| 1712 | LAUNCH AID FOR THE A350 AIRBUS | 22:6:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Peter Bottomley | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr Michael Clapham |
| That this House calls on the Government for an early decision to support launch aid for the A350 and ensure that Airbus uses British workers and technology to build the wing on its A350; recognises the important contribution the work will make to the British manufacturing base; notes that the UK, France, Germany and Spain, where Airbus has its principal factories, have been asked to pledge launch aid for the project; further notes that the UK has confirmed its commitment to the project and the subsequent UK jobs but is yet to announce its financial contribution; and urges the Government to bring forward its announcement and pledge financial commitment to the A350 project. |
| 1713 | PROVISION OF CHANGING PLACES TOILETS | 22:6:09 |
| Mr Tom Clarke | | Philip Davies | | Sarah Teather | | Bob Spink | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley |
| | David Taylor | Mr Mike Hancock | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Dr Kim Howells | John Hemming | Mrs Joan Humble | | | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House notes the new research from the University of Dundee released by Mencap and the Changing Places Consortium which reveals that up to 230,252 people require the use of a Changing Places toilet; further notes that this 230,252 includes 36,782 people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, 30,947 people with cerebral palsy, 8,000 people with spina bifida and 8,500 people with multiple sclerosis; is alarmed that despite this massive demand there are only 85 Changing Places toilets available in the UK; understands that a Changing Places toilet is a toilet which has enough space for a disabled person, their carers and the right equipment which includes an adult-sized height-adjustable changing bench and a hoist; further understands that without them people who need support from one or two carers to use the toilet or to have their continence pad changed either have to stay at home or their family carers have to resort to changing them on dirty toilet floors; calls on the Government to encourage the building of Changing Places toilets in venues such as hospitals, shopping centres or large train stations; and further calls on the Government to amend Part M of the Building Regulations to ensure that all newly built major public buildings provide a Changing Places toilet. |
| 1714 | WORK OF THE ALIVE AND KICKING CHARITY | 22:6:09 |
| Mr Michael Moore | | Mr Don Foster | | Sir Robert Smith | | Andrew George | | Bob Spink | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House commends the work of Alive and Kicking, a charity which takes on previously unemployed adults in Kenya, Zambia and South Africa to hand-stitch durable sports balls for local communities; welcomes the opportunity that these sports balls give for children in some of the poorest communities in Africa to play games; notes that every job provided by Alive and Kicking usually supports an extended family of up to seven or eight people; recognises the importance of the health messages printed on the balls, which raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; and wishes this innovative charity a successful future, particularly in the build-up to the 2010 World Cup which is to be held in South Africa. |
| 1715 | FOOD AND DRINK EXPORTS | 22:6:09 |
| Mr James Paice | | Mr Roger Williams [R] | | Mr Mark Todd | | Mr John Grogan | | Philip Davies | | Tim Farron |
| | Mr Malcolm Moss | Mr Mike Hancock | Mrs Betty Williams |
| That this House praises record levels of UK food and drink exports, boosted by strong performances in all product categories, as published by the Food and Drink Federation as part of World Trade Week UK; welcomes the data showing that exports were worth £9.23 billion in 2008, up 20 per cent. in value terms on the year before; recognises that UK food and drink manufacturers have built a strong international reputation for quality and innovation over many years, that the sector continues to perform strongly on the export stage, despite challenging global circumstances; and acknowledges this success as further evidence of the importance of the food and drink sector to the overall UK economy. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 1716 | SOUTHEASTERN'S HIGH SPEED PREVIEW DOMESTIC RAIL SERVICE | 22:6:09 |
| Dr Howard Stoate | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Lynne Jones | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr John Leech | | Mark Lazarowicz |
| That this House welcomes the start of Southeastern's high speed preview domestic rail service that will allow passengers to travel from Ebbsfleet and Ashford into London in just 17 and 37 minutes respectively, contribute to the regeneration of the Thames Gateway area, cut commuting times from Kent and provide a blueprint for a high speed rail network across the UK. |
| As an Amendment to Dr Howard Stoate's proposed Motion (Southeastern's High Speed Preview Domestic Rail Service): |
| Line 5, at end add `; and calls on the Government to ensure that the high speed rolling stock is manufactured domestically.'. |
| 1717 | REGIONAL NEWSPAPERS AND LOCAL DEMOCRACY | 22:6:09 |
| Mr George Galloway | | Mr David Drew | | Jeremy Corbyn | | John McDonnell | | Mr John Leech | | Philip Davies |
| That this House notes that there is an ongoing crisis in regional newspapers due to the fall in advertising revenues which has been compounded by the credit crunch; further notes that regional newspapers play a vital role in ensuring democracy at local level; congratulates the East London Advertiser for winning regional newspaper of the year for the second year running; believes that the demise of regional newspapers would seriously undermine local democracy; further believes that the establishment of weekly newspapers distributed free to every household by local councils further undermines the viability of regional newspapers; further believes that these council-run newspapers, like Eastendlife in Tower Hamlets, are primarily established in order to promote the political interests of the ruling group on these councils rather than to provide impartial and essential information; and further believes that legislation needs to be passed urgently to restrict councils from spending taxpayers' money on regular council newspapers. |
| As an Amendment to Mr George Galloway's proposed Motion (Regional Newspapers and Local Democracy): |
| Mr Andy Slaughter | | Stephen Pound |
| Line 9, after `Tower Hamlets', insert `and H and F News in Hammersmith and Fulham.'. |
| 1718 | LINDSEY OIL REFINERY INDUSTRIAL ACTION | 22:6:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Michael Clapham | | Mrs Linda Riordan |
