| 1091 | SHOOTING ATTACKS IN GERMANY AND THE US | 16:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Martin Caton | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Angus MacNeil |
| That this House expresses its great shock and sorrow at the loss of life in the recent shootings in Germany and the US; and calls on the Government to remain vigilant to protect UK citizens from gun-related crime. |
| As an Amendment to Bob Spink's proposed Motion (Shooting Attacks in Germany and the US): |
| Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| Line 3, after `citizens', insert `, including those in Northern Ireland,'. |
| 1092 | ST GEORGE'S DAY | 16:3:09 |
| Mr Marsha Singh | | Bob Russell | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Jim Dobbin |
| That this House calls on the Government to make St George's Day a public holiday. |
| As an Amendment to Mr Marsha Singh's proposed Motion (St George's Day): |
| Line 1, leave out from `Government' to end and insert `not to make St George's Day a public holiday until the potentially greater benefit to the UK tourist industry of an autumn public holiday, possibly around Trafalgar Day, has been fully assessed.'. |
| 1093 | BASSETLAW YOUTH ALCOHOL FORUM | 16:3:09 |
| John Mann | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Alan Simpson | | John McDonnell | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House notes the Chief Medical Officer's suggestion that a minimum price for any unit of alcohol be established; further notes that such policies are aimed at reducing binge drinking and at young people in particular; further notes that the media widely represent young people as part of the problem but not part of the solution; welcomes the Bassetlaw Youth Alcohol Forum's report on young people and alcohol; and commends the report and its 25 recommendations to the House. |
| 1095 | GAZA AID CONVOY | 16:3:09 |
| Mr David Crausby | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Geraldine Smith | | Jim Sheridan | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| | Mr David Anderson | Mark Durkan |
| That this House congratulates the work and efforts of the Bolton Viva team in raising £130,000 locally for humanitarian aid to Gaza; notes that under the banner of With Love from Bolton the team managed to send nine vehicles with drivers to join the convoy carrying much needed humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza; recognises this tremendous achievement by the Bolton Viva Palestina team; and welcomes their safe return home. |
| 1096 | DUKE OF LANCASTER'S REGIMENT | 16:3:09 |
| Mr David Crausby | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Geraldine Smith | | Jim Sheridan | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House congratulates the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment on receiving the Freedom of the Borough of Bolton; applauds the people of Bolton for the enthusiastic reception they gave the Regiment when it paraded through the town for its homecoming parade; urges towns and cities throughout Britain to take note of the peaceful recognition and support the regiment received at this special ceremony; and calls on others to take a lesson from the way the diverse communities of Bolton behaved with such dignified respect on this momentous occasion. |
| 1097 | UK VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY | 16:3:09 |
| Mr Edward Vaizey | | Bob Spink | | Philip Davies | | Stephen Williams | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | John Hemming |
| That this House notes the importance of the video games sector to the UK economy; congratulates the winners and nominees at this year's Bafta Video Games Awards; notes in particular the success of UK developed games, including Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet, Codemasters' Race Driver: GRID and Lionhead Studios' Fable II, all of which won awards; applauds this recognition of the continued success and significance of video games despite the complete lack of support from Government; regrets the fact that this lack of support from Government has seen the UK fall from being the third largest producer of video games in the world to the fifth largest; and urges the Government to devise a clear and supportive strategy for the UK video games sector as part of the Digital Britain review. |
| Bob Russell | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Paul Holmes | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes with grave concern the increase in empty shops in traditional town centres and neighbourhood centres; calls on the Government as a matter of urgency to consider a range of options to halt further closures and assist in the restoration to retail use of closed premises; specifically urges that value added tax for refurbishment works on retail premises should be reduced from 15 per cent. to five per cent., that next month's proposed five per cent. business rates increase should be frozen and that upward rent review clauses which automatically allowed rents to rise should be scrapped; and further urges that planning, financial and parking policies which discriminate in favour of out-of-town shopping centres should be reviewed so that there is a level playing field with traditional town centres and neighbourhood shopping centres. |
| 1099 | NATO 60th ANNIVERSARY | 16:3:09 |
| Mr Bruce George | | Sir Peter Viggers | | Sir Menzies Campbell | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Denis MacShane | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House recognises and commemorates the 60th anniversary of NATO on 4 April 2009; pays tribute to NATO's historic role in safeguarding the security and freedom of its members and, with the end of the Cold War, in promoting and extending stability and security to its new members; acknowledges the UK's role in establishing NATO and its continued commitment to the Alliance; welcomes the close co-operation between NATO and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and acknowledges the important role of Parliamentarians; stresses the importance of a co-operative relationship between NATO and the Russian Federation based on their common strategic interests; welcomes the accession of new member states to the Alliance and supports the Bucharest Summit Declaration which kept NATO's door open for future enlargement with European democracies which are willing and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership; underlines NATO's crucial role in assisting Afghanistan to establish a secure environment for political and economic development; calls for a more equitable distribution of responsibilities across NATO's member states; highlights NATO's engagement around the world to build security and foster stability, from the Balkans to Darfur and to relief support following the Pakistan earthquake; and acknowledges the important role NATO plays in strengthening the Allies' common values of democracy, human rights, individual liberty and the rule of law and reaffirms NATO's irreplaceable role as the guarantor of its members' security and an indispensable promoter of stability throughout the Euro-Atlantic region and beyond. |
| 1100 | INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO IRAQ WAR | 16:3:09 |
| John Barrett | | Mr Edward Davey | | Paul Holmes | | Mark Hunter | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Lynne Jones |
| | Stewart Hosie | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan |
| That this House believes the invasion of Iraq was a serious foreign policy error that has destabilised the Middle East; notes that public opinion is strongly in favour of a full public inquiry into the UK's role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq; believes that such an inquiry would in no way detract from the efforts of UK armed forces personnel in Iraq who have served with bravery and distinction while helping to rebuild the country; and calls on the Government to launch a full independent inquiry into the invasion of Iraq without delay. |
