| 10 | CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE GREAT BRITISH PUB | 3:12:08 |
| Bob Russell | | John Hemming | | Kate Hoey | | Andrew George | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Patrick Hall | Ms Dari Taylor |
| That this House is alarmed that five public houses are closing down every day, with beer sales in pubs at their lowest level for nearly 40 years; is deeply concerned as to the future of 7,500 public houses and more than 40,000 jobs; supports the launch of a campaign to mobilise public and political support to save the Great British Pub; believes that traditional public houses are being unfairly priced out of the market while supermarkets offer cheap deals without the level of restrictions and responsibilities required of licencees of public houses; further supports the beer industry and The Campaign for Real Ale's Axe the Beer Tax, Save the Pub campaign which states that tax rises in the Pre-Budget Report, and further planned increases in tax, will place traditional public houses at even greater risk of closing down; and calls on the Government to adopt the campaign's Last Orders, a five-point plan to save the British pub, as a way forward in safeguarding the future of Britain's traditional public houses. |
| 46 | EX-SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN | 3:12:08 |
| Colin Challen | | Andrew George | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Ian Cawsey | | Sandra Gidley |
| That this House believes that all ex-servicemen and women should be treated equally in the payment of pensions, regardless of when they served in Her Majesty's armed forces. |
| 123 | CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER AND THE CREATION OF A HIGH VOLTAGE DIRECT CURRENT SUPERGRID | 4:12:08 |
| Dr Howard Stoate | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn | | John McDonnell | | Paul Flynn |
| | Tony Lloyd | John Hemming | Patrick Hall | | | Mr David Laws | Mr Graham Brady |
| That this House recognises the great potential of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) in desert regions as a source of clean energy for countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EUMENA); welcomes the Prime Minister's endorsement of CSP and its potential in his speech at the inaugural meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean; notes that CSP is already feeding electricity into the European transmission grid, that CSP plants are quick to build, and that the UK may benefit soon from this source of power via the existing grid; further notes that the existing grid may be upgraded with high voltage direct current technologies and smart electronics; further notes that the resulting supergrid would be a cost-effective means of promoting the security, efficiency and stability of electricity supplies throughout the region, and will in any case be needed for a single market for electricity and to provide access to large-scale but remote sources of renewable energy; and calls on the Government to promote these developments vigorously, to work with its international partners to remove overt and hidden subsidies for non-renewable sources of energy, to ensure that a proper price is paid for carbon dioxide emissions, to provide a system of support for renewable energy technologies that is harmonised across the region, to support existing moves to develop a single market for electricity throughout the EU, to extend that single market to EUMENA, and to put in place appropriate mechanisms for upgrading the transmission grid throughout the region. |
| 135 | ANIMAL PROTECTION POLICY | 4:12:08 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn | | John McDonnell | | David Taylor | | Paul Flynn | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House notes the growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that animals have complex mental and emotional lives; considers animals to be conscious, feeling beings with an interest in living, avoiding suffering and experiencing pleasure; acknowledges that each animal has inherent value and is worthy of serious moral consideration; further considers respect for animals to be indicative of the level of civilisation; is concerned that policy making is led by industries that inevitably compromise animals' welfare and interests, and that the most essential interests of animals and the public's concern for their protection are given insufficient consideration; endorses the Prime Minister's call for constitutional reform that entrusts more power to Parliament and the British people; further notes that there is no Government body whose primary purpose is to protect the interests of animals in policy-making; and calls upon the Government to establish an animal protection commission or similar body, answerable to Parliament via a Minister, with a remit which includes the ongoing examination of the ethical status and rights of animals and how they are affected by policy-making, the facilitation of genuine public participation throughout policy processes which affect animals, and the development of a cross-Government agenda for animal protection. |
| 184 | MOTORCYCLE TESTING CENTRES | 8:12:08 |
| Mark Williams | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Lynne Jones | | Mr John Leech |
| That this House believes that the ability to arrange a motorcycle driving test at a convenient and accessible location is essential to the development of safe riding; notes that the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is developing new off-road multi-purpose test centres to comply with the European Union legislation; expresses concern that despite the DSA's statement that no learner should be further than 20 miles or 45 minutes from a multi-purpose test centre there will be no facilities in Mid Wales, and the residents of Ceredigion will be forced to travel to Swansea or Shrewsbury which for many means further than the stated minimum; further expresses concern that inexperienced learner riders will be expected to travel long distances, potentially in poor weather conditions; and calls on the Government to ensure that safe and convenient testing is available to all learner riders. |
| 190 | PUBCOS AND THE SUPPLY TIE | 9:12:08 |
| Tim Farron | | Greg Mulholland | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Stephen Williams |
| That this House notes that the Beer Orders, passed in 1989, were intended to increase competition in brewing, wholesaling and retailing; believes however that they have failed to do this, and have instead concentrated ownership of British pubs in the hands of pub companies or Pubcos; further notes that in 1989 the three biggest brewers owned around 20,000 pubs, about a third of the UK's total, and that the three biggest Pubcos own around 20,000 pubs, a notably similar figure; further notes that pubs are closing at the rate of around 36 pubs a week and that from 2006-07 bankruptcies amongst pub landlords increased seven-fold and are set to get worse; notes with concern that Pubcos have failed to adopt the recommendations of the Trade and Industry Select Committee, namely that rents should be sustainable; further notes that tied tenants should not be financially worse off than if they were free of tie, that upward-only rent reviews and the gaming machine tie must cease, and that the utmost transparency in all rents and reviews is paramount; and calls on the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to refer the matter of the supply tie and rent formulation to the Competition Commission with a view to addressing the dominance of the big Pubcos in the pub market. |
| 200 | HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS | 9:12:08 |
| Mr Neil Gerrard | | Robert Key | | Frank Dobson | | Jo Swinson | | Ms Katy Clark | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; highlights Article 22 - the right to social security; further highlights Article 25 - the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being; further highlights Article 26 - the universal right to education; deplores the fact that despite 60 years of recognition for universal human rights, millions of the world's citizens still live in abject poverty, without access to adequate nutrition healthcare, sanitation, education and clean water; notes that the millennium development goals (MDGs), if achieved, would substantially contribute to the realisation of the rights of millions of the world's poorest by reducing hunger and poverty and by improving health, the environment, education and gender equality; is deeply concerned that progress toward the achievement of the MDGs for improving basic standards of living for the world's poorest remains seriously off-track; supports the Government in continuing working towards achieving the MDGs by meeting its full obligations regarding the quality and quantity of overseas development assistance it provides and also by encouraging the international community to do likewise; and urges the Government to ensure that such efforts are not undermined by redoubling its commitment to ending the harmful global trade rules and conventions that constrain the economies of the world's least developed countries. |
| 228 | PARLIAMENTARY EDUCATION SERVICE | 10:12:08 |
| Mr David Kidney | | Martin Salter | | Martin Linton | | Mark Lazarowicz | | Anne Moffat | | Alison Seabeck |
| That this House congratulates the Parliamentary Education Service on its outstanding success in providing education about the work and processes of the institution of Parliament to schoolchildren and others with an interest in how Parliament works; notes with pleasure that the number of schoolchildren visiting Parliament on the workshop and tour programme has continued to increase to a forecast 35,000 this year, a 105 per cent. increase over two years; welcomes the planned pilot of transport subsidy to help schools in remote constituencies visit Parliament; takes great satisfaction from the work of the Parliamentary outreach service whose staff work with both children and people over school age across the UK; and delights in seeing so many children in different school uniforms around the Parliamentary Estate undertaking studies provided by the hard-working staff of the Parliamentary Education Service. |
| 232 | HAPPINESS AND PUBLIC POLICY | 10:12:08 |
| Jo Swinson | | Chris Huhne | | Mr John Gummer | | Mr Andy Reed | | Peter Bottomley | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House believes that the promotion of happiness and well-being are legitimate and important goals of Government; notes a GfK NOP poll showed 81 per cent. of people believe Government's prime objective should be happiness, not wealth; notes large surveys, including Eurobarometer, that show the UK's happiness has remained static for at least 25 years; recognises the Government can influence some factors that affect happiness, such as unemployment and respite for carers; welcomes the Government's Foresight report into Mental Capital and Well-being showing how well-being promotion is possible; and calls for official and regularly conducted statistics on national happiness and well-being to inform policy-making. |
| 260 | NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM AND THE PARTHENON SCULPTURES | 11:12:08 |
| Mr Edward O'Hara | | Andrew George | | Dr Ian Gibson | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | John McDonnell | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House notes the forthcoming opening of the new Acropolis Museum in Athens in the spring of 2009; congratulates the Greek government on the completion of a truly world-class new home for the treasures of the Acropolis hill; recognises the unique beauty of the top floor gallery of the museum, built to the same size and orientation as the Parthenon itself and designed specifically for the display of the surviving Parthenon sculptures as an artistic unit and in the best possible location and light with the Parthenon itself in full simultaneous view; regrets the fact that for as long as the surviving Parthenon sculptures are kept separately in the British Museum and in Greece they cannot be viewed in this optimum context; and calls on the Government to encourage and facilitate the opening of discussions between the British Museum and the Greek authorities with the purpose of the reunification of the Parthenon sculptures in Athens with responsibility for their display, curation and study being shared between the British Museum and the new Acropolis Museum in accordance with the best contemporary museum practice. |
| 261 | IRISH GUARDS SINGERS | 11:12:08 |
| Mr Edward O'Hara | | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | John McDonnell | | Mr Alan Meale | | Frank Cook |
| That this House congratulates the Irish Guards Singers on their recent tours of the west coast of Ireland, where they sang to raise funds for charities in Mayo and Roscommon and gave concerts in Westport, Knock, Ballinrobe and Castlebar; observes the historic significance of their performance with the drums and pipes of the 1st battalion Irish Guards by the invitation of the Irish people at the unveiling in the Peace Park in Castlebar of the first monument erected in the Irish Republic to the memory of those Irish people who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces of other nations including the British army; notes that they were commended personally by Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, for their commitment and in a letter by the Prime Minister for their contribution to building a better understanding between the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland through the medium of music; notes their continued commitment not only to such high profile events but also to work for local charities in Merseyside and surrounding districts; and urges new recruits from the Northern Micks who can sing On Mother Kelly's Doorstep without sending the cat clawing up the back gate to join them in singing for charity, peace and understanding. |
| 285 | RACEHORSE BREEDING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM | 15:12:08 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Harry Cohen | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Frank Cook | | Lynne Jones |
| | Stewart Hosie | Simon Hughes |
| That this House is alarmed by evidence suggesting that many healthy but unprofitable thoroughbreds are slaughtered in British abattoirs or shot in racing yards every year; notes that the Chairman of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has acknowledged the problem of over-production of racehorses; believes that horse welfare problems flowing from racehorse over-production are likely to worsen as a result of the BHA's future fixtures list which will deny racing opportunities to hundreds of lower-rated horses; further notes that every year more than 160 horses die or are destroyed due to racecourse injuries; calls on the Government to undertake and put into the public domain a full audit of racehorse production, death and injury; and asks it to urge racing's regulators to act decisively to remedy the problems of racehorse over-production and the alarming level of equine death on British racecourses. |
| 288 | CAMPAIGN TO END CHILD POVERTY | 15:12:08 |
| Mr Dai Davies | | John Penrose | | Ms Karen Buck | | Annette Brooke | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Spink |
| That this House is deeply concerned that there are 3.9 million children living below the poverty line in the United Kingdom, which is one of the worst records in the EU and amongst other wealthy countries; recognises the appalling damage poverty does to children's wellbeing and life chances; further recognises the strength of public concern, as demonstrated by over 10,000 people at the largest ever event in support of an end to child poverty, the Campaign to End Child Poverty's recent rally in Trafalgar Square; believes that British children should not have to continue suffering worse levels of poverty than their counterparts in other wealthy countries; notes research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation indicating that social and economic problems resulting from child poverty cost the United Kingdom at least £25 billion each year; believes that the Government should recognise, measure and act on relative poverty; and calls on the Government to eradicate United Kingdom child poverty by 2020. |