| That this House expresses its support for the workers from the Lindsey Oil Refinery site currently taking industrial action to protect their jobs, wages and conditions and for all those workers at sites around the country who are taking action in support; and calls upon Total oil company to enter into talks at the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service with the unions GMB and UNITE to resolve this dispute. |
| 1719 | EQUALITY BILL AND AGE-RELATED INSURANCE PRODUCTS | 22:6:09 |
| Harry Cohen | | Mr Michael Howard | | Graham Stringer | | Mr John Horam | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Spink |
| That this House notes that the Government policy paper Framework for Fairness June 2007 stated that the Equality Bill, currently before Parliament, should not have the unintended consequence of prohibiting positive benefits for either younger or older people, such as youth clubs or clubs for older people, holidays catering for people of particular ages, or concessions and discounts which help younger or older people; further notes that the Government probably wanted to continue to allow insurance companies to design and provide products for specific market segments, for example, younger or older drivers; and, therefore, urges the Government to bring forward amendments to the Bill to achieve this aim. |
| 1720 | PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS' SOURCES | 22:6:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Paul Farrelly | | Mr Don Foster | | Hywel Williams | | Mr Neil Gerrard | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | John Hemming |
| That this House regrets that many police forces fail to recognise the importance of a journalist's right to protect his or her sources; believes that the protection of confidential sources is internationally recognised as one of the basic principles of press freedom and attempts to force journalists to disclose information to the security services undermine the confidence and candour with which sources will talk to journalists and damages the ability of the press to hold people in positions of power to account; and therefore calls on the Government to issue guidance to police forces across the UK to remind them of the need to respect press freedom. |
| 1721 | BANKING SECTOR | 22:6:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Bob Spink | | David Taylor | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes that the Government bailed out the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) with billions of pounds of taxpayers' money and now has a 70 per cent. stake in the banking group; further notes that since that time RBS has announced more than 10,000 job losses; is appalled that the new Chief Executive has been awarded a pay deal of up to £9.6 million, which represents nearly 3,000 times the income of one of the many ex-RBS staff members now claiming jobseeker's allowance; notes with concern reports that Goldman Sachs will be paying out the biggest bonus payouts in the firm's 140 year history; and therefore believes that the Government must now intervene to control the banks in which it has a public stake and legislate to ensure the interests of bank workers and customers are prioritised by the banks rather than the bonuses, pay and dividends of executives and shareholders who caused the UK banking crisis. |
| 1722 | PEOPLE WITH AUTISM | 22:6:09 |
| Mrs Janet Dean | | Bob Spink | | David Taylor | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Mrs Betty Williams | Dr Kim Howells | | | John Hemming | Mr Andy Slaughter | Lady Hermon | | | Mr Alan Meale | Mr Bob Laxton |
| That this House notes the recent report from the National Audit Office Supporting People with Autism through Adulthood; further notes that adults with high-functioning autism are significantly less likely to experience traumatic and costly acute mental health problems if they are receiving appropriate services; further notes in particular the report's conclusion that providing appropriate health, social care and employment support to those with high-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome could save the public purse millions of pounds; recognises the positive steps already taken by the Government to address some of these issues; and calls on the Government to take forward all the recommendations contained in the report in its forthcoming adult autism strategy. |
| 1723 | REMUNERATION OF ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND CHIEF EXECUTIVE | 22:6:09 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Bob Spink | | David Taylor | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House is appalled that UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI), the public body created by HM Treasury to oversee the taxpayers' interests in the billions of pounds of public money provided to the failing private banks, has seen fit, on behalf of taxpayers, to endorse the obscene financial package worth £9,600,000 per year to Stephen Hester as chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which is 70 per cent. owned by taxpayers; contrasts this utterly unacceptable and incomprehensible UKFI decision with the announcement of RBS a month earlier on 21 May to make redundant 700 workers in the first wave of a planned 4,500 job losses across the United Kingdom, which followed an announcement of 9,000 job losses by RBS in April; does not accept that this absurd level of payment is necessary to incentivise efficient management of RBS, noting that outgoing RBS chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin was paid a massive £4,190,000 a year, and his business decisions brought the bank to the verge of ruin; recalls that Mr Hester told the Treasury Committee on 11 February 2009 `I do think banking pay in some areas of the industry is way too high and needs to come down and I intend us to lead that process'; believes the remuneration package offered to Mr Hester is entirely inconsistent with his own intention; and therefore believes the Chancellor should intervene immediately with UKFI to block this outrageous planned payment to Mr Hester. |
| 1724 | UK DAIRY INDUSTRY | 22:6:09 |
| Mr William Cash | | Daniel Kawczynski | | Bob Spink | | David Taylor | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Robert Key |
| | Mr Malcolm Moss | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House notes the severe problems facing the UK dairy industry; is dismayed by the collapse of the co-operative, Dairy Farmers of Britain; and urges the Government to support those numerous producers affected, whilst also requesting urgent action to be taken in tightening up EU and UK labelling requirements on all products of animal origin including dairy products, particularly cheese, so that misleading labelling is stamped out and that consumers can make informed choices about the dairy products they buy, and can clearly identify the country in which the animal was reared, and raw material produced and processed. |
