| 756 | HONOUR NETWORK FUNDING | 1:2:10 |
| Mr John Leech | | Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr David Drew | | Dr Rudi Vis |
| | John Hemming | Mark Durkan | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House notes with concern that the UK's only national telephone helpline dedicated to providing assistance to victims of forced marriage, the Honour Network, has had to stop taking evening and weekend calls due to a lack of funds; commends the important work carried out by the Honour Network whose staff are all survivors of forced marriages; recognises that the helpline received around 300 calls per month in 2009; further notes that a quarter of these were made on evenings or weekends; is concerned that it has already missed in excess of 70 calls in 2010 as a result of not being open on evenings and weekends; is further concerned that after initial support from the Forced Marriage Unit, Honour Network operations are now completely reliant on donations which cannot support it fully; acknowledges that the charity that oversees the Network, Karma Nirvana, estimates that the cost of keeping the helpline open all year round would only be £80,000 per year; believes that this represents excellent value for money for such a vital service; and calls on the Government to make up for this shortfall in funds in order to keep the helpline open. |
| 757 | CONDUCT OF LORD MANDELSON | 1:2:10 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Bob Spink | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Colin Burgon | | Mr Martin Caton |
| | Mark Durkan | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House notes that the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, right hon. Lord Mandelson, told the North West Evening Mail newspaper on 23 January 2010 of the Prime Minister's firm commitment that Labour will build the new generation of Trident submarines; recalls that the Secretary of State for Defence said in a written answer to the hon. Member for Keighley in December 2009 that the Government had originally planned to consider the Concept Phase of the initial gate of the approval process for a replacement for Trident submarines in autumn, but further time was required to ensure that decisions taken are based on robust information and the Government was aiming to be in a position to make an announcement early in the New Year; believes that this House should be the first to be informed of security decisions that could involve public expenditure over 40 years of over £75 billion; further believes the unelected Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has no mandate to make such commitments for policy decisions for which he is not responsible; and calls for the immediate abandonment of further expenditure on Trident, and for the taxpayers' money saved to be redirected to socially useful investments, including the aid fund for Haiti and the alleviation of child poverty, increased support for local authorities, more sustained support for essential public services and public sector jobs in the UK. |
| 758 | CONDUCT OF THE RIGHT HON. MEMBER FOR BLACKBURN | 1:2:10 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Paul Holmes | | Lorely Burt | | Mr George Galloway |
| That this House congratulates Elizabeth Wilmshurst, former senior international legal adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, for her clear and candid evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry into the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath on 26 January 2010; notes her revelation that every legal adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2002-03 judged the invasion of Iraq without explicit authorisation by the United Nations Security Council would be unlawful; and calls on the current Justice Secretary to consider his position in light of his rejection of this advice when holding the post as Foreign Secretary. |
| 759 | CATHOLIC AID FOR OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT RESPONSE TO THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE | 1:2:10 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Joe Benton |
| | Mark Durkan | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House supports and commends the unstinting commitment and dedication of Catholic Aid for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and its partner Caritas Haiti in helping to meet the desperate humanitarian needs to those whose lives have been devastated by the earthquake in Haiti; notes that for many years the Catholic church has been one of the main providers of healthcare in Haiti and that this role and presence has helped in the initial response; welcomes the re-opening of the Catholic hospital in Port-au-Prince and as well as many other church local health clinics and the distribution of aid through priests and religious groups working in 32 parishes; pays particular tribute to the kind generosity of the many Catholic schools, parishes and the Catholic community as a whole across the country who have helped provide the much-needed and continued financial support to enable CAFOD to help the people of Haiti in their time of need; and calls on the Government to continue and to increase its support to enhance the unique and valuable contribution that faith-based organisations make as part of the response to humanitarian disasters. |
| 760 | CO-OPERATIVE PARTY MANIFESTO | 1:2:10 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Jon Cruddas | | Peter Bottomley | | Jim Sheridan |
| | Mr David Hamilton | Mark Durkan | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House welcomes and supports the vision and measures set out in the Co-operative Party manifesto; believes that the principles and values of the Co-operative movement provide a relevant and positive response to the policy challenges and opportunities faced by the UK and globally; further believes that it is time to create institutions that demonstrably serve the collective needs of the population; further believes that there is a real appetite for such policies; and calls on policy-makers to take up the policies and ideas set out in the Co-operative Party manifesto. |
| 761 | BLACK YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT | 1:2:10 |
| Ms Diane Abbott | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr David Drew | | Dr Rudi Vis |
| | John Hemming | Mark Durkan | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House is alarmed that almost half of young black people aged between 16 and 24 are unemployed; is concerned that ethnic groups have been hardest hit by the recession; notes that the Government's pledge to shield ethnic minorities from the recession has failed; further notes that surveys have revealed that black and Muslim young are disproportionately unemployed even when they have comparable qualifications to those in employment; believes institutional racism still exists in the workplace; and calls on the Government to address these issues by doing more to drive local employment in areas like Hackney and other Olympic boroughs where a disproportionately low number of people work on the Olympic site. |
| 762 | JOBS ON THE OLYMPIC SITE | 1:2:10 |
| Ms Diane Abbott | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | John Hemming | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House recognises that unemployment is rising in London; notes that jobs on the Olympic site are set to increase by over 2,000 in 2010; further notes that just 20 per cent. of workers employed on the Olympic site live in one of the five Olympic boroughs; believes that more needs to be done to utilise local workers; and calls on the Government to set targets to encourage Olympic construction companies to employ locally. |
| 763 | CHILD POVERTY IN ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES | 1:2:10 |
| Ms Diane Abbott | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr David Drew | | Dr Rudi Vis |
| | John Hemming | Mark Durkan | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House recognises that more children in London are in severe poverty than anywhere else in the UK; notes that half of these children are from single parent families or families claiming job seeker's allowance; further notes that ethnic minority children are three times more likely to suffer poverty than their white counterparts; believes this is causing vulnerable communities to become further marginalised; and calls on the Government to concentrate its efforts to target these groups to ensure they do not fall behind in terms of the pledge to end child poverty by 2020. |
