the world put together; believes that climate change cannot be stopped unless saving the rainforests is put at the heart of the policy; acknowledges that over one third of the rainforests have already been destroyed, and that large-scale further destruction could prevent them from producing the essential oxygen and moisture the planet needs; further recognises that one per cent. of currently-assessed rainforest plant species give 25 per cent. of essential life-saving drugs and that it is folly to continue the destruction of habitat where 99 per cent. of the species of all types have not been measured or assessed; understands that rainforests are on the agenda for the Copenhagen Summit; and calls on the Government to press for an urgent agreement on a funding mechanism which makes the rainforests worth more alive than dead. |
| 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 Richard Caborn | Mr Nigel Evans |
| 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 |
| | Stephen Williams | Greg Mulholland | Mr Brian Binley | | | Mr Peter Bone |
| 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. |
| 168 | RESPONSES TO JOB APPLICATIONS | 23:11:09 |
| Dr Ashok Kumar | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice |
| That this House recognises the extremely demoralising situation in which people, especially young people, are put when they cannot secure a job; further notes that this situation is augmented when people apply for jobs and do not even receive an acknowledgement of an application or notification of final appointment; and believes that employers should be legally compelled to contact all applicants both to acknowledge receipt of application and again after selection has been made to notify applicants whether they have been successful. |
| 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. |
| 173 | MEDIA COVERAGE OF PEOPLE WITH DISFIGUREMENT | 23:11:09 |
| Roger Berry | | Peter Luff | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House welcomes the appearance of a person with a facial disfigurement as a newsreader on national television in the week commencing 23 November 2009; congratulates Channel Five Broadcasting Limited for this decision; and calls on all broadcasters to increase the visibility of people with unusual faces in everyday roles on television and to commit to adopt new guidelines, recommended by Changing Faces, for fairer and more balanced media coverage of people with disfigurement. |
| 174 | MEMORIAL TO RUGBY LEAGUE WAR VETERANS | 23:11:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Paul Rowen | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr James Clappison | | Jim Dobbin | | Greg Mulholland |
| That this House notes the number of rugby league players who died while serving their country; in particular notes the efforts of former Hull player Jack Harrison who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroic efforts during the First World War; pays tribute to many other players who have served in the military; further notes that participation in rugby league amongst the armed forces continues to grow; and calls on the Rugby Football League to fund the erection of a dedicated memorial to all those players who served in the armed forces and died whilst on active service at the national memorial arboretum. |
| 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 |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Roger Berry | Greg Mulholland | | | Philip Davies | Anne Main |
| 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 |
| | Patrick Hall | Bob Russell | Mr Ian Taylor | | | Laura Moffatt | Dr Doug Naysmith | Steve Webb | | | Mr Phil Willis | Mr Clive Betts | Mr George Howarth | | | Bill Etherington | Mr Michael Moore | Dan Rogerson | | | Greg Mulholland | Susan Kramer |
| 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. |
| 189 | CLIMATE CHANGE | 24:11:09 |
| Colin Challen | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Ronnie Campbell | | Dr Desmond Turner |
| That this House recognises that there is a climate emergency and that the catastrophic destabilisation of global climate represents the greatest threat that humanity faces; further recognises that the world is already above the safe level of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration for a stable planet; further recognises the need to reduce this level to 350 particles per million or below; believes it is impossible to predict how close the world is to dangerous tipping points and that action to reduce emissions now is worth considerably more than doing the same later; further believes that immediate action is required to enact a program of emergency measures with substantial emissions reductions in the short term of the order of 10 per cent. by the end of 2010; further believes that the majority of money spent on reviving the economy should be on green measures and that at least two hours of prime time television per week should be used to explain the gravity of the crisis to the public; further believes that unabated coal and domestic flights should be phased out by the end of 2010, that a speed limit of 55 miles per hour should be introduced and investment made in energy efficiency and renewable energy, public transport and the retro-fitting of efficient insulation to existing housing stock technologies leading to the creation of a million green jobs by the end of 2010; and further believes that the introduction of such measures would send a positive signal to other countries leading up to the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen and beyond. |
| 191 | HIGH PAY COMMISSION | 24:11:09 |
| John Battle | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones |
| | Norman Baker | Laura Moffatt | Mr Anthony Wright | | | Tony Lloyd | Mr Martyn Jones | John Mann | | | Jo Swinson | Lynne Featherstone |
| 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 |
| | Sandra Gidley | Martin Linton | Mr James Gray | | | Mr Richard Caborn | Mr Fabian Hamilton | Mr David Chaytor | | | Ms Celia Barlow |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Laura Moffatt | Simon Hughes | Mr David Heath | | | Ian Stewart | Mr Roger Williams | Kitty Ussher | | | David Howarth | Julia Goldsworthy | Mrs Linda Riordan |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| | Hywel Williams | Greg Mulholland |
| 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. |
| 199 | ENERGY EFFICIENT CIRCULATOR PUMPS | 24:11:09 |
| Mr David Anderson | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House welcomes the publication of the consultation document for Part L of the Building Regulations which includes circulator pumps for the first time with a minimum rating of Band C for both domestic and non-domestic properties; notes that there are an estimated 15 million stand-alone circulators on boilers in UK homes, of which 97 per cent. are Band D or below; recognises the significant carbon savings and reductions in energy consumption that could be achieved by installing an energy efficient circulator in Band C or above; congratulates British Gas and Eaga for already installing energy efficient circulators in Band C or above; considers that without a minimum Band C in the Building Regulations the work of contractors that recognise the importance of installing energy efficient pumps would be undermined; and recognises that having a minimum rating of Band C will help manufacturers in the UK prepare for the EuP Directive that will mean that only Band A circulator pumps will be sold from 1 January 2013 and A*, or their equivalents, from August 2015. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 218 | INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING COMMISSION AND NUCLEAR WASTE POLICY | 24:11:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Mark Durkan | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Ronnie Campbell |
| | Mrs Janet Dean | Hywel Williams |
| That this House notes that new draft National Policy Statement for Nuclear Power Generation, as published on 9 November 2009, concludes its section on radioactive waste management with the remarkable assertion, at paragraph 3.8.20, that `Having considered this issue, the Government is satisfied that effective arrangements will exist to manage and dispose of the waste that will be produced from new nuclear power stations. As a result the IPC (the Infrastructure Planning Commission) need not consider this question'; considers the implication that the most contentious aspect of new nuclear power is not even going to be examined by the new IPC is democratically unacceptable and will lead to bad public policy; further notes that on the same date an explanatory leaflet distributed by the IPC to Ministers states: `The new IPC process will provide clearer and better opportunities for the public and local communities to get involved from an early stage in decisions that will affect them'; and requests that Ministers allow the IPC to scrutinise plans for radioactive waste management, storage and disposal. |
| 221 | VEDANTA RESOURCES PLC | 24:11:09 |
| Hywel Williams | | Mark Durkan | | Alan Simpson | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House notes the unethical practices of Indian-owned Vedanta Resources and its subsidiaries, including the destruction of the homes, culture and livelihood of the Kond adivasi tribal people and the devastating environmental impact of the companies' activities; condemns the long-term and continuing support provided by the Department for International Development for the company and its subsidiaries, including arranging their introduction to the UK Stock Exchange in December 2003 and their continuing support through various agencies including Building Partnership for Development; further notes that Vedanta Resources and their subsidiaries are on the Norwegian government's list of banned companies; and urges the UK Government to launch a thorough investigation into the support that the Department for International Development and other Government departments and sectors continue to give to Vedanta Resources and their subsidiaries. |
| 226 | PURCHASE OF SEAFOOD BY PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS | 25:11:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Martin Salter | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mark Pritchard | | Andrew Stunell |
| | Mr Anthony Wright | Simon Hughes | Lynne Featherstone | | | Susan Kramer |
| 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. |
| 229 | LIVESTOCK AND CLIMATE CHANGE | 25:11:09 |
| Colin Challen | | Peter Bottomley [R] | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Alan Meale | | Janet Anderson |
| That this House welcomes the report from World Watch called Livestock and climate change: what if the key actors in climate change are cows, pigs and chickens?, which builds on the report published in 2006 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Livestock's Long Shadow, both of which demonstrate that breeding livestock for human consumption contributes at least 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and probably at lot more; therefore calls upon the Government to respond to these reports and incorporate an analysis of livestock greenhouse gas emissions in its climate change policy development; further calls upon the Government to introduce pro-vegetarian policies; and calls on the Climate Change Committee to consider how to address livestock emissions in its future advice to the Government. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Simon Hughes | Mr Gary Streeter | Mr Frank Field | | | Mr Alan Reid |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 249 | UNITED NATIONS CAMPAIGN TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN | 25:11:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Ms Diane Abbott | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Jo Swinson | | Emily Thornberry | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House expresses deep concern that, according to UNIFEM, up to 70 per cent. of women worldwide will experience sexual or physical violence from men in their lifetime; notes that a concerted international effort is required to combat this problem; and welcomes the United Nations Campaign to End Violence Against Women which seeks to achieve the adoption and enforcement of national legislation in line with international human rights standards, the adoption and implementation of multi-sectoral national action plans, the establishment of data collection and analysis systems, the establishment of national and/or local awareness-raising campaigns and systematic efforts to address sexual violence in conflict situations in all countries by 2015. |