| 1725 | GOVERNOR OF BANK OF ENGLAND | 23:6:09 |
| Mr Frank Field | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones | | Bob Spink | | Mr Ken Purchase | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Mr Malcolm Moss | Graham Stringer | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House congratulates the Governor of the Bank of England in outlining a strategy which will in future ensure that no bank is too large to fail; and further supports the Governor in his wish to separate high street retail banking from risky investment banking. |
| 1726 | GURKHA PENSIONS | 23:6:09 |
| Mr George Howarth | | Tony Baldry | | Bob Russell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Spink | | Mr Robert N. Wareing |
| | Mr Malcolm Moss | Mr Mike Hancock | Frank Cook | | | Mr Dai Davies | Lady Hermon | Mr Alan Meale | | | Mr Frank Field |
| That this House welcomes the residency rights given to former Gurkha soldiers; notes that the British public united unanimously behind the Gurkhas in their campaign for equality of treatment with fellow British soldiers; further notes with concern that one area of inequality still remains relating to Gurkhas who have protected the interests of the United Kingdom by serving prior to 1997, but still do not receive a fair pension equal to their fellow British Army soldiers with the same service; recognises that Gurkhas who retired from the Army prior to 1997 receive a pension settlement between as little as 1/6th or 1/8th of that of the UK soldiers they served alongside; acknowledges that the British Gurkha Welfare Society is not demanding the backdating of any pension payments, nor any further retrospective grants such as receiving a terminal gratuity payment equal to that which British counterparts have received; further acknowledges that they are simply asking for Gurkhas to be treated as equals by the British Government by ensuring that all Gurkhas, regardless of when they served, receive from this point onwards a fair pension, equal to fellow British Army soldiers with the same service; and calls on the Government to consider giving all Gurkhas an equal and fair pension in the future. |
| 1727 | RETROSPECTIVE BUSINESS RATES CHARGES ON PORT OPERATORS | 23:6:09 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Mr Frank Field | | Mr Ian Cawsey | | Shona McIsaac | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd |
| | Paul Flynn | Gwyn Prosser | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House, in light of the injustice currently being done to port operators by demanding huge retrospective payments for new business rate assessment on top of the business rates they have already paid through the cumulo rent system, believes that, if the House of Lords reiterates its amendments stopping retrospective demands where they arise through faults on the part of the Valuation Agency, the Government should use the opportunity to listen to the ports, look seriously at the problem, and drop retrospective demands which are going to make many port operators insolvent and lose jobs and investment in ports; urges the Government to restore the basic and fair principle of business rating which is that new assessments which are not the fault of the ratepayer are not made retrospectively; and accordingly further urges the Government to act urgently to save the situation before local authorities are forced to initiate recovery proceedings, company accountants are compelled to indicate a potential insolvency in the accounts of port operators and ports are plunged into a disaster which is easily avoidable if only the Government will listen. |
| 1728 | G8 L'AQUILA SUMMIT AND THE GLENEAGLES COMMITMENTS | 23:6:09 |
| Mr Michael Moore | | Bob Spink | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Phil Willis | | Mr John Leech | | Andrew George |
| | Glenda Jackson | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House notes the fourth anniversary of the G8 Gleneagles summit on 6 July 2009, and recalls the commitments made to the developing world at that summit, including to increase Official Development Assistance by $50 billion per year by 2010; deeply regrets the failure to honour these and other pledges in years of sustained global economic growth and believes that in a time of economic downturn concerted action to fulfil these outstanding pledges is now essential to prevent a dramatic reversal of progress towards the Millennium Development Goals; further notes the upcoming G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy on 8-10 July 2009 as an opportunity to reaffirm the G8's commitment to meet its Gleneagles pledges, but is concerned that Italy, as chair and host nation, has the worst record of the G8 nations and has actually reduced its aid budget; and therefore calls on the Government to provide the necessary leadership on development issues to ensure that every member of the G8 recommits to the Gleneagles pledges and takes action to implement them. |
| 1729 | TOPICAL DEBATES AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT | 23:6:09 |
| Mr Frank Field | | Bob Spink | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | John McDonnell | | Mr David Drew | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House believes that one way to increase Parliament's openness to the public would be to decide the subject of each Thursday's topical debate by means of an online poll, where members of the public would vote for the issues they would like to see debated from a shortlist of 10 varied options decided by the Leader of the House. |
| 1730 | FURNISHED HOLIDAY LETTINGS RULES | 23:6:09 |
| Janet Anderson | | Mrs Joan Humble | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Bob Spink | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Mr Gordon Prentice |
| | Mr Hugo Swire | Mr Mike Hancock | Mrs Betty Williams |
| 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 negative impact of the repeal will lead to a reduction in the supply of self-catering accommodation in particular, resulting in a significant loss of jobs and damage to rural and seaside economies; further notes with concern the lack of any industry consultation on the repeal; and calls upon the Government to conduct a full consultation and review of this policy change as soon as possible to ensure all affected parties have the opportunity to voice their concerns and to promote an understanding of and mitigate against any unintended consequences on tourism, especially in rural and seaside areas. |
| 1732 | COST OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT | 23:6:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Stephen Williams | | David Taylor | | Philip Davies | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Jeremy Browne |
| | Graham Stringer | Mr Mike Hancock | Dr Kim Howells | | | John Hemming |