| 764 | CLIMATE CHANGE SCIENCE | 1:2:10 |
| Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Colin Challen | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | John Hemming | Ms Diane Abbott | Mark Durkan | | | Mrs Betty Williams | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House recognises the overwhelming evidence which confirms that human activity is contributing to dangerous climate change; believes that public policy on climate change should be based on peer-reviewed scientific evidence; further believes that the process by which all such evidence is assessed and presented should be open and available to public scrutiny; deplores any failure of detail in the analysis and presentation contained in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report; is concerned that such failures have endangered public confidence in the need for policies aimed at enhancing energy security, reducing fuel poverty, cutting waste and energy bills and improving investment opportunities in clean technologies which will benefit the UK's competitiveness and ability to create sustainable employment; and urges the IPCC to take all necessary measures to ensure public confidence in the methodology that applies to its next assessment. |
| 765 | CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE EARTH HOUR 2010 CAMPAIGN | 1:2:10 |
| Colin Challen | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Simon Hughes | | Andrew Stunell | | Peter Bottomley | | Stephen Williams |
| | John Hemming | Mr James Gray | Ms Diane Abbott | | | Mark Durkan | Mr Dai Havard | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House calls for cross-party support for WWF's Earth Hour 2010 campaign which seeks to persuade over a billion people worldwide to switch off their lights for an hour at 8.30 pm on 27 March 2010 to demonstrate to political leaders the far-reaching public desire for an urgent, fair, ambitious, binding and scientifically credible global deal on climate change; notes that the Copenhagen Accord failed to establish a sufficiently ambitious or binding framework capable of tackling the threat of climate change; further notes the urgent need for a legally binding global compact which sets stringent carbon emissions reductions targets at global and national levels; further notes that such a framework must include a mechanism for the independent monitoring and verification of progress; further calls on the Government to seek a new international mechanism to provide sustained and sufficient finance additional to existing commitments and which will be committed to support mitigation and adaptation and to prevent deforestation in developing nations; recognises the lead the UK showed at the climate negotiations in Copenhagen; and further calls on the Government to take a leadership role in securing jobs in the UK's green economy and in safeguarding lives, livelihoods and the planet. |
| 766 | SPORTS CLUBS AND MEN'S HEALTH | 1:2:10 |
| Dr Howard Stoate | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr David Drew |
| | John Hemming | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House welcomes the development of public health programmes that take advantage of sports stadiums' and sports clubs' position in communities to reach men with health information and services; notes the programmes run by NHS Oldham and the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation; further notes the research and co-ordination provided by the Men's Health Forum and the Federation of Stadium Communities; and calls on the Government to support the further development of such programmes by health providers and sports organisations. |
| 768 | HYDROFLUOROCARBONS AND SUPERMARKET REFRIGERATION | 1:2:10 |
| Clive Efford | | Peter Bottomley | | Ms Karen Buck | | Sandra Gidley | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | John Hemming | Mark Durkan | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House draws attention to the significant role supermarket refrigeration plays in reducing the UK's greenhouse gas emissions; notes that hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) can be up to 14,000 times more harmful in terms of global warming than carbon dioxide; is concerned that HFCs, used in supermarket refrigeration units, account for one third of the carbon footprint of most supermarkets; welcomes the progress made by certain supermarkets by reducing their use of HFCs, as highlighted by the Environmental Investigation Agency in its 2009 report, Chilling Facts; further notes that many large retailers are calling for legislation to phase out HFCs in the supermarket sector; and calls on the Government to promote the use of HFC-free refrigeration and to introduce legislation to phase out HFCs in large supermarkets as a matter of urgency. |
| 769 | CATEGORY B3A AUTOMATED LOTTERY MACHINES AND VALUE ADDED TAX | 1:2:10 |
| Philip Davies | | Ann Winterton | | Mr Alan Meale | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mrs Janet Dean |
| | Mr David Clelland | David T. C. Davies | John Hemming |
| That this House is alarmed that large numbers of traditional working men's clubs, ex-servicemen's and political clubs may have to close following the decision of HM Revenue and Customs to serve them with assessments to pay value added tax (VAT) and duty on category B3A automated lottery machines operating on their premises, having changed their status from lottery machines to gaming machines; notes that unlike gaming machines, category B3A machines do not dispense cash prizes, and that winning tickets are redeemed via the club; appreciates that there is no private gain to be had from such machines as they are simply another source of fundraising for the club and the revenue often serves as a lifeline to smaller clubs; points out that HM Revenue and Customs consider paper-based lottery machines, which differ only from automated lottery machines in that they display the result via paper, to be exempt from value added tax and duty; draws attention to the fact that the Gambling Commission still states that category B3A machines can offer only lottery games; points out that private members' clubs are not-for-profit organisations and as such do not have the resources to pay retrospective tax bills; and calls on the Government to halt this process, taking into account its negative economic and social impact on local communities up and down the country. |
| 770 | NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY (No. 2) | 1:2:10 |
| Mr Alan Meale | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Bill Etherington | | Mr Ronnie Campbell | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Bob Laxton |
| | Mr David Hamilton | Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | Mark Durkan | | | Mrs Betty Williams | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House is concerned about distortions and misinformation being circulated in opposition to HM Treasury plans to curb bogus self-employment in the construction industry; notes that the key change caused by such Government policy will be that construction companies will no longer be able to avoid paying their employers' national insurance contribution of 12.8 per cent. for their workers; is aware that currently there are an estimated 400,000 bogus self-employed workers operating in the UK construction industry, costing the Exchequer £1.7 billion per annum in lost revenue; congratulates the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians and other buildings trades unions for their sterling efforts to rid the industry of such illegal practices; and calls on the Government to enact fully the Treasury's proposals in the forthcoming budget to ensure that in future all construction workers currently considered self-employed would be in future deemed officially in receipt of employment income thereby protecting their rights and conditions. |
| 771 | 150th ANNIVERSARY OF SELBY TIMES | 1:2:10 |