| 294 | DISABLED TRANSPORT AT RAIL STATIONS AND AIRPORTS | 15:12:08 |
| David Maclean [R] | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr Gregory Campbell |
| That this House believes that the method of transporting disabled passengers at railway stations and airports is embarrassing and demeaning to those passengers; considers that there is no need to use an over-sized electric buggy with an orange flashing light and horn constantly sounding in order to warn other passengers that disabled people are in transit; and calls on Network Rail and the British Airports Authority urgently to investigate other ways of moving disabled passengers around airports and railway stations which ensure the safety of all other passengers but are more discreet and less humiliating than the present method. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 308 | RECENT ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN ORISSA INDIA | 16:12:08 |
| Mr Virendra Sharma | | Mark Pritchard | | Andrew George | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Mike Weir | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House is deeply disturbed by the systematic attacks perpetrated against the Christian community in Kandhamal and other districts of Orissa state in India following the deplorable assassination of Swami Lakhmananda Saraswati, which has been characterised by brutal murder, arson, destruction of Christian institutions and places of worship, looting of property and retributive rape and which has resulted in a significant number of deaths; notes the European Parliament resolution of 24 September 2008 which `expresses deep concern at the recent attacks on Christians in Orissa'; further reports that Christians in the area have been coerced into renouncing their faith; observes that anti-Christian violence has intensified in other states since the outbreak in Orissa; strongly condemns the violence; further notes that no effective prosecutorial action was brought after an outbreak of anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal district in December 2007; further notes that relatively few complaints have been registered by police in Orissa and that the capacity of the police force to investigate the violence is very limited; and calls for bilateral representations to be made to the Indian government to call for the restoration of peace and stability in Orissa and the bringing to justice of inciters and perpetrators of the violence, and to consider what assistance the UK may offer for relief and rehabilitation and addressing the root causes of the violence. |
| 316 | FUTURE OF MOLDOVA | 16:12:08 |
| Alun Michael | | Andrew George | | Mr Oliver Heald | | Mr Bruce George | | Mr John Greenway | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House reiterates its strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within internationally recognised borders; supports the European integration perspective of Moldova; strongly encourages early adoption of a new EU-Moldova Agreement to pave the way for Moldova's future EU membership; regrets that significant progress in the Transnistrian settlement process has not been achieved; calls on all parties to resume work towards a sustainable and comprehensive political solution with a special legal status for Transnistria within Moldova; calls for the resumption of the 5+2 negotiation format; recognises that these negotiations are crucial in achieving a viable settlement respecting the principles of international law and the commitments assumed by the OSCE member states; requests the resumption of Joint Working Group activity on measures to build confidence and security; appreciates the work of the EU Border Assistance Mission in improving security and custom control at the Moldovian-Ukranian border; welcomes the extension of its mandate after 2009; affirms the necessity of fully implementing the 1999 Istanbul OSCE Summit decision on the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Republic of Moldova's territory; calls for the formation of a multinational mission of civilian observers under an international mandate; and supports the initiative to convene a high level Conference of Donors in 2009 on a post-conflict rehabilitation and development programme for Moldova. |
| 317 | ASSAULTS ON NHS STAFF | 16:12:08 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Andrew George | | Mr Lee Scott |
| That this House notes with alarm the number of NHS staff who are subject to physical assault by patients and relatives of patients; recognises the excellent service provided by NHS staff who are dedicated to providing patients with the highest possible level of care for the benefit of the public; deplores any attacks or assaults on NHS employees, who deserve the greatest respect; and calls on the Government to take a zero-tolerance stance in order to protect doctors, nurses and other NHS staff. |
| 323 | ILLEGAL LOGGING (No. 2) | 16:12:08 |
| Mr John Leech | | Andrew George | | Mr Lee Scott | | Mr Martin Caton | | Frank Cook | | Mr Mike Weir |
| That this House welcomes the recent publication of the Environmental Investigation Agency's Buyer Beware report into UK sales of wood sourced from illegally logged trees; is deeply concerned that the current system of industry self-regulation is not effective in preventing the use of such wood in new and existing UK building developments; regrets that consumers often lack adequate information to make truly informed choices when purchasing timber products; praises those retailers and suppliers who ensure that they can trace the origins of their timber products; calls on all retailers and suppliers to ensure that their timber products are sourced from legal and sustainable sources; calls on the Government to make it an offence knowingly to sell or distribute timber products derived from illegal logging; further calls on the Government to take the lead in securing concerted efforts within the European Union to regulate the importation of illegally-sourced timber products, as has happened in the United States; and further calls on the Government to promote its own public procurement policy for timber products to other industries as industry best practice. |
| 331 | RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS | 17:12:08 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Eric Illsley | | Mr Brian Binley | | Andrew George | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House is appalled at the use of restrictive covenants by pub operating companies, where a pub or licensed premises is sold with a condition of sale preventing the premises from being used as a pub in the future; believes that this is a scandal whereby the company concerned is taking an entirely self-interested decision permanently to shut pubs against the wishes of the community served by the pub simply to serve their own commercial interests; believes that this is against free and fair competition, and prevents other operators, individuals or co-operatives taking on such pubs; is further concerned that this will lead to the permanent closure of many community pubs up and down the country, when these pubs could be successful if another operator were allowed to run them; is aware of the benefits which pubs bring to their local community, particularly as a social hub and meeting point; and calls on the Government to act to outlaw the use of restrictive covenants on pubs and prevent the permanent loss of even more pubs from high streets and communities across the country. |
| 337 | MARINE RESERVES | 17:12:08 |
| Bill Wiggin | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Mr James Paice | | Miss Anne McIntosh | | Ms Katy Clark | | Mark Durkan |
| | Mr Richard Benyon | Mr Keith Simpson | David Wright | | | Mr Graham Brady | Simon Hughes |
| That this House notes the recommendation made by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in their 25th Report in 2004 that a widespread network of highly protected marine reserves throughout all UK seas is an important marine management tool which is required in order to rebuild UK commercial fish stocks and to halt the serious damage being caused to marine ecosystems; and calls upon the Government to develop selection criteria under the Marine Bill for establishing a network of protected marine areas based around science-based decision making. |
| As Amendments to Bill Wiggin's proposed Motion (Marine Reserves): |
| Line 5, after `ecosystems;' insert `further notes that the main damage to fish stocks and the marine environment come from fishing by the non-British EU fishing fleet.'. |
| Bob Spink | | Mrs Iris Robinson |
| Line 7, at end add `and the need to enable sustainable fishing by the British fishing fleet.'. |
| 343 | UNITED NATIONS AND POLITICAL PRISONERS IN BURMA | 17:12:08 |
| John Battle | | Mark Durkan | | John McDonnell | | Peter Bottomley | | Dr Evan Harris | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| | Mr Graham Brady | Simon Hughes |
| That this House condemns the arrest of over a thousand further political prisoners since the democracy uprising in September 2007, bringing the total to more than 2,100; further condemns the sentencing of hundreds of these activists to long jail terms; notes that many of the prisoners have been moved to jails hundreds of miles from where their families live; further notes that the United Nations Security Council, United Nations General Assembly, European Union and ASEAN have all called for the release of political prisoners in Burma and that these calls have been ignored; further notes that 37 visits by United Nations envoys have failed to secure a single reform; calls on the United Nations Secretary General to travel to Burma to negotiate the release of all political prisoners; further calls on the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution giving full support to the Secretary General's efforts; and further calls on the British Government to continue to work for a Resolution by the Security Council. |
| 344 | TREATMENT OF CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ | 17:12:08 |
| Mr Edward Leigh | | Tim Farron | | Mr Russell Brown | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | David Simpson | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House is deeply concerned by the mass exodus of Iraqi Christians, which has decimated much of Iraq's ancient Assyrian-Chaldean community; notes that the Assyrian-Chaldeans make up over 95 per cent. of Iraq's Christians and that this exodus has largely been caused by escalating violence against Christians from fanatical extremists, including the bombing of churches and the assassination of Iraqi Christians; further notes that there has been illegal expropriation of Assyrian-Chaldean land and villages in Dohuk province and the Nineveh Plain in northern Iraq; recognises that Iraqi Christians are a major force for moderation, who can act as a significant buffer against the spread of extremism in Iraq; calls on the British and Iraqi governments urgently to encourage and support the creation of a self-governing province in Iraq for the Assyrian-Chaldeans, linked to the central government in Baghdad, situated in and around the Nineveh Plain and including the Tel Kaif, Al-Hamdaniya and Al-Shikhan districts, and governed by the Assyrian-Chaldeans and other ethnic groups living in that area, as these lands form part of the ancestral homeland of the Assyrian-Chaldeans and are still heavily populated by them; and urges the United Kingdom and Iraqi governments to support financially the reconstruction of the region, to end the political marginalisation of the democratically-elected Assyrian-Chaldean representatives in Iraq, to assist the Assyrian-Chaldeans in reclaiming their land and villages in Dohuk province and the Nineveh Plain, and to financially support internally displaced Assyrian-Chaldeans and the return and resettlement of Assyrian-Chaldean refugees. |
| 355 | COUNCIL HOUSE BUILDING | 17:12:08 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Michael Meacher | | David Taylor | | Jon Cruddas | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House points out the urgent need to boost the economy by a massive programme of public investment to improve existing council homes and estates and build a new generation of first-class council housing to provide secure tenancies and low rents, and managed by an accountable landlord of the type the large numbers of people in housing need desire; and calls on Government to stop taking money out of tenants' rents and to ring-fence all rents and receipts within a national housing revenue account, to fully fund allowances to local authorities for the management, maintenance and repair of council homes at level of need, along with a level playing field on gap funding and debt write-off so as to secure the long-term future for council housing, and to provide funding to build new council homes thus allowing authorities to open up their allocation policies once again to the wide range of people on council housing waiting lists so that butchers, bakers, nurses and teachers can live together with young families and pensioners thus returning our estates to the mixed and sustainable communities they used to be, and to provide a sustainable housing policy offering security and stability for the 21st century. |
| 358 | SUPPORT FOR THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR | 17:12:08 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Mark Durkan | | Andrew George | | John McDonnell |
| That this House recognises the invaluable contribution made by the voluntary sector across the country; further recognises that like other sectors, the voluntary sector is not immune to the impact of an economic downturn; notes that many of the services offered by voluntary organisations are often called upon in times of an economic downturn to meet an increased demand for their services and support; further notes the prized ability of voluntary organisations to successfully engage with the most disadvantaged in times of crisis and need; believes that voluntary organisations are absolutely crucial to the delivery of social policy goals such as ending child poverty and supporting hard working families and the elderly, particularly during this period; further recognises that many voluntary organisations are making adjustments to reflect the current environment in which they work; calls on the Office of the Third Sector to introduce the necessary measures to help voluntary organisations, both small and large, cope with the challenges they face; further believes that local government has a crucial role to play; and calls on local government to increase its efforts and do everything possible to support the work of voluntary organisations in their area. |
| 360 | INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA | 17:12:08 |
| Dr Evan Harris | | Lynne Jones | | John Bercow | | Lynne Featherstone | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Adrian Sanders |
| | Malcolm Bruce | Simon Hughes |
| That this House notes the historical declaration against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, presented to the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 2008; further notes that this declaration was submitted by the French government in consultation with the International Day against Homophobia (IDAHO); and urges the British Government to continue to work with other governments and non-governmental organisations to ensure that there is enough support in the UN for a resolution to be passed to decriminalise homosexuality and to end gender identity discrimination around the world. |
| 361 | FIREFIGHTER SAFETY AND DATA COLLECTION | 18:12:08 |
| Mr Stewart Jackson | | Mr Simon Burns | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Michael Jabez Foster | | Mrs Betty Williams |
| That this House notes with profound gratitude the selfless commitment of firefighters to their role, often in very stressful and dangerous circumstances; further notes the increased number of firefighter deaths in recent years, as highlighted in the Fire Brigades' Union report, In the Line of Duty; further notes the lack of safety-critical operational guidance for fire authorities highlighted in that report, and the deficiency of data collection in regard to firefighter deaths and other serious incidents; and therefore calls for greater clarity and standardisation in the recording and investigation of firefighter fatalities and injuries and for more comprehensive safety guidance for fire authorities. |