| That this House notes with concern that the cost of the European Parliament's policy of dividing its work between Brussels and Strasbourg is estimated at over €200 million per year and creates 20,268 tonnes of additional carbon dioxide emissions; further notes that the European Parliament is the only parliamentary assembly in the world that has two seats; further notes that the Strasbourg seat stands empty for 300 days of the year; therefore calls on the Government to urge the European Council to amend the Treaty of Amsterdam to identify a single seat for the European Parliament thereby reducing the EU budget of €1,530 million and cutting carbon dioxide emissions. |
| 1733 | PLAN BEE CAMPAIGN | 23:6:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd |
| | Graham Stringer | Paul Flynn | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | | Mr Mike Hancock | Mrs Betty Williams | Dr Kim Howells | | | Mrs Joan Humble | Lady Hermon | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House supports the Co-operative's Plan Bee campaign to raise awareness of the dramatic demise of bees and the various disorders and diseases threatening honeybee hives; notes that although in the UK bees contribute £165 million a year to the economy, this is only a small part of their contribution to sustaining the country's way of life and the way the planet functions, including their crucial role in pollinating some 90 commercial crops worldwide; further notes that the British Beekeepers Association survey revealed that 30 per cent. of the UK's 240,000 honeybee hives were lost in the winter and spring of 2008 compared to normal yearly losses of around five to 10 per cent., welcomes the Co-operative's pledge of £150,000 for research into the causes behind the decline of the honeybee and its 10-point plan on prohibiting the use of a group of eight pesticides on own-brand fresh produce, trialling a wildflower seed mix to attract honeybees and raising awareness of the plight of the UK honeybee; welcomes the Government's efforts to tackle the problems; and calls on the Government to redouble those efforts. |
| 1734 | LOCAL AUTHORITY ACCESS OFFICERS | 23:6:09 |
| Mark Williams | | Mr Roger Williams | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Glenda Jackson | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Mrs Betty Williams | John Hemming |
| That this House notes that local authorities are subject to duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 not to discriminate against disabled people in employment or the provision of service, and that amendments made by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 ensure that all the activities of public authorities are covered by the 1995 Act; further notes that these duties include the need to make positive adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not less favourably treated; is concerned that whilst some local authorities have chosen to appoint access officers to ensure these new requirements are adhered to, others are yet to do this; and urges the Government to issue guidance to local authorities to encourage them to employ access officers, in order to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. |
| 1735 | JACK HENDERSON | 23:6:09 |
| Mark Williams | | Mr Roger Williams | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Stephen Williams | | Mr Phil Willis | | John McDonnell |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Dr Kim Howells | John Hemming | | | Mr Alan Meale | Mr John Leech |
| That this House congratulates Jack Henderson, a young inventor from Cardigan, on his success in the last year, which includes winning the WJEC/Welsh Assembly Government Innovation Awards 2008, being a Double Gold Medal Winner at the British Invention Show 2008, and being a runner-up in the National Science Competition, the Young Technologist of the Year, winning the BAE Systems Special Award for Technology 2009; notes that Jack has been featured on national and regional media, providing inspiration for other young inventors; acknowledges the support given to Jack by Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, which has encouraged him to develop his talents; wishes Jack well for the future; and looks forward to following his future successes. |
| 1736 | INQUIRY INTO THE IRAQ WAR | 24:6:09 |
| Mr Marsha Singh | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Angus MacNeil | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House calls on the Government to ensure that any inquiry into the Iraq War should be completely public; and notes that any inquiry conducted behind closed doors will be called a whitewash and will do further harm to Parliament's reputation. |
| 1737 | PRIVATE FINANCE INITIATIVES AND PUBLIC FINANCES | 24:6:09 |
| John Barrett | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Angus MacNeil |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Mark Durkan | Mr John Leech |
| That this House is concerned at Government proposals to publish two separate sets of government departmental accounts, one which includes private finance initiative schemes on the balance sheet and one which does not; notes that the creation of two different balance sheets with different fiscal information was used by accountants working for Enron in order to hide their state of finances during the 1990s; believes that greater transparency and public accountability would be achieved by the publication of a single set of accounts; and calls on the Government to publish one account which includes all private finance initiative schemes on the balance sheet. |
| 1738 | CONFEDERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE'S SERVICES | 24:6:09 |
| Tim Loughton | | Mr Andy Reed | | Mrs Maria Miller | | Mr Gary Streeter | | Annette Brooke | | Mrs Eleanor Laing |
| | Mr Malcolm Moss | Glenda Jackson | Mr Mike Hancock | | | Mrs Betty Williams | John Hemming | Mr John Leech |
| That this House recognises the crucial role that youth work plays in young people's personal and social development, promoting their voice and empowering them to make positive contributions in their communities; and therefore welcomes the launch of the Confederation of Heads of Young People's Services, supporting and developing the youth workforce and working to improve the capacity and quality of services for young people. |
| 1741 | NATIONAL ARMED FORCES DAY | 24:6:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell |
| | Glenda Jackson | David Taylor | Mr Mike Hancock | | | Mrs Betty Williams | Dr Brian Iddon | Mr Jim McGovern | | | Dr Kim Howells | Mrs Joan Humble | Mr Alan Meale | | | Mr John Leech |
| That this House acknowledges the first national Armed Forces Day on 27 June 2009; welcomes the event as an opportunity for the nation to show recognition and support for the men and women, both serving and veteran, who make up the Armed Forces community. |