| 1101 | UNITED STATES POLICY ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS | 17:3:09 |
| Mr Martin Caton | | Bob Spink | | Mr Mike Weir | | Mr John Leech | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan |
| That this House commends the new US administration for including in the 2009 Omnibus Appropriation Bill a provision to prohibit the sale or transfer by the US of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians; recognises that this represents a major policy shift from the position of the previous administration that described this type of ordnance as `legitimate weapons with clear military utility'; acknowledges that the US military arsenal still contains 5.5 million cluster bombs with 728 million bomblets; and urges the US administration to renounce the use, stockpiling and transfer of all such weapons by signing the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which more than half the countries in the United Nations have already done. |
| 1102 | DEVELOPING WORLD VACCINES | 17:3:09 |
| Dr Desmond Turner | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Nick Harvey | | Dr Richard Taylor |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan |
| That this House recognises the benefits of encouraging vaccination in developing countries; congratulates the GAVI Alliance and HSBC for the launch of the Vaccine Investment ISA, an innovative new scheme designed to enable investors to participate in a sustainable and ethical investment opportunity that will fund vaccines for children in the developing world; supports the provision that the funds raised through this initiative will go to the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) which will enable the GAVI Alliance to fund vaccines and immunisation programmes in developing nations; congratulates the World Bank and other key stakeholders for their involvement; further congratulates the Government on its leadership in developing world health issues; and calls on the Government to continue its strong support of innovative funding mechanisms such as the IFFIm and the pneumococcal disease Advance Market Commitment, which aims to speed the research and development of life-saving vaccines to prevent pneumococcal disease which kills up to one million children each year, 90 per cent. of whom are from the developing world. |
| 1103 | HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING | 17:3:09 |
| Dr Ian Gibson | | Bob Spink | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr John Leech | | Mr Martin Caton |
| | David Taylor | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Jeremy Corbyn | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan |
| That this House recognises the widespread concern about the effects tuition fees and perception of debt may have had on access to universities, particularly among students from families on modest or lower middle incomes; notes that there are alternative models of funding higher education, which do not involve top-up fees; and therefore calls on the Government to publish full details of these alternatives to facilitate proper, informed debate and understanding before proceeding with legislation to increase tuition fees. |
| 1104 | PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS ONLINE | 17:3:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr John Leech | | Stephen Williams |
| | David Taylor | Mrs Ann Cryer | Mr Tom Harris | | | John Mason |
| That this House notes the imperative to maximise turnout at general elections and address the issues behind instances of low turnout, particularly among young people; believes that the public's engagement with politics would be improved by wider viewing of proceedings in Parliament; notes that there is currently a ban on the posting of parliamentary video clips on websites described by the relevant authorities as third party hosting websites; believes that video footage of parliamentary proceedings should be made available to the public on video hosting websites such as YouTube; notes that online viewing is increasing in popularity, with a 2006 ICM survey finding that 43 per cent. of people in the UK are watching less television as a result of increased online viewing; and calls for the parliamentary authorities to review their current broadcasting arrangements so that footage of Parliament can be widely viewed by the electorate using the internet. |
| 1105 | PERSONAL SAVINGS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM | 17:3:09 |
| Mr Gregory Campbell | | Bob Spink | | Sammy Wilson | | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Mike Weir |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | John Mason | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes that the long-term financial future of the United Kingdom will be much more secure as personal savings increase; calls on the Government and financial institutions to review their commitment to this long-term goal; condemns reports of some banks which are paying as little as 0.1 per cent. interest on individual savings accounts, meaning that an individual putting aside £3,000 would receive the pitiful sum of £3 per year in interest; and further calls on the Chancellor to produce an imaginitive proposal in the Budget to promote tax efficient personal savings. |
| 1106 | ROYAL MAIL PENSION FUND | 17:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | John McDonnell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | David Taylor |
| | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | John Mason | | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House notes with concern the deficit in the Royal Mail Pension Fund; notes the impact of decisions made by HM Treasury, with regard to the pension fund of the Post Office Corporation after Vesting Day, 30 September 1969, and the Post Office Corporation's 13-year contribution holiday which commenced in 1990; and calls on the Government to correct the failures of past governments and to find a way to remove the pension fund deficit. |
| 1107 | ARCHER INQUIRY INTO CONTAMINATED BLOOD AND BLOOD PRODUCTS | 17:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Mike Weir | | Mr John Leech | | Mr Martin Caton | | Peter Bottomley |
| | David Taylor | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Jeremy Corbyn | Dr Brian Iddon |
| That this House congratulates Lord Archer on his Independent Public Inquiry into Contaminated Blood and Blood Products; welcomes his recommendations on forms of relief for the haemophilia community; notes with concern that these forms of relief are restricted to that community and therefore discriminate against other patient groups that have been similarly affected; and calls on the Government to extend the scope of the relief to include all other patient groups which have been infected. |
| Bob Spink | | Mr John Leech | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Alan Simpson |
| | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes with concern the view of universities that tuition fees should be sharply increased, with over half saying that the fee should be raised to £5,000 a year; believes this would be damaging to society as well as to individual students and would discriminate against students from less well off backgrounds; and calls on the Government to remove student fees entirely. |
| 1109 | ROYAL BRITISH LEGION CAMPAIGN ON PENSIONER POVERTY | 17:3:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Bob Russell [R] | | Mr Lee Scott |