| 370 | ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS AND SETTLEMENT GOODS | 18:12:08 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Mrs Betty Williams | | Chris McCafferty | | Frank Cook | | Paul Rowen |
| That this House welcomes the statement from the Prime Minister in December that `one of the blockages' to peace `is clearly the settlement issue' and his desire to `seize the opportunity we have before us to make 2009 the Middle East year of peace'; notes that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law, and is therefore concerned that British retailers may be breaking the law by selling goods from these settlements; further notes the detrimental impact that settlements have on the daily lives of Palestinians, with over 40 per cent. of West Bank land confiscated for settlement construction; also notes that Palestinians are enduring increased violence at the hands of settlers; welcomes the Government's actions on the mislabelling of settlement produce as `Produce of Israel'; and calls upon the Government to call for the dismantling of illegal settlements and to ensure that companies in the UK are not breaking the law by selling settlement goods. |
| 405 | CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAUX | 12:1:09 |
| Nick Herbert | | Mr Alan Duncan | | Mr Henry Bellingham | | Mr Edward Garnier | | Mr Jonathan Djanogly | | Mr David Burrowes |
| That this House recognises the vital contribution of citizens advice bureaux in providing advice on debt to those in need during the recession; notes that personal debt is now the single biggest problem dealt with by bureaux; further notes that there has been a 51 per cent. increase compared to the previous year in cases involving mortgage or loan arrears, a 69 per cent. increase in redundancy cases and a 22 per cent. increase in bankruptcy cases dealt with by bureaux; is concerned that the way in which the Legal Services Commission is commissioning Community Legal Advice Centres and Networks may undermine the citizens advice bureaux network; further notes the Government's review of the funding and provision of civil legal advice; urges the consideration of a public interest test in the future commissioning process, as recommended by Citizens Advice; and believes that in the current economic downturn, and pending the outcome of its review, the Government should suspend the roll-out of Community Legal Advice Centres and Networks to ensure that citizens advice bureaux can maintain their services at a time when they are needed most. |
| Geraldine Smith | | Mr Jim McGovern | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Joan Walley | | Colin Burgon | | David Lepper |
| That this House notes that the Labour Party Conference 2008, with the backing of Ministers, supported a vision of a wholly publicly-owned, integrated Royal Mail Group; welcomes the conclusion of the Hooper Report that the current universal service obligation offered by Royal Mail, including six days a week delivery, must be protected and that the primary duty of a new regulator should be to maintain it; further welcomes the recommendations in the Report that the Government should take responsibility for the pensions deficit which followed an extended contributions holiday; endorses the call for a new relationship between management and postal unions and welcomes the commitment of the Communication Workers Union to negotiate an agreement which would support the modernisation of the industry; observes that in 2007 the Government agreed to a £1.2 billion loan facility on commercial terms to modernise Royal Mail operations; rejects the recommendation of the Hooper Report to sell a minority stake in Royal Mail which would risk fracturing one of Britain's greatest public services; further notes that the Government is currently advertising for a new Chair of Royal Mail; and urges the Secretary of State to appoint a Chair and management team who are committed to the principles of a modern public enterprise. |
| As Amendments to Geraldine Smith's proposed Motion (Royal Mail): |
| Line 12, leave out from `operations' to end. |
| Line 14, leave out `Chair' and insert `Chairman'. |
| Line 15, leave out `Chair' and insert `Chairman'. |
| 438 | DEATH OF FIRST WORLD WAR VETERAN BILL STONE | 13:1:09 |
| Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Keith Simpson | | Mr John Prescott | | Mr Gerald Howarth | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Dr Julian Lewis |
| That this House is greatly saddened by news of the death at the age of 108 years of Bill Stone, one of Britain's remaining veterans of the First World War; recognises the contribution he made in service in both World Wars which included him being a crew member of many naval ships, in particular the battle cruiser HMS Tiger on which he witnessed the scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow, HMS Hood, the minesweeper Salamander that played a valiant role in the evacuation of Dunkirk, and on HMS Newfoundland during its involvement in the Sicily landings of 1943 for which he was mentioned in despatches after helping to coax the vessel back to port after it was crippled by a U-boat torpedo; and believes such a man epitomises the spirit and gallantry of those who gave their all in such conflicts in the quest for the continued freedom of our nation and its citizens. |
| 441 | EPILEPSY IN ENGLAND | 14:1:09 |
| Chris McCafferty | | Mr Paul Truswell | | Dr Evan Harris | | Andrew George | | Mr David Amess | | Mr Kevin Barron |
| | Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews | Patrick Hall |
| That this House notes the Epilepsy Action survey of January 2009; agrees that it is time for change for people with epilepsy; recognises that the majority of primary care trusts and acute trusts in England are failing to meet National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guidelines of 2004 for adults and children with epilepsy; congratulates Epilepsy Action for highlighting these issues in its campaign Epilepsy in England: time for change; believes that all health commissioners should carry out a review of their implementation of the NICE epilepsy guidelines and develop plans to ensure these are met; and calls on the Government to take a lead in driving improvements in epilepsy service provision and appoint a national clinical director to review service provision in England and lead change. |
| 450 | BOMBER COMMAND MEMORIAL | 14:1:09 |
| Mr Greg Pope | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Mr Eric Illsley | | Janet Anderson | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George |
| That this House supports fully the campaign to build a permanent memorial to the sacrifice and courage of the men who served in the Bomber Command during the Second World War; recalls that 55,573 men gave their lives serving in Bomber Command, almost half of the total who served; recognises that this was a higher proportion than in any other branch of the armed forces; believes that the freedoms which are enjoyed in the UK today are their legacy; and further believes that those men should now be honoured with a permanent memorial. |
| 453 | UNIVERSAL BROADBAND OBLIGATION | 14:1:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Andrew George | | Graham Stringer | | Mr David Drew | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House notes that many people in the United Kingdom are still without access to broadband; recognises that high-speed internet access is the passport to the information society and an essential condition for economic growth; welcomes moves by both the EU and the Government to look at the possibility of introducing a universal broadband service; and calls on the Government to work with BT to ensure that all residents and businesses in the UK have access to broadband through a universal broadband obligation. |
| 473 | SCOTTISH BANKNOTES | 15:1:09 |
| Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Mr Mike Weir | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mark Hunter | | Mr Jim Devine |
| That this House congratulates Clydesdale Bank on the launch of a new set of Scottish banknotes designs to showcase the very best of Scotland, its people and its heritage; commends the fact that these will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns and Homecoming 2009; and welcomes that in these difficult economic times, the long history of Scottish banknotes continues and stands as testament to the resilience of Scotland and its financial sector. |
| 493 | SMALL BUSINESSES | 19:1:09 |
| Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Philip Davies | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | David Simpson |
| That this House notes with regret that Kaydee's Bookshop, an award-winning bookshop in Clitheroe, is closing after 60 years due to the current economic climate; realises that there will be nine job losses as a consequence; recognises that the closure is symptomatic of current economic policy and that small and medium-sized businesses are closing across the UK; and calls on the Government to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses get the support that both need and deserve in order that they may survive the recession. |
| 496 | SHARED SURFACES AND DISABLED PEOPLE | 19:1:09 |
| Roger Berry | | Mr David Amess | | Mr Paul Burstow | | Bob Russell | | Bob Spink | | Mrs Joan Humble |
| | Mr Dai Havard | John Thurso | Joan Walley | | | Andrew Miller | Dr Brian Iddon |
| That this House supports the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (Guide Dogs) and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee in calling for a moratorium on new shared surface schemes in our towns and cities until the Department for Transport has published the results of its forthcoming research; recognises that in these schemes it is not possible for certain groups of vulnerable road users to use such areas independently because they cannot tell where the pavement ends and the road begins; and welcomes the research that Guide Dogs has already carried out to highlight the issue and to try to find an effective solution. |
| 533 | ALLIANCE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING | 21:1:09 |
| Mr Gordon Marsden | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Mr Phil Willis | | Dr Hywel Francis | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) |
| That this House welcomes the launch of the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (CALL) in September 2008; shares its concern that over 1.4 million places have been lost in the last two years in English adult education due to cuts and fee rises; notes that over 150 organisations are CALL supporters; believes that particularly at this time of recession, affordable access to the life-changing opportunities provided by education is the hallmark of a civilised society; considers that adult learning needs to be simultaneously expanded, resourced and promoted alongside work-based skills training in the Children, Skills and Learning Bill; and calls for immediate action to ensure a full range of learning opportunities for adults to adjust the Personal and Community Development Learning budget to increase with inflation, and redirect any underspend on the Train to Gain programme to meet individual learner demand. |
| 542 | AVERAGE NATIONAL BROADBAND SPEED | 21:1:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Andrew George | | Mr David Drew | | Jim Dobbin |
| That this House calls on the Government to take action following the investigation by Ofcom that found a fifth of United Kingdom homes to be receiving less than 25 per cent. of the broadband capability being paid for; notes with concern that the United Kingdom is significantly behind the leading broadband-capable countries such as Japan, that provides an average of 94 megabits per second (mbps) compared to the United Kingdom's current average of 3.6 mbps; and further calls on all internet service providers to do more to meet the needs of their customers by explaining clearly what speeds they can expect, particularly in rural areas, and by ensuring that their networks meet consumers' increasing demand for higher speed broadband. |
| 554 | PLAIN PACKAGING OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS | 22:1:09 |
| Dr Richard Taylor | | David Taylor | | Dr Doug Naysmith | | Mr Kevin Barron | | Charlotte Atkins | | Dr Howard Stoate |
| That this House notes the recently adopted Article 13 guidelines to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which define tobacco packaging and display as a means of advertising and promotion; acknowledges that research has found that current tobacco packaging is misleading by implying that some tobacco products are less harmful than others; believes that misleading packaging is in contravention of the EU directive on tobacco products and that research also shows that removing colours and brand imagery from packs increases the effectiveness of health warnings; supports the prohibition of retail display of tobacco products; and urges the Government to introduce measures to require plain packaging of all tobacco products by regulation. |
| 560 | GROCERY MARKET OMBUDSMAN | 22:1:09 |
| Andrew George | | Mr David Drew | | Daniel Kawczynski | | Hywel Williams | | Mr Colin Breed | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House welcomes the recommendations of the Competitions Commission's Grocery Market Inquiry that a strengthened Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) monitored and enforced by an independent Ombudsman should be established; notes that the Commission found supermarket practices which `transfer excessive risk' to suppliers, such as retrospective unilateral changes to the terms of supply agreements, charges for loss or damage to goods after delivery and withholding payment without cause could have `an adverse effect on investment and innovation in the supply chain, and ultimately on consumers'; believes that the current recession has increased pressure on suppliers but further notes that United Kingdom supermarkets continue to report healthy profits from their grocery business; recognises that fair treatment of primary producers is crucial to achieving United Kingdom commitments to eradicating poverty in the developing world and guaranteeing food security for the United Kingdom; hopes that supermarkets will recognise that the establishment of an Ombudsman offers the opportunity for independent verification of their commitment to the principles of fair trading and that they will agree undertakings with the Commission; urges the Commission to implement its recommendation to give primary producers and other suppliers to intermediaries the right to submit complaints to the Ombudsman regarding the conduct of grocery retailers; and calls upon the Government to respect the considered recommendations of the Competition Commission and to confirm that it is prepared to introduce the necessary legislation to establish the proposed Ombudsman if a voluntary agreement cannot be achieved between the Commission, supermarkets and suppliers. |
| 563 | REGISTER OF LOBBYISTS | 26:1:09 |
| Mr Gordon Prentice | | Paul Flynn | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Peter Bottomley | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Dr Evan Harris |
| | Mr Robert Walter | John Thurso | Lorely Burt |
| That this House notes with approval the recent Report of the Public Administration Select Committee on lobbying which calls for a mandatory register of lobbying activity provided for in statute, independently managed and enforced, and which would include information provided by both lobbyists and those being lobbied; and calls on the Government to bring forward the necessary legislation as a matter of urgency. |
| 566 | FREE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR LONG-TERM CONDITIONS | 26:1:09 |