| 1742 | ASSAULTS ON FIRE CREWS | 24:6:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Bob Russell | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Glenda Jackson | Mr Mike Hancock | Mrs Betty Williams | | | Dr Brian Iddon | Mr Jim McGovern | Dr Kim Howells | | | Mrs Joan Humble | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House deplores physical assaults on firefighters while attending incidents; recognises the need to ensure that firefighters are given the respect they deserve, particularly in the dangerous conditions in which they work, often helping to save lives; welcomes initiatives introduced in Tyne and Wear where crews have spit kits so that attackers' DNA can be collected; and calls on the Government to work with the Fire Brigades Union to develop a national strategy to tackle assaults on firefighters which would require all fire authorities to put in place plans to prevent attacks on fire crews, to standardise the collection of statistics on such attacks, to introduce conflict resolution training where violent attacks cannot be avoided and to conduct public awareness advertising campaigns that challenge attacks on firefighters. |
| 1743 | RESTORATION OF THE PENSIONS AVERAGE EARNINGS LINK | 24:6:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Mark Durkan | | Mr David Drew | | John Cummings |
| | Paul Flynn | Bob Spink | David Taylor | | | Mr Mike Hancock | Dr Brian Iddon | Mr Jim McGovern | | | Mr Alan Meale |
| That this House calls on the Government to bring forward proposals to restore the link between increases in the basic state pension and average earnings in the next Budget; believes that reform to the pension system is needed to allow it to serve as a foundation for retirement planning and for it to retain its value and enable people to plan for retirement with confidence; notes that to delay restoration of the earnings link subject to economic volatilities would result in an increase in the number of pensioners on means-tested benefits; and urges the Government to continue to demonstrate support for pensioners by bringing forward proposals to restore this link. |
| 1744 | EDINBURGH'S TELFORD COLLEGE | 24:6:09 |
| Mark Lazarowicz | | Dr Gavin Strang | | Mr David Hamilton | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House expresses its concern at the threatened redundancies at Edinburgh's Telford College, which include both lecturers and support staff; notes that this is against a background of a sharp rise in applications for courses there; further notes that amongst those at risk of being made redundant are lecturers in business and trades which have proved particularly popular at a time when proper provision for the unemployed to retrain and improve their skills is vital; and urges the governing board of Telford College to reconsider the proposals and work constructively with staff and trade union representatives to find other means of resolving the present funding crisis. |
| 1745 | HIV TREATMENT IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD | 24:6:09 |
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown | | Mr Andrew Mitchell | | Mr Mark Lancaster | | Mr Stephen Crabb | | Alistair Burt | | Richard Ottaway |
| | Mr Nigel Waterson | Mr Mike Hancock | Dr Brian Iddon | | | Dr Kim Howells | Lynne Jones | Paul Holmes |
| That this House notes with concern that around the world 15 million children have lost one or more parents due to AIDS; notes that only 31 per cent. of adults and barely 10 per cent. of children in need of HIV treatment have access to it and that access to prevention is also limited; further notes that there is a lack of appropriate HIV treatments for children, and that the number of adults who have become resistant to basic HIV treatment and require more expensive medicines is increasing; recognises that pharmaceutical companies have a vital role to play in helping to achieve universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010; welcomes the fact that many companies have chosen voluntarily to sign up to new patent pool arrangements; and calls for governments, businesses and voluntary organisations to work together in tackling the epidemic. |
| 1746 | DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME | 25:6:09 |
| Mr Bill Olner | | Mr David Crausby | | John Hemming | | Mr Brian Binley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Dr Brian Iddon | Lynne Jones |
| That this House believes that there is compelling evidence to show that extending daylight saving time and creating an extra hour of daylight in the evening will bring significant environmental, economic and road safety benefits for all parts of the UK; recognises research conducted by Cambridge University showing that an extra hour of daylight will reduce carbon emissions by up to two per cent. by limiting the daily spike of energy consumption; notes the United States Energy Policy Act 2005 which has brought forward the date the clocks go back by three weeks resulting in a reduction in total US energy consumption; acknowledges research conducted by the Policy Studies Institute showing that an extra hour in the evening will extend the British tourist season by 35 per cent. creating between 60,000 and 80,000 jobs; recognises the NAO report that shows road accidents increase by 10 per cent. in the four weeks following the clocks changing in October and that 57 per cent. of all road accidents involving children happen between 3 pm and 7 pm in the evening; and calls on the Government to introduce a three year trial period in order to make better use of daylight hours and energy resources and assess the advantages of different systems including Single Double Summer Time. |
| 1747 | FAIR TRADE FOR BRITISH FARMERS | 25:6:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Andrew George | | Willie Rennie | | Bob Spink | | David Taylor | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Mr Mike Hancock | Mr Alan Meale | Paul Holmes |
| That this House believes in fair trade for farmers, whether based in the UK or overseas; is concerned at reports of dairy farmers being offered as little as 10 pence per litre for their milk in the aftermath of the collapse of Dairy Farmers of Britain; acknowledges the fact that many British farmers from a variety of sectors are forced to accept payment for their produce by powerful buyers including supermarkets at a rate below the cost price; further believes that this unfair trade is a consequence of market failure and an imbalance of power between the producer, the processor and the retailer; and seeks to correct that imbalance by setting up a new, powerful Food Market Regulator with a remit to be proactive to ensure fair trade in the domestic food market to ensure that farmers, growers and consumers get a fair deal. |