| Mr John Grogan | | Mr Alan Meale | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mrs Janet Dean | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | John Hemming | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House congratulates the staff and readers of the Selby Times on the occasion in 2010 of the 150th anniversary of the newspaper; notes that for all that time the paper has faithfully chronicled the life and times of several generations of Selebians and citizens of the surrounding villages; believes that the paper, like many up and down the land, plays a vital part in local democracy, reporting and commenting on the activities of local councils, business and public bodies as well as giving a voice to the ordinary voter; commends in particular the paper's sports, leisure and property coverage as well as the Thought for the Week and Bygone Days columns; and further notes the newspaper's increasing online presence and wishes all involved the very best for the future. |
| 772 | DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILDREN | 2:2:10 |
| Annette Brooke | | Mr Robert Flello | | Mr Barry Sheerman | | Mr Edward Timpson | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Spink |
| | John Cummings | Ms Diane Abbott | Mark Durkan | | | Mrs Betty Williams | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House is concerned that 750,000 children a year witness domestic violence in the home; notes that children can experience domestic violence in many ways such as seeing or hearing the violence and the shouts, screams and crying, seeing the cuts, bruises and emotional impact on the abused parent, getting physically hurt whilst trying to intervene, and being deliberately injured by a perpetrator in order to terrorise the non-abusing parent; supports the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's campaign to tackle domestic violence from a child's point of view; and calls on the Government to amend the Home Office's definition of domestic violence in England to include the impact of domestic violence on children. |
| 773 | FIRST CAPITAL CONNECT (No. 2) | 2:2:10 |
| Kelvin Hopkins | | Frank Dobson | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | John McDonnell | | Kate Hoey | | Bob Spink |
| That this House notes the continued poor service on First Capital Connect; believes that this breaches the company's franchise agreement; is appalled that passengers have suffered this disruption whilst First Group's Chief Executive was paid over £1 million in 2009 and the company's profits have exceeded £800 million since rail privatisation; welcomes the fact that the Minister of State, Department for Transport has confirmed that all options are on the table when considering the future of the franchise; and urges the Government to take the franchise in-house and to run it as a publicly-owned and accountable public service for the benefit of passengers, taxpayers and railway employees. |
| 774 | DOG EATING IN THE PHILIPPINES | 2:2:10 |
| Mark Pritchard | | Mr Elliot Morley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Eric Martlew | | Mr David Amess | | Bob Russell |
| That this House congratulates His Excellency Mr Antonio Lagdameo on his appointment as Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Court of St. James; notes the historic special relationship between the United Kingdom and the Republic of the Philippines and the never to be forgotten heroism shown by Filipino allies during World War II; further notes the shared value of respect to the treatment of animals in both countries as evidenced by recent legislation in the Philippines providing severe penalties for those convicted of involvement in the dog meat trade; respectfully requests that Mr Lagdameo conveys to his government the hope of this House that a Special Filipino Task Force is created to enforce these laws thereby eliminating this cruel exploitation of animals once and for all; and calls on the Government to offer support and advice to ensure that the practice is finally stamped out. |
| 775 | NEUROMUSCULAR CARE | 2:2:10 |
| Lorely Burt | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mark Hunter | | Mr Martin Caton | | Dr William McCrea |
| | Clare Short | John Hemming | Mark Durkan | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House calls on the NHS West Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group to accept and approve the clinician-endorsed neuromuscular strategy; notes that the strategy was commissioned and produced by the Group's own Specialised Commissioning Team with the input of patients and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign; welcomes the recommendation to save up to £6.6 million spent annually on unplanned emergency admissions for people living with rare and very rare muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular conditions; expresses concern that clinicians estimate that patients who do not receive specialist neuromuscular care are 20 times more likely to have to be admitted to hospital as an emergency than those who receive timely preventative care; and calls on the Government to urge regional NHS decision-makers to take the action necessary to ensure that everyone living with neuromuscular conditions across the West Midlands has access to specialist multidisciplinary care. |
| 776 | PRESCRIPTION FOR THE UK'S HEART HEALTH CAMPAIGN | 2:2:10 |
| Mr Ian McCartney | | Mr Kevin Barron | | Dr Doug Naysmith | | Mr Malcolm Moss | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Dr Brian Iddon |
| | John Hemming | John Cummings | Mark Durkan | | | Mrs Betty Williams |
| That this House supports the British Heart Foundation's Prescription for the UK's Heart Health, which contains the commitments needed to protect the UK's heart health for the coming decade; notes that heart and circulatory disease is the UK's biggest killer; calls for the significant recent progress made towards preventing heart and circulatory disease to be preserved; expresses concerns over new challenges ahead including demographic changes, shifts in the burden of disease and a more stringent financial climate; is further concerned that the prevalence of heart and circulatory disease remains disproportionately high amongst people living in disadvantaged circumstances and from particular ethnic groups; and calls on the Government to meet these challenges by setting out a renewed approach to tackling heart and circulatory disease in England to reduce its incidence to one of the lowest levels in Western Europe. |
| 777 | SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE SNOW | 2:2:10 |
| Lorely Burt | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mark Hunter | | Peter Bottomley | | Dr William McCrea | | Mr Edward Davey |
| | John Hemming | Mr Mike Hancock | Mr Michael Clapham |
| That this House recognises the negative impact that snow can have on small businesses; welcomes the report by the Federation of Small Businesses, Business Continuity-Let's Keep Britain Moving, which contains 14 recommendations to help keep businesses running through periods of adverse weather conditions; and calls on the Government to launch an inquiry to examine its response to heavy snowfall and to investigate further steps that must be taken to Keep Britain Moving in the future. |
| 778 | APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 2010 | 2:2:10 |
| Mr David Willetts | | Mr Kenneth Clarke | | Mr John Hayes | | Mr David Evennett | | Mrs Maria Miller | | Mr Stephen Crabb |
| | John Hemming | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House believes that apprenticeships are a valuable source of training and work experience; believes that apprenticeships have a vital role to play in tackling rising youth unemployment; regrets that the number of new apprentice starts for those aged under 25 years is falling; calls on the Government to do more to encourage apprenticeships during the recession; further calls on public sector organisations to consider where they can offer greater numbers of apprenticeships; and welcomes National Apprenticeships Week as an opportunity to celebrate the success of apprenticeships across the country. |
| 779 | FUNDRAISING FOR HAITI | 2:2:10 |
| Jo Swinson | | Bob Spink | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Paul Flynn |