| John Bercow | | Mr Neil Gerrard | | Norman Lamb | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House is concerned that large numbers of people with long-term conditions are struggling to afford vital medication and that some are unable to pay; welcomes the commitment given by the Prime Minister in September 2008 to abolish prescription charges for people with cancer from April 2009 and for people with long-term conditions over the next few years; notes that the new Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme will deliver substantial savings to the NHS drugs budget; further welcomes the announcement that Professor Ian Gilmore will conduct a review to consider how to implement this policy; and supports the Campaign for Free Prescriptions for Long-term Conditions in urging the Government to abolish prescription charges for all people with all long-term conditions before the next General Election. |
| As an Amendment to John Bercow's proposed Motion (Free Prescriptions for Long-term Conditions): |
| Mr Angus MacNeil | | John Mason |
| Line 10, at end add `, and notes the steps taken by the Scottish National Party-led Government in Scotland in this regard.'. |
| 569 | SAFETY OF MEDICINES | 26:1:09 |
| Dr Ian Gibson | | Bob Spink | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr David Amess | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Gordon Prentice |
| | Clare Short | Joan Walley | Mark Durkan | | | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House believes that the safety of medicines should be established by the most reliable methods available in order to reduce the large and increasing toll of serious adverse drug reactions; and calls on the Government to initiate an unprecedented comparison of currently required animal tests with a set of human biology-based tests, as required by the Safety of Medicines (Evaluation) Bill, to see which is the most effective means to predict the safety of medicines for patients. |
| 581 | FOOD LABELLING AND THE WELFARE OF CHICKENS | 26:1:09 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George |
| That this House believes that all chicken meat, including imported chicken meat, should be labelled as to farming method and preferably stocking density; further believes the labelling regulation that requires packs of shell eggs to be labelled as to production method should be extended to chicken meat; congratulates Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Compassion in World Farming on their Chicken Out! campaign calling on supermarkets to introduce labelling as to farming method to allow consumers to make informed choices; notes that most UK chickens are still reared intensively in overcrowded conditions and have been bred to grow so quickly that many suffer from lameness and heart problems; and calls on the Government to make it a requirement for all chicken producers to meet the conditions of the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme. |
| 591 | SMALL BUSINESS RATES | 26:1:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Sir Nicholas Winterton |
| That this House notes that the Government announced a small business rate increase for 2009 of 5.02 per cent. to reflect inflation, while the standard national non-domestic rate was increased by 4.97 per cent., thereby making small businesses pay a higher rate for what is their third highest business cost after salaries and rent; further notes the Government gave local councils 2.5 per cent. to reflect inflation for the same period; further notes that small businesses are the engine of our economy and will need to create jobs as the UK moves towards recovery; and therefore calls on the Government to review its policies regarding small businesses and to reduce their taxes and costs. |
| 599 | REDUNDANCY ARRANGEMENTS FOR HON. MEMBERS' STAFF | 27:1:09 |
| Mr Mohammad Sarwar | | Bob Russell | | Jim Dobbin | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Jim McGovern | | Mr Ronnie Campbell |
| That this House notes the derisory redundancy arrangements available to staff of hon. Members as compared to other staff on the parliamentary estate; calls on the House authorities to review the arrangements before the next general election; and urges all hon. Members to support the UNITE Parliamentary Staff Branch campaign to improve staff contracts above the statutory minimum redundancy payment. |
| 660 | PARLIAMENTARY SCRUTINY OF TRIDENT REPLACEMENT | 3:2:09 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Austin Mitchell | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Andrew Pelling |
| | Dr Vincent Cable | Sir Robert Smith | John Mason | | | Stewart Hosie |
| That this House recalls the commitment given during the parliamentary debate on the prospective programme for the replacement of the Trident system on 14 March 2007, Official Report, column 309, by the then Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for Derby South, that the Government would ensure regular reports to Parliament as the programme proceeds; contrasts this with the answer given by the Permanent Under Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, Sir Bill Jeffrey, in oral evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on 19 November 2008, when it was highlighted that the Ministry of Defence had announced its intention to conclude the Initial Gate decision in September 2009, during the parliamentary recess, that these would normally be decisions taken by Ministers; notes that the Secretary of State for Defence said in a written Answer on 10 December 2008, Official Report, column 341W, that decisions will be taken on the Initial Gate in autumn 2009 and that the Government proposed to update Parliament on progress after Initial Gate; believes this undermines the commitment made to Parliament by the Foreign Secretary in March 2007; and requests that the Initial Gate decision be delayed until Parliament is in session and can be presented with the report for scrutiny. |
| 667 | EARTH HOUR AND THE GLOBAL DEAL | 3:2:09 |
| Colin Challen | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Simon Hughes | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Dr Vincent Cable | Mr Alan Reid | Ms Diane Abbott | | | Mr Mark Todd | John Thurso | Mr Ian McCartney | | | Mr Alex Salmond |
| That this House supports WWF's Earth Hour 2009 which seeks to persuade a billion people worldwide to sign up to switch off their lights for an hour at 8.30 pm on Saturday 28 March to indicate to political leaders the widespread public support for a fair, equitable, binding and scientifically credible global deal on climate change; notes that the new global deal needs to be agreed in Copenhagen in December 2009; recognises the global lead that the UK has shown with the new Climate Change Act; acknowledges the key roles for the UK and Europe in promoting a post-2012 UN climate agreement building on the Kyoto Protocol; recognises that developed countries have an historic responsibility for contributing to climate change and therefore have an obligation under a global deal to provide sufficient resources above official development aid to support mitigation and adaptation in poorer nations and to prevent deforestation; and calls upon the Government to take a proactive, progressive and leading role throughout the 2009 negotiations. |
| 675 | ACCESS TO LOCAL LEGAL ADVICE | 3:2:09 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Bob Russell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr John Leech | | Jim Dobbin |
| That this House welcomes the Local Legal Advice Review undertaken for the Ministry of Justice; notes that the economic recession has triggered a significant rise in the demand for legal aid and legal advice at the very time when the future of local advice agencies has been put in doubt by the Legal Service Commission's decision to proceed with plans to commission community legal advice centres and networks through a competitive tender process; further notes the very real concerns voiced by Citizens Advice and others that the procurement model adopted by the Legal Service Commission will result in services which do not best meet the needs of clients and communities and do not protect those multiple points of access that are so vital in making certain that help and advice is available where it is most needed; and calls on the Ministry of Justice to ensure that the existing community legal advice centres are evaluated for their effectiveness in meeting advice needs in communities, particularly the needs of vulnerable groups, those in debt, and those living in less accessible parts of the community, before any further tenders are rolled out. |
| 678 | PROTECTION FOR SEALS | 3:2:09 |
| Paddy Tipping | | Mr David Amess | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | David Taylor |
| That this House recognises the UK's international obligations to maintain its globally important seal populations at a favourable conservation status; notes that seal populations remain depleted and are threatened by further outbreaks of the phocine distemper virus and remain under increasing threat from climate change, depletion of prey species pollution and deliberate killing; notes with extreme concern scientific reports of a frightening decline in the population of common seals in UK waters; further notes that an estimated 5,000 seals are shot in Scottish waters by the salmon industry; believes that the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 is outdated and in urgent need of review or replacement; and calls on the Government to implement an immediate and comprehensive ban on the deliberate killing of all seals, to replace the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 with legislation for the comprehensive protection of seals in the forthcoming Marine Bill and to liaise with the Scottish Executive to this end. |
| 701 | ENERGY FROM USED COOKING OIL | 5:2:09 |
| Mr David Anderson | | Jim Sheridan | | Michael Connarty | | Mr Jim Devine | | Peter Bottomley | | Jim Dobbin |
| That this House notes that used cooking oil is a common waste product that is damaging to the environment and difficult to dispose of; recognises the potential for recycling used cooking oil into a fuel to produce carbon neutral electricity; welcomes the contribution this could make to meeting the Government's carbon emission reduction targets; is therefore disappointed that there has been no final decision on whether used cooking oil should be considered a fuel product or a waste product; further notes that this uncertainty is a major disincentive to companies trying to produce such clean and renewable fuels; and calls on the Government to seek swift resolution to these problems in order to encourage such innovation. |
| 713 | BRITISH MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO COLOMBIA | 5:2:09 |
| Tony Lloyd | | Mr Frank Doran | | John Bercow | | Mr Edward Davey | | Peter Bottomley | | Jim Dobbin |
| | Nick Ainger | Malcolm Bruce | Richard Burden |
| That this House notes with concern the increase in trades unionists assassinated in Colombia during 2008 as compared to the number killed in 2007; further notes the recent statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that she believes the Colombian security forces to be involved in `widespread and systematic' killings of civilians; welcomes the findings of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in relation to British policy towards Colombia, and specifically draws attention to the Committee's conclusion that UK military assistance to Colombia is `inappropriate' given the `serious' human rights situation in Colombia; and calls on the Government to freeze UK military assistance to Colombia until the Colombian regime fully implements the repeated human rights recommendations made by the UN. |
| 715 | ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY SAVE THE PUB GROUP | 9:2:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Brian Binley | | Mr Eric Illsley | | Mr Andrew Pelling | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Russell |
| That this House welcomes the formation of the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group; shares the belief of the group that British pubs are an important part of this country's history and heritage and are hugely important to the communities they serve; believes that well-run community pubs are sociable, controlled environments in which to enjoy alcohol and so are part of the solution to problem drinking; further believes that too many pubs up and down the country are being closed, for a variety of reasons, and often when they do not need to and should not close; further believes there is an urgent need for the Government to take action in terms for support and legislative changes to address this; recommends that a range of measures are needed, from lower levels of beer duty, a more level playing field between on and off-trade pricing, reform of the current model of the tie to make it fairer and more transparent and addressing the market dominance of a few huge companies, the outlawing of restrictive covenants and changes to planning law that would offer much more protection to pubs; and further recommends that local authorities use all available powers to protect and support community pubs. |
| 746 | IWAO HAKAMADA AND THE DEATH PENALTY IN JAPAN | 10:2:09 |
| Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Mr Angus MacNeil | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Lynne Jones | | Chris McCafferty | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd |
| | Norman Lamb | David Howarth | Tom Levitt |
| That this House notes with concern Japan's continued and increasing use of the death penalty; further notes the particular case of Mr Iwao Hakamada who will turn 73 on 10 March 2009; is concerned to hear that Mr Hakamada has spent almost 43 years in detention, including 29 years in solitary confinement on death row and as a consequence is suffering from serious mental illness; further notes the serious concerns raised about the manner of Mr Hakamada's conviction; further notes that former Judge Kumamoto, one of the judges in the original trial, has stated he believes Mr Hakamada to be innocent; further notes that former Judge Kumamoto travelled to the UN office in New York in 2008 where he further voiced his concerns regarding Mr Hakamada's case; commends Amnesty International and a range of other organisations in raising the profile of Iwao Hakamada and other death row inmates; calls on the Japanese Minister of Justice to review the case and order a retrial; and further calls on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to raise these concerns with its Japanese counterparts and continue its valuable work with all governments and the United Nations to achieve a global moratorium on executions. |
| 754 | MMR VACCINE AND THE MEDIA | 10:2:09 |
| Norman Lamb | | Dr Evan Harris | | Sandra Gidley | | Andrew George | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Adrian Sanders |
| That this House expresses its support for the use of the combined MMR vaccine; notes with concern the re-emergence of measles and the loss of life and long-term health problems which will afflict children as a result of the decline in the vaccination rate which followed Dr Andrew Wakefield's now discredited research paper suggesting a link between MMR vaccine and autism; expresses its disappointment that ill-informed comments by presenters such as Jeni Barnett on her LBC radio show will continue to cause unfounded anxieties for many parents and are likely to result in some parents choosing not to vaccinate their children; recognises the right of Jeni Barnett as a parent to make her own judgement about vaccinations for her own children but implores her and others in the media to act more responsibly when making comments in the public domain; and further expresses its hope that in the future reporting the issue of MMR will be less sensationalist and more evidence-based. |
| 768 | SALE OF TOBACCO FROM VENDING MACHINES | 11:2:09 |
| Chris Ruane | | Mr Roger Williams | | Dr Howard Stoate | | Mr Brian Binley | | Bob Russell | | Andrew Miller |