| 250 | HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE PHILIPPINES | 25:11:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Keith Vaz | | John McDonnell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House expresses serious concern for the welfare of Jonas Joseph Tronqued Burgos, who has been missing since 28 April 2009; is deeply troubled at reports that Mr Burgos was last seen being bundled into a van by four armed men and a woman outside a restaurant in Quezon City; notes that the plate number of the vehicle concerned, TAB 194, was traced to a vehicle in the custody of the 56th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; further notes Mr Burgos has a history of campaigning for peasant rights in the Philippines; fully supports the campaign for his immediate release led by his mother, Dr Edita Burgos; and calls on the Government to lend every assistance possible to the campaign and to press the Philippines Government for a proper investigation into the disappearance of Jonas Burgos and for his immediate release. |
| 251 | CIVIL SERVICE COMPENSATION SCHEME | 25:11:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | John McDonnell | | Jim Cousins | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Clive Efford | Matthew Taylor | Mr Paul Keetch | | | Charlotte Atkins | Mr Dennis Skinner | Dr William McCrea | | | Dr Richard Taylor | Mr Angus MacNeil | Tim Farron |
| 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. |
| 252 | PAY PRACTICES IN THE UK MARITIME SECTOR | 25:11:09 |
| Gwyn Prosser | | John McDonnell | | Albert Owen | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mr Neil Gerrard | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House is appalled that in the 21st century, ships, including ferry services, which regularly trade on fixed routes between UK ports and between the UK and Europe, are allowed to pay poverty wages substantially below the minimum wage to non-UK seafarers including rates as little as £1.50 per hour; is dismayed that this super-exploitation is legal as a result of a loophole in race relations legislation which allows non-UK seafarers to be paid rates below agreed UK levels and also due to the exemption of seafarers from the national minimum wage; urges the Government to bring forward amendments to the Equality Bill to outlaw this discrimination and to reform race relations legislation as it applies to seafarers; and calls on the Government to bring forward immediately legislation to ensure that non-UK seafarers are protected by the provisions of the national minimum wage. |
| 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 |
| | Siobhain McDonagh | Simon Hughes | Mr Jim Cunningham | | | Mr John Grogan | Mr Fabian Hamilton | Sandra Osborne | | | Mr Tom Watson | Jo Swinson |
| 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. |
| 256 | VISTEON PENSIONERS | 26:11:09 |
| Mrs Siân C. James | | Dr Hywel Francis | | Mr Andrew Love | | Bob Spink | | Mark Williams | | Mr Michael Clapham |
| | Clive Efford | Mr Roger Williams |
| 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. |
| 259 | EAST COAST MAIN LINE | 26:11:09 |
| Colin Challen | | John Battle | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Colin Burgon | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes with concern the timetable the Government has set for the refranchising of East Coast main line services; and calls on the Government to maintain the East Coast main line in public ownership so that the quality, effectiveness and competitiveness of public ownership can be fully demonstrated. |
| 264 | SUPPORT FOR ADULTS WITH COMMUNICATION NEEDS | 26:11:09 |
| Roger Berry | | Mr David Amess | | Mrs Betty Williams | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Holmes | | John Battle |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Norman Baker |
| 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. |
| 267 | BOTOX TESTING ON ANIMALS | 26:11:09 |
| Annette Brooke | | Mr David Drew | | Paul Holmes | | John Battle | | Andrew George | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Laura Moffatt | Andrew Rosindell |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| | David Tredinnick | Mr Denis Murphy | Dr William McCrea | | | Mr Roger Williams | Jon Cruddas |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 284 | FORMATION OF THE INDEPENDENT PUB CONFEDERATION | 30:11:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House welcomes the formation of the Independent Pub Confederation (IPC) by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, the Campaign for Real Ale, the British Institute of Innkeepers, Justice for Licensees, Unite, the Society of Independent Brewers, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Guild of Master Victuallers and Fair Pint; recognises the need for strong representation for the pub industry during the economic downturn; is concerned at the large number of pubs closing or threatened with closure; supports the IPC in seeking to secure a fair deal for pubs; further supports the IPC's manifesto proposals; believes lessees should be given the option of going free of the beer supply tie; considers that if beer is to be tied all other product ties should be severely restricted with lessees being offered a guest beer sourced direct from a small brewer; further supports the establishment of new rent valuation guidelines; further supports the principle that the tied tenant should be no financially worse off than a tenant who is free of tie; further supports the establishment of minimum standards of fairness, disclosure and transparency in the handling of rent negotiations; calls for the setting up of representative lessee forums to discuss issues of concern and to have a legally binding code of practice; and further calls for the removal of the Amusement With Prizes tie from all long leases. |
| 287 | HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY | 30:11:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Martin Caton | | Glenda Jackson |
| | Andrew Rosindell | Mr Robert Flello |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| | Andrew Rosindell | Angela Watkinson | Greg Mulholland |
| 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 |
| | Norman Baker | Sandra Gidley | Dr Doug Naysmith | | | Mike Wood | Mr Michael Moore |
| 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. |
| 294 | SEAFARERS' PAY AND THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE | 30:11:09 |
| Gwyn Prosser | | Mr Edward O'Hara | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Eric Illsley | | Ms Diane Abbott | | John McDonnell |
| That this House notes that for a number of years discussions have been taking place in both Houses with the Government and the Trades Union Congress to seek to resolve the horrendous situation whereby ferry company owners and others, whose vessels regularly trade on fixed routes between UK ports, are allowed to pay poverty wages substantially below the minimum wage to non-UK seafarers, including rates as little as £2.00 per hour; welcomes the fact that a number of hon. Members have supported amendments to the Equality Bill which would close this loophole; is therefore dismayed that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is blocking these amendments by claiming that applying the minimum wage on ferries that trade solely between UK ports could mean the UK is in breach of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; further notes that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has adopted this position despite the independent legal advice to the contrary provided to the RMT union and also the advice of the International Transport Workers Federation; is appalled that in the 21st century the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is effectively allowing the continuation of poverty wages to continue in UK waters; and calls on the Foreign Secretary immediately to publish the legal advice on which the Department's blocking action is based and allow the advice to be subject to urgent independent scrutiny. |
| 298 | MINIMUM STANDARDS CAMPAIGN AND THE BETTING INDUSTRY | 30:11:09 |
| Dr Hywel Francis [R] | | Mr Ian Cawsey | | Mr Paul Murphy | | Mr Don Touhig | | Ian Stewart | | Mr Dai Havard |
| That this House welcomes the Community Union Minimum Standards Campaign in the betting industry which includes lone working, known as single staffing, training to deal with conflict issues and risk assessments of betting shops; recognises the dangers of single staffing in particular; and calls on all companies running betting shops to ensure that single staffing is not in place and that health and safety are of prime concern. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 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 |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Andrew Rosindell |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| | Mr Anthony Wright | Clive Efford | Frank Dobson | | | Simon Hughes | Mr Richard Shepherd | Richard Burden | | | Helen Southworth | Mr Michael Meacher | Mr David Laws | | | Julia Goldsworthy | Paul Rowen | Mr David Davis |
| 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. |
| 309 | ACTION ON EQUITABLE LIFE | 1:12:09 |
| Mr Robert Flello | | Harry Cohen | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell |
| | Laura Moffatt | Greg Mulholland |
| 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. |
| 318 | CHARITIES AND RECORDED MUSIC LICENCES | 1:12:09 |
| Tom Levitt | | Alun Michael | | Bob Russell | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mark Durkan |
| | Simon Hughes | Ms Karen Buck | Mr Don Foster | | | Kitty Ussher |
| 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. |
| 323 | SAVE OUR SOUND UK CAMPAIGN | 2:12:09 |
| Peter Luff | | Mr John Whittingdale | | Andrew Mackinlay | | John Battle | | John Barrett | | Bob Russell |
| | Norman Baker | Mr Christopher Chope | Hugh Bayley | | | Mr Fabian Hamilton | Sandra Osborne | Tim Farron |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Derek Wyatt | Clive Efford | Simon Hughes | | | Mr Robert Syms | Hugh Bayley | Mr Ian McCartney | | | Mrs Betty Williams | David Heyes | Angus Robertson | | | Norman Lamb | Mark Williams | Lynne Featherstone | | | Mr Angus MacNeil | Tim Farron | Lindsay Roy |
| 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. |
| 328 | 90th ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST WOMAN HON. MEMBER | 2:12:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House celebrates the 90th anniversary on 1 December 2009 of the day that Nancy Astor became the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons; notes that just 291 women have succeeded her as hon. Members in the House and that currently only one in five hon. Members are women; and calls on all political parties to redouble their efforts to improve the representation of women to make gender balance in Parliament a reality. |
| As Amendments to Jo Swinson's proposed Motion (90th Anniversary of First Woman hon. Member): |
| Line 2, leave out from `Commons;' and insert, `further celebrates the 50th anniversary of the election on 8 October 1959 of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first woman Prime Minister of the United Kingdom;'. |
| Line 3, leave out from `succeeded her as' and insert, `followed their example in becoming'. |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Greg Pope | | Paul Flynn |
| Line 6, at end, add `; and also recalls that Connie Markiewicz was the first woman elected for Sinn Fein in 1918, representing Dublin Central, but that as an Irish Republican and prisoner did not take her seat.' |
| 329 | UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA AMBLESIDE CAMPUS | 2:12:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Stephen Williams | | Janet Anderson | | Sir Alan Beith | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Mr Gordon Prentice |
| That this House is opposed to the planned mothballing of the Ambleside campus of the University of Cumbria from July 2010; notes that Ambleside is the only campus in the south of the county and that it has the longest history of all the university's campuses; is surprised that the university is making this decision given the excellent recruitment figures for Ambleside courses in recent years and the immense potential for what is the most attractive and picturesque location for any university in the UK; believes that the closure of the campus would be a massive blow to the town of Ambleside, to South Lakeland as a whole and especially to staff and students; and further calls on the university to withdraw its proposals and to ensure a vibrant future for the Ambleside campus and for the wider local community. |
| 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 |
| | Andrew Rosindell | Angela Watkinson |
| 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 |
| | Andrew Rosindell | Greg Mulholland |
| 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 |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Simon Hughes | Mr Mark Todd | | | Mr Phil Willis | Mr Clive Betts |
| 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 |
| | Mr Simon Burns | David Mundell | Chris Huhne |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| Kate Hoey | | Lynne Jones | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Mike Weir |
| | Malcolm Wicks | Frank Dobson | Mr James Gray | | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | Sandra Osborne | Susan Kramer |
| 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.'. |