| | Mr David Hamilton | John Hemming | Mr Mike Hancock | | | Ms Diane Abbott | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House congratulates the British people for their generosity in donating more than £58 million so far to the relief effort for the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010; welcomes the huge number of fundraising events organised by individuals, community groups, charities, schools and churches up and down the country; congratulates East Dunbartonshire Council on setting up the East Dunbartonshire Haiti Appeal; commends the extraordinary efforts of the people of East Dunbartonshire to raise money for Haiti, including Cadder Parish Church, Milton of Campsie Parish Church, the Pro-Life Club at St. Ninian's High School, Scouts from 45th Glasgow, 32nd Glasgow and 12th Glasgow Scout Groups, Baljaffray Primary School, The Inn in Bearsden and Joe McCrum; praises Samaritan's Purse in Kirkintilloch for the 400 tonnes of emergency relief and supplies recently delivered to Port-au-Prince; and pays special tribute to Sharon Reader of Milngavie, who has flown to Port-au-Prince with the Red Cross Logistics Emergency Response Unit, and the many other British people working in Haiti to bring relief to those affected by the disaster. |
| 780 | HATE SPEECH AND UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES | 2:2:10 |
| John Mann | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Chris Huhne | | Bob Spink | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Gordon Prentice |
| | Mr John Leech | John Hemming | Mark Durkan | | | Mrs Betty Williams | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House notes the report of the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism, its section on Antisemitism in Higher Education and its five recommendations; welcomes the establishment of the Higher Education sub-group of the Inter-departmental working group on Antisemitism; further welcomes improved reporting of incidents through the Community Security Trust and Union of Jewish Students; recognises the continued increase in attacks linked to hostilities in the Middle East, the related incidents that have taken place in universities and that 2009 will see the highest number of reported antisemitic incidents since records began in 1984; notes with concern recent reports on the radicalisation and racial incitement caused by speakers on campus; is concerned that little progress has been made on the question of hate speech since the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism; believes that more can and should be done by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, higher education institutions and the sector as a whole on this matter, applauds the decisions that have been taken to cancel events likely to breach the peace, radicalise students or incite hatred; calls for more progress, with greater urgency in the creation of a wide ranging policy to help vice-chancellors and Student Union representatives to deal effectively with speaker invitations and hate speech; and calls for universities to establish good practice guides based on the speaker request processes that exist. |
| 781 | REGULATION OF STORE CARDS AND CREDIT CARDS | 2:2:10 |
| Ms Sally Keeble | | Mr Don Touhig | | Paul Holmes | | Bob Spink | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | John Hemming | Mr Mike Hancock | Mark Durkan | | | Mrs Betty Williams | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the recent consultation by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on the regulation of store cards and credit cards; notes its proposals for measures to prevent unsolicited credit limit increases, debt re-pricing and increases of minimum payments; and, given the pressure on consumers during difficult financial times to opt for easy credit, calls on the Government urgently to bring forward recommendations to protect consumers from exploitation. |
| 782 | POLICE NUMBERS IN LONDON | 2:2:10 |
| Clive Efford | | Mike Gapes | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Ms Karen Buck | | Mr Andy Slaughter | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Ms Diane Abbott | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House recalls that the Mayor of London promised prior to his election that `it is important for the Mayor to take a public lead, so I will chair the Metropolitan Police Authority'; further recalls that he promised in his manifesto that `I will take personal responsibility,' and that `no offence will be too trivial to demand my attention' and that he claimed that `no challenge will be so big that I shrug my shoulders and pass the buck'; notes that on 27 January 2010 the Mayor broke all of these pledges to Londoners by resigning as the chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority; further notes with concern that the Mayor's draft budget contains a proposal to cut the number of police in the capital by 455 officers; further notes that the net effect of his four budgets will be that the Conservative Mayor will preside over a reduction in police numbers in the capital; is reminded that police numbers in the capital fell under the last Conservative Government; contrasts this policy with Labour's record in London; believes that the Conservative Mayor's election rhetoric on crime is not matched by adequate investment in the police service; further believes there are now serious questions over what the Mayor is delivering for the capital; and urges the Mayor to reverse his policy of squeezing the budget for the fight against crime at the expense of Londoners. |
| 783 | TEN YEARS OF THE COALFIELD REGENERATION TRUST | 2:2:10 |
| Mr Michael Clapham | | Mr Dennis Skinner | | Mr David Hamilton | | Bill Etherington | | Mr David Anderson | | Mrs Siān C. James |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Mrs Betty Williams | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House congratulates the Coalfield Regeneration Trust (CRT) for the determined work undertaken over the last 10 years to create opportunities for coalfield communities; notes it has created more than 90,000 training and education places as well as building or refurbishing 2,200 community facilities; is aware that under the CRT's Family Employment Initiative the average cost of helping people back into work is lower than for other Government schemes; and calls on the Government to review the scale of future funding requirements to complete the task of regenerating mining communities. |
| 784 | MARKS AND SPENCER CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S JOINING FEE | 2:2:10 |
| John McDonnell | | Mr David Drew | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd |
| | Mr David Hamilton | John Cummings | Mr Mike Hancock | | | Mrs Betty Williams | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House contrasts the recent reports that the incoming Chief Executive of Marks and Spencer is to receive a fee of £15 million for simply joining the company with the evidence from the Report of the National Equality Panel that people in the poorest tenth of the population have less than £8,800 in total wealth; and calls on the Board and shareholders of Marks and Spencer to reconsider the morality of the scale of such a pay award when so many people are living in poverty, losing their jobs and struggling to provide for their families on low pay. |
| 785 | EXTENSION OF THE SMOKING BAN | 3:2:10 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | John Hemming | | John Cummings | | Philip Davies |
| That this House is concerned over the Secretary of State for Health's review of the current smoking ban legislation and its possible extension to include beer gardens, outside pubs and designated smoking areas; notes that pubs, bars and other similar venues have already had to make considerable alterations to their premises in order to adapt to the smoking ban; further notes that pubs have already suffered serious economic repercussions since the introduction of the smoking ban by way of lost revenue and the costs incurred by building smoking shelters; observes that smoking has serious health implications and supports measures to discourage it; believes however, that there needs to be a reasonable balance between protecting the rights of non-smokers and the rights of adults who smoke; deems that this balance would not be maintained if smoking in an open air beer garden or legal smoking shelter were banned; further believes that pubs play a hugely important function in the communities they serve; fears that if pubs are required to place further draconian restrictions on smoking then people will choose to stay at home and pubs will no longer be able to perform an important function at the heart of the community; and is concerned that if people are forced to stay at home and smoke this may have health implications on family members and visitors, including young children, due to the dangers of passive smoking. |