| | Mr David Anderson | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Mr Tom Harris | John Mason | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes with concern the report published by the Royal British Legion which shows that 38 per cent. of ex-service personnel live on an income below the Minimum Income for Healthy Living as defined by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; recognises the need to help all pensioners who still live in poverty; and urges the Government to support the Royal British Legion in their campaign to rebrand council tax benefit to a rebate which will encourage more people to claim the rebate and thus increase incomes of older people, many of whom are veterans, spouses, widows or widowers of ex-armed forces personnel. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 1110 | HOUSE REPOSSESSIONS | 17:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr John Leech | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Colin Breed |
| | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes with concern that house repossessions by lenders rose last year to 46,750 and are still rising; recognises the misery and harm this causes families and society; and therefore calls on the Government to redouble its efforts with lenders to delay and prevent repossessions. |
| 1111 | PEREGRINE FALCONS AT THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER | 17:3:09 |
| Emily Thornberry | | Janet Anderson | | Mark Lazarowicz | | Lynne Jones | | Paddy Tipping | | Nigel Griffiths |
| | Mr David Anderson | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Jeremy Corbyn | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House welcomes the arrival of two peregrine falcons to the Palace of Westminster; notes that peregrine falcons are a protected species; further notes that peregrines breed in late March and April and congratulates the Palace authorities and Natural England on providing a nesting box for the pair; and wishes these two new residents all the best in their new home and hopes there will soon be a clutch of eggs. |
| 1112 | TAX CREDIT OVERPAYMENT AND CHILD POVERTY | 17:3:09 |
| Miss Anne Begg | | Danny Alexander | | Ms Karen Buck | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Terry Rooney | | Roger Berry |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | John Mason | Harry Cohen |
| That this House welcomes the Government's pledge to end child poverty by 2020 and acknowledges the progress it has made so far; recognises the recent improvements made to help claimants navigate the tax credit system and to reduce overpayments; is concerned about the continued hardship faced by those who were overpaid tax credits in the first two years of the system's operation, 2003-04 or 2004-05, and who are still dealing with the stress and worry of these debts; is further concerned that the impact of these debts will be more acute in the current economic climate; notes that a recent Citizens Advice debt report found that 15 per cent. of Citizens Advice England and Wales debt clients with children have a tax credit overpayment debt as part of a total debt of over £13,000; and calls on HM Revenue and Customs to write-off all tax credit overpayment debts from these years for those claimants who had an underlying entitlement to the money, whose overpayments have been poorly explained and have become administratively complicated or who are on low incomes, unless the overpayment was caused by fraud on the part of the claimant. |
| 1113 | ISLAND OF ST HELENA AIRPORT CONSULTATION | 17:3:09 |
| Bob Russell | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Gordon Marsden | | John Cummings | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House deplores the announcement by the Government to hold a consultation on options for access to the Island of St Helena, which is unnecessary and a waste of taxpayers' money; points out that options for access were thoroughly explored during the 2004 feasibility study which concluded that an airport was the only option that would give St Helena the hope of reducing its dependence on subsidies by becoming more self-sufficient, a view supported by the overwhelming majority of the Island's residents; reminds the Government that the study concluded that an airport would enable a tourist industry to be developed which could produce up to £33 million a year in revenue, nearly twice the value of current subsidies from the UK; and calls on the Government to honour its obligations, and declared promises, to loyal British citizens living on the Island of St Helena who will continue to suffer from economic and social decline, neglect and under-investment on a scale not experienced by any other British community. |
| 1114 | GREATER MANCHESTER HOPE NOT HATE CAMPAIGN | 17:3:09 |
| Tony Lloyd | | Sir Gerald Kaufman | | Mr Graham Brady | | Mark Hunter | | Graham Stringer | | Jim Dobbin |
| | Mr David Anderson | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Jeremy Corbyn | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan |
| That this House welcomes the launch of the Greater Manchester Hope Not Hate Campaign supported by the Mirror newspaper, trades unions, faith groups, community organisations and businesses; notes that Mancunians are rightly proud that Manchester is a vibrant, tolerant and friendly city; believes that Greater Manchester's success is due to its celebration of its common heritage, whilst gaining strength and prosperity from its diversity; commends the contributions that people of different races, cultures and religions, who have made Greater Manchester their home, have brought to the area through education, work, enterprise, culture, entertainment and sport; condemns those who seek to divide our communities by delivering messages of hate and intolerance; and calls upon all people in Greater Manchester to promote unity, fairness and justice and spread the message of hope not hate. |
| 1115 | DETENTION OF CORPORAL GILAD SHALIT | 17:3:09 |
| Andrew Gwynne | | Eric Joyce | | Mr Robert Goodwill | | Mr John Whittingdale | | David Cairns | | Sir Alan Beith |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mr Simon Burns | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Dr Nick Palmer | Mark Durkan |
| That this House calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the Israeli soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in a cross-border terrorist attack inside Israel on 25 June 2006; welcomes Egyptian efforts to bring about the soldier's release; notes that 21 March 2009 will mark the soldier's 1,000th day in captivity; further notes that, despite repeated requests, the International Committee of the Red Cross continues to be denied access to the kidnapped soldier; recognises that the soldier's continued detention is an obstacle to peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians; condemns the kidnapping of Corporal Shalit by Hamas; and urges the Government to do all it can to bring about Corporal Shalit's release. |
| 1116 | DESTINATION 2020 CAMPAIGN | 17:3:09 |
| Chris Ruane | | Dr Doug Naysmith | | Dr Hywel Francis | | Robert Key | | Jenny Willott | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Dr Brian Iddon | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes that despite excellent progress in the last decade, cardiac and vascular conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and kidney disease, remain the number one cause of death and disability in the UK; further notes that this will be the major health challenge of the next decade, affecting over four million people in England alone, and should be prioritised as such, particularly given the projected growth of acute and chronic conditions attributable to the ageing population and an increase in risk factors such as obesity; welcomes the launch of Destination 2020: A plan for cardiac and vascular health, led by the Cardio and Vascular Coalition, which sets out key aims and principles to plan for cardiac and vascular health for the next decade; and calls on the Government to work with the voluntary sector to plan strategically, using the Destination 2020 vision, to prevent premature cardiac and vascular conditions where possible, and to ensure that the best treatment and care is available to those people who are affected. |