| 1748 | HERITAGE AT RISK | 25:6:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House is extremely concerned by the recent findings of English Heritage that one in seven conservation areas, one in 30 listed buildings and one in five scheduled monuments are at risk of being destroyed by disrepair, neglect and the introduction of modern fixtures and fittings; believes that the protection and preservation of the character and history of the areas in which people live and work is paramount; acknowledges that city centre high streets will undoubtedly change over time and that they need to remain practical for modern usage; welcomes the £19 million investment that Leicester City Council has directed to the regeneration of Leicester's High Street; and calls on the Government to ensure that all local councils act towards conserving the characteristics that make the UK's towns and cities unique. |
| 1749 | TRAIN VERSUS PLANE CAMPAIGN | 25:6:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House is alarmed at the cost of UK train fares which are the highest in Europe; recognises that the Governent regulates 60 per cent. of all train fares and has allowed them to rise one per cent. above inflation every year; believes that fares will rise further while the Government continues to demand greater contributions from paying railway users; notes in contrast that while the Government increases train fares, it gives air transport a £9 billion tax break every year through exemptions in fuel duty; further notes that when people take the train instead of flying, it causes less carbon dioxide emissions, traffic, noise and pollution; congratulates the Campaign for Better Transport's train versus plane campaign; and calls on the Government to freeze rail fares and to introduce a fuel tax on domestic flights that would make it easier for people to switch from plane to train. |
| 1750 | MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS AND TAXATION | 25:6:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Andrew George | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Dr Brian Iddon | Dr Kim Howells | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | | Mr Alan Meale | Lynne Jones | Paul Holmes |
| That this House pays tribute to the outstanding work of mountain rescue teams; acknowledges the dedication and skills of mountain rescue volunteers; is appalled that mountain rescue teams have to pay value added tax and vehicle excise duty on life-saving equipment; notes that these taxes cost the volunteer mountain rescue teams up to £200,000 a year; further notes that other emergency services 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 UK could well be permitted to do so; and calls on the Government to announce such an exemption immediately. |
| 1751 | HERITAGE AT RISK REGISTER | 25:6:09 |
| Stephen Williams | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the publication of English Heritage's annual Heritage at Risk register, detailing the listed buildings and ancient monuments at risk of decay; recognises that various Government agencies have a role in saving such sites as a contribution to regeneration of communities; notes that the Carriage Works at Stokes Croft in Bristol is a Grade 2* listed building at risk; and regrets that the reduced budget available to the South West Regional Development Agency means that the agency can no longer proceed with a rescue plan. |
| 1752 | MANOR GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL | 25:6:09 |
| That this House commends the work of David Reid, Head Teacher of Manor Green Primary School in Crawley, West Sussex on leading his staff, pupils and parents in achieving an outstanding Ofsted report, putting Manor Green Primary School in the top 10 per cent. of schools nationally and making it the first special school in West Sussex to achieve an outstanding grade; congratulates David Reid and his staff on securing a Gold Arts Mark for Manor Green Primary School; and notes that these achievements are reflected in David Reid winning the National Centre for School Leadership's South East Primary Head Teacher of the Year 2008; further notes that David Reid's work and commitment to students, staff and parents has seen Manor Green Primary School go from strength to strength and provide a truly excellent education for children with special needs in Crawley. |
| 1753 | HYDROFLUOROCARBONS AND SUPERMARKET REFRIGERATION | 25:6:09 |
| Clive Efford | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Ms Karen Buck | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Glenda Jackson | Mr Mike Hancock | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes with grave concern the large-scale domestic emissions of potent greenhouse gases hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) commonly used in refrigeration, air-conditioning, and as foam blowing agents; welcomes the recent publication of the Environmental Investigation Agency's Chilling Facts report into the impact of supermarket refrigeration on climate change, supermarkets being the largest source of domestic HFC emissions; notes the availability of low global warming impact alternatives; further notes the initiatives in other European countries which have been successful in reducing HFC emissions; further notes calls from supermarkets for legislation against the use of HFCs in order to create a level playing field; calls on all supermarket retailers to phase-out immediately their use of HFCs; urges the Government to support a phase-out of domestic consumption of HFCs, as has happened in Austria and Denmark; and calls on the Government to support interim steps to achieve deep emission reductions such as HFC taxation, which is working successfully in Norway and Denmark and being assessed in Sweden. |
| 1754 | ABORTION LAW IN NORTHERN IRELAND | 25:6:09 |
| Martin Salter | | Ms Diane Abbott | | Dr Evan Harris | | Robert Key | | Julie Morgan | | Mrs Linda Riordan |
| | Glenda Jackson | Mr Andy Slaughter | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the Westminster launch on 30 June of the film Discrimination and Denial-Abortion Law in Northern Ireland funded by the International Planned Parenthood Federation and launched by the sexual health charity fpa; notes that because the Abortion Act 1967 was never extended to Northern Ireland, women in Northern Ireland do not have the same access to abortion as women in the rest of the United Kingdom; further notes that the film highlights this inequality and the reality of the situation for women in Northern Ireland; and calls on all hon. and right hon. Members to support the campaign urging the Government to provide funding for women in Northern Ireland to access NHS abortion services on the mainland. |
| 1755 | IRANIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2009 | 25:6:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Andy Slaughter | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House supports the Iranian citizens who are utilising their democratic right to protest over the disputed Presidential election results of 12 June 2009; is concerned by reports of the arrest, torture and murder of protesters by the Revolutionary Guards and paramilitary Bassij; further supports the Iranian people in bringing about democratic change; and urges the Iranian Government to accept free and fair UN-supervised elections. |