| 786 | ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION AND SOS DAY 2010 | 3:2:10 |
| Mr Michael Moore | | Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Mr Alan Reid | | Sir Alan Beith | | Norman Lamb | | Sir Menzies Campbell |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Dr Brian Iddon | Mark Durkan | | | Mark Hunter | Philip Davies | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House commends the life-saving work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crews in coastal communities around the UK; recognises that this work would not be possible without the selfless generosity of 40,000 volunteers who offer their time freely; notes that 2009 was one of the busiest years on record for RNLI crews; and wishes the RNLI and their supporters every success in their fundraising efforts, including SOS Day 2010. |
| 787 | BBC AND DISABILITY GROUPS | 3:2:10 |
| Ann Winterton | | Geraldine Smith | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Andrew Selous |
| | John Hemming | Mr Stephen Crabb | Mr Mike Hancock | | | Bob Spink | Mr Nigel Waterson |
| That this House notes that over the years there have been numerous complaints by hon. Members regarding the persistent bias of the BBC on matters relating to euthanasia and other life issues and on the manner in which the BBC have misused public funds to promote changes in the law; further notes the bias of the Corporation applies not only to news programmes but to drama, with thinly-disguised plays and soap operas being used to promote the use of euthanasia and misrepresentation of pro-life activists in the UK as people of violence; further notes that these presentations have culminated in the last weeks with a multi-million pound campaign featuring Mrs Kay Gilderdale in Panorama and the fantasy fiction writer, Sir Terry Pratchett, given centre stage to present this year's BBC Richard Dimbleby lecture calling for euthanasia and supported by the BBC website; further notes that as usual the BBC have ignored the rights of the disabled, despite the fact that every disability rights group in the UK is opposed to the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia on the grounds that from experience they know it would undermine the right to life of the disabled; and calls on the Government to make it clear to the BBC that public funds will be withdrawn unless they abide by the Charter and ensure that all programmes on issues of public interest are treated impartially, and that in particular broadcasters must bear in mind the human rights of the disabled. |
| 788 | ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY | 3:2:10 |
| Gwyn Prosser | | Sir Menzies Campbell | | John McDonnell | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Brian Jenkins |
| | Mr David Hamilton | John Hemming | Mr Gordon Prentice | | | Mr Mike Hancock | Mark Hunter | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House applauds the work of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and the dedication and bravery of its personnel, who provide such invaluable support to the Royal Navy often in war zones around the globe; is extremely concerned that the future of the RFA is under threat due to the proposal to scrutinise its role through the Treasury Operational Efficiency Programme; is dismayed that a further review could be contemplated so soon after a similar exercise in 2006 which resulted in a stable evolved crewing strategy until 2020; believes that the RFA has consistently demonstrated the value in retaining a civilian crewed fleet to provide strategic support to the Royal Navy; and urges the Government to retain the RFA in its traditional role on the grounds of security, efficiency and integration, and support for the armed forces. |
| That this House notes the forthcoming consultation on the future of secondary school and sixth form provision in Powys; and calls on the officers and councillors of Powys County Council to seek a strategic solution which preserves the outstanding contribution of the existing schools and sixth forms without closing these facilities, while funding creative approaches to fulfil the financial and educational challenges facing Powys. |
| 790 | MOBILE TELEPHONE MASTS | 3:2:10 |
| Mr Edward Timpson | | Ms Diane Abbott | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Lee Scott | | John McDonnell | | Annette Brooke |
| | John Hemming | John Cummings | Mr Mike Hancock | | | Mark Hunter | Mrs Betty Williams | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House recognises the high level of concern in many communities regarding the planning of mobile telephone masts; believes that the current planning system is inadequate; and calls on the Government to bring all mobile telephone mast proposals under strict planning control, to include extensive consultation with local residents within that control system, to bring the precautionary principle into planning, and to give extra safeguards to schools, homes and medical facilities. |
| 791 | ITV AIRTIME SALES AND CONTRACT RIGHTS RENEWAL | 3:2:10 |
| Janet Anderson | | Mr Jeremy Hunt | | Mr Don Foster | | Mr Edward Vaizey | | David Cairns | | Miss Julie Kirkbride |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Mark Hunter | Philip Davies |
| That this House notes with concern the provisional decision of the Competition Commission that the 2003 remedy, Contract Rights Renewal (CRR), applying to ITV1 airtime sales should remain largely unchanged; believes that the explosion of competition in media markets since 2003 now renders the restriction unnecessary; is concerned about the distorting effects of CRR on ITV's scheduling and investment decisions; considers that CRR financially punishes ITV for delivering the programming its customers and viewers want; believes therefore, it is detrimental to the continued investment in original TV content and the health of the UK's wider creative economy; and calls on the Government to undertake an urgent review of the competition regime as it applies to media mergers to ensure that broader public interest criteria are considered alongside price competition by merger authorities. |
| 792 | MOR GABRIEL MONASTERY | 3:2:10 |
| Mr James Clappison | | Mr Frank Field | | Bob Russell | | Andrew Selous | | Mr Humfrey Malins | | Mr Gary Streeter |
| | John Cummings | Mr Mike Hancock | Lynne Jones |
| That this House whilst recognising that religious freedom is enjoyed by citizens of Turkey nevertheless expresses its concern at the impending threat to the future of Mor Gabriel Monastery as a result of court cases threatening to take away all or most of its lands; notes that Mor Gabriel Monastery was founded in 397AD, is of major importance to the ancient Syrian Orthodox Church and is one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world; further notes that protection of minority rights under the Treaty of Lausanne is not extended to the Syrian Orthodox Church; and calls on the Government to make representations to Turkey on the future of this vital Christian institution. |
| 794 | SMARTER TRAVEL CHOICES INITIATIVES | 3:2:10 |
| Colin Challen | | Peter Bottomley | | Norman Baker | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr David Drew |