| 345 | HUMAN RIGHTS IN TIBET AND CHINA | 3:12:09 |
| Kate Hoey | | Ms Diane Abbott | | Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Ms Katy Clark | | Miss Anne Begg | | Mr Mike Weir |
| | Mr Don Foster | Kitty Ussher |
| That this House notes the Foreign Affairs Select Committee's recent statement that there is little evidence that the Government's policy of constructive engagement is leading to any significant human rights improvements in Tibet and China; further notes that the change made in 2008 by the Government to view Tibet henceforth as part of China was made without parliamentary oversight and has failed to lead to the human rights gains in return that were predicted by the Foreign Secretary at the time; recognises that the Government's weakening commitment to the protection of human rights in Tibet in recent years has coincided with a dramatic worsening of the human rights situation in Tibet; and calls on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee to conduct a formal inquiry into the effectiveness of strategies being employed by the Government within its overall policy towards China, to protect and promote the human rights of the Tibetan and Chinese people. |
| 360 | DECENT HOMES FUNDING | 3:12:09 |
| Mr Clive Betts | | Mr Paul Burstow | | Jim Dowd | | Mike Gapes | | Tom Brake | | Harry Cohen |
| 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 |
| | Simon Hughes | Lynne Featherstone | Susan Kramer |
| 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. |
| 369 | FAIRTRADE CHOCOLATE | 7:12:09 |
| Hugh Bayley | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Tom Levitt | | Malcolm Bruce | | Mr John Greenway | | Richard Ottaway |
| | Greg Mulholland | Susan Kramer |
| 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. |
| 370 | COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2011 | 7:12:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Bob Russell | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House welcomes the decision taken at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2009, held in Trinidad and Tobago, to name Australia as the host of the 2011 conference; notes that Australia has successfully hosted the conference on two previous occasions, in Melbourne in 1981 and in Coolum in 2002; further notes that the 2011 host city, Perth, is one of Australia's fastest growing cities and an excellent example of an environmentally sustainable city within the Commonwealth; and congratulates Australia on its selection as the host of the 2011 conference. |
| 371 | RIGHTS OF PHOTOGRAPHERS | 7:12:09 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Kate Hoey | | Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Andrew Rosindell | Greg Mulholland | Paul Rowen |
| 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 |
| 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 Greg Knight | Mr Richard Bacon | Stephen Williams | | | Lynne Featherstone |
| 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 |
| | Gwyn Prosser | Richard Ottaway | Ms Diane Abbott | | | Frank Dobson | Mr Robert Walter | Mr Paul Keetch | | | Mr Mark Todd | David Tredinnick | Andrew Miller | | | Ian Stewart | Tony Lloyd | Mrs Joan Humble | | | Dr Kim Howells | Michael Connarty | Mr Andrew Pelling |
| 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 |
| | Mrs Louise Ellman | Mr Andy Slaughter |
| 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 Robert Syms | Mr James Plaskitt | Mr Robert Flello |
| 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 |
| | Norman Baker | Matthew Taylor | Dr William McCrea | | | Mr Tom Watson | Mr Douglas Carswell | Lynne Featherstone |
| 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. |
| 391 | INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY | 8:12:09 |
| Mr Nigel Evans | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Mr Gary Streeter | Mr Fabian Hamilton | Mr Alan Reid | | | Mr Hugo Swire |
| 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 |
| | Mr Jim Cunningham | Susan Kramer |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Andrew Rosindell | Angela Watkinson | | | Susan Kramer |
| 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 |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Derek Wyatt | Mr Anthony Wright | | | Clive Efford | Dr Doug Naysmith | Mr Paul Keetch | | | Tom Levitt | Graham Stringer | Mr Gordon Prentice | | | Mr Denis Murphy | Sandra Osborne | Mr Parmjit Dhanda | | | Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | Tim Farron |
| 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 |
| | Dr Tony Wright | Dr Brian Iddon | Mr Andrew Mitchell | | | Mrs Linda Riordan |
| 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. |
| 409 | HOME EDUCATION AND THE BADMAN REVIEW | 9:12:09 |
| Mr Oliver Letwin | | Andrew George | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | John Hemming |
| 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 |
| | Andrew Mackinlay | Gwyn Prosser | Dr Doug Naysmith | | | Mr Dennis Skinner | Mike Wood | Mr Paul Truswell | | | Andrew Miller | Mr Nigel Evans | John Thurso | | | David Howarth | Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | Mr Jim Devine |
| 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 David Curry | Andrew Rosindell |
| 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. |
| 418 | REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FOOD AND DRINK FIRMS | 9:12:09 |
| Mr Doug Henderson | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Spink |
| | Ian Stewart | Mr Peter Atkinson | Paul Rowen |
| That this House recognises the continuing progress being made by member companies of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in reducing the environmental impact of their operations, as set out in the second annual report highlighting achievements under the FDF's Fivefold Environmental Ambition; notes in particular the one million tonnes of carbon already saved compared to the 1990 baseline and the clear trajectory towards further substantial savings in future, vital in the context of the Copenhagen Climate Change negotiations, together with the efforts being made to increase efficiency in the use of water, eliminate waste to landfill, reduce packaging and improve transport performance; and welcomes the leadership being shown in demonstrating that good environmental practice makes good business sense and the contribution this makes to maintaining a competitive manufacturing base in the UK to help meet the challenges of food security and provide a platform for skilled employment and innovation in a sector of key importance to the economy. |
| 422 | EDUCATION MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE | 9:12:09 |
| John Robertson | | Jon Cruddas | | Jacqui Smith | | Jim Sheridan | | Keith Vaz | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| 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 |
| | Hon Nicholas Soames | Simon Hughes | Mr David Drew | | | Mr Michael Clapham | Mr David Chaytor | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | | Julie Morgan | Dr William McCrea | Sarah Teather | | | Norman Lamb | Richard Younger-Ross | Martin Horwood | | | Danny Alexander |
| 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 |
| | Mr David Crausby | Greg Mulholland |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Mr David Crausby | Mr Ronnie Campbell |
| 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 |
| | Simon Hughes | Mr Graham Brady |
| 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 David Crausby | Mr George Galloway |
| 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 |
| | Simon Hughes | Greg Mulholland |
| 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 | | Mr David Crausby |
| 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 |
| | Mr David Crausby | Greg Mulholland |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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 George Galloway | Stephen Williams |
| 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. |
| 440 | ATTACKS ON SIKHS IN LUDHIANA, PUNJAB | 14:12:09 |
| Mr Marsha Singh | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Glenda Jackson | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House condemns the action of police and paramilitary forces in opening fire on a peaceful Sikh protest in Ludhiana, Punjab on 5 December 2009; notes that at least one Sikh was killed and many injured; calls on the Government to condemn this action and raise the issue with the Indian government; and asks the Indian government to launch an independent investigation into this appalling act. |
| 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. |
| 452 | PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON BOXING DAY | 14:12:09 |
| Mr John Grogan | | Philip Davies | | Norman Baker | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Paul Truswell | | Ms Katy Clark |
| That this House expresses its deep disappointment that once again during this festive season the United Kingdom's railways will undergo a 58-hour shutdown with no services whatsoever being provided on the overwhelming majority of lines; notes that this is in stark contrast to the situation that prevails in the rest of Europe where regular services run throughout the Christmas holidays; further notes that in many areas there will be no buses running over a similar period; applauds the efforts of Merseytravel, the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authorities and Transport for London to run a decent level of bus services on Boxing Day and calls on other areas to follow suit; further notes that the closure of the rail and bus networks leaves many people without access to transport to visit family or friends or attend sporting events; and calls on the Department for Transport, the Passenger Transport Authorities, the Association of Train Operating Companies and Network Rail to work together to ensure that from 2010 an adequate rail and bus service is provided on Boxing Day and that all future rail franchises have provisions for Boxing Day services. |
| 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. |
| 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 David Amess | Simon Hughes |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Mr Fabian Hamilton | Paul Rowen |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 464 | INCIDENCE OF DIABETES IN CHILDREN | 15:12:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Andrew George |
| | Mr Fabian Hamilton | Mr David Crausby |
| 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 |
| | Mr David Crausby | Mr George Galloway |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| | Norman Baker | Hon Nicholas Soames | Shona McIsaac | | | Mr Austin Mitchell | Geraldine Smith | Mr Nigel Evans | | | Mr Greg Knight | Lynne Featherstone | Paul Rowen | | | Gordon Banks |
| 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 | | Laura Moffatt |
| 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.'. |
| 477 | UK INDUSTRY AND RECOVERED FUEL OIL | 15:12:09 |
| Tom Levitt | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Paddy Tipping | | Mr Roger Williams | | Charlotte Atkins | | Andrew George |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Mr David Amess | Mike Gapes | | | Mr Neil Gerrard | Mr Bill Olner | Mr David Crausby | | | Mr Chris Mullin | Dr Kim Howells | John Thurso |
| 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 |
| | Mr David Crausby | Andrew Rosindell | Greg Mulholland |
| 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. |
| 479 | SAFER JOURNEYS TO SCHOOL | 15:12:09 |
| Mr Paul Burstow | | Bob Spink | | David Simpson | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House congratulates Team ASAP for the research project that they undertook as part of the First Lego League Competition; thanks the team's coaches for their voluntary effort; notes that the team conducted interviews with representatives of the emergency services to identify the causes of accidents involving young people; further notes the team's conclusion that high visibility clothing would cut the number of accidents; and calls on the Departments for Children, Schools and Families and for Transport to review the guidance to schools on uniform and include advice on the incorporation of high visibility materials. |
| 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 |
| | Simon Hughes | Mr David Crausby |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Norman Baker | Mr Bernard Jenkin | Siobhain McDonagh | | | Simon Hughes |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 490 | REFRESHED COMPACT | 15:12:09 |
| Tom Levitt | | Alun Michael | | Andrew Stunell | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Alistair Burt | | Hugh Bayley |
| 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 |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Colin Burgon | Mr David Crausby | | | Dr Brian Iddon | Mrs Joan Humble | Hywel Williams |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Mr David Crausby | Miss Anne Begg |