| That this House supports the call of over 100 health organisations for urgent action to ensure a new generation of young people do not become smokers; believes that children's easy access to cigarettes through tobacco vending machines undermines other important tobacco control measures; notes that the British Heart Foundation estimates that over 46,000 11 to 15 year-old regular smokers bought cigarettes through vending machines in England and Wales in 2006; recognises that this number may now be higher as the age limit for purchasing tobacco has been extended from 16 to 18 years; expresses concern that age verification systems for vending machines using remote-controls, tokens, identity cards or other means are insecure; further notes the UK's commitments as a party to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and its guidelines which recommend banning sales of tobacco from vending machines as they constitute a means of advertising and promotion for smoking; and therefore calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to bring an immediate end to all sales of tobacco products from vending machines in England and Wales through the Health Bill. |
| 779 | THALIDOMIDE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (No. 2) | 11:2:09 |
| Mr Martin Caton | | Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mr John Leech | | Dr Desmond Turner | | David Taylor |
| | Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews | Mr Peter Robinson | Tony Lloyd | | | Mr James Gray | Jeremy Corbyn | Mr Graham Brady |
| That this House recalls that side effects of the drug Thalidomide, prescribed for prevention of morning sickness in the 1960s and 1970s, caused nearly 500 babies to be born with a range of severe disabilities; pays tribute to the campaign by journalists, politicians and others that eventually resulted in the manufacturers having to increase their compensation offer tenfold; nevertheless recognises, however, that this could not take account of unforeseen future problems arising from Thalidomide; notes that, as the surviving victims enter their 40s and 50s, many of them face a host of new problems as their bodies suffer from the wear and tear that the overuse of certain muscles has caused, dramatically restricting movement and pushing the cost of mobility up; believes that these people should now receive direct help from the state; and calls on the Government to introduce a financial assistance package to improve the lives of Thalidomide victims. |
| As an Amendment to Mr Martin Caton's proposed Motion (Thalidomide and Financial Assistance (No. 2)): |
| Frank Cook | | Mark Durkan | | Mrs Iris Robinson | | Mr Phil Willis |
| Line 11, at end add `at the earliest date.'. |
| 785 | FREE PRESCRIPTIONS IN ENGLAND | 11:2:09 |
| Dr Doug Naysmith | | Tom Levitt | | Dr Richard Taylor | | Dr Ian Gibson | | Sandra Gidley | | Mr David Amess |
| That this House notes that the principle that NHS care should be free at the point of delivery has been repeatedly endorsed but has not been delivered as far as many patients in England between the ages of 19 and 60 years is concerned; welcomes the extension of free prescriptions to cancer patients, but considers that attempts to produce a rational list of medical conditions which will qualify sufferers to free prescriptions are doomed to failure; and urges the Government to commit itself to the abolition of prescription charges as soon as possible, and until that can be achieved, to extend free prescriptions to all people in receipt of incapacity benefit, employment and support allowance and disability living allowance. |
| 794 | NETWORK RAIL AND THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN | 11:2:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | John McDonnell | | Alan Simpson | | Ms Katy Clark | | David Taylor | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House welcomes efforts by the Government to lessen the impact of the recession and save jobs by intervening in the private sector industries, such as the car industry; notes with concern that Network Rail, which is heavily reliant on billions of pounds of Government subsidy is deferring 28 per cent. of rail renewals work, such as track and signals replacements; notes that Network Rail has confirmed in its 2009-10 business plan that this huge reduction in track renewals expenditure will have a major impact on the supply chain with 20 to 30 per cent. less heavy materials resulting in supply chain redundancies; is appalled that this will mean massive job cuts and supports the view of the rail unions that Network Rail's actions undermine the Government's stated intentions to use infrastructure projects to boost employment; further notes with concern that Network Rail is cutting the frequency of track inspections and routine signals maintenance which, combined with the reduction in renewals work, will significantly raise safety risks to passengers and workers; urges the Government to use its power as funder of Network Rail immediately to intervene to ensure that this essential rail renewals work is not deferred, to introduce a moratorium on job cuts and to develop an industry-wide strategy to ensure that railways can be managed in a way which mitigates rather than exacerbates the effects of the economic downturn. |
| 805 | ADDITIONAL COSTS ALLOWANCE AND SECOND HOMES | 12:2:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Norman Baker | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Rowen | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Angus MacNeil |
| That this House notes that the additional costs allowance (ACA) is designed to fund the necessary costs of a second home or equivalent hotel costs; further notes that there have been too many incidences of hon. Members and right hon. Members using it for purposes that, whilst not being against the rules, would not meet this definition, and that this is damaging to the reputation of the House; calls for the rules to be tightened to ensure that ACA is only used for necessary and justifiable costs associated with a necessary second home or equivalent hotel costs and for rules regarding which residence hon. Members designate as their main residence to be clarified, so that hon. Members receive allowances based upon what is genuinely their second home, rather than any financial advantage; believes that those hon. Members who are given a residence as a result of the office they hold should not be given an additional costs allowance designed to cover the costs of a second home; and further calls for the ring-fencing of the bulk of the additional costs allowance designed to fund a second home, so that it can only be spent on rent, mortgage payments or hotel costs and not other purposes, so that hon. Members who do not have to pay rent or mortgage on a second home, or hotel costs, are not entitled to the same allowances as other hon. Members who do. |
| 813 | NO SMOKING DAY 2009 | 23:2:09 |
| Dr Ian Gibson | | Lynne Jones | | Stephen Williams | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House congratulates the No Smoking Day charity on its 26th annual public health campaign, which will take place on 11 March 2009; supports the No Smoking Day charity and its President, Duncan Bannatyne OBE, in their smoking prevention work with UK schools and colleges; notes that despite recent tobacco control legislation smoking remains the number one cause of premature avoidable death in the UK; and further notes the need for continued support of No Smoking Day, local stop smoking services and other projects aimed at helping smokers who want to quit. |
| 814 | DEPORTATIONS TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO | 23:2:09 |
| Dr Rudi Vis | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Alan Meale | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House believes that in spite of the decision made by immigration judges to refuse to accept the compelling evidence of ill-treatment of asylum seekers who are forcibly returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the recent Country Guidance case, there is information from reliable sources demonstrating that there is very real persecution by the security services at the behest of President Kabila himself of anyone perceived to be in opposition to his regime, including arrest, torture and extrajudicial execution, particularly in the Kinshasa, Bas-Congo and Equateur areas; further believes that asylum seekers sent back from the UK will be viewed as political dissidents and that their physical integrity will be at risk if deported; and further believes that given the gravely unstable conditions in the country as a whole, the appalling human rights record and the fact that average life expectancy is below 40 years old, there should be an immediate moratorium on forced returns to that country. |
| 816 | RETAINED FIREFIGHTERS IN ENGLAND AND THE WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE | 23:2:09 |
| Mr Stewart Jackson | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Bob Russell | | Sir Nicholas Winterton |
| That this House notes with regret the vote by the European Parliament on 17 December 2008 in favour of removing the UK's Working Time Directive opt-out; recognises the detrimental effect that the removal of the opt-out will have on retained firefighters; recognises that the 14,166 retained firefighters in England, approximately 30 per cent. of all firefighters, are a crucial supplement to the full-time force; further notes the opinion of the Chief Fire Officers' Association that the Fire Service could not function effectively without the retained duty system; further recognises that appropriate management in the Fire Service has ensured that retained firefighters do not work excessive hours with any negative impact on their health, safety and welfare; and further notes with concern the consequences the removal of the opt-out will have on emergency fire cover across most of the UK, as well as on the opportunities available to those who choose to serve their communities as retained firefighters. |
| 818 | RAPELAY VIDEO GAME | 23:2:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Lee Scott | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House is appalled that a video game that simulates rape has been readily available for sale on the internet; warmly welcomes Amazon's decision to withdraw the web page for the Japanese video game Rapelay; firmly believes that video games featuring high levels of violence can be detrimental to those playing them; notes that every year an estimated three million women experience rape, domestic violence, stalking or another form of abuse; and calls on the Government to ban such games from sale in the UK, including through online retailers. |
| 822 | STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION FOR PEOPLE WITH RELAPSING REMITTING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS | 23:2:09 |
| Mr James Gray | | Bob Spink | | Lynne Jones | | Stephen Williams | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House welcomes research from a recent clinical study which has shown that the transplantation of bone marrow stem cells may stop the progression of disability for people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and even reverse the damage that has already been done; further welcomes the fact that stem cells are showing more and more potential in the treatment of MS as well as other neurological conditions such as stroke and spinal cord injury; and believes that the challenge now faced is in proving their effectiveness in trials involving large numbers of people. |
| 826 | STEPS RESEARCH INTO DEVELOPMENT DYSPLASIA OF THE HIP | 23:2:09 |
| Mr David Anderson | | Ian Stewart | | Peter Bottomley | | Dr Doug Naysmith | | Dr Desmond Turner | | Mr Gordon Prentice |
| That this House warmly welcomes Baby Hip Health Awareness Week from 23 to 28 February 2009, organised by the STEPS charity, which provides support and information for lower limb conditions in children and young adults; notes that the aim of the national screening policy is to identify and treat infants with a hip abnormality at an early stage, with a post-birth hospital check and another check at six to eight weeks, because late diagnosis can lead to complex surgery and lifelong problems, often impacting on psychological development; further notes that up to 2,000 children a year are diagnosed with development dysplasia of the hip (DDH) which requires treatment involving splints and plaster body casts; is concerned, therefore that a STEPS survey of acute trusts and of primary care trusts (PCTs) showed a staggering gap in health policy which, if it were correctly followed, could detect DDH at an early age and prevent years of pain and emotional distress; is disappointed that many PCTs refuse to take responsibility for checking babies' hips, leaving it to GPs and creating massive inconsistency in procedure; further welcomes the STEPS survey of parents with children affected by lower limb conditions which shows that while many praised the care received during treatment for DDH, the majority felt that they were not informed about the condition, which was not clearly explained to them; and urges the Government to meet STEPS to investigate how these shortcomings can be overcome. |
| 845 | DEFORESTATION, CLIMATE CHANGE AND LIVESTOCK | 23:2:09 |
| Andrew George | | Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Mr David Drew | | Tony Baldry |
| | Ms Katy Clark | Dr Vincent Cable | Tony Lloyd | | | Ms Diane Abbott | Patrick Hall | Ms Sally Keeble |
| That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production contributes to 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and is currently the most significant driver of biodiversity loss worldwide; further notes that the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats into croplands for the production of animal feeds such as soy for intensive livestock farming is a cause of particular concern; recognises the associated impacts on small farmers and communities in developing countries who are often forced off their land; urges the Government to undertake an assessment of the scale and impact of this trend and the UK's role in it, and to gauge whether the UK's livestock industry has become overly dependent on soy-based animal feed which has such an unwelcome and unsustainable impact upon the environment; and calls on the Government to bring forward the measures necessary to reduce the UK's impact on global greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss from the livestock sector whilst avoiding the export of these impacts overseas and supporting a viable, sustainable and thriving UK farming industry. |
| 864 | SEND MY FRIEND TO SCHOOL CAMPAIGN 2009 | 24:2:09 |
| John Battle | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House welcomes the launch of Send My Friend to School 2009 organised by the Global Campaign for Education; notes that on 22 April millions of people in over 100 countries will take part in The Big Read to highlight the importance of literacy; calls on world leaders to redouble their efforts to meet the promise made in 2000 that every child in the world would complete a quality education by 2015; notes that over 70 million children still do not get a chance to go to school; and urges the Government to live up to its spending commitments on education in developing countries to ensure that £1 billion per year is spent between 2010 and 2015, and that those countries furthest from achieving education for all by 2015 are prioritised for funding. |
| 868 | TARGETS FOR 2020 IN THE CLIMATE CHANGE ACT 2008 | 24:2:09 |
| Nigel Griffiths | | John Battle | | Paddy Tipping | | Janet Anderson | | Colin Burgon | | Dr Ian Gibson |
| | Mr Michael Mates | Malcolm Bruce |
| That this House welcomes the Climate Change Act 2008 as the world's first example of a government adopting a legally binding target based on the scientific evidence of the scale of greenhouse gas emissions reductions required to avoid dangerous climate change; welcomes the Committee on Climate Change's advice for an intended 42 per cent. 2020 target; believes adopting this target now would show continued international leadership on climate change legislation; and calls on the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to adopt an immediate target to cut greenhouse gas emissions within the UK by 42 per cent. by 2020. |
| 874 | SERVICES FOR SEVERELY DISABLED CHILDREN AND ADULTS AND THEIR CARERS | 24:2:09 |
| Andrew George | | Dr Hywel Francis | | Tony Baldry | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Spink |