| | Mr Gordon Prentice | Mr Mike Hancock | Mark Hunter | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes the success of Smarter Choices initiatives in providing transport advice and information resulting in significant reductions in car trips and increased use of low carbon transport modes including buses, car sharing, cycling and walking; further notes the success of the Department for Transport's pilot projects in Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester; further notes the Committee on Climate Change's call for a phased national rollout of Smarter Choices schemes in its first annual progress report to Government; further notes Smarter Choices is a low-cost way of cutting carbon emissions; and calls on the Government to announce a phased rollout of Smarter Choices programmes across England. |
| 795 | RAIL FRANCHISING AND INTEGRATED TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES | 3:2:10 |
| Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | | Philip Davies | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House supports the principle that decisions on local transport issues are best decided locally; notes the intent of the Local Transport Act 2008 further to devolve transport decision-making via the Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) and Integrated Transport Authorities (ITAs); commends the six PTEs for the way in which they have provided long-term support and investment for local rail networks and for the responsible way in which they have used their franchise powers when allowed to do so by the Department for Transport; regrets that the Department for Transport's report, Future of Rail Franchising, failed to acknowledge in any way the potential future role of PTEs and ITAs in the specification and management of rail franchises; and expresses its concern that the consequence of this failure could be a lost opportunity to ensure that local heavy rail networks are fully integrated with wider public transport provision for the 11 million people who live in the metropolitan areas. |
| 796 | LOW GLUCOSE LEVELS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES SUFFERERS | 3:2:10 |
| Keith Vaz | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | John Hemming |
| | John Cummings | Mr Mike Hancock [R] | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | | Mark Durkan | Mark Hunter | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House commends research undertaken by Cardiff University into the dangers of letting blood glucose levels drop too low in type 2 diabetes sufferers; notes the health problems associated with letting blood glucose go too high or too low; further notes that it is essential that even levels of blood glucose are maintained in type 2 diabetes sufferers; supports the call for diabetes sufferers to undertake regular check-ups to ensure the most appropriate treatment is provided, alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise; is concerned that more than 145,000 new cases of diabetes, mostly type 2, were diagnosed in the past year; urges the Government to investigate further the overall effect of intensification of glucose control with insulin therapy and its link to a heightened risk of death; and encourages the Government to provide guidelines on regular check-ups and advice on managing diabetes to sufferers and their practitioners. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 797 | MOSQUITO DEVICE AT TEIGNMOUTH STATION | 3:2:10 |
| Richard Younger-Ross | | Mr David Heath | | Mr Alan Reid | | Julia Goldsworthy | | Annette Brooke | | Paul Holmes |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Lynne Jones |
| That this House congratulates South Devon Liberal Youth's campaign against the ultrasonic Mosquito device at Teignmouth station which has led to Network Rail cutting the use of the device during the morning rush hour; believes however that Network Rail's response is inadequate and that the Mosquito devices should not be used on railway stations where young people may legitimately use the services; and calls on Network Rail and other rail companies to limit the use of such devices to times when the station is closed. |
| 798 | ULTRASONIC MOSQUITO DEVICES | 3:2:10 |
| Richard Younger-Ross | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Paul Holmes | | Annette Brooke | | Mr John Grogan |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes the growing use of ultrasonic Mosquito devices; agrees with the Children's Commissioner, Sir Alan Aynsley-Green, that these are ultrasonic weapons designed to stop young people gathering, which are a powerful symbol of a deep malaise in British society and its views towards children; believes that their use in public places where children legitimately gather is wrong; and calls on the Government to urgently limit their use. |
| 799 | RENT A ROOM TAX RELIEF | 3:2:10 |
| Mr Andrew Pelling | | John Hemming |
| That this House calls for an increase in the rent a room tax relief threshold which was last increased in April 1997 from £3,250 a year to £4,250 a year so as to release extra housing capital in difficult economic times and to reduce the planning pressures for much-needed housing development. |
| 800 | BEREAVEMENT BENEFITS | 3:2:10 |
| Mr Andrew Pelling | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | John Hemming | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink |
| | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | Mark Durkan | Lynne Jones |
| That this House recognises that bereavement benefits are paid to those who are obliged to cope with singular difficulties at an emotional time; notes that receipt of such benefits can debar an individual from access to mortgage support; and urges the Government to reconsider this policy. |
| 801 | RIGHT HON. TONY BLAIR'S EVIDENCE TO THE CHILCOT INQUIRY | 3:2:10 |
| John McDonnell | | Peter Bottomley | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes former Prime Minister right hon. Tony Blair's comments about Iran during his evidence to the inquiry into the war on Iraq; considers them deeply unhelpful and an astonishing breach of the inquiry's remit; expresses regret that Sir John Chilcot felt unable to intervene during Mr Blair's hawkish transgression; is dismayed that Mr Blair should use such a high profile appearance to crudely pre-empt UK foreign policy on Iran; and believes that this confirms that he is a barrier to rather than a facilitator of peace in the Middle East. |
| 802 | ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND, CASH BONUSES AND PUBLIC FINANCES | 4:2:10 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House is shocked and disturbed at the complete insensitivity of the senior management, including the chairman of the RBS remuneration committee, to press ahead with plans, set out in a letter to RBS shareholders on 1 February 2010, that would allow top performers to effectively collect large cash bonuses despite the publicly stated opposition to such payouts by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Financial Services Authority; believes that as 84 per cent. of RBS is owned by the taxpayer, the interests of the public should be represented by United Kingdom Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI) who are responsible for protecting the taxpayer's investments into RBS, to the RBS board; further believes the RBS proposed plan, that bonuses could initially be paid in shares which would be convertible to cash after just 12 weeks, is totally contrary to the Chancellor's stated desire to curb unjustified bonuses being paid by banks in which there is significant public ownership; and therefore calls on the Government to instruct UKFI to demand that the RBS chief executive, Stephen Hester, halt such unacceptable bonus plans, on penalty of dismissal if he fails to comply. |
| Mr Paul Burstow | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House congratulates the staff and management of Crown Agents for the excellent performance of the organisation in 2009 helping developing countries achieve their development goals; notes that Crown Agents' expertise in public financial management helps governments raise revenue, manage debt and plan expenditure more effectively; further notes that its procurement and supply chain services, together with banking and asset management services, help ensure that wealth generated is spent or invested for the good of all; and congratulates Crown Agents on its role in activities such as helping to reduce malaria deaths in Africa, alleviate poverty and accelerate growth in Morocco, build healthcare capacity in Ethiopia, reduce corruption in Kenya, promote capacity building in Rwanda, support justice reform efforts in Pakistan and strengthen public procurement in Vietnam, which help its clients to improve peoples' lives. |