| 1117 | IRAN ANTI-SANCTIONS CAMPAIGN | 17:3:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Alan Simpson | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House welcomes the launch of the Iran: Smash the Sanctions campaign; notes that sanctions restrict the Iranian people's access to medical supplies, immunisations, information and educational resources as well as many other essentials of daily life; believes that they are not benign smart sanctions that only target the leading figures in the regime, and therefore opposes the sanctions; and calls on the Government to work for an end to these punitive measures that bring so much harm and social dislocation to the ordinary people of Iran. |
| 1118 | RAILWAY FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS | 17:3:09 |
| Mr Andrew Dismore | | John McDonnell | | Frank Dobson | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Kate Hoey | | Mr Neil Gerrard |
| | Mr David Anderson | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Dr Brian Iddon | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes the forthcoming introduction of new regulations which update and strengthen fire safety regulations at sub-surface railway stations; further notes that the original regulations were introduced after the tragic King's Cross fire in 1987, and welcomes the fact that key aspects of the original regulations have been retained, including minimum staffing levels and adequate staff training; further welcomes the fact that the new regulations are being introduced following extensive consultation between the Government, trades unions, the Fire Brigade and transport operators; and congratulates the trades unions for their vigorous campaigning in standing up for the safety of the public and their members. |
| 1119 | EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE | 17:3:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Julie Morgan | | Mr John Leech | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Dr Brian Iddon | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House notes with concern the Equality and Human Rights Commission's proposal to cut 50 posts from the Helpline Advice Service and to close down its Manchester helpline team; believes that the decision is ill-timed with the number of calls to the Equality and Human Rights Commission helpline increasing due to the recession; further notes with concern that women, people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and carers will be particularly disadvantaged by the decision; and therefore calls on the Equality and Human Rights Commission to review its plans and to do more to promote the service so that those people already at a disadvantage are not further disadvantaged by such inopportune cutbacks. |
| 1120 | BRITISH-IRISH PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY | 18:3:09 |
| Mr Peter Hain | | Mr Michael Mates | | Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Mr Eddie McGrady | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Angus Robertson |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House warmly welcomes the formation in October 2008 of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly as the successor organisation to the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, which has done a great deal since 1990 to consolidate the vastly improved relations between parliamentarians from Ireland and the UK as well as the devolved parliaments and assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man; looks forward to the forthcoming plenary session to be held in Donegal at the end of March 2009; notes that the Assembly is now an inclusive organisation following the welcome decision of the two main Unionist parties in Northern Ireland to send representatives, along with the other major parties in Northern Ireland; further notes that the St Andrews Agreement envisages an East-West parliamentary framework; believes that the Assembly now has a very credible claim as the East-West parliamentary framework and could help provide backbench scrutiny of the work of the British-Irish Council, and more generally of issues that affect the peoples of these islands; and urges the Government to take the necessary steps to formalise this position, in co-operation with the Irish government. |
| 1121 | ALLEGATIONS OF TAX EVASION | 18:3:09 |
| Harry Cohen | | Andrew George | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | David Taylor | | John Hemming |
| | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | Dr Brian Iddon | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan | Mr John Leech |
| That this House considers that allegations of tax evasion to the benefit of board members of UK banks should be investigated thoroughly and where sufficient evidence of wrongdoing exists, prosecutions should follow. |
| 1122 | WORK OF ROGER HARVEY OBE | 18:3:09 |
| Mrs Linda Riordan | | Chris McCafferty | | Alan Simpson | | Julie Morgan | | John Hemming | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House congratulates Roger Harvey OBE, Chairman of Harvey's department store in Halifax for his work; notes the contribution that both Roger and Harvey's store have made to the community; further congratulates Roger Harvey on the awarding of his OBE; further notes that he is an inspiration to community businessmen across the country and in the Calderdale community; and congratulates Harvey's staff for their continuing efforts despite the current economic situation. |
| 1123 | JOHN RAE AND THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE | 18:3:09 |
| Mr Alistair Carmichael | | John Hemming | | John McDonnell | | John Thurso | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House records its admiration for all those in the 19th century who contributed to the exploration of the North-West Passage in Canada; congratulates Billy Connolly on his recent programme, Journey to the Edge of the World, retracing their steps; further congratulates Mr Connolly on his conclusion that it was not in fact Sir John Franklin but John Rae who was the first to discover the final link to the passage while searching for the lost Franklin crew in 1848; regrets that memorials to Sir John Franklin outside the Admiralty headquarters and inside Westminster Abbey still inaccurately describe Franklin as the first to discover the passage; and calls on the Ministry of Defence and the Abbey authorities to take the necessary steps to clarify the true position. |
| As an Amendment to Mr Alistair Carmichael's proposed Motion (John Rae and the North-West Passage): |
| Line 6, leave out `regrets' and insert `understands'. |
| Lorely Burt | | Dr Vincent Cable | | Sir Robert Smith | | Chris Huhne | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George |
| | Robert Key | Mark Durkan | Mr John Leech |
| That this House notes with concern the 10 year anniversary of the Government's implementation of IR35; further notes that the 1.4 million freelancers in the United Kingdom face a perpetual threat of a costly and distressing HM Revenue and Customs investigation under IR35; further notes that IR35 obliges freelancers to spend time and money assessing their status as best they can, with contract reviews, tax investigation insurances and negotiations with clients and agencies, and that this effort would be better spent generating wealth for the UK economy; highlights concerns expressed by the Professional Contractors Group (PCG) that 1,462 of the 1,468 cases known to PCG have resulted in no extra tax being owed; further notes that there is no evidence that IR35 is raising any money for the Exchequer; and calls on the Treasury, in light of the current economic difficulties, to remove unnecessary barriers to enterprise and to abolish IR35 at the earliest opportunity. |
| 1125 | EATING OUT WITH COELIAC DISEASE | 18:3:09 |