| 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 |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Mr David Crausby |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 502 | LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS | 15:12:09 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | John McDonnell | | Mr David Drew | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mark Durkan | | John Austin |
| | Norman Baker | Sandra Gidley | Mr Don Foster | | | Mr Phil Willis | Mr Clive Betts | Colin Burgon | | | Stephen Williams | Lynne Featherstone | Willie Rennie |
| 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 |
| | Mr Oliver Heald | Dr Howard Stoate | Mr Don Foster | | | Dr Doug Naysmith | Mr James Plaskitt | Mr Dennis Skinner | | | Tom Levitt | Andrew Miller | Dr Brian Iddon | | | Ian Stewart | Mr George Howarth | Paul Flynn | | | Mr Frank Doran | Michael Connarty | Mr George Galloway | | | David Heyes | John Mann | Paul Holmes | | | Mr Dai Havard | Dr John Pugh | Richard Younger-Ross | | | Natascha Engel | Mrs Linda Riordan | Ms Celia Barlow | | | Mr Jim Devine | Lindsay Roy |
| 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 |
| | Siobhain McDonagh | Steve Webb | Mr John Grogan | | | Mr Graham Brady | Mr Greg Pope | Sandra Osborne | | | John Robertson | Richard Younger-Ross | Jo Swinson | | | Chris Huhne | Emily Thornberry |
| 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 |
| | Clive Efford | Mr Jim Cunningham | Mike Wood | | | Mr David Crausby | Mr Martyn Jones | Sandra Osborne | | | Mr George Galloway |
| 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. |
| 510 | ONLINE PURCHASE OF GOODS AND ELECTRICAL SAFETY COUNCIL | 16:12:09 |
| Mr Michael Moore | | Sir Alan Beith | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Mr Michael Clapham | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House welcomes the launch of a campaign by the Electrical Safety Council, the UK's only charity dedicated to electrical safety, to increase awareness of the dangers of purchasing unsafe goods via the internet and, in particular, shares the charity's concerns following independent safety testing which found that chargers bought from a range of online auction sites and retailers do not pass current UK safety standards; and further welcomes the online purchasing guide published by the charity, which gives advice to UK consumers on the safe purchasing of electrical goods online, and which has been made available free of charge to consumers via a dedicated website. |
| 512 | CONSULTATION ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES | 16:12:09 |
| Dr Alan Whitehead | | Simon Hughes | | Mr Tim Yeo | | Mark Lazarowicz | | Colin Challen | | Tony Baldry |
| | Dr Desmond Turner | Mr David Amess | Gwyn Prosser | | | Hon Nicholas Soames | Frank Dobson | Mr Neil Gerrard | | | Mr Robert Walter | Mr Paul Keetch | Mr Roger Godsiff | | | David Tredinnick | Mr Phil Willis | Mr David Crausby | | | Ian Stewart | Tony Lloyd | Mr Martyn Jones | | | Nick Ainger | Dr Kim Howells | Norman Lamb | | | Mr Andrew Pelling | Mr Brian Binley | Tim Farron |
| 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. |
| 516 | GLOBAL LEARNING CHARTER | 16:12:09 |
| Malcolm Bruce | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Mr David Blunkett | | Annette Brooke | | Mr David Amess | | Bob Russell |
| 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 |
| | Richard Younger-Ross | Greg Mulholland |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Sandra Gidley | Mr Roger Williams |
| 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. |
| 524 | RECOGNISING CLIMATE CHANGE | 16:12:09 |
| John Robertson | | Jim Sheridan | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Michael Clapham |
| | Clive Efford | Mr David Crausby | Colin Challen | | | Mrs Linda Riordan |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Laura Moffatt | Mr David Crausby | Richard Younger-Ross | | | Paul Rowen |
| 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 |
| | Laura Moffatt | Clive Efford | Mr David Crausby | | | John Barrett |
| 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 |
| | Dr Doug Naysmith | Mr David Crausby | Richard Younger-Ross |
| 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 |
| | Sandra Gidley | Simon Hughes | Mr David Crausby | | | Mr George Galloway | Richard Younger-Ross | Julia Goldsworthy | | | Paul Rowen |
| 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 |
| | Norman Baker | Mr Mark Oaten | Martin Linton | | | Tom Brake | Clive Efford | Alan Keen | | | Siobhain McDonagh | Mr James Plaskitt | Mr Jim Cunningham | | | Shona McIsaac | Mr Fabian Hamilton | Mr Graham Brady | | | Mr David Crausby | Tony Lloyd | Mr Gordon Marsden | | | Geraldine Smith | Mr Doug Henderson | Mr George Galloway | | | Mr Roger Williams | Richard Younger-Ross | Kitty Ussher | | | David Howarth | Natascha Engel | Chris Huhne | | | Ms Celia Barlow | Susan Kramer | Mr David Davis |
| 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 |
| | Clive Efford | Simon Hughes | Mr Robert Syms | | | Charlotte Atkins | Mr Jim Cunningham | David Tredinnick | | | Mr John Greenway | Helen Southworth | Mr David Crausby | | | Mrs Louise Ellman | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | Nick Ainger | | | Lembit Öpik | John Barrett | Mr Parmjit Dhanda | | | Mr Tom Watson | Dr Richard Taylor | John Hemming | | | Mrs Linda Riordan | Tim Farron |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Bob Russell | Sandra Gidley | Mr Don Foster | | | Nick Harvey | Clare Short | Mr Roger Godsiff | | | Mr Clive Betts | Dan Rogerson | Paul Rowen | | | Mark Hunter |
| 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 |
| | Nick Harvey | Mr David Crausby |
| 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 |
| | Norman Baker | Ms Diane Abbott | Mr Phil Willis | | | Mr David Crausby | Susan Kramer |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Nick Harvey | John Barrett | Jo Swinson | | | Greg Mulholland |
| 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 |
| | Mr David Amess | Hon Nicholas Soames | Ms Diane Abbott | | | Frank Dobson | Mr Adrian Sanders | Mr Robert Walter | | | Clare Short | Mr Roger Godsiff | David Tredinnick | | | Mr Phil Willis | Mr David Crausby | Ian Stewart | | | Tony Lloyd | Mrs Joan Humble | Janet Anderson | | | Mr Frank Field | Sir Alan Beith | Dr Kim Howells | | | Dr Gavin Strang | Michael Connarty | John Thurso | | | Jon Cruddas | Norman Lamb | Dr John Pugh | | | Mr Andrew Pelling | Mr Brian Binley | Susan Kramer |
| That this House notes the Chancellor of the Exchequer's words in the Pre-Budget Report on the need to implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; is concerned, however, that new and innovative technologies such as passive flue gas retention systems and voltage optimisation technologies do not benefit from the reduced value added tax rate of five per cent.; and therefore calls on the Chancellor to rectify this and also publish a fiscal strategy for assisting with new technologies in his next Budget. |
| 551 | BEAULY - DENNY POWER LINE | 7:1:10 |
| Mr Mike Weir | | Mr Alex Salmond | | David Cairns | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House welcomes the approval by the Scottish Government for the upgrade of the Beauly - Denny power line to harness, transmit and export Scottish renewable energy; notes that the upgrade will boost grid capacity along the line and unlock Scotland's onshore and offshore renewables potential; further welcomes the conditions set by Scottish Ministers to protect the interests of communities and minimise the impact on the environment along the line; and further notes that there are over 50 potential projects totalling around 4.2 gigawatts in the north of Scotland, two-thirds of peak Scottish demand, meaning that the Beauly - Denny upgrade will help unlock Scotland's renewable energy potential. |
| 556 | STUDENT FINANCE ENGLAND | 11:1:10 |
| Sir Gerald Kaufman | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Bob Spink | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | Mr David Crausby | Mr George Galloway |
| That this House condemns Student Finance England for its deplorable failure to deal competently and in a timeous manner with applications from students, thus causing hardship and difficulty to individuals and families; and calls on the Government to step in and penalise those responsible for this shambles. |
| 557 | LAUNCH OF STEVE SINNOTT FOUNDATION | 11:1:10 |
| Jacqui Smith | | Michael Gove | | Mr David Laws | | Richard Burden | | Hugh Bayley | | Mr Phil Willis |
| | Mr Don Foster | Dr John Pugh | David Howarth | | | Julia Goldsworthy | Greg Mulholland |
| That this House welcomes the cross-party support at the launch in Parliament on 1 December 2009 of the Steve Sinnott Foundation, a charity set up to promote the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 2 of universal primary education for all by 2015; notes that the Foundation will work with teachers worldwide to set up a global online community through which they can share knowledge and experience and help secure a primary education for the 75 million children who are denied the opportunity to attend school; and further notes that the work of the Foundation will continue the work and commitment of Steve Sinnott, the late General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, who was passionate about the cause of primary education for all. |
| 558 | HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY 2010 | 11:1:10 |
| Mr David Blunkett | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Sir Alan Beith | | Peter Luff | | Mr Lee Scott | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Mr Anthony Wright | Mr Terry Rooney | Mr Fabian Hamilton | | | Tony Lloyd | Michael Connarty | Hywel Williams | | | Dr John Pugh | Julia Goldsworthy | Grant Shapps | | | Willie Rennie |
| That this House notes that on 27 January 2010, communities around the UK will mark Holocaust Memorial Day, the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau; further notes that Legacy of Hope is the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day this year; considers that continuing the legacy of Holocaust survivors is more crucial than ever as they grow older and less able to speak out about their experiences; lauds the extraordinary contribution to life in Britain made by survivors; celebrates the tireless work of survivors who speak to thousands of young people each year as part of the Holocaust Educational Trust's outreach project; salutes their bravery and determination in telling of their painful and horrific experiences and speaking out for a future where persecution and intolerance are challenged; commends the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for arranging the national Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration in London; congratulates the Holocaust Educational Trust for organising visits for post-16 students to Auschwitz-Birkenau, enabling thousands to see the site of the largest mass-murder in history at first hand; further notes that a Book of Commitment will be placed in the corridor between the Members' Cloakroom and Members' Staircase between the hours of 14.30 and 16.30 from Wednesday 20 January until Thursday 28 January 2010; and strongly encourages all right hon. and hon. Members to sign the Book and to support Holocaust Memorial Day to safeguard the memory of the Holocaust for future generations. |
| Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Alan Simpson | | Mr Chris Mullin | | Gwyn Prosser | | Steve Webb | | Tim Farron |
| | Martin Linton | Clive Efford | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Dr Vincent Cable | Mr David Crausby | Ian Stewart | | | Miss Anne Begg | John Barrett | Dr John Pugh | | | Richard Younger-Ross | Mark Williams | Julia Goldsworthy |
| That this House congratulates Tracy Worcester on her film, Pig Business, highlighting the adverse health, animal welfare, environmental and economic impact of industrial pig production; calls on retailers, food manufacturers and food service operators to support British pig farmers by not selling or using imported pigmeat produced to lower animal welfare standards than those that are required in the UK; further calls on the Government to take a lead in persuading the EU to adopt the mandatory labelling of pigmeat as to farming method so that consumers can make informed choices; further calls on public sector bodies to procure only pigmeat that is free range or is produced to standards equivalent to those of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Freedom Food scheme; and further calls on the Government to ensure the proper enforcement of EU legislation on the welfare of pigs and to press other EU governments to do likewise. |
| 564 | HUMAN RIGHTS IN MALAWI | 11:1:10 |
| John Hemming | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Alan Meale | | Alan Simpson |
| | Bob Russell | Clive Efford | Nick Harvey | | | Mr Alan Duncan | Mike Wood | John Barrett | | | Julia Goldsworthy | Danny Alexander | Emily Thornberry | | | Greg Mulholland |