| 805 | DEMENTIA RESEARCH | 4:2:10 |
| Mr Paul Burstow | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Mr Adrian Sanders | Mark Durkan | Mark Hunter | | | Paul Holmes | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the publication of the Alzheimer's Research Trust's Dementia 2010 report; notes that dementia affects 820,000 people in the UK; further notes that dementia costs the economy £23 billion per year, more than cancer and heart disease combined; is concerned that dementia research funding is 12 times lower than that for cancer; welcomes the Government's formation of a Ministerial Advisory Group on Dementia Research; and urges the Government to make dementia research a national priority. |
| 806 | COMPREHENSIVE PEACE AGREEMENT IN SUDAN | 4:2:10 |
| Mr David Drew | | Mr Edward Davey | | Mr Stephen Crabb | | Susan Kramer | | Ms Sally Keeble | | Mark Pritchard |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | Mark Durkan | | | Mark Hunter | Lynne Jones |
| That this House is concerned about the current situation in Sudan; notes that the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement put an end to one of Africa's longest running civil wars, in which over two million people lost their lives; is gravely concerned that, without adequate preparation, the upcoming national elections and referendum on southern independence could re-ignite conflict between north and south Sudan, with broader implications for regional stability; notes with horror the significant spike in violence in South Sudan in 2009, with over 2,500 killed and 350,000 displaced; further notes that, in the western region of Darfur, millions continue to suffer daily in camps; calls on the Government to seek urgent action now to protect civilians during this turbulent period in Sudan; and further calls on the Government to devote greater attention to inducing the parties, North, South, East and Darfur, to continue dialogue and find constructive solutions to the problems they face. |
| 807 | GOVERNANCE AND REGULATION OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL | 4:2:10 |
| Tony Lloyd | | Derek Twigg | | Mr George Howarth | | Bob Russell | | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | | David Wright |
| That this House recognises that professional football has become a major part of the modern way of life for millions of people; further recognises that its future has ramifications for individuals, communities and the nation; is aware that the state of the premier league and the professional game is causing concern; notes that self-regulation by the football authorities has often meant no regulation; further notes the widespread concern of club supporters, football journalists and financial commentators amongst others that the controlling interests in the clubs do not obviously demonstrate long-term commitment to the clubs involved and to the health of football in general; shares the concern of these groups about the level of debt and financial uncertainty which now affects certain clubs in all divisions; is further aware of the growing trend for public demonstration of unhappiness about these trends at clubs like Liverpool, Portsmouth and the recent Green and Gold campaign at Manchester United; believes the time has come for football fans to be given a tangible stake in the clubs they have helped build and still support; and calls on the Government and the football authorities to create a binding framework which will regulate club debt and those people who are involved in football, guarantee the protection of the consumer with rules for fair trading and protect the wider public interest by putting the supporter at the heart of the national game. |
| 810 | HUMAN RIGHTS IN CAMEROON | 5:2:10 |
| Paul Rowen | | Jo Swinson | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House condemns the continued abuse of political activists by the Cameroonian government, particularly of the SCNC political party; notes Cameroon's poor human rights record, and its continued abuses including denial of the rights to freedom of expression, association, press, and assembly; further notes the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's advice to avoid political demonstrations and large public gatherings in Cameroon; also notes abuses against the SCNC documented by Amnesty International, which include arbitrary arrest, unlawful detentions and inhuman or degrading treatment; acknowledges the clear risks posed to members of the SCNC by the Cameroonian government; and calls on the Government to offer help to members of the SCNC who are judged to be in danger due to these human rights abuses. |
| 811 | CHILDREN IN IMMIGRATION REMOVAL CENTRES | 5:2:10 |
| Ms Diane Abbott | | Bob Spink | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes the £100,000 settlement paid by the Home Office to Carmen Quiroga and her children for their false imprisonment in Oakington Detention Centre for 42 days; is concerned about the increasing length of time families are detained for, with some being detained for over 120 days; is further concerned over the psychological damage that may occur in children following any period of detention; notes that Oakington was initially meant to be used as a short-term measure and closed in 2006, yet has been in operation for 10 years; recognises Chief Prison Inspector Anne Owers' report on detention centres condemning the use of child imprisonment; and urges the Government to extend the provisions of the relevant children's legislation to include children in detention. |
| 812 | PENDLE BOARDING SCHOOL FOR GIRLS (No. 2) | 8:2:10 |
| Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House notes with approval that plans for a 5,000 place boarding school for Muslim girls at Brierfield Mills have been blocked by the Charity Commission, which has ruled that it is not within the charitable objects of the Birmingham-based Islamic Help to raise money for such a purpose; is reminded that the charity's focus is disaster relief; further notes that Islamic Help has been ordered to return the money raised from its appeal for funds to all those who donated and expects this to be reported prominently on its website; is informed that donations made anonymously will go into a special pot which cannot be used for another purpose without the express permission of the Charity Commission; notes that the fundraising appeal has now been removed from Islamic Help's website; further notes with incredulity the explanation from the charity that the £10,000 reportedly raised by the appeal to date has not been applied in furtherance of the boarding school project; believes that £650,000 of the £1,020,000 plus value added tax purchase price came in the form of a loan from Lloyds TSB with the balance allegedly coming from pledges and backdated gift aid; and calls for a full audit of the finances of Islamic Help and the continued involvement of the Charity Commission in its supervision and oversight. |
| 813 | ADDITIONAL ROSETTE FOR MALAYA VETERANS | 8:2:10 |
| Sandra Gidley | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Paul Holmes | | Andrew George |
| That this House recognises those members of the three armed forces who saw active service in Malaya who were awarded the NGSM/GSM medal ribbon; distinguishes between those who served before Malaya's date of independence and those after; further recognises that those who fought and endured the struggle between 1948 and 1957 do not qualify for any further recognition for their part in the defeat of the Military Army of the Malayan Communist Party; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to award an additional rosette to all forces who qualify for active service in Malaya between 16 June 1948 and 31 August 1957. |
| 814 | DUMPING OF WASTE IN RAINFOREST ECOSYSTEMS | 8:2:10 |
| Bob Spink | | Paul Holmes | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House recognises the detrimental effects of decisions to dump billions of gallons of poisonous waste in rainforest ecosystems by multi-national companies; believes that any profit-making organisation is accountable for damage caused to the environment in the past, present and future; and calls on the Government to press multi-national companies to compensate nations in which they have employed bad environmental practices and to fight for this in the international community. |