| Gordon Banks | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | John Hemming | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| | Mrs Betty Williams | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | David Lepper | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan | | | Mr John Leech | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House recognises that people with coeliac disease have an autoimmune disease for which the only treatment is a lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet; acknowledges that 58 per cent. of those diagnosed with coeliac disease are most concerned about the lack of safe gluten-free options offered in restaurants and similar places; urges chefs and caterers to improve the availability of gluten-free choices; and commends and supports Coeliac UK for its Eating Out campaign to make eating out possible for people with the condition which will significantly improve their quality of life and create more business for the hospitality sector. |
| 1126 | COASTAL ACCESS FOR DOG WALKERS | 18:3:09 |
| Mr Ian Cawsey | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | David Taylor | | John Hemming | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mrs Ann Cryer | Mr John Leech |
| That this House recognises the potential for the proposed Marine Bill to increase access to the coastline for the UK's 7.3 million dogs and their owners; appreciates the considerable health benefits that walking a dog can bring; recognises that dog owners have a legal responsibility under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to provide their dogs with adequate exercise; notes the environmental benefits of dog owners being able to access land within their local areas without needing to drive; and therefore believes that the Marine and Coastal Access Bill should ensure that dog owners continue to enjoy full access to the coastline. |
| 1127 | HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING (No. 2) | 18:3:09 |
| Stephen Williams | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Charles Kennedy | | Mr Don Foster | | Steve Webb | | Mr Paul Burstow |
| | Sarah Teather | Paul Rowen | Martin Horwood | | | Jeremy Corbyn | Mr Jeremy Browne | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House notes that the Government is bound by legislation to undertake a review of university and student finance in 2009; calls on the Government to complete and publish the outcome of this review before calling a general election; expects such a review to fully reflect the responsibility of the state in providing access to higher education; expresses concern at recent comments from some vice-chancellors regarding the raising of the cap on tuition fees; and believes that it is right in principle to scrap existing tuition fees for all students studying for their first degrees either full-time or part-time and that ever-increasing levels of graduate debt is an unsustainable model for the future financing of higher education. |
| 1128 | ENGLISH INSTITUTE OF SPORT'S FACILITY AT GATESHEAD STADIUM | 19:3:09 |
| Mr David Clelland | | Mr Stephen Hepburn | | Lynne Jones | | Mr David Anderson | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House expresses serious concern at the news that the English Institute of Sport facility based at Gateshead Stadium is under threat of closure; considers the provision of expert medical and physiotherapy support at this important centre of excellence as vital to the maintenance and continuing development of sporting excellence in the North East; notes that such closure would be contrary to the spirit of assurances given by Ministers that the Olympic project would enhance sporting opportunities across all regions; and calls on UK Sport and Government Ministers to act swiftly to prevent the closure of this facility in Gateshead. |
| 1129 | UNIVERSAL CARERS CARD | 19:3:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Martin Caton |
| | Mrs Ann Cryer | David Taylor | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Mr Adrian Sanders | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan | | | Mr John Leech | Bob Russell |
| That this House notes with concern that many disabled people who require carers' assistance when going to events and activities are being forced to purchase an additional ticket for their carer; recognises that this amounts to discrimination by restricting their ability to access certain services; praises the work of the Cinema Exhibitors Association card which entitles carriers of the card to one free ticket for an accompanying carer; and calls on the Government to introduce a universal carers card which will ensure that disabled people are able to access services without discrimination. |
| 1130 | MISCARRIAGES OF JUSTICE | 19:3:09 |
| Willie Rennie | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Martin Caton | | Lynne Jones |
| | Mr Colin Breed | Mrs Ann Cryer | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Mr Adrian Sanders | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan | | | Mr John Leech | Harry Cohen |
| That this House expresses concern at the high number of miscarriages of justice, which has led to 12 appeals for wrongful conviction being successfully upheld by the Court of Appeal since 1997, including high profile cases such as the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six; recognises the trauma these victims have endured both during their imprisonment and after they have been released from prison; accepts that the severity of the trauma experienced by these individuals requires specialised counselling and aftercare that is currently not provided by the Government; praises the work of the charity the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation in helping those who have been wrongfully imprisoned reintegrated into society; and calls for the immediate establishment of a retreat to provide victims of miscarriages of justice with effective counselling and psychological aftercare to aid their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. |
| 1131 | FUEL DUTY INCREASE | 19:3:09 |
| Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House notes that a record number of Britons signed up for jobless benefits last month and that two million Britons are now unemployed; regrets that 85 small and medium-sized enterprises are closing every day; recognises the importance of cars to small businesses especially in rural areas such as the Ribble Valley; understands that the public transport network is poor in rural areas and as such families rely on their cars; fully appreciates that this is a time of economic hardship for all families in the UK; fully supports the Automobile Association in its call to have fuel duty frozen to support drivers during the recession; and calls on the Government to abandon its plans for a two pence increase in fuel duty in April 2009. |
| 1132 | NATIONAL MAXIMUM WAGE | 19:3:09 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House believes there are considerable social and equity benefits to be gained from the introduction of a national maximum wage, taking into account regional differences in the cost of living; believes pensions provided by the private sector should reflect this maximum; and calls on the Government to bring forward proposals to introduce such a wage. |
| As Amendments to Mr Dai Davies's proposed Motion (National Maximum Wage): |
| Line 2, leave out from `taking' in line 2 to `maximum' in line 4. |
| Line 2, leave out `wage' and insert `multiplier between the lowest paid employee and the highest paid employee of an organisation'. |
| Line 5, leave out `wage' and insert `differential'. |
| 1133 | PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN EL SALVADOR | 19:3:09 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Martin Caton | | Lynne Jones | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House congratulates television journalist Mauricio Funes on winning the Presidential Election in El Salvador as candidate for the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, a party of left-wing former guerrillas, whose victory brought to an end the conservative rule of the right-wing Arena regime, which had held power for two decades, following a civil war that had led to the deaths of some 75,000 El Salvadorians; and looks forward to President Funes reforming the economy and civil society in El Salvador, and to his putting in place a people's government to implement progressive social and economic policies such as those already being enjoyed under the progressive people's leadership of Presidents Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Evo Morales in Bolivia. |