| That this House notes the same-sex engagement ceremony in late December 2009 of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga; calls on the President of Malawi to ensure that they are released from jail and that all charges against them for homosexual relations are dropped; and calls on the government of Malawi to decriminalise homosexuality in accordance with the equality and non-discrimination clauses of the Malawian constitution and the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, and to ensure the human rights of all its citizens, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. |
| 567 | ILLEGAL SONGBIRD MARKET IN CYPRUS | 12:1:10 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink |
| | Nick Harvey | Mr Paul Keetch |
| That this House is concerned by the growing illegal practice of trapping and eating songbirds in Cyprus; notes that thousands of birds migrating in search of warmer climates face being lured, killed and sold to restaurants as part of an illegal multi-million pound industry; believes it to be unacceptable that poachers are prolific on the British military base of Dhekelia; further notes the recent launch of Operation Freedom by the British authorities to tackle the matter, and commends their limited success; and calls for further immediate and urgent action to be taken in collaboration with the Cypriot authorities to put an end to this illegal and cruel practice. |
| 568 | RUSSIA AND THE ENERGY CHARTER TREATY | 12:1:10 |
| Danny Alexander | | Mr David Drew | | Sir Malcolm Rifkind | | Mr Edward Davey | | Peter Bottomley | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House welcomes the recent ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal which sat at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague confirming that Russia was bound by the entire Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), having accepted full application (provisionally pending ratification), when it signed the Treaty; believes the ruling is a significant development in Russia's energy ties with the European Union that strengthens the case for the ECT to be the centrepiece of a rules-based relationship; notes that following Russia's withdrawal from provisional application of the ECT on 19 October 2009, investments existing on that date in the Russian energy sector will continue to be protected by the Treaty's investor protection rules for a further 20 years, but that new investments will no longer be protected; further notes that while Russian investors in the European energy market enjoy the full protection of European law, new European energy investors in Russia will have to rely on the goodwill of a Russian government that has shown a weak commitment to property rights; calls on EU leaders to make it clear to the Russian government that there must be a level playing field and that close and friendly energy ties depend on the acceptance of binding rules and reciprocal obligations that are fair and legally enforceable in an independent forum; and urges the Russian government to show foreign customers and investors alike that it understands the need to restore confidence in its behaviour as a producer and supplier of energy by re-engaging with the ECT. |
| Mr Clive Betts | | Mr Richard Caborn | | Mr David Blunkett | | Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Nick Harvey | Mr David Crausby | Greg Mulholland |
| That this House recognises the enormous contribution to the war effort made by the Women of Steel who played such a valuable role in the Second World War carrying out crucial jobs in South Yorkshire's steel and engineering industries producing vital parts for planes, tanks and bullets; welcomes four representatives of the Women of Steel to Parliament on 13 January; notes they are to meet the Minister for Veterans and to visit No. 10 Downing Street; and hopes that as a result of the campaign led by The Star newspaper the Government will formally recognise their contribution at a national level. |
| As an Amendment to Mr Clive Betts's proposed Motion (Women of Steel): |
| Line 3, after `Yorkshire's', insert `, Scunthorpe's and major'. |
| 571 | VETERANS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM | 12:1:10 |
| Mr Neil Gerrard | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | David Howarth | | John McDonnell | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mr George Galloway | Dr John Pugh | Lorely Burt |
| That this House is concerned at the number of former armed service personnel in prison or under the supervision of the Probation Service on community service or parole; notes that of the estimated 20,000 veterans that leave the structured environment of the armed forces to return to civilian life each year, many experience profound difficulties such as depression, homelessness and reliance on alcohol, with a smaller number suffering symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder; is concerned that appropriate counselling, health and welfare support is not reaching many of these ex-soldiers; and therefore calls on the Government to work with the trade unions representing staff in the justice sector and the armed services voluntary sector to implement a co-ordinated national strategy to ensure that counselling and advice facilities are available during and immediately after service to minimise the chances of individuals entering the criminal justice system, and that help and advice is available for those who do enter the criminal justice system to avoid reoffending. |
| 572 | ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND ACCESS TO DRONEDARONE | 12:1:10 |
| Mr John Maples | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Ian McCartney | | Paul Holmes | | Harry Cohen |
| | Gwyn Prosser | Mr Anthony Wright | Mr Michael Meacher | | | Mr Doug Henderson |
| That this House recognises the human and financial costs of atrial fibrillation (AF) and that its prevalence is likely to double over the next 50 years; further recognises dronedarone as a first-in-class anti-arrhythmic drug, and the only anti-arrhythmic medication known to improve long-term cardiac health in AF patients; notes with concern that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued draft guidance proposing to deny the use of dronedarone to patients in England and Wales; believes that it is a fundamental principle of the NHS that patients and doctors should have a choice in therapy options; understands that many people with AF who currently struggle to manage the condition would benefit from access to this treatment and that its use would yield considerable cost savings in the longer term through reduced hospital admissions and reduced incidence of stroke; further recognises the widespread dismay among both clinicians and patients at the NICE draft guidelines on dronedarone and the late and unhelpful timing of its publication on Christmas Eve 2009; supports the Atrial Fibrial Association's campaign to enable those treated by the NHS to have access to this medicine and for NICE to review its decision at a second NICE Appraisal Committee meeting to be held on 24 February 2010; and calls on NICE to ensure that patients, carers and health professionals are permitted to give evidence at this meeting. |
| 574 | MORDECHAI VANUNU | 12:1:10 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | Paul Holmes | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Dr Phyllis Starkey | | Mrs Linda Riordan |
| That this House condemns the latest incident in the continuing harassment of Mordechai Vanunu when he was detained in December 2009 and placed under house arrest for being with his girlfriend; notes that he completed an 18 year sentence for revealing Israel's secret development of nuclear arsenal over five years ago; is alarmed that, despite the passage of 23 years since he was brutally kidnapped by Israeli agents for the publication of that information by The Sunday Times, Israel insists that Vanunu has sensitive information that could harm its security; and calls on the Government to recognise these facts and to insist that Israel respects Vanunu's human rights by withdrawing its repressive restrictions and allowing him the freedom to leave Israel if he so wishes. |
| 575 | ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY BILL IN UGANDA | 12:1:10 |
| Harry Cohen | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Peter Bottomley | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Ian McCartney | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Sandra Gidley | Kate Hoey | Nick Harvey | | | Ms Dari Taylor | John Barrett | Lady Hermon | | | Dr John Pugh | Richard Younger-Ross | David Howarth | | | Jo Swinson | Danny Alexander | Greg Mulholland |
| That this House calls on the British Government and the European Union to press the government of Uganda not to proceed with the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which violates the equality and non-discrimination provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter of Human and People's Rights; abhors that this Bill, currently before the Uganda parliament, proposes the death penalty for repeat homosexual acts, extends the existing penalty of life imprisonment for anal intercourse to all other same-sex behaviour, including the mere touching of another person with the intent to have homosexual relations and imposes life imprisonment for contracting a same-sex marriage; notes that under the provisions of the Bill membership of providing funding for gay organisations advocating gay human rights and providing condoms or safer sex advice to gay people will result in a sentence of between five and seven years for promoting homosexuality and that a person in authority who fails to report offenders to the police within 24 hours will incur a three year prison sentence; further notes that this monstrous proposed law contains extra-territorial jurisdiction so that it will apply to Ugandans who breach its provisions whilst living abroad, even in countries where such behaviour is not a criminal offence, and that such Ugandans living overseas could be subject to extradition, trial and punishment in Uganda; and demands that the Ugandan government uphold international humanitarian law by abandoning the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, decriminalising same-sex acts between consenting adults in private, and outlawing discrimination against gay people. |
| 576 | STAFFORDSHIRE HOARD FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN | 12:1:10 |
| Mark Fisher | | Mr Jeremy Hunt | | Mr Don Foster | | Mr Edward Vaizey | | Richard Younger-Ross | | Sir Patrick Cormack |
| | Tom Brake | Mr Robert Walter | Mike Wood | | | Susan Kramer |
| That this House welcomes the launch of the public fundraising campaign to save the Staffordshire Hoard, led by The Art Fund working with Birmingham City Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Staffordshire County Council, Lichfield District Council and Tamworth Borough Council; recognises the national importance of the Hoard as the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found on UK soil, which has the ability to shed new light on the lives of Anglo-Saxon people and the historically significant region known as Mercia; notes that the campaign has until 17 April 2010 to raise the required £3.3 million to keep the treasure in the West Midlands, or it may be sold on the open market; and urges parliamentarians and members of public alike to donate to ensure that this unprecedented find is kept together on public display at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent. |
| As Amendments to Mark Fisher's proposed Motion (Staffordshire Hoard Fundraising Campaign): |
| Line 11, at end add `and Shugborough Hall, respectively, from time to time.'. |
| Line 11, at end add `, and at a suitable venue in Lichfield, such as Lichfield Cathedral, in recognition of the fact that the Hoard was found in Lichfield constituency and contains religious artefacts, and that Lichfield was the ancient religious capital of Mercia.'. |
| 579 | NOTIFICATION OF PRICE CHANGES BY ENERGY COMPANIES | 12:1:10 |
| Simon Hughes | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Lynne Jones | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Paul Holmes |
| | Sandra Gidley | David Howarth |
| That this House notes that energy companies have 65 working days to inform their customers of a price rise after that price rise has taken place; further notes that customers have only 20 days to switch after being informed; further notes that research from Which? shows that 98 per cent. of people want their supplier to notify them ahead of price rises; further notes that the relevant licence condition was only implemented in 2006 and that previously suppliers were required to provide notification within 10 days; acknowledges Ofgem's statement that this is an issue of concern and their pledge to ask its consumer panel to consider the issue; but calls on the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to be more proactive and require Ofgem to change the relevant licence condition to ensure that energy suppliers inform their customers in advance of a price rise. |