| 815 | HOME REFURBISHMENT AND VALUE ADDED TAX | 8:2:10 |
| Bob Spink | | Paul Holmes | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes research carried out by University of Oxford calculates that the potential market for the refurbishment of existing homes to improve their energy efficiency is worth between £3.5 and £6.5 billion; further notes the recent EU decision allowing member states to reduce value added tax (VAT) on services and cut the current rate of VAT to five per cent. for all private housing repair and maintenance work; and calls on the Treasury to reduce VAT for established construction contractors to provide a significant boost to the industry and labour market. |
| 816 | COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE FOR VETERINARY PRACTICES | 8:2:10 |
| That this House is concerned about the lack of a coherent, modern and transparent complaints procedure for those dissatisfied with veterinary surgeon practices; further notes that despite the excellent care provided by veterinary surgeons, supported by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), mistakes and errors can be made and service users have a right to a fair complaints process; and calls on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to conduct a thorough review of the 1966 RCVS complaints procedure. |
| 817 | CONTENT ON FACEBOOK | 8:2:10 |
| Bob Spink | | Paul Holmes | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House condemns certain user groups on Facebook who target, harass and mock vulnerable or grieving people; notes that the written and graphic content of these groups can be extremely offensive and damaging to individuals and to society generally; believes that Facebook has a duty to protect users from abuse and to prevent or remove extreme distasteful content; and calls on the Government urgently to review national policies on policing hateful material on the internet and press Facebook immediately to remove any content of this nature and if it refuses, to legislate to protect society from the irresponsible actions of Facebook. |
| 818 | FURNISHED HOLIDAY LETTINGS RULES (No. 2) | 8:2:10 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes that the repeal of furnished holiday lettings rules announced in the Budget will have negative and unintended consequences for providers of holiday lettings; believes that the repeal will unfairly affect owners letting properties as their sole source of income or main business; further believes that the repeal will negatively affect the British tourism industry and rural and seaside areas; and calls on the Treasury to review the decision to repeal the furnished holiday lettings rules and consult on a tiered approach. |
| 819 | ASSOCIATION FOR PERIOPERATIVE PRACTICE | 8:2:10 |
| Laura Moffatt | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House congratulates the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) in its work to improve safety and dignity for patients undergoing surgery; thanks Hilda Mears and her family for the legacy bequeathed to the AfPP to help train theatre staff to improve patient safety and to explore why accidents in theatre happen, thereby reducing mishaps; further notes this legacy will provide funding for education to provide leadership skills and better communication to try and make the experience of going to theatre as good as it can be; and hopes the President, Diane Gilmour, continues this excellent work to improve the patient experience. |
| 820 | GATWICK AIRPORT PANTOMIME SOCIETY | 8:2:10 |
| Laura Moffatt | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House congratulates the Gatwick Airport Pantomime Society in its 20th anniversary year of performances and delighting packed houses while raising £299,000 since 1990 for 45 Surrey and Sussex charities and Great Ormond Street Hospital; recognises that the cast and crew are made up of British Airways aircrew giving of their time and talent to support worthy causes such as this year's Radio Mercury FM charity appeal; and hopes this New Year pantomime will remain a highlight for children and adults alike. |
| 821 | NATIONAL OFFENDER MANAGEMENT SERVICES | 8:2:10 |
| Mr Neil Gerrard | | David Howarth | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | John McDonnell | | Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews | | Colin Burgon |
| | Chris McCafferty | Gwyn Prosser | Mr Dai Havard | | | Mr Michael Clapham | Frank Cook | Peter Bottomley | | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House believes that the record high prison population and reducing budgets have undermined the National Offender Management Service's objective of tackling re-offending; considers that this undermines the ability of the Probation Service to function effectively; and calls on the Government to create separate operational structures, with their own directorates, for both prisons and probation. |
| 822 | CONSULTATION ON A SUPERMARKET OMBUDSMAN | 8:2:10 |
| Andrew George | | Albert Owen | | Mr David Drew | | Daniel Kawczynski | | Peter Bottomley | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House welcomes the Government's announcement that it accepts the recommendation made by the Competition Commission after its inquiry into UK grocery market supply practices that an independent, proactive grocery market ombudsman be created to monitor and enforce the Grocery Supply Code of Practice; notes that the Commission found that an ombudsman would ensure fair dealing between suppliers and supermarkets which was found to transfer excessive risk down the supply chain, 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; further notes the Commission's finding that an ombudsman would protect the interests of consumers by promoting a supplier-supermarket relationship that encourages greater investment and innovation; and urges Her Majesty's Government to implement this remedy as quickly as possible. |
| 823 | CONTROL OF MAJOR ACCIDENT HAZARD SITES | 8:2:10 |
| That this House notes with regret the explosion at the Kleen Energy plant in Conneticut on 7 February 2010 resulting in substantial injury and loss of life; expresses concern for the safety of people affected by gas plants, such as Calor Gas on Canvey Island, that are sited in Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) sites; further notes with concern that some operators of COMAH sites have been subjected to prohibition or enforcement notices, demonstrating a failure to adhere to systems put in place to safeguard the community; believes that any new fast-track planning system dealing with nationally significant infrastructure projects must include independent review of local emergency processes and risk factors where COMAH sites are involved; and calls on the Government and the Opposition to commit to a national safe siting policy. |
| 824 | NEW ZEALAND WAITANGI DAY | 8:2:10 |
| That this House is proud to join the people of New Zealand in celebrating Waitangi Day, their national day, on 6 February 2010, commemorating the historic signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, that marks the coming together of the Maori people and representatives of the British Crown; recognises the importance of maintaining close links between the United Kingdom and New Zealand and cherishes the strong historical bond and unshakeable friendship that exists between all the peoples of the British Isles and islands of New Zealand; further recognises the shared heritage, common language, longstanding trading relationships and deeply intertwined cultural, educational and military ties that exist between these great allies and Commonwealth members who also take pride in sharing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State and Sovereign; and urges the Government of the United Kingdom to continue to foster and strengthen this special relationship that, despite the long distances in being oceans apart and on opposite corners of the Earth, continues to bind both nations together. |
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