| 1134 | TRANSFER OF PUBLIC DATA AND ENCRYPTION | 19:3:09 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Martin Caton | | Lynne Jones | | Bob Spink |
| | David Taylor | Jeremy Corbyn | Mr Adrian Sanders | | | Mr Mike Hancock | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes the several recent instances in which public data held by various public bodies has been lost, and in instances of data loss such as that at HM Revenue and Customs, has never been recovered; believes that, while the regional decentralisation of such public bodies is a good thing and ensures that jobs and opportunities are available across the nation, having such a devolved arrangement will necessitate the movement of data around the nation; and, in light of these necessary movements, calls on the Government to make the appropriate modifications to the Data Protection Act 1998, to permit all such data moved between public bodies to be encrypted. |
| 1135 | DIRECTORS' CONDUCT AT ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND | 19:3:09 |
| Paul Farrelly | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Martin Caton | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Mrs Ann Cryer | Bob Spink | David Taylor | | | Jeremy Corbyn | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan | | | Mr John Leech | Gordon Banks |
| That this House condemns the conduct of the Royal Bank of Scotland over the pension arrangements it agreed with Sir Fred Goodwin, including picking up the £1.8 million tax bill to pay him a £2.7 million lump sum; is outraged at the former chief executive's shameless greed in taking it, in addition to his annual £703,000 pension; and calls on the Government to demonstrate its resolve by commencing legal action against the directors or former directors involved, including Sir Fred Goodwin, for breach of fiduciary duty to the bank and its shareholders, who now include the taxpayer. |
| 1136 | ASSAULTS ON TRANSPORT WORKERS | 19:3:09 |
| John McDonnell [R] | | Gwyn Prosser | | Mrs Linda Riordan | | Mr David Drew | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Bill Etherington |
| | Mrs Ann Cryer | David Taylor | David Lepper | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan | Bob Russell |
| That this House applauds the vital work of Britain's transport workers who, as essential public servants, deserve to be treated with dignity and respect; believes there is a clear responsibility on the Government together with employers in the rail, ferry and bus industries to take all necessary steps to prevent assaults on staff and provide care for those who are assaulted; further believes that reducing assaults on staff will help reduce anti-social behaviour and provide a safer environment for transport users; and supports the aims of the campaign of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union to raise awareness with employers and the public to secure the strongest possible legal protection for transport workers against assault, to establish effective cross-company forums in each of the rail, bus and ferry industries, to persuade transport employers to adopt best practice when developing policies to prevent staff assaults and provide care for those who are victims of assault and to achieve other policy goals to improve the safety and security of passengers and workers such as adequate staffing of railway stations, ending lone working and ensuring that transport workers are directly employed and adequately trained. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 1137 | IBRAHIM MOUSSAWI'S DECLINED VISA | 19:3:09 |
| John Mann | | Peter Bottomley | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Bob Spink |
| That this House welcomes the decision to decline the visa application of Ibrahim Moussawi, Media Relations Officer of Hizbollah and former editor of Al Manar, the radical television station of Hizbollah; agrees that the UK should not be a platform for his messages of hate; and calls on the Secretary of State for the Home Department to make his exclusion permanent. |
| 1138 | PROPOSED BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY MARCH IN LIVERPOOL | 20:3:09 |
| Mrs Louise Ellman | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Peter Bottomley | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mr John Leech |
| That this House notes the cancellation of the planned march in Liverpool city centre by the British National Party; condemns and opposes the hatred the march was intended to foster; welcomes the campaign against the march supported by the community, local politicians and the North West Trades Union Congress; and thanks all those members of the public on Merseyside who signed the Hope not Hate petition opposing the march, thus ensuring a clear and loud voice against the bigotry of the British National Party. |
| 1139 | TESCO AND THE CONVERSION OF PUBLIC HOUSE SITES | 20:3:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Brian Binley | | Paul Holmes | | Mr James Plaskitt | | David Taylor | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Peter Bottomley | Mr Adrian Sanders | Mr Mike Hancock | | | Mr John Leech | Lynne Jones | Bob Russell |
| That this House is concerned by reports that Tesco is targeting public houses as potential sites for development because of the particular viability of the sites including the fact that change of use planning permission would not be needed; believes that a public house should not be closed unless it has been offered to other public house operators and the community; further believes that there should be a statutory right of consultation over any public house closure and that there should be a mandatory viability test to determine whether a public house is, or could be viable; and calls on the Government to examine a range of measures to help public houses, including enshrining them and their importance to their local communities in planning law. |
| 1140 | FEDERATION OF MASTER BUILDERS | 20:3:09 |
| Lorely Burt | | David Taylor | | Peter Bottomley | | Hywel Williams | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Jeremy Corbyn | Mr Adrian Sanders | Mr Mike Hancock | | | Andrew George | Mark Durkan | Mr John Leech | | | Lynne Jones | Bob Russell | Gordon Banks |
| That this House notes the decision of the Ecofin Council to allow EU Member States to permanently implement a reduction in the rate of value added tax (VAT) to five per cent. on building repairs and improvement work; supports the work of the Federation of Master Builders and the Cut the VAT Coalition in consistently arguing for this change; believes that reducing VAT on repairs and maintenance to existing buildings would benefit millions of home owners by getting rid of rogue builders, helping the most vulnerable afford vital repairs to their homes and thus helping free millions from fuel poverty, bringing empty homes back into use, and protecting the countryside and heritage; further notes that more energy efficient homes would help the Government meet its target of an 80 per cent. reduction in UK carbon emissions by 2050; and calls on the Government to action a cut in VAT on building repairs and maintenance work at the earliest opportunity. |
| 1141 | MADWORLD VIDEO GAME ADVERTISING | 20:3:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | David Taylor | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Kelvin Hopkins | Mark Durkan | Mr John Leech | | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House condemns the advertising strategy chosen for the video game Madworld in which severed artificial limbs were placed around London; believes this publicity stunt was irresponsible and unnecessary, particularly given that the game company has no control over who will be exposed to it; acknowledges that the game is intended for adult gamers, but notes that such an advertising campaign could also be seen by children; notes that according to a recent poll, 74 per cent. of parents believe that the content of video games is too violent; stresses that the Byron Review must be implemented in full; and calls upon the Government better to regulate the video games industry. |