| Stewart Hosie | | Lynne Jones | | David Simpson | | Dr William McCrea | | John Mason | | Angus Robertson |
| That this House notes the study by the York Health Economics Consortium, University of York, which reveals the impact of alcohol misuse on families, public services and the economy; further notes that the research, which looked at the impact across the NHS, police, social services, the economy and on families, estimated the total annual cost of alcohol misuse could be costing Scottish taxpayers around £3.56 billion per year, equivalent to £900 per year for every Scottish adult; believes that alcohol misuse is not only a burden on our health service and police, but that it also has a terrifying knock-on effect on economic potential and on the families devastated by death and illness caused by alcohol; welcomes the Scottish Government's Alcohol Bill which includes a package of evidence-based measures to get to grips with this issue, including minimum pricing to combat the cheap ciders, lagers and low-grade spirits favoured by problem drinkers; and welcomes the support these proposed measures have received from a broad coalition including the four chief medical officers of the UK, the British Medical Association, the Royal Colleges, Church of Scotland, Association of Chief Police Officers of Scotland and the Scottish Licensed Trade Association. |
| 581 | FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 AND THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD | 12:1:10 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Martin Caton |
| That this House notes the contribution to UK society of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; further notes the importance of public accountability; believes that the public has a right to information relating to Her Majesty and the Royal Family; and therefore calls on the Government to extend existing legislation to designate the Royal Household as a public authority under the Act. |
| 582 | CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING | 12:1:10 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Alan Meale | | Paul Holmes |
| | Laura Moffatt | Tom Levitt | Mr Fabian Hamilton | | | Mr David Crausby | Nick Ainger | Richard Younger-Ross |
| That this House notes the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) produced by combustion products like coal, wood, oil and gas not burning correctly; further notes that CO has no taste, colour or odour and often causes permanent injury or death within a few breaths, making elderly people, those with heart or lung problems, pregnant mothers, unborn babies and young children all particularly vulnerable to its dangers; recognises the work of CO-Awareness, a registered UK charity, established in 2005 to provide information on the dangers of CO poisoning and to support victims and their families who have been killed or are suffering long-term health effects from CO poisoning; and urges the Government to improve education, advice and equipment for children, health professionals and installers to reduce the impact of CO poisoning. |
| 583 | CENSORSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES | 13:1:10 |
| Mr Tom Watson | | Mr Tom Harris | | Mark Pritchard | | Jeff Ennis | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Mr David Crausby | Dr John Pugh |
| That this House notes with concern Google's announcement that its corporate infrastructure was attacked from sources originating in China; further notes that the primary reason for the attempted hack was to target private email accounts of human rights activists; congratulates Google on the decision to end its policy of censoring search results in China; and further believes that other technology companies should follow Google's lead by refusing to collaborate with demands to censor their activities. |
| 584 | KING GEORGE HOSPITAL, ILFORD | 13:1:10 |
| Mike Gapes | | Mr Lee Scott | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Alan Simpson |
| That this House expresses its strong opposition to the Health for North East London proposals to downgrade services at King George Hospital, Ilford which would close the Accident and Emergency department and end critical care support and acute surgical and medical treatment, children's surgery and maternity delivery in Ilford; notes that under these proposals the 264,000 residents of Redbridge would no longer have a local hospital in the borough; and therefore calls on Redbridge Council's Health Scrutiny Committee to reject these proposals and immediately refer the matter to the Secretary of State for Health. |
| Dr Kim Howells | | Mr Don Touhig | | Nick Ainger | | Mr Dai Havard | | Ruth Kelly | | Mr Paul Murphy |
| | Mr Malcolm Moss | Nick Harvey | Richard Younger-Ross | | | Paul Rowen |
| That this House believes that high-precision radiosurgery can offer thousands of cancer patients a treatment pathway previously denied to them; recognises that the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is the first next generation technology that is able to treat tumours anywhere in the body, including primary cancer in the lung, prostate, spine and brain, and secondary tumours from breast and colon cancer, non-invasively with sub-millimetre accuracy; welcomes the fact that the CyberKnife, unlike conventional radiotherapy, is able to treat patients in three days instead of 30 days as a result of its accuracy and multiple beam angles; is concerned to note that there are currently 180 CyberKnife systems treating patients around the world, including four in Turkey and two in India, but none within the NHS; understands that a number of primary care trusts (PCTs) have authorised and paid for patients to be treated by the CyberKnife in the private sector in the UK and abroad, at a cost of £22,000 and above; further understands that if it were available within the NHS the treatment cost would be approximately £10,000 and that the continued unavailability of CyberKnife within the NHS makes little economic sense; calls on the NHS to approve the use of the CyberKnife system so that PCTs have sufficient guidance to install the technology; and urges the Government to define a radiosurgery tariff that takes into account CyberKnife's shorter treatment time, so that NHS patients will be able to benefit from access to this next generation treatment for cancer. |
| As an Amendment to Dr Kim Howells's proposed Motion (Radiosurgery): |
| Line 2, after `them', insert `unless such treatment was accessed privately overseas'. |
| 587 | 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOTOR CYCLE INDUSTRY | 13:1:10 |
| Mr Robert Goodwill | | Bill Wiggin | | Lembit Öpik | | Dr Stephen Ladyman | | Chloe Smith | | Mr Tim Boswell |
| | Mr David Crausby | Richard Younger-Ross | Lorely Burt |
| That this House congratulates the Motor Cycle Industry Association on the occasion of its one hundredth year in 2010; notes the positive contribution that the motorcycle industry has made to the UK economy, prosperity and jobs over the last 100 years; celebrates the landmarks of technological developments in motorcycling that have been made in the UK over the last century; further notes the industry's continuing contribution to sport; and looks forward to future developments by the industry both in the UK and internationally in the areas of product development, sport, the environment, social mobility and road safety. |
| 588 | UK NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND THE NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY | 13:1:10 |
| Paul Flynn | | Mark Durkan | | Lynne Jones | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Martin Caton | | Laura Moffatt |
| That this House notes the view of the Government that the UK needs to continue to have an independent nuclear deterrent while the world remains a dangerous place; further notes that under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty the UK is committed to close down its nuclear deterrent capability in the context of general and complete disarmament; further notes the importance attached by the UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon to a successful Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference in May 2010 in achieving a world free of nuclear weapons; and therefore calls on the Government to ensure the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons of mass destruction capability is entered into nuclear disarmament negotiations forthwith. |
| 589 | FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND COMPANIES OWNED BY TWO OR MORE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES | 13:1:10 |
| Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Paul Holmes | | Bob Russell | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes that section 6 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, with certain exceptions, makes companies wholly owned by the Crown or by a single public authority subject to the Act; further notes that a company wholly owned by two or more public authorities or 95 per cent. owned by a single public authority will be outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and calls for the closure of this loophole and for companies owned 90 per cent. or more by any number of public authorities to be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. |
| 590 | BEATING BOWEL CANCER'S BE LOUD! BE CLEAR! CAMPAIGN | 13:1:10 |
| Dr Howard Stoate | | Mr Kevin Barron | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell |
| | Dr Doug Naysmith | Nick Harvey | Mr Bill Olner | | | David Tredinnick | Andrew Miller | Mr David Crausby | | | Mr David S. Borrow | Dr John Pugh | Richard Younger-Ross | | | Paul Rowen | Lorely Burt |
| That this House welcomes the progress towards completing the roll-out of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme for 60 to 69 year olds in England; supports the recent commitment to extend bowel cancer screening to 70 to 75 year olds; recognises that bowel cancer is the UK's second biggest cancer killer, with more than 37,500 people diagnosed each year; further supports the efforts of the screening programme to reduce the number of deaths from the disease through early detection and treatment; notes that participation in the bowel cancer screening programme is only 55.5 per cent.; congratulates Beating Bowel Cancer on its Be Loud! Be Clear! campaign, and its ongoing work with bowel cancer patients; supports the charity's 2012 Screening Challenge to work with patients and the NHS to increase the levels of uptake in the screening programme so that one million additional people are screened for bowel cancer by 2012; and urges the Government to extend the age range for screening in England to 50 to 59 year-olds so that more people at risk of bowel cancer have the opportunity to be screened for, and beat, the disease. |
| Grant Shapps | | Justine Greening | | Mr Stewart Jackson | | Mrs Caroline Spelman | | Mr Philip Dunne | | Robert Neill |
| | Mr Oliver Heald | Michael Fabricant | Angela Watkinson | | | Mike Penning | Lorely Burt |
| That this House is concerned by the rising number of empty homes in England; notes that of the 784,000 homes which currently vacant 327,000 have been empty for a period of more than six months; is further concerned that despite the presence of 1.8 million families on the social housing waiting list and an escalation in the number of mortgage repossessions more has not been done to make use of the one in 30 local authority properties which are empty; further notes that just 27 Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) have been enforced since their introduction in April 2006; and calls on the Government to scrap EDMOs and instead to consider the adoption of a less bureaucratic approach to the rules which prevent social landlords from using their empty housing stock to provide families who would otherwise be homeless with a place they can call home. |
| 592 | SUSTAINABLE ENERGY (LOCAL ACTION) BILL | 13:1:10 |
| Alan Simpson | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr David Drew | | Julia Goldsworthy | | Mr John Gummer | | Mr Tim Yeo |
| | David Tredinnick | Mr Marsha Singh | Mr Michael Meacher | | | Mr Denis Murphy | Jon Cruddas | Mr Parmjit Dhanda | | | Norman Lamb | Richard Younger-Ross | Susan Kramer | | | Lorely Burt |
| That this House believes that it is vitally important to involve, rather than simply instruct, people and communities and local authorities in efforts to combat climate change; notes that the Sustainable Energy (Local Action) Bill, introduced by a cross-party group of hon. Members, will set in motion that process by giving councils and citizens a co-operative role in drawing up and implementing sustainable energy plans whose objectives would be to help combat climate change, protect energy security and alleviate fuel poverty; further notes that the bottom-up mechanisms in the Bill are based on those in the Sustainable Communities Act 2007, which was warmly supported on all sides of the House; and therefore supports the measures in the Bill and hopes they will be enacted soon. |
| 594 | BEREAVEMENT LEAVE AND CONFLICT | 13:1:10 |
| Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | | Mr Clive Betts | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George |
| | Nick Harvey | Mr David Crausby | Mr David Anderson | | | Lorely Burt |
| That this House acknowledges the bravery and the selflessness of UK Armed Forces personnel, who risk everything to defend the country and its values; feels great sadness and sympathy for the relatives of those who lose their lives in conflict; notes that there is a statutory right to bereavement leave but not on a paid basis; calls on the Government to introduce a legal right to paid bereavement leave for the close relatives of those who die in conflict; and further calls on the Government to issue guidance making it clear that these relatives should be given leave which reflects the very difficult and highly emotional nature of their loss. |
| Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | Nick Harvey | Mr David Anderson | Paul Rowen |
| That this House notes the growing level of alcohol fraud in the UK through the non-payment of alcohol duty which is costing the UK Exchequer significant sums in lost revenue; further notes that this fraud is having a severe detrimental impact on the economic viability of legitimate UK traders and having negative impacts on public health as consumers are being sold cheap alcohol from illicit sources; and calls on HM Revenue and Customs to combat the growing scale of alcohol fraud in the UK, undertake robust enforcement action and implement stringent preventative measures to stop the continuation of the fraud. |
| 596 | CONDUCT OF BUS COMPANIES | 13:1:10 |
| Mrs Linda Riordan | | Paul Holmes | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr David Crausby | Richard Younger-Ross |
| That this House welcomes the findings of the Office of Fair Trading report on bus competition; agrees with its main conclusion that limited bus competition is resulting in private operators charging higher prices and providing a lower quality of services for passengers; notes that established bus companies in towns like Halifax eliminate competition by acting aggressively towards small bus companies; condemns private operators who are only interested in making money and are not interested in the needs of passengers and local communities; recognises that the de-regulated bus system brought in by the Conservative government in the 1980s with the aim of increasing competition and lowering fares has failed miserably; welcomes action from this Government to increase bus accountability; calls for more to be done to ensure that profit-driven private bus monopolies are eradicated; and further calls on the Government to make a commitment to restoring a fully regulated bus system at the earliest opportunity. |
| 597 | CHILDREN AND CYCLING | 13:1:10 |
| Gwyn Prosser | | Emily Thornberry | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George |
| | Mr David Crausby | Dr John Pugh |
| That this House recognises the Government's financial support for the encouragement of cycling; urges it to extend its support to help promote more cycling by children; is conscious that nearly one household in three are bike-free zones and that only 2 per cent. of children travel to school by bike; welcomes the Halfords campaign calling on the Government to work at EU level to secure a reduction of valued added tax on children's bikes and safety accessories to 5 per cent.; further recognises the benefits that cycling brings in tackling obesity and addressing other health issues, environmental concerns and traffic congestion; and also notes the potential savings that this measure would bring to a number of Government departments, particularly the Department of Health as it helps to tackle the increasingly alarming obesity crisis. |
| 598 | FIRE-SAFE CIGARETTES | 13:1:10 |
| John Mason | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Bob Spink | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House congratulates the US states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee on the implementation on 1 January 2010 of legislation for fire-safe cigarettes, which have a reduced tendency to burn when left unattended; hopes that this will be a step towards reducing the number of fire deaths and injuries; further notes that this now leaves only one state, Wyoming, still to pass such legislation; believes that the European Commission is lagging behind in the development of an agreed European standard; and calls on the Government to assist in speeding up the process. |
| 600 | CYCLISTS' SAFETY AND HEAVY GOODS VEHICLES | 13:1:10 |
| Gwyn Prosser | | Emily Thornberry | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Norman Baker | Bob Russell | Stephen Pound | | | Frank Dobson | Mr Neil Gerrard | Dr Doug Naysmith | | | Roger Berry | Nick Harvey | Ann Winterton | | | Andrew Miller | Mr Graham Brady | Mr David Crausby | | | Dr Kim Howells | Mr George Galloway | Jon Cruddas | | | Dr John Pugh | Lorely Burt | Mr Robert Flello |
| That this House is concerned about the disproportionate risk of deaths of cyclists that involve heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), and notes in particular that seven out of the 12 cyclists' deaths in London, all but one of them women, this year involved lorries; recognises the value in increasing levels of cycling to improve public health and reduce the impact on the natural and urban environment; further notes that HGVs account for 45 per cent. of all London cyclists' deaths, and one in five of cyclists' deaths in the UK, yet represent only five per cent. of road traffic; supports the provision of cycle training to give adults and children the skills to deal with traffic; believes that more action is required to mitigate the threat posed by lorries; further recognises the need to equip all lorries with side-sensors, in-cab supervision systems, class VI safety mirrors and audible warnings; further recognises that all drivers receive a cycle awareness training course as part of the new Certificate of Professional Competence; and recommends the imposition of conditions of access to city centres for HGVs. |
| 603 | SMALL BUSINESSES AND CASH TRANSACTIONS | 13:1:10 |
| Gordon Banks | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Alan Meale | | John Mason | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr David Crausby | John Barrett | Lorely Burt |
| That this House notes the vital contribution that small businesses make to the UK economy and the additional pressures that have recently been placed on small businesses through the recession; further notes that those in sectors dealing with the sale of goods to the general public, which inevitably use cash as a payment method, suffer from excessive charges levied by banks in the provision of cash and change; and calls upon the banking industry to reduce the cost of this vital service to small businesses and in doing so demonstrate real help to the UK's small businesses, which will allow a greater level of economic security for the UK's small business sector. |
| 605 | SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS | 13:1:10 |
| Mrs Janet Dean | | Mr James Plaskitt | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr David Crausby | David Heyes | Dr John Pugh | | | Richard Younger-Ross | Greg Mulholland |
| That this House recognises that students who develop serious illness are deemed to have drawn down their student loans when they have to suspend their studies to receive treatment for life-threatening illnesses like cancer; understands that students are denied benefits for 28 weeks because of this; further understands that after that period their student loans are taken into account in assessing the amount of benefit paid; believes that it is distressing enough for young people to have to fight serious illness without being denied benefits available to others; further recognises that the current rules mean that students may be burdened by four years of student loans for a three-year degree course; further believes that students who have to suspend their courses because of serious ill health are treated unfairly in comparison with students who abandon or are dismissed from their course; and calls on the Government to rectify this unfair and unjust situation. |
| 606 | CHARGES FOR SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN BY AIRLINES | 13:1:10 |
| Nick Ainger [R] | | Mr Paul Murphy | | Dr Kim Howells | | Mr Colin Breed | | Dr Vincent Cable | | Mr Don Touhig |
| | Nick Harvey | Mr Clive Betts | Mr David Crausby | | | David Heyes | John Barrett | Dr John Pugh | | | Richard Younger-Ross | Mr David Anderson | Danny Alexander |
| That this House recognises that patients with pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscular dystrophy and other conditions require supplementary oxygen when travelling by air; is dismayed by the recent survey of 71 UK airline operators by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA-UK) showing that the vast majority currently charge passengers requiring supplementary oxygen on flights; applauds the work of the PHA-UK and the British Lung Foundation to end the unfair financial impact of what is effectively a tax on the disabled; calls on all airlines flying from or through UK airports to allow passengers requiring in-flight supplementary oxygen to either bring personal oxygen equipment on board and use it, subject to necessary security checks, or to have supplementary oxygen provided for them by the airline, in both cases without charge; welcomes the recent decision by Thomson to join those airlines that have already ended charging; and urges all other airlines operating in the UK to follow their example. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 608 | DISQUALIFICATION OF HON. MEMBERS UNDER SECTION 141 OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT | 13:1:10 |
| Lynne Jones | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | John Mason | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Greg Pope | Richard Younger-Ross | Mr David Anderson | | | Lorely Burt |
| That this House notes that, under section 141 of the Mental Health Act 1983 an hon. Member is automatically disqualified from office if detained under the Act for six months regardless of the prospects of recovery, but that there are no similar provisions for physical illnesses, however debilitating; further notes the evidence in the July 2008 Report of the All-Party Group on Mental Health and Mental Health in Parliament, showing the impact of the stigma associated with mental illness on the willingness of hon. Members to disclose any experience of mental ill-health; believes Parliament should take a lead in combating such stigma and that it is time to abolish the discriminatory message at the heart of British democracy, as recommended by the Speaker's Conference on Parliamentary Representation; and calls on the Government to bring forward an amendment to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill to repeal section 141 of the Act. |
| 609 | HAITIAN EARTHQUAKE | 14:1:10 |
| Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Graham Brady | | John McFall | | Stephen Pound |
| | Clive Efford | Harry Cohen | Mr David Crausby | | | Richard Younger-Ross | Mr David Anderson | Julia Goldsworthy | | | Mrs Linda Riordan | Lorely Burt | Willie Rennie |
| That this House is shocked by the tragic earthquake that occurred on 12 January 2010 in Haiti; notes with horror the massive death toll, which has already passed 100,000 in Port-au-Prince alone and is estimated could reach half a million; is gravely concerned by the massive damage to property, infrastructure, and essential services; extends its deepest sympathy and friendship to the Haitian people at this desperate time as they seek to rebuild their lives and their country; is heartened by the support that has already been offered by both the Government and the people of the United Kingdom as well as many other nations and international organisations; and, in consideration of this earthquake as one of the worst in the world's history, calls on governments and aid organisations across the world to increase and accelerate the flow of aid to Haiti, particularly medical supplies which are essential for the large numbers of injured and dying at this time. |
| 610 | MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS AND COLD WEATHER | 14:1:10 |
| Tim Farron | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Dr Brian Iddon |
| | Nick Harvey | Mr David Crausby | Angus Robertson | | | Pete Wishart | Richard Younger-Ross | Stewart Hosie | | | Greg Mulholland | Mr Angus MacNeil | Paul Rowen | | | Lorely Burt |