| That this House wholeheartedly commends and supports the work of Michael and Henrietta Spink and the Henry Spink Foundation with regard to improving the services, and access to services, for severely disabled children, adults and their carers; has deep and profound sympathy for Henrietta and Michael Spink's personal plight as parents of two severely disabled children; sees them and the millions of other carers in the UK as quietly heroic; further supports Henrietta and Michael Spink's call, which is supported and being advocated by the Law Commission, for the creation of an independent Social Services Tribunal, which would follow the tribunal model in other sectors; further supports their call for the creation of an Ombudsman for Disability as is found in other European Union countries; further supports their call to reform local authority regulations so that local authority care assessments and support packages for children and adults become easily portable from one authority to another; further supports their campaign to encourage public and private leisure and entertainment facilities to admit the carers for severely disabled children and adults without additional charge; and calls upon all relevant Government Ministers to bring forward the necessary changes in the law and regulations to enact these sensible, pragmatic, cost neutral reforms, that would genuinely improve the lives of thousands of carers for severely disabled children and adults across the UK, as soon as possible. |
| 883 | INCIDENCE OF DIABETES | 25:2:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House notes with alarm the research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showing an increase of 74 per cent. in new cases of diabetes between 1997 and 2003; further notes that the overall incidence of diabetes increased from 2.8 per cent. of the population in 1996 to 4.3 per cent. in 2005; acknowledges the author's assertion that the increases in Type 2 diabetes are directly linked to rising obesity rates; and encourages the Government to redouble its efforts to increase public awareness of diabetes and to take urgent action to tackle obesity rates. |
| 887 | POLITICIANS AND THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN | 25:2:09 |
| Mr Gregory Campbell | | David Simpson | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Lynne Jones | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House notes the extent of the economic downturn right across the United Kingdom; realises the significant degree of cynicism that exists among the general public in relation to how politicians are responding to the effect the downturn is having on average families, many of whom are facing uncertainty regarding employment and their standards of living; and recognises the need for politicians, irrespective of party labels, as well as all others paid for out of the public purse, to have an obligation in demonstrating value for money approaches in whatever capacity they are employed and to show cost reductions where possible as a contribution towards the exceptionally difficult economic times in the nation. |
| 888 | 30th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ALZHEIMER'S SOCIETY | 25:2:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Mr Angus MacNeil | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House celebrates the 30th anniversary of the creation of the Alzheimer's Society; notes that there are around 700,000 people diagnosed with dementia in the UK, a number forecast to double within a generation; applauds the efforts of the 25,000 members of the Alzheimer's Society who work to provide help and information to people affected by dementia; praises the expertise of the staff and volunteers, many of whom have personal experience of dementia, as carers, health professionals or as people with dementia themselves; recognises that the Society invests around £1.5 million every year in their Quality Research in Dementia Programme; notes that this money will be used to investigate good practice in care and treatment and to pursue a cure for people suffering from dementia; and commends the Alzheimer's Society for 30 years of outstanding work campaigning for a better future for everyone affected by all forms of dementia. |
| 909 | INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY | 26:2:09 |
| Colin Challen | | Peter Bottomley | | Mark Durkan | | Lynne Jones | | John McDonnell | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House regrets that the UK is not giving the establishment of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) its wholehearted support; notes that global subsidies to renewable energy have amounted to one-eighth of those given to fossil fuels and that a global approach to the promotion of renewable energy is urgently called for; and therefore urges the Government to recognise that it cannot claim to be a global leader on tackling climate change if it is not prepared to will the means to mitigate it and join with 76 other signatory countries seeking to make IRENA work. |
| 914 | RARE DISEASE DAY 2009 | 26:2:09 |
| Dr Evan Harris | | Dr Ian Gibson | | John Bercow | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell | | Dr Vincent Cable |
| That this House acknowledges the second Pan-European Rare Disease Day on 28 February 2009, which successfully highlights rare diseases and the challenges faced by patients, carers, healthcare professionals and policy makers, working to ensure the highest quality of services and available treatments are accessible to often isolated and vulnerable people; notes that there are over 6,000 rare conditions identified, affecting more than 3.5 million people in the UK; further notes that 75 per cent. of those with a rare condition are children and 30 per cent. die before the age of five years; welcomes the newly-established campaign Rare Disease UK; and urges the Government to move forward with the European Commission's Communciation to create a National Plan for rare diseases. |
| 916 | SUPPORT FOR LOCAL JOURNALISM | 26:2:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Don Foster | | Mr David Chaytor | | Hywel Williams | | Paul Holmes |
| That this House regrets the trend of cutbacks and lack of investment in local journalism by the owners of local news providers; notes that since the summer of 2008 over 1,000 editorial posts in local news have been cut or left unfilled and that dozens of local newspaper offices have closed despite local newspapers remaining viable and profitable businesses from which huge sums having been returned to shareholders over a number of years and where the pay of directors has rocketed; further notes that local journalists are over-worked, often being forced to cover wider areas owing to staffing cutbacks; further notes that coverage of court trials, council meetings and local elections is in massive decline; re-affirms a commitment to high quality local journalism as an integral part of engaging people in their community, strengthening local identities and democracy; believes that Government action in this area must focus on supporting local journalism not simply propping up companies that have already extracted millions of pounds from their businesses whilst cutting investment in editorial resources; and therefore calls on the Government to explore innovative solutions to preserve local journalism and to ensure that state support, either in the form of deregulatory measures or financial help, is given only where firm guarantees on investment in local journalism are secured. |
| 918 | NATIONAL HOUSING FEDERATION AND PREPAYMENT METER CUSTOMERS | 26:2:09 |
| John Austin | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Paul Holmes | | Lynne Jones | | John McDonnell |
| | Norman Baker | Jenny Willott |
| That this House welcomes Government assurances that, if necessary, legislation would be introduced to outlaw the overcharging of prepayment meter customers; notes that E.ON, Scottish Power and npower have equalised charges which they make to their prepayment meter customers with those who pay by quarterly bill, but that British Gas, EDF and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) continue to charge their prepay customers more; further notes that the National Housing Federation calculates that British Gas, EDF and SSE will overcharge their 1.7 million prepay customers by £8.6 million every month over the next year, with British Gas charging its prepayment customers £77 more over 2009 than those on quarterly bills, SSE charging £38 more and EDF charging £19 more; refutes the claim by Ofgem that it has been successful in its campaign to stop this overcharging; congratulates the National Housing Federation on championing the cause of some of the most vulnerable people on low incomes; and believes it is time for the Government to introduce legislation to equalise prepay bills with those charged to people on a quarterly basis. |
| 919 | COMMONWEALTH DAY 2009 AND THE COMMONWEALTH AT 60 | 26:2:09 |
| John Austin | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Malcolm Bruce | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Mark Hunter |
| That this House marks Commonwealth Day on 9 March; notes the importance of the theme for 2009, which is The Commonwealth at 60 - serving a new generation; believes that the Commonwealth is well placed to work with governments and development partners to support young people, being an organisation of great diversity, which includes countries of different sizes in all continents and with a shared commitment to human welfare, political rights and parliamentary democracy; and supports the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK branch's intensive programme of international conferences, exchanges and activities, and the Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedures, 1 to 13 March 2009, which strengthen parliamentary democracy and contribute greatly to the international parliamentary outreach work of the Houses of Parliament. |
| 920 | PUBS AND BANK LENDING PRACTICES | 27:2:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | David Taylor | | Mr Eric Illsley | | Paul Holmes | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| That this House is deeply concerned by reports from licensees and pub owners that they have been unable to access credit and have been told by bank representatives that it is their policy not to offer finance to pubs; is worried that pubs like many small businesses are often dependent on such credit lifelines, particularly during such difficult economic times; is disappointed that these banks do not appear to be adhering to requirements laid out by the Treasury that funds made available to the banking sector would be dependent upon banks giving a commitment to lend to small businesses; and believes that action should be taken to ensure that banks extend credit to pubs, as they would other small businesses. |
| 921 | HEATHROW AIRPORT EXPANSION FUNDING | 27:2:09 |
| John McDonnell | | David Taylor | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Mr Dai Davies | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House notes that BAA has reported a loss of £1.3 billion for 2008, with its parent company's debt totalling £12 billion, and that it faces the forced sale of airports currently in its ownership; and, in view of the significant potential shortfall facing Ferrovial, BAA's owners, in raising the funds to pay for a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow Airport, calls upon the Government to make a public commitment now that it will not provide funding or, in any way, stand as guarantor for the funding, including by the issuing of any letters of comfort, for the expansion of Heathrow Airport, given that this would crowd out many other much-needed and environmentally-sustainable transport projects requiring public investment. |
| 923 | AVAILABILITY OF VITAMINS AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS | 2:3:09 |
| Mike Penning | | Mr Andrew Lansley | | Chris Grayling | | Mr Stephen O'Brien | | Mr Mark Prisk | | Mr David Amess |
| | Alistair Burt | Sammy Wilson |
| That this House notes that the United Kingdom has a rigorous and effective regime for permitting onto the market under the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 only such higher potency vitamin and mineral supplements as are accepted as safe and appropriately labelled by the Food Standards Agency; is deeply concerned that the future availability of such safe and popular supplements is now threatened by the current process through which the European Union is proposing pan-European limits on the potencies of such supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; further notes that successive Ministers have pledged to defend the future availability of such supplements but have not yet secured sufficient support from other member states and the European Commission to ensure that the policy objectives of the Government can be achieved; and calls on the Prime Minister personally to intervene with the President of the European Commission to ensure that the right of UK manufacturers to produce, specialist retailers to sell, and informed consumers to choose to buy such safe and popular supplements is not unacceptably curtailed through an unnecessarily restrictive interpretation of the legislation. |
| 924 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Colour Sergeant John Cecil, Royal Marines, UK Landing Force Command Support Group, aged 35, from Plymouth, Lance Bombardier Llywelyn Evans, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, aged 24 from Llandudno, Captain Philip Stuart Guy, Royal Marines, aged 29, from Skipton, Yorkshire, Marine Sholto Hedenskog, Royal Marines, aged 26, from Cape Town, South Africa, Sergeant Les Hehir, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, aged 34, from Poole in Dorset, Operator Mechanic (Communications) Second Class Ian Seymour RN, 148 Commando Battery Royal Artillery, aged 29, from Poole in Dorset, Warrant Officer Second Class Mark Stratford, Royal Marines, aged 39, from Plymouth, Major Jason Ward, Royal Marines, UK Landing Force Command Support Group, aged 34, from Torquay in Devon, Lieutenant Philip Green RN, aged 30 from Caythorpe, Lincolnshire, Lieutenant Antony King RN, aged 35 from Helston, Cornwall, Lieutenant Marc Lawrence RN, aged 26 from Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, Lieutenant Philip West RN, aged 32 from Budock Water, Cornwall, Lieutenant James Williams RN, aged 28 from Falmouth, Cornwall, and Lieutenant Andrew Wilson RN, aged 36 from Exeter all from 849 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose, Flight Lieutenant Kevin Barry Main, Pilot, IX (B) Squadron and Flight Lieutenant David Rhys Williams Navigator, IX (B) Squadron. |
| 925 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 2) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Sapper Luke Allsopp, 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD), aged 24 from North London, Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth, 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD), aged 36 from Essex, Sergeant Steven Roberts, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, aged 33 from Bradford, Lance Corporal Barry Stephen, 1st Battalion The Black Watch, aged 31 from Perth, Corporal Stephen Allbutt, aged 35 from Stoke-on-Trent, and Trooper David Clarke, aged 19 from Littleworth, Staffordshire both from the Queen's Royal Lancers, Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, Household Cavalry Regiment, aged 25 from Windsor, Major Steve Ballard, 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, aged 33, from Swindon, Marine Christopher Maddison, 9 Assault Squadron Royal Marines, aged 24 from Scarborough, Lance Corporal Shaun Brierly, 212 Signal Squadron, 1 (UK) Armoured Division and Signal Regiment, aged 28 from West Yorkshire, Staff Sergeant Chris Muir, Army School of Ammunition, Royal Logistic Corps, aged 32 from Romsey in Hampshire, Lieutenant Alexander Tweedie, aged 25, and Lance Corporal Karl Shearer, both from the Household Cavalry Regiment, Fusilier Kelan Turrington, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, aged 18, Lance Corporal Ian Malone, 1st Battalion, aged 28 from Dublin, and Piper Christopher Muzvuru, aged 21 from Zimbabwe both from the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards. |