| 1756 | FINANCIAL PRIVILEGE AND BUSINESS RATE SUPPLEMENTS BILL | 26:6:09 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Mr Ian Cawsey | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House deprecates the Government's decision to invoke financial privilege to prevent the House of Lords returning its sensible amendments to the Business Rate Supplements Bill which would have prevented retrospective punishment of port businesses for the incompetence and failures of the Valuation Office Agency; views this pathetic and petty decision not as an invocation of the spirit of Lloyd George to protect the powers of the Commons but as a cowardly attempt to conceal the disastrous consequences of the massive retrospective rate bills the Government is imposing on the ports and its failure to manage the Valuation Office Agency and to prevent it punishing ports; and very much regrets that in doing so the Government and this House lose the opportunity to right a serious wrong and protect Britain's ports from the insolvencies, job losses and diversion of trade and investments which will result. |
| Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Lee Scott | | Mrs Joan Humble | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes that 25 June 2009 was the third anniversary of the kidnap of Israeli serviceman Gilad Shalit; is concerned that he is being held a hostage, incommunicado, and is neither permitted to send or receive messages from his family, nor receive visits from the Red Cross or similar organisations; and calls on the Government to redouble its efforts to secure the release from captivity of Gilad Shalit and of other Israeli service personnel who are being held as hostages. |
| 1758 | RELIGIOUS EDUCATION | 29:6:09 |
| Dr Ashok Kumar | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House believes that fair and balanced education about religious and non-religious beliefs should be a part of the school curriculum and that it is important that such a subject be broad, objective and balanced; notes that the new draft guidance on religious education (RE) published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families contributes little to the evolution of the subject and fails to address any of the concerns surrounding the subject of RE; further believes that the current statute law on religious education is no longer fit for purpose in terms of the content and the mechanism of deciding on syllabuses it prescribes; and calls on the Government to commission a Government or independent review of the primary legislation on RE with a view to reforming the law on RE. |
| 1759 | INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (No. 2) | 29:6:09 |
| Colin Challen | | Bob Spink | | Lynne Jones | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes that as of 24 June 2009, the Government has agreed to become a full signatory to and to join the International Renewable Energy Agency; congratulates the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for making this decision; and thanks those hon. Members who supported the campaign to get the UK to join this essential international agency. |
| 1760 | SOCIAL CARE FOR DEAFBLIND CHILDREN AND ADULTS | 29:6:09 |
| Tom Levitt | | Bob Spink | | Lynne Jones | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell |
| That this House welcomes the Department of Health's re-issuing of its guidance, Social Care for Deafblind children and adults; recognises that the guidance will have a significant impact on the 193,133 deafblind people in England; supports the calls from Sense, the UK's leading deafblind charity, that English local authorities implement the guidance without delay; acknowledges that deafblind people, their families and carers have a right to receive the appropriate level of assessment regardless of where they live and that they deserve a fair deal from their local councils; and recognises that less than half of the deafblind people identified by local authorities have received a specialist assessment and that the new guidance will reiterate that local authorities have a statutory duty to carry out proper assessments. |
| 1761 | AIR PASSENGER DUTY ON FLIGHTS TO THE CARIBBEAN | 29:6:09 |
| Sarah Teather | | Lynne Jones | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes the Government's plans to introduce a new banding system for air passenger duty; believes that any duty should be based on the level of carbon emissions produced by flights rather than arbitrary zones based on location of a country's capital city; notes that actual distance travelled is a good approximation for carbon emissions; further notes that the new banding system will result in flights to the Caribbean incurring a higher tax than flights to the West Coast of the United States, despite being closer in distance to the UK; is concerned that this will disadvantage the many people who have friends and family in the Caribbean, while also failing to effectively curb carbon emissions; further notes that replacing the air passenger duty with a per plane tax would be fairer for passengers flying on busy routes; and calls on the Government to abolish the air passenger duty and replace it with a per plane aviation duty based on the actual distance travelled. |
| 1762 | BARKING TO GOSPEL OAK RAIL LINE ELECTRIFICATION | 29:6:09 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | Harry Cohen | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House welcomes the commitment of the Prime Minister to electrification of the railways; recognises that electrification of the Barking to Gospel Oak rail line will bring huge benefits to both freight and passenger traffic; and accordingly calls on the Secretary of State for Transport urgently to engage in discussions with Transport for London to ensure that this much-needed improvement happens. |
| 1763 | LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY (No. 2) | 29:6:09 |
| That this House calls on the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills urgently to intervene to protect student places, courses and staff positions at London Metropolitan University; and recognises that the dispute over past Higher Education Funding Council for England funding is not the fault of the staff the university is trying to make redundant, the students currently studying at the university or the next generation of students who will be denied university education. |