| John McDonnell | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | David Taylor | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Mr Adrian Sanders | Mr Mike Hancock | Kelvin Hopkins | | | Mr John Leech | Lynne Jones | Bob Russell | | | Gordon Banks |
| That this House notes the continuing reports of allegations of cruelty and animal suffering associated with puppy farms; and calls upon the Government to review the effectiveness of the current procedures and legislation relating to animal safety in puppy farms. |
| 1143 | US BANKERS' BONUS TAX | 20:3:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Andrew George | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| | Mark Durkan | Mr John Leech | Harry Cohen | | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the approval by the US House of Representatives of legislation under which bankers with gross incomes of more than $250,000 who received a bonus this year will face a 90 per cent. tax on the bonus; and calls upon the Government to bring forward similar legislative proposals. |
| 1144 | TRIBUTES TO HENRY ALLINGHAM | 20:3:09 |
| Norman Baker | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Jeremy Browne | | Andrew George |
| That this House welcomes the decision of the French government to award the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest badge of courage, to Henry Allingham; expresses admiration for the way in which the 112 year-old has in recent years conducted himself with dignity and pride in reminding people in this country of the horrors of war and the sacrifice and courage shown by our servicemen and women; calls on the Government to honour Mr Allingham in a manner equivalent to that decided upon by the French government; and welcomes the campaign by the Brighton-based Argus newspaper to achieve this. |
| 1145 | RECORDING OF ABSTENTIONS IN VOTES IN THE HOUSE | 20:3:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | David Taylor | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Andrew George |
| | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes press reports that the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend is planning to bring forward rules for Labour hon. Members on how many times they must vote in a Parliamentary Session; and therefore urges that in future procedures are put in place to ensure that abstentions are able to be recorded in any vote in the House. |
| As an Amendment to John McDonnell's proposed Motion (Recording of Abstentions in Votes in the House): |
| Line 3, leave out from `therefore' to end and add `further notes that hon. Members can register abstention by voting in both Lobbies, thereby indicating attendance at the debate.'. |
| 1146 | SECOND HOME ALLOWANCE FOR LONDON CONSTITUENCIES | 23:3:09 |
| Sarah Teather | | Mr David Heath | | Mr Paul Burstow | | Tom Brake | | Jo Swinson | | Mr Mark Field |
| | Annette Brooke | Lynne Featherstone | Simon Hughes | | | Susan Kramer | Andrew George |
| That this House believes that second home allowances for hon. Members representing London constituencies should be abolished. |
| 1147 | 65th ANNIVERSARY OF THE NORMANDY LANDINGS | 23:3:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Spink |
| | Peter Bottomley | Kelvin Hopkins | Bob Russell | | | Andrew George |
| That this House notes that 4 June 2009 will mark the 65th anniversary of the Normandy landings; recognises the huge sacrifice made by allied troops on D-Day in order to re-capture mainland Europe; pays tribute to all those who served in the armed forces during this period and the significance of commemorating this anniversary; further notes that estimates show there will be 500 UK veterans fit enough to make the trip, with the 65th anniversary being the last chance for many of them to commemorate the sacrifices made on this day; commends the fundraising activities organised to pay for the trip; and urges the UK Government to do all it can to provide financial support and advice to those wishing to make the trip. |
| 1148 | ANIMAL WELFARE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FOIE GRAS | 23:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes that foie gras is traditionally produced by forcing metal pipes down the throats of ducks and geese and over-feeding them, causing their livers to swell to 10 times the normal size; further notes that the production, but not the sale, of foie gras is banned in the UK; applauds the work of banfoiegras.org.uk; calls on restaurants to use brands of faux gras which are supported by the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming and are produced from free-range ducks and geeses without force-feeding; and further calls on the Government to prohibit the sale of traditionally-produced foie gras in the UK. |
| 1149 | SHORT SELLING AND BANK ACCOUNTS BILL | 23:3:09 |
| Mr Frank Field | | Ms Sally Keeble | | Mark Fisher | | Mr Graham Allen | | Mr Jim Hood | | Mr Gordon Prentice |
| | John Mann | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | David Taylor | | | Dr Tony Wright | Jim Sheridan | Mr Edward O'Hara | | | Mr Terry Rooney | Paul Flynn | Mr Peter Hain | | | Dr Kim Howells | Chris McCafferty | Frank Cook | | | John McDonnell | Mr David Drew | Mr Andrew Dismore | | | Mr Chris Mullin | Kate Hoey | Mr Ian Davidson | | | Graham Stringer | Alan Simpson | Dr Ashok Kumar | | | Mr Adam Ingram | Ms Katy Clark | Mr Jim Devine | | | Mr George Howarth | Ms Karen Buck | Mr Martyn Jones | | | Harry Cohen | Mr Greg Pope | Kelvin Hopkins | | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House welcomes the introduction of the Short Selling and Bank Accounts Bill which seeks to prohibit short selling of shares, to require pension fund managers and trustees to make a statement as to whether their funds were used for the purpose of short selling, and to require banks and building societies to offer their customers an account free of any charge for holding such accounts; and calls on the Government to include its clauses in the forthcoming Finance Bill. |
| 1150 | PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF HON. MEMBERS' ACCOMMODATION | 23:3:09 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Andrew George |
| That this House believes the debate in the House on 3 July 2008 on the Members Estimate Committee report on pay, expenses and accommodation of hon. Members did not arrive at a solution that will gain public support for the way in which the Additional Costs Allowance is to be allocated in the future; notes that 415 hon. Members have an existing mortgage, the interest on which is paid by the Department of Resources and therefore from the public purse; and further believes the wholesale ownership of these properties is preferable but if this cannot be achieved then hon. Members should be allowed voluntarily to sign over their mortgages to the ownership of this House, and that an allocation officer should then be appointed to ensure that these nationally-owned properties are allocated on the basis of need. |
| 1151 | PUT PEOPLE FIRST ALLIANCE | 23:3:09 |
| Lynne Jones | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George |
| That this House believes that in light of the global economic crisis and in the context of the forthcoming G20 talks it is vital that the focus of the UK Government is on creating a new, improved economic model rather than simply business as usual; therefore commends the Put People First Alliance report and campaign, backed by over 100 development and climate charities, non-governmental organisations and trades unions; and hopes that the Government will heed its recommendations and support the following four principles laid out in the report, when negotiating and acting on this matter, ensuring democratic governance of the global economy, creating and supporting decent jobs and public services, ending global poverty and inequality and building a green economy. |