| 926 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 3) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Lance Corporal James McCue, 7 Air Assault Battalion, REME, aged 27 from Paisley, Private Andrew Kelly, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, aged 18 from Tavistock, Gunner Duncan Pritchard, 16 Squadron RAF Regiment, aged 22, Corporal David Shepherd, Royal Air Force Police, aged 34, Mr Leonard Harvey, aged 55, based at Wattisham in Suffolk, Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell, aged 41 from Chessington, Corporal Russell Aston, aged 30 from Swadlincote, Corporal Paul Long, aged 24 from Colchester, Corporal Simon Miller, aged 21 from Washington, Tyne and Wear, Lance-Corporal Benjamin Hyde, aged 23 from Northallerton in Yorkshire, Lance-Corporal Thomas Keys, aged 20 from Llanuwchllyn, near Bala in Wales, all of 156 Provost Company, Captain James Linton, 40 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, aged 43 from Warminster, Private Jason Smith, 52nd Lowland Regiment, aged 32 from Hawick, Captain David Jones, Queen's Lancashire Regiment, aged 29 from Louth in Lincolnshire, Major Matthew Titchener, 150 Provost Company, aged 32 from Southport, Merseyside, Company Sergeant Major Colin Wall, 150 Provost Company, aged 34 from Crawleyside, County Durham, Corporal Dewi Pritchard, 116 Provost Company, aged 35 from Bridgend, Fusilier Russell Beeston, 52nd Lowland Regiment, aged 26 from Govan, Sergeant John Nightingale, 217 Transport Squadron, aged 32 from Leeds, Corporal Ian Plank, Royal Marines, aged 31 from Poole, and Private Ryan Thomas, Royal Regiment of Wales, aged 18 from Resolven, near Neath in Glamorgan. |
| 927 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 4) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Major James Stenner, Welsh Guards, aged 30 from Monmouthshire, Sergeant Norman Patterson, Cheshire Regiment, aged 28 from Staffordshire, Lance Corporal Andrew Craw, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, aged 21 from Clackmannanshire, Rifleman Vincent Windsor, Royal Green Jackets, aged 23 from Oxfordshire, Sapper Robert Thomson, Royal Engineers, aged 22 from West Lothian, Corporal Richard Ivell, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, aged 29 from near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, Fusilier Gordon Gentle, Royal Highland Fusiliers, aged 19 from Glasgow, Flight Lieutenant Kristian Gover, 33 Squadron RAF, aged 30, Private Christopher Rayment, Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment, aged 22 from London, Private Lee O'Callaghan, Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment, aged 20 from London, Private Marc Ferns, The Black Watch, aged 21 from Glenrothes in Fife, Lance Corporal Paul Thomas, The Light Infantry, aged 29 from Welshpool, Fusilier Stephen Jones, The Royal Welch Fusiliers, aged 22 from Denbeigh, Corporal Marc Taylor, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, aged 27 from Ellesmere Port, Gunner David Lawrence, Royal Artillery, aged 25 from Walsall, Private Kevin McHale, The Black Watch, aged 27 from Lochgelly in Fife, Staff Sergeant Denise Michelle Rose, Royal Military Police, aged 34 from Liverpool, Sergeant Stuart Gray, The Black Watch, age 31 from Dunfermline, Fife, Private Paul Lowe, The Black Watch, aged 19 from Fife, and Private Scott McArdle, The Black Watch, aged 22 from Glenrothes. |
| 928 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 5) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Private Pita Tukutukuwaqa, The Black Watch, aged 27 from Fiji, Sergeant Paul Connolly, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, aged 33 from Crawley in West Sussex, Squadron Leader Patrick Marshall, Headquarters Strike Command, aged 39, Flight Lieutenant David Stead, 47 Squadron, RAF Lyneham, aged 35 from Yorkshire, Flight Lieutenant Andrew Smith, 47 Squadron, RAF Lyneham, aged 25, Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel, 47 Squadron, RAF Lyneham, aged 35, Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 47 Squadron, RAF Lyneham, aged 42, Chief Technician Richard Brown, RAF Lyneham, aged 40, Flight Sergeant Mark Gibson, 47 Squadron, RAF Lyneham, aged 34, Sergeant Robert O'Connor, RAF Lyneham, aged 38, Corporal David Williams, RAF Lyneham, aged 37, Acting Lance Corporal Steven Jones, Royal Signals, aged 25 from Fareham, Private Mark Dobson, Tyne-Tees Regiment, aged 41 from County Durham, Guardsman Anthony John Wakefield, 1st Battalion The Coldstream Guards, aged 24 from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Lance Corporal Alan Brackenbury, The King's Royal Hussars, aged 21 from East Riding, Yorkshire, Signaller Paul William Didsbury, 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support), aged 18, Second Lieutenant Richard Shearer, aged 26 from Nuneaton, Private Leon Spicer, aged 26 from Tamworth, and Private Phillip Hewett, aged 21 from Tamworth, all from the 1st Battalion Staffordshire Regiment. |
| 929 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 6) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Fusilier Donal Anthony Meade, aged 20 from Plumstead in South East London, and Fusilier Stephen Robert Manning, aged 22 from Erith, Kent both from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, Major Matthew Bacon, Intelligence Corps, aged 34 from London, Captain Ken Masters, Royal Military Police, aged 40, Sergeant Chris Hickey, 1st Battalion the Coldstream Guards, aged 30, Sergeant John Jones, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, aged 31, from Castle Bromwich, Lance Corporal Allan Douglas, Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons), aged 22 from Aberdeen, Corporal Gordon Alexander Pritchard, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, aged 31, Trooper Carl Smith, 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) aged 23 from Kettering, Captain Richard Holmes, aged 28 and Private Lee Ellis, aged 23, both from the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, Lieutenant Richard Palmer, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, aged 27, Wing Commander John Coxen RAF, aged 46 from Liverpool, Lieutenant Commander Darren Chapman, Fleet Air Arm aged 40, Captain David Dobson, Army Air Corps, aged 27, Flight Lieutenant Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill RAF, aged 32 from Canterbury, Marine Paul Collins, aged 21, Private Joseva Lewaicei, aged 25 from Lautoka, Fiji, and Private Adam Morris, aged 19 from Leicester, both from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, Lieutenant Tom Mildinhall, aged 26 from Battersea, and Lance Corporal Paul Farrelly, aged 27 from Runcorn, both from the Queen's Dragoon Guards. |
| 930 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 7) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Corporal John Johnston Cosby, 1st Battalion The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry, aged 28 from Belfast, Corporal Matthew Cornish, of 1 LI killed in Iraq, aged 29 from Yorkshire, Gunner Samuela Vanua, aged 27 from Fiji, and Gunner Stephen Robert Wright, aged 20 from Preston, Lancashire, both from 58 (Eyre's) Battery, 12 Regiment Royal Artillery, Gunner Lee Thornton, 58 (Eyre's) Battery, 12 Regiment Royal Artillery, aged 22 from Blackpool, Lance Corporal Dennis Brady, Royal Army Medical Corps, aged 37 from Barrow-in Furness, Lieutenant Tom Tanswell 58 (Eyre's) Battery, 12 Regiment Royal Artillery, aged 27 from London, Kingsman Jamie Lee Hancock, 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, aged 19 from Wigan, Warrant Officer Class 2 Lee Hopkins, Royal Corps of Signals, aged 35 from Wellingborough, Staff Sergeant Sharron Elliott, Intelligence Corps, aged 34 from Ipswich, Corporal Ben Nowak, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 27 from Liverpool, Marine Jason Hylton, 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines, aged 33 from Burton on Trent, Sergeant Jonathan Hollingsworth, the Parachute Regiment, aged 35, Sergeant Graham Hesketh, 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, aged 35 from Liverpool, Sergeant Wayne Rees, The Queen's Royal Lancers, aged 36 from Nottingham, Kingsman Alex Green, 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, aged 21 from Warrington and Private Michael Tench, 2nd Battalion The Light Infantry, aged 18 from Sunderland. |
| 931 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 8) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Second Lieutenant Jonathan Carlos Bracho-Cooke, 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, aged 24 from Hove, Private Luke Daniel Simpson, 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, aged 21 from Howden, near York, Rifleman Daniel Lee Coffey, Second Battalion The Rifles, aged 21 from Exeter, Private Johnathon Dany Wysoczan, First Battalion The Staffordshire Regiment, aged 21 from Stoke on Trent, Kingsman Wilson, 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, aged 28 from Workington, Rifleman Aaron Lincoln, of the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, aged 18 from Durham, Second Lieutenant Joanna Yorke Dyer, aged 24 from Yeovil, Corporal Kris O'Neill, Royal Army Medical Corps, aged 27 from Catterick, Private Eleanor Dlugosz, Royal Army Medical Corps, aged 19, from Southampton, Kingsman Adam James Smith, 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, aged 19 from the Isle of Man, Colour Sergeant M L Powell, aged 37 from South Wales, Sergeant Mark J McLaren, Royal Air Force, aged 27 from Northumberland, Corporal Ben Leaning, The Queen's Royal Lancers, aged 24 from Scunthorpe, Trooper Kristen Turton, The Queen's Royal Lancers, aged 27 from Grimsby, Kingsman Alan Joseph Jones, 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, aged 20 from Liverpool, Rifleman Paul Donnachie, 2nd Battalion The Rifles, aged 18 from Reading, and Major Nick Bateson, Corps of Royal Signals, aged 49 from Kent. |
| As an Amendment to Paul Flynn's proposed Motion (Fatalities in Iraq (No. 8)): |
| David T. C. Davies | | Adam Price |
| Line 15, at end add `and Jamie Gunn, aged 21 from Monmouth, of the 1st Battalion The Rifles.'. |
| 932 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 9) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Alex Salmond |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Private Kevin Thompson, Royal Logistic Corps, aged 21 from Lancaster, Corporal Jeremy Brookes, 4th Battalion the Rifles, aged 28 from Birmingham, Corporal Rodney Wilson, aged 30, from 4th Battalion The Rifles, Lance Corporal James Cartwright, aged 21, from Badger Squadron, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, Major Paul Harding 4th Battalion The Rifles, aged 48, from Winchester, Corporal John Rigby 4th Battalion The Rifles, aged 24 from Rye, Corporal Paul Joszko, 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh (The Royal Regiment of Wales), aged 28 from Mountain Ash, Wales, Private Scott Kennedy, Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 20 from Oakley, Dunfermline, Private James Kerr, Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 20 from Cowdenbeath, Rifleman Edward Vakabua 4th Battalion The Rifles, aged 23 from Fiji, Lance Corporal Ryan Francis 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, aged 23 from Llanelli, Corporal Christopher Read, of 158 Provost Company, 3rd Regiment Royal Military Police, aged 22 from Poole, Dorset, Senior Aircraftsman Matthew Caulwell, aged 22 from Birmingham, Senior Aircraftsman Christopher Dunsmore, aged 29 from Leicester, Senior Aircraftsman Peter McFerran, aged 24 from Connah's Quay, Lance Corporal Timothy Darren `Daz' Flowers of The Corps of Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, aged 25, and Corporal Steve Edwards of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, aged 35 from Thrapston, Northamptonshire. |
| 933 | FATALITIES IN IRAQ (No. 10) | 2:3:09 |
| Paul Flynn | | Philip Davies | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Iraq and records with sorrow the deaths of Private Craig Barber, of 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, aged 20 from Ogmore Vale, Leading Aircraftman Martin Beard of No. 1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment, aged 20 from Rainworth, near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, Lance Sergeant Chris Casey, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards aged 27 from London, Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards aged 22 from Romford, Sergeant Eddie Collins, The Parachute Regiment, aged 33, Sergeant Mark Stansfield, 32 Close Support Squadron, UK Logistic Battalion, aged 32 from Oxfordshire, Lance Corporal Sarah Holmes, 29 Postal Courier and Movement Regiment, aged 26 from Wantage, Oxfordshire, Corporal Lee Fitzsimmons from Peterborough, Sergeant John Battersby from Lancashire, Guardsman Stephen Ferguson, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, aged 31 from Lanarkshire, Sergeant Duane `Baz' Barwood, 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, Royal Air Force, aged 41 from Carterton, Oxfordshire, Lance Corporal David Kenneth Wilson, 9 Regiment Army Air Corps, aged 27, from Huddersfield, Corporal Lee Churcher, 20th Armoured Brigade, aged 32, from Nuneaton, and Private Ryan Wrathall, 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, aged 21 from Surbiton, Surrey. |
| 940 | FUNDING FOR THE TRAINING OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS | 2:3:09 |
| Mr Greg Pope | | Harry Cohen | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Fabian Hamilton | | John Mann |
| That this House expresses concern that the basis of funding for the training of educational psychologists in England is undermined by the lack of long-term stability or security; notes that the funding of the training is the responsibility of individual local authorities; believes that a national need for educational psychologists should be met by a national supply, funded nationally; and calls on the Department for Children, Schools and Families to investigate methods of providing secure national funding for the training of educational psychologists. |
| 944 | INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AND EQUAL PAY | 2:3:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Chris McCafferty | | Lynne Jones | | Mrs Janet Dean | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Ms Diane Abbott |
| That this House recognises the importance of International Women's Day on 8 March which has been commemorated by the trades' union movement since 1908, when thousands of women garment workers in New York took to the streets to demand trade union rights and better pay and conditions, and is now an annual event on which to celebrate women's progress towards equality around the world and to highlight the inequalities that still persist between men and women; notes with concern that women in the civil service earn on average 14 per cent. less than their male counterparts, meaning that Government employees suffer greater pay inequality than the national average; further notes that there are over 200 delegated pay negotiations in the civil service which perpetuate the pay differences and sex bias both between and within Government departments; further notes that the new Equality Bill is aimed at bringing together existing discrimination laws into one single Act which will include current equal pay laws and the gender equality duty; and believes that in order to make progress on closing the gender pay gap, cross-departmental equal pay audits must be made a legal requirement, central funding must be made available to departments to address pay inequality, and the gender equality duty must be extended to the private and voluntary sectors, and enforcement improved. |
| 946 | SIR BOBBY CHARLTON AND THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF MANCHESTER | 2:3:09 |
| Tony Lloyd | | Sir Gerald Kaufman | | Graham Stringer | | Mr Mike Hall | | Mr Frank Doran | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House congratulates Sir Bobby Charlton on being given the Freedom of the City of Manchester; recognises that this award celebrates Sir Bobby's close links, not only with Manchester United Football Club but with the whole city of Manchester; and believes that Sir Bobby's record as footballer and role model over many years has earned him recognition and gratitude from the whole nation and way beyond. |