| 1764 | DEMOCRACY IN HONDURAS | 29:6:09 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | John McDonnell | | Keith Vaz | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House deplores the military action that has been taken in Honduras to remove the democratically-elected government; believes that only the Honduran people have the right to determine their government through a democratic process and that this action against democracy should be condemned throughout the world; and therefore calls for the immediate reinstatement of the democratically-elected government in Honduras. |
| 1765 | ALCOHOL PRICING | 29:6:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Lynne Jones | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell |
| That this House welcomes the new Home Office advertising campaign which includes a video which confronts young people with the reality of their drunken behaviour; notes that this is the centrepiece of the Home Office's Know Your Limits campaign; further supports the Home Office's partnership with Channel 4 television programme Hollyoaks, which will lead to a new hard-hitting online drama to support the campaign; further notes concern that alcohol-related crime costs £7.3 billion per year and that 45 per cent. of victims of crime describe their assailant as being under the influence of alcohol; calls on the Government to impose a minimum price for alcohol; and further notes that the introduction of a minimum price for alcohol has been advised by the Government's Chief Medical Adviser, Sir Liam Donaldson. |
| 1766 | MICHAEL JACKSON, 1958-2009 | 29:6:09 |
| That this House celebrates the life and music of Michael Jackson; commends the role his music has played in uniting people from different cultures and challenging racial division in the US and around the world; notes that he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide and won 13 Grammy awards during his career; applauds his support for many charitable causes; and hopes that his legacy will endure through his fans and his music. |
| 1767 | LEGAL SANCTIONS ON HON. MEMBERS | 29:6:09 |
| That this House notes with concern proposals to remove proposed legal sanctions on hon. Members who wilfully and seriously transgress the rules on expenses claims, registration of interests and paid advocacy; believes that hon. Members should be honest and if they are not, should be subject to the same legal sanctions as the people they are elected to represent; and urges the Conservative Party and all hon. Members to take account of public opinion and support legal sanctions in such cases. |
| 1768 | CLIMATE CHANGE ACT (SCOTLAND) 2009 | 29:6:09 |
| That this House welcomes the Climate Change Act (Scotland) 2009 as a world-leading example of a government adopting a legally binding target based on the scientific evidence of the scale of greenhouse gas emission reductions required to avoid dangerous climate change; welcomes the decision of the Scottish Parliament to set a target of a 42 per cent. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020; notes that the Scottish target of 42 per cent. is more ambitious than the current UK target; believes that adopting this target now shows continued international leadership on climate change legislation; and calls on the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to take steps to support an immediate UK target of 42 per cent. and an EU-wide target of a 30 per cent. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 in support of the Scottish Parliament's world-leading legislation. |
| 1769 | CARBON TRUST ENERGY SAVINGS CAMPAIGN | 29:6:09 |
| Mr Alan Meale | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Bill Etherington | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House is aware of the Carbon Trust, an independent company established by Government in 2001 in response to the threat of climate change to help businesses and service providers to accelerate the move towards a low carbon economy to help reduce carbon emissions and to develop commercial low carbon technologies; is also aware that so far the Trust has worked with more than 700 secondary schools and further education colleges across the nation which have already identified energy savings of around £16 million and carbon emission savings of 119,000 tonnes annually; welcomes the Trust's fresh campaign to encourage all head teachers and college administrators in England and Wales to realise potential energy savings in their schools and colleges, whilst at the same time helping to tackle global warming; believes such a strategy should be supported by all education authorities; and calls on the Government to do all it can to help deliver such a sensible and worthwhile strategy. |
| 1770 | AGE-RELATED MINIMUM WAGE RATES | 29:6:09 |
| Mr Alan Meale | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Bill Etherington | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the Government's recent statement against a freeze being introduced on Minimum Wage Rates for 2009-10, but believes that steps need urgently to be taken towards the ending of age-related minimum pay levels; and calls on the Government to recognise the campaign led by the British Youth Council which favours an equal national minimum pay level for all those of working age. |
| 1771 | BLACK WATCH TERRITORIAL ARMY | 29:6:09 |
| That this House expresses concern at the proposed removal of the Red Hackle from the caps of Black Watch Territorial Army soldiers; recognises that the Red Hackle is the most recognisable symbol of the Black Watch; notes the proud and honourable history of the regiment; understands that the identity of the historic regiment must be protected; and hopes that the retention of the regiment's distinct identity, promised on the creation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, will be upheld. |
| 1772 | SOCIAL SECURITY (S.I., 2009, No. 1541) | 29:6:09 |
| Mr David Cameron | | Mrs Theresa May | | Mr Mark Harper | | Mr James Clappison | | Andrew Selous | | Mr Patrick McLoughlin |
| That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Social Security (Incapacity Benefit Work-focused Interviews) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 1541), dated 19 June 2009, a copy of which was laid before this House on 25 June, be annulled. |
| 1773 | YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AUTISM | 29:6:09 |
| Paul Holmes | | Annette Brooke | | Andrew Stunell | | Tom Brake |
| That this House notes the recent publication of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism's report on the transition from children's to adult services for young people with autism; further notes the report's conclusion that despite pockets of good practice across the UK transition services are still failing most young people with autism; recognises that these failings lead to a waste of talent, lives and money; further recognises the steps the Government has taken to address this situation; and calls on the Government to implement all the report's recommendations to improve outcomes for this vulnerable group. |
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