| That this House pays tribute to the outstanding work undertaken by mountain rescue teams during the recent snowstorms and subsequent cold snap; recognises the importance of their contribution in helping emergency services cope with the treacherous weather conditions by providing vehicle support to ambulance crews and rescuing vehicles stuck in the snow; notes that in some rural areas mountain rescue teams have been used to deliver essential supplies to farms and animal sanctuaries; is appalled that mountain rescue teams have to pay value added tax and vehicle excise duty on life-saving equipment which are exempt for other emergency services who do not have to pay taxes on equivalent equipment; is concerned that the Government has not yet announced an intention to exempt mountain rescue teams from these taxes despite indications from the European Commission that the United Kingdom could well be permitted to do so; and calls on the Government to announce such an exemption immediately and pay back the estimated £200,000 it collected in value added tax during 2009. |
| 612 | UK VISION STRATEGY | 14:1:10 |
| Mr Kevin Barron | | Mr Lee Scott | | Dr Doug Naysmith | | Sandra Gidley | | Dr Richard Taylor | | Ms Celia Barlow |
| | Mr David Crausby | Mr Greg Pope | David Heyes | | | John Barrett | Richard Younger-Ross | Mr David Anderson |
| That this House notes with concern that over two million people in the UK are at risk of needlessly losing their sight through treatable eye conditions; further notes that 100 people every day start to lose their sight, half of which could have been prevented; recognises that regular eye tests are the simplest way to reduce the number of people who lose their sight unnecessarily; observes that preventing vision loss maintains independence and reduces the financial cost of providing rehabilitation and support to those with serious visual impairment; and therefore calls on the Government to maintain its commitment to ensuring that the eye health of the nation is protected through the implementation of the UK Vision Strategy, which was developed to address the aim of the World Health Assembly VISION 2020 resolution to eradicate avoidable blindness by the year 2020 and to improve support and services for blind and partially-sighted people. |
| 613 | CHARLTON ATHLETIC FC AND MILLWALL FC ANTI-STREET VIOLENCE CAMPAIGNS | 14:1:10 |
| Clive Efford | | John Austin | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Peter Bottomley | | Derek Wyatt | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House commends Charlton Athletic FC and Millwall FC for dedicating their football match on 19 December 2009 to the memory of Jimmy Mizen and Rob Knox who were both the victims of street violence; recalls that Jimmy Mizen and Rob Knox were tragically killed in two separate unprovoked violent attacks; expresses its appreciation to the families of these two young men for the selfless and courageous work they have done to prevent other people becoming victims of street violence; congratulates Charlton Athletic Community Trust for its campaign Street Violence Ruins Lives and both clubs for the work that they do in the community to guide young people away from criminal behaviour into positive activities; acknowledges the generosity of KRBS, the financial sponsors of Charlton Athletic and CYC Logistics, financial sponsors of Millwall, for allowing their logos on the players shirts to be replaced with the Street Violence Ruins Lives motif to enable the clubs to convey a powerful message to football supporters about the futility of street violence; notes that money raised from the sale of these unique shirts will go to the Jimmy Mizen Foundation and the Rob Knox Memorial Fund; and wishes everyone involved with Charlton, Millwall, and the charities dedicated to the memory of Jimmy and Rob every success in their endeavours to prevent young people becoming involved in street violence. |
| 614 | OFFSHORE ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION NETWORK | 14:1:10 |
| Mr Mike Weir | | Mr Alan Meale | | Bob Spink | | John McDonnell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Dr John Pugh | Stewart Hosie |
| That this House welcomes the progression of plans to build an offshore electricity transmission network linking Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland; recognises that this grid will maximise the use of renewable energy from wind and wave power in Scotland; notes that harnessing Scotland's green wind and marine energy potential has the potential to create thousands of green jobs across the country; further recognises that Scotland is taking a global lead on the fight against climate change and is working hard with its partners across Europe, and the world, to develop green economic opportunities for Scotland and a sustainable future for the planet. |
| Andrew Gwynne | | Ms Sally Keeble | | Anne Main | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew Stunell | | Mr David Drew |
| | Sandra Gidley | Mr Don Foster | Mr Robert Walter | | | Mr Bill Olner | Mr Dennis Skinner | Mr John Greenway | | | Mr Clive Betts | Helen Southworth | Mr David Crausby | | | Mr David S. Borrow | Jim Cousins | Mr Chris Mullin | | | Nick Ainger | Michael Connarty | John Thurso | | | John Barrett | Lady Hermon | Mr Alistair Carmichael | | | Kitty Ussher | David Howarth | Martin Horwood | | | Chris Huhne | Julia Goldsworthy | Mrs Linda Riordan | | | Emily Thornberry |
| That this House expresses concern at the activities of so-called vulture funds, which seek to profit unfairly from the defaulted debts of heavily-indebted poor countries; notes that the international community has already deemed many of these countries' debts unsustainable by agreeing to reduce or cancel them; further notes the actions of a minority of creditors who litigate to seek full repayment of defaulted debt by claiming payment via international trade and even aid transactions; is concerned at the use of UK courts for a high proportion of these cases; welcomes the work by the Jubilee Debt Campaign to highlight the activities of the vulture funds; and supports the provisions of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to limit the activities of vulture funds. |
| 620 | PLAIN ENGLISH CAMPAIGN | 18:1:10 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Mark Hunter | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Gregory Campbell |
| | Nick Harvey | Andrew Stunell | Mr Greg Pope | | | Richard Younger-Ross |
| That this House supports the Plain English Campaign on its attempts to prohibit the use of the word regular in coffee shops and cafés; notes that this term is a meaningless description creating confusion; regrets the Americanisation of the English language in this country; commends the Plain English Campaign for its efforts to promote clear language in public life; and calls on all coffee shops and similar establishments to use English terms and one standardised and universally understood system of measurement, such as small, medium and large. |
| 622 | MORATORIUM ON MONGOLIAN DEATH PENALTY | 18:1:10 |
| Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Mr Colin Breed |
| | Mr Eddie McGrady | John Barrett |
| That this House welcomes the recent announcement by Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj of a moratorium on the death penalty and welcomes his call for the punishment to be abolished within Mongolia; notes that executions within Mongolia are highly secretive with exact execution numbers and the date of the last execution unknown; further notes that Mongolia has already implemented several moratoria on the death penalty which have later been overturned and that the President faces significant opposition to his calls in the Mongolian Parliament; further notes that Asia executes more individuals than the rest of the world combined, with Amnesty International estimating that at least 1,838 individuals were executed in 11 Asian countries in 2008; and calls on the Government to support President Tsakhia Elbegdorj's call for abolition so that Mongolia can set an example to its Asian neighbours that the death penalty has no place in modern justice systems. |
| 623 | TERMINATION OF RAIL FRANCHISE OF FIRST CAPITAL CONNECT | 18:1:10 |
| Mr Paul Burstow | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Ms Celia Barlow | | Tom Brake |
| That this House believes that the ongoing disruption to First Capital Connect services travelling into London needs to stop; deplores the severe reduction in timetabled services due to mismanagement by First Capital Connect, which has not employed enough drivers to cover the shifts needed; is concerned that commuters are having to find alternate routes into work and school, adding considerable time and expense to their daily journeys; notes the petition on the Number 10 website calling on the Prime Minister to act on this matter; calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to recognise this gross lack of competence; further notes that the current disruption is a breach of the franchise; and further calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to serve immediate notice to terminate the franchise agreement with First Capital Connect and to offer the franchise to a more capable organisation. |
| As Amendments to Mr Paul Burstow's proposed Motion (Termination of Rail Franchise of First Capital Connect): |
| Line 6, leave out from `matter;' to end and add `; further notes the Secretary of State for Transport's view that he wishes to see a significant improvement in services and that he is considering stripping the franchise from the company; calls on the Secretary of State to assess the delivery of the service in compliance with the franchise over the last four months; requests that the service is significantly improved for the travelling public; and further requests that the Secretary of State meets representatives of First Capital Connect urgently to discuss the future of the franchise.'. |
| Mr Robert N. Wareing | | John McDonnell | | Bill Etherington |
| Line 8, leave out from `and' to end and add `return the service to public ownership.'. |
| Kelvin Hopkins | | John McDonnell | | Bill Etherington | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Ronnie Campbell | | Lynne Jones |
| Line 10, leave out from `to' to end and add `take the franchise in-house and run it as a publicly-owned and accountable public service for the benefit of passengers, taxpayers and railway employees.'. |
| 624 | AMNESTY'S EQUALITY FOR WOMEN IN IRAN CAMPAIGN | 18:1:10 |
| Mr James Plaskitt | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Mr Colin Breed |
| | Stephen Pound | Mr Greg Pope | Mr Eddie McGrady | | | Mr David Anderson | Mark Hunter |
| That this House congratulates Amnesty for its campaign for equality on behalf of Iranian women; notes the widespread discrimination against women in the Iranian legal system; acknowledges the bravery of women like Hoda Aminian in promoting equality despite the risk involved; and looks forward to Amnesty securing its target of one million people signing up to its campaign. |
| 625 | CIVIC EDUCATION | 18:1:10 |
| Mr James Plaskitt | | Tom Levitt | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Mr Colin Breed |
| | Mr Simon Burns | Andrew Stunell | Mr Greg Pope | | | Mr Eddie McGrady | Mr David Anderson |
| That this House recognises the importance of civic education as part of the national curriculum; is concerned at the level of disengagement from the political process on the part of many young people; believes that there is an urgent need to help young people develop their understanding of the political and democratic process and of the opportunities for public participation and to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; and calls on the Government further to develop civic education by promoting lessons specifically designed to provide better understanding on the part of young people of the opportunities to participate in and shape the political process. |
| 626 | NATIONAL AUDIT OFFICE REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL DEMENTIA STRATEGY | 18:1:10 |
| Mr Paul Burstow | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Mark Hunter |
| | Nick Harvey | Andrew Stunell | Paul Flynn | | | Mr Eddie McGrady | Mr David Anderson |
| That this House notes that the report of the National Audit Office (NAO) on dementia services found that there has not been a robust approach to implementation of the National Dementia Strategy; is concerned that the NAO concludes that the strategy has not been given the levers or urgency necessary; further notes that there is a lack of joined-up, well-informed commissioning necessary to redirect the resources needed to pay for new dementia services; regrets the lack of progress on basic training of healthcare professionals; and calls on the Government to put in place urgently the mechanisms needed to bring about the large-scale transformation of dementia services that are desperately needed. |
| 627 | 70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN | 18:1:10 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Jim Dobbin | | Derek Twigg | | Bob Russell |
| | Nick Harvey | Mr Greg Pope | Paul Flynn | | | David Heyes | Richard Younger-Ross | Mr David Anderson | | | Mr Angus MacNeil |
| That this House recognises that 2010 marks 70 years since one of the most iconic episodes in British military history and one of the most important in Royal Air Force history, the Battle of Britain; wishes to honou
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