| 1152 | HON. MEMBERS' EXPENSES | 23:3:09 |
| Norman Lamb | | Mr Roger Williams | | Bob Russell | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House believes that the constant flow of allegations relating to the conduct of hon. Members in respect of the use of allowances has a very damaging effect on the reputation of Parliament and on levels of trust in all hon. Members; recognises that democracy is damaged when trust is diminished; welcomes the decision of the Committee on Standards in Public Life to look at the system of allowances; and further recognises the need for a complete overhaul of the rules to ensure that public confidence is restored as quickly as possible. |
| 1153 | DUNFERMLINE BUILDING SOCIETY | 23:3:09 |
| Willie Rennie | | Sir Menzies Campbell | | Mr Alan Reid | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes reports about the future of Dunfermline Building Society, possible losses and its exposure to the commercial property market; further notes that the Dunfermline has for 130 years been a solid and trusted mutual and is now Scotland's largest building society; expresses concern that building societies are being penalised by the increased capital requirement and funding formula for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; and calls on the Government to do everything within its power to keep the Dunfermline as a strong independent Scottish mutual. |
| 1154 | TENANTS IN THE PRIVATE RENTED SECTOR AND REPOSSESSIONS | 23:3:09 |
| Ms Sally Keeble | | Martin Linton | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Colin Breed | | Lyn Brown | | Andrew George |
| That this House recognises that tenants in the private rented sector risk losing their homes through repossession when landlords default on mortgages; notes that many tenants are evicted with little or no notice, sometimes only finding out when the bailiff arrives on their doorstep; further notes that many of these tenants could be at risk of homelessness through no fault of their own; and calls on the Government to take urgent action to avert a potential crisis by giving courts the discretion to defer possession and allow tenants sufficient time to find another home. |
| 1155 | PRIVATE EQUITY CAPITAL BUSINESSES | 23:3:09 |
| Harry Cohen | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House calls on the Financial Services Authority to require transparency of banks in their ongoing dealings with private equity capital enterprises; notes that the massive profits of these businesses were overwhelmingly derived from leverage using money borrowed from banks; is aware of the dismal business acumen of the banks in their dealings with these entities, but also that the enterprises' huge profits and asset acquisitions were substantially predicated on rising values and that in times, as now, of falling values, the amounts borrowed, should still be paid back in full and on time; considers it very likely that banks are not calling-in this debt on time, enabling private equity businesses, which have received extensive tax advantage and have paid far too little tax, if any at all on their profits, to avoid bankruptcy; further notes that they thereby retain their assets; considers that bankruptcy should be the natural result of their failure, and that they do not warrant any further special privileges; further considers that if they cannot pay up, they should rightly relinquish their unpaid-for assets to the banks, especially to those banks in which the taxpayer has a stake; and therefore calls on banks to provide a full account of their dealings with private equity to inform whether these private equity businesses have paid off their debts on time. |
| 1156 | ARSON ATTACK ON SIKH SANGAT GURDWARA | 23:3:09 |
| Mr Virendra Sharma | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House condemns the arson attack on the Sikh Sangat Gurdwara in east London on 15 March 2009 that left 75 per cent. of the building and roof damaged by fire; notes the reports of an unknown intruder running down from the top floor of the building just prior to flames being discovered in that part of the building; expresses its sincere regret that seven of eight holy Sikh scriptures in the Gurdwara were destroyed in the fire; further condemns the targeting by the perpetrator of this Sikh place of worship, a key centre in the local community and an important historic building which was built in 1854 and had formerly been a place of worship and a synagogue; calls for the Metropolitan Police to do all it can to catch the perpetrator of this attack; and urges the community to respond peacefully and calmly to the attack and maintain the exemplary peaceful community relations and cohesion that currently exist. |
| 1157 | ELECTRONIC TABLING OF EARLY DAY MOTIONS | 23:3:09 |
| That this House considers that the Table Office must respond to developments in technology and allow the electronic tabling of Early Day Motions particularly in respect of hon. Members who find that London is effectively a far and remote place and encounter difficulty when travel issues conspire against their attendance in the House. |
| 1158 | ELECTRONIC VOTING IN THE HOUSE | 23:3:09 |
| That this House believes consideration should be given to allowing hon. Members a limited number of opportunities during each parliamentary year to vote remotely on divisions in the House when weather or technical issues associated with transportation effectively curtail the possibilities of attending divisions; and further believes that this could help the carbon footprint of hon. Members who on occasions fly many thousands of miles just to return for a division in the House. |
| 1159 | RAILWAY ENTHUSIASTS AND PHOTOGRAPHY | 23:3:09 |
| Mr Tom Harris | | Mr Edward Vaizey | | Mary Creagh | | Mr Ian Davidson | | Eric Joyce | | Bob Russell |
| | Mr Ronnie Campbell | Mr Brian Binley | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | | Mr Dai Havard | John Mann | Mrs Siān C. James | | | Mr Mohammad Sarwar | Mr Greg Knight | Mr Graham Allen | | | Willie Rennie | Lindsay Roy | David Cairns | | | Mr David Winnick | Mr Douglas Carswell | Janet Anderson | | | David Wright | John Robertson | Mr David Crausby | | | Joan Ryan | Siobhain McDonagh | Dr Doug Naysmith | | | Mark Durkan | Mr Bob Laxton | Mr David S. Borrow |
| That this House welcomes the presence and activities of railway enthusiasts on the UK rail network; acknowledges the potential positive contribution to station security made by railway enthusiasts who are often seen as providing extra eyes and ears for the security services through their activities; is concerned at recent reports that some rail enthusiasts have been prevented from carrying out lawful activities, including photography, by station and train staff; and calls on Network Rail and the train operating companies to respect the legal rights of members of the public to pursue their interests at stations. |
| 1160 | FLYBE'S PASSENGER SERVICE | 23:3:09 |
| That this House calls on Flybe to improve its customer service to passengers; notes that while companies like BMI and British Airways have easy to use, user-friendly websites, the Flybe website frequently leads to incomplete check-in and valuable time wasted for passengers; notes with concern that the technical support desk for Flybe's poorly-performing website advertises calls at £1 per minute and is open for 12 hours a day, whereas the customer relations desk is only open for calls for six hours a day; and therefore believes that Flybe could greatly improve services for its customers and should be as diligent in responding to customers' needs as other airlines |
|