| 948 | ANIMAL WELFARE IN CIRCUSES | 3:3:09 |
| John Austin | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Russell | | Lynne Jones | | Mark Hunter |
| That this House shares the RSPCA's deep concern at the recent introduction of elephants into a circus in Nottinghamshire; hopes that the public will boycott the circus in protest; believes that the Government should intervene in this case and state categorically that it opposes the use of wild species in circuses; and urges the Government to bring forward proposals to ban the use of wild animals in circuses without further delay. |
| 952 | ASK IF IT IS GREAT BRITISH FURNITURE CAMPAIGN | 3:3:09 |
| Mrs Madeleine Moon | | David Taylor | | Mr Paul Goodman | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Jeremy Browne | | Bob Spink |
| That this House acknowledges the importance of the furniture manufacturing industry to the UK economy, with an annual output of almost £10 billion and direct employment of around 124,000 people within 7,500 enterprises; notes the Ask If It Is Great British Furniture campaign, as featured on the BBC 2 programme, Working Lunch and in the national press; emphasises the qualities of British furniture which comes from craft skills which have been conceived, developed and perfected over many years, decades and centuries of tradition, producing inspirational designs, from the most traditional manufacturing methods, with the most stringent environmental and health and safety standards, the shortest delivery times and the best after-sales service; and further notes that the campaign is an important initiative that should be supported and applauded. |
| 960 | LET THEM WORK CAMPAIGN | 3:3:09 |
| Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell | | Dr Ian Gibson |
| | Dr Vincent Cable | Mr Alex Salmond |
| That this House welcomes the Let Them Work campaign to allow asylum seekers permission to work while they are waiting for a decision about their claim; notes with concern that asylum seekers who fled persecution in their own countries are among the most vulnerable people in the UK and are being denied the opportunity to work to support themselves and their families, to pay taxes, and to contribute to the economy; is additionally concerned about the situation of those asylum seekers without status who are unable to return home, many of whom spend years in limbo and are reliant on charity hand-outs or forced into illegal work just to survive; is alarmed that this leaves already vulnerable people open to destitution and exploitation; and therefore calls on the Government to allow asylum seekers to work if they have been waiting longer than six months for a full resolution on their asylum claim and to ensure that permission to work remains for people whose claim for asylum is refused, but who are unable to return home immediately through no fault of their own. |
| 963 | ARCHER REPORT INTO CONTAMINATED BLOOD AND BLOOD PRODUCTS | 3:3:09 |
| Mr Edward O'Hara | | Jenny Willott | | Charlotte Atkins | | Bob Spink | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Andrew Dismore |
| That this House welcomes the publication of the Archer Report on the use of contaminated blood and blood products in NHS treatments and hopes that the victims of the use of such products will receive swift and appropriate recompense; and calls on the Government to make a full and speedy response to the report's findings and to make a commitment to implement its recommendations as soon as possible. |
| 979 | BRISTOL TO LONDON RAIL LINE ELECTRIFICATION | 4:3:09 |
| Stephen Williams | | Mr Don Foster | | Steve Webb | | Mr David Heath | | Norman Baker | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House notes that the Great Western main railway line uses diesel trains originally brought into service in the 1970s and designed to travel at 125 miles per hour; believes that in the 21st century modern rolling stock travelling at higher speeds than those envisaged 40 years ago is a reasonable expectation for passengers; and further believes that the journey should be along a sustainable electrified line and that investment in high-speed rail for the West Country and other regions is preferable to an unsustainable expansion of aviation and a third runway at Heathrow Airport. |
| As an Amendment to Stephen Williams's proposed Motion (Bristol to London Rail Line Electrification): |
| Line 5, leave out from `line' to end. |
| 986 | DIABETES IN THE UK | 4:3:09 |
| Mr Michael Clapham | | Jim Sheridan | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Ronnie Campbell | | Mr Denis Murphy | | Dr Alasdair McDonnell |
| That this House is concerned by the latest research showing the number of new cases of diabetes rose by 74 per cent. between 1997 and 2003 and is increasing at a faster rate in the UK than in North America; welcomes the Government's introduction of the Reduce Your Risk and the Change4Life campaigns which aim to reduce rising disease rates by encouraging people to live healthily by helping them to make significant and sustained choices to behaviours around diet and physical activity; and calls on the Government to work with Diabetes UK to tackle this increase and ensure that diabetes services are able to fully support all those living with the condition. |
| 987 | BUSINESS REGULATION DURING A RECESSION | 4:3:09 |
| Mr Brian Binley | | Mr David Amess | | Mr Douglas Carswell | | David T. C. Davies | | Mr Peter Bone | | Daniel Kawczynski |
| | Jenny Willott | Mr Graham Brady |
| That this House notes with concern the high cost to small businesses of additional business regulation in the current economic climate; further notes that nearly 30 per cent. of members of the Federation of Small Businesses cite increasing amounts of regulation as a barrier to expansion; believes that the Government's priority as unemployment approaches two million should be to keep people in employment and make it easier for small businesses to retain staff and grow; and calls on the Government to review the impact of all business regulations due to come into force in April 2009 and delay the introduction of those that will impose additional costs or administrative burdens until the economy shows real signs of recovery. |
| 994 | JOBS AND BUSINESSES IN THE UK LOGISTICS SECTOR | 5:3:09 |
| Gwyn Prosser | | Mr Greg Knight | | Mr Eric Martlew | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Mr Martin Caton | Mr Alex Salmond |
| That this House supports the goals of the Every Penny Counts campaign which is supporting jobs and businesses in the road freight sector; notes that the success of the British economy is dependent on the success of its logistics sector, which directly employs some 2.3 million people and indirectly supports the work of many millions of others; recognises that the current economic downturn has had a severe and highly damaging impact on the logistics sector, causing insolvencies in the sector to double from fourth quarter 2007 to fourth quarter 2008; notes with concern that increases in costs to the logistics sector's operations, such as increases to fuel duty and road vehicle testing charges are specifically targeting UK logistics companies that are struggling to stay afloat; and calls on policymakers to give greater priority to the impact of economic measures on the freight sector before more companies are forced out of business and more jobs are lost. |
| 996 | COMPETITION TEST IN THE GROCERY MARKET | 5:3:09 |
| Danny Alexander | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Paul Rowen | | Bob Spink |
| That this House welcomes the Competition Commission's recommendation that a competition test should be introduced in the planning system to tackle local supermarket monopolies; believes that the introduction of a competition test is essential to promoting diversity of retail provision and choice for consumers and protection for communities from the dominant position of some retailers; and calls on the Government to pass the competition test into law without any further delay. |
| 997 | REGULATION OF CLINICAL PHYSIOLOGISTS | 5:3:09 |
| Charlotte Atkins | | Mr David Blunkett | | Mr Robert Syms | | Sandra Gidley | | Lynne Jones | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Dr Vincent Cable | Tony Lloyd | Jenny Willott |
| That this House welcomes the valuable contribution that clinical physiologists make to patient care in the NHS in the context of Healthcare Science Awareness Week which runs from 6 to 15 March 2009; notes the importance of clinical physiologists in developing and delivering a wide range of sensitive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures directly to patients in the disciplines of audiology, cardiology, gastro-intestinal physiology, neurophysiology and respiratory physiology; acknowledges the significant impact these procedures can have on patient safety if delivered by those unfit to practise; notes with concern that despite the Health Professions Council's recommendation in 2004 that clinical physiologists should be statutorily regulated back and this advice being accepted in 2005, statutory regulation has not yet been put in place; recognises the value of the current voluntary register which has been compiled and administered by the Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists but agrees that voluntary registration does not provide patients with enough protection against a small minority who are unfit to practise; and therefore calls on the Government to publish a clear timetable for a draft section 60 Order which will take forward the statutory regulation of clinical physiologists as soon as possible to minimise the potential risks to patient safety. |
| 1010 | GREEN ENERGY BILL | 9:3:09 |
| Mr Peter Ainsworth | | Dr Alan Whitehead | | Colin Challen | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Simon Hughes | | Mr Oliver Letwin |
| | Mr Mark Todd | Mark Williams | Joan Walley | | | John Thurso | Mr Richard Shepherd | Mr Paul Goodman | | | Dr Brian Iddon | Dan Rogerson | Mike Penning | | | Dr Vincent Cable |
| That this House supports the provisions contained within the Green Energy Bill introduced by the hon. Member for East Surrey and a cross-party group of hon. Members, on promoting the revision of the Government's microgeneration strategy, reforming planning law, and exempting microgeneration developments and energy efficiency measures from a potential council tax and business rate penalty, thereby ensuring that a range of measures designed to promote green energy through small scale renewable and sustainable sources will enable people and businesses to benefit from generating their own energy; recognises the need to use green energy to protect the environment and to slow down climate change; and therefore calls on the Government to support the Bill. |
| 1015 | LOCAL AUTHORITY BUSINESS GROWTH INCENTIVE MONEY | 9:3:09 |
| John Mann | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Lynne Jones | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House welcomes the additional Local Authority Business Growth Incentive money released by the Government this month to local authorities; believes that all such money, including that unspent from previous years, must be spent supporting local businesses; condemns those local authorities which have failed to use this money to support local businesses; and demands that the Government makes them do so. |
| 1016 | OLIVIER AWARDS AND BRITISH THEATRE | 9:3:09 |
| Mr Edward Vaizey | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Lynne Jones | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Martin Caton |
| That this House congratulates the winners and nominees at this year's Olivier Awards; notes in particular the success of the National Theatre of Scotland's Black Watch and the Donmar Warehouse, both of which won four awards; further congratulates the Royal Shakespeare Company, which won four awards and the English National Opera which won two awards; celebrates the awarding of a lifetime achievement award to the playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn; applauds this recognition of the continued talent and success of the British threatre industry; and urges the national broadcasters to broadcast this event next year in order to highlight the importance and excellence of theatre in this country. |
| 1018 | CHILDHOOD CANCERS IN THE UK | 9:3:09 |
| John Bercow | | Dr Evan Harris | | Steve Webb | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Dr Ian Gibson | | Mr Lee Scott |
| That this House, in recognition of International Childhood Cancer Day on 15 February 2009 and Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March 2009, notes that 200,000 people each year develop a malignant form of primary brain tumour for which a cure is unlikely; further notes that in developed countries such as the US, Canada and the UK, brain tumours have overtaken leukaemia as the most prominent cause of childhood cancer mortality; and calls on the Government to ensure that there are no unnecessary barriers to medical research or clinical trials on brain tumours amongst children. |
| 1042 | EXPERIMENTS ON PRIMATES | 10:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell | | David Taylor | | Mr Mike Weir | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| | Mark Williams | Jenny Willott |
| That this House is concerned to note that thousands of primates are used in experiments across Europe each year; further notes with deep regret that the European Commission refuses to implement a ban on live primate experiments across Europe; further notes that this is contrary to the wishes of 80 per cent. of the population; and therefore calls on the Government to promote strongly a timetabled replacement of all primate experiments in Europe. |
| 1044 | GUARDIAN MEDIA GROUP JOB LOSSES | 10:3:09 |
| Mark Hunter | | Mr John Leech | | Paul Rowen | | Jim Dobbin | | Graham Stringer | | Ann Coffey |
| That this House notes with regret and concern the decision by the Guardian Media Group to announce further job losses at the Manchester Evening News and within its weekly newspaper group; believes that the proposed cuts in editorial, advertising, distribution and information technology can only be damaging to the future prospects of the titles concerned; recognises that many people have worked extremely hard over the years to build these newspapers up; further believes that local newspapers have an absolutely central role at the heart of local communities; recognises an unwelcome trend to centralise their services and people; deplores the move to close down all of the individual weekly newspaper offices which currently serve the Greater Manchester conurbation; understands that this could be the first time in its proud history that the Manchester Evening News implements compulsory redundancies; upholds strongly the values of quality, independent journalism relevant to local communities; further believes that the founding fathers of the Guardian, particularly CP Scott, would be appalled and saddened by these developments; and calls on Guardian Media Group to rethink its proposals. |
| 1045 | PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH | 10:3:09 |
| Christopher Fraser | | Dr Richard Taylor | | Dr Ian Gibson | | Mr David Heath | | The Reverend Ian Paisley | | Sir Nicholas Winterton |
| That this House congratulates The Prostate Cancer Charity on launching the It Matters campaign during the first Prostate Cancer Awareness Month to highlight that more investment is needed in prostate cancer; notes that 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK and one man dies every hour of the disease; expresses concern that men living with prostate cancer report the worst NHS experience of all common cancers; calls on the Government to expedite its planned programme of national cancer patient experience surveys to assess whether this position has changed; further notes that in order to decrease mortality from prostate cancer there is a need to invest in more research to develop a new generation test for prostate cancer, capable of distinguishing between aggressive and slow-growing forms of prostate cancer; and calls on the Government to play an active role in providing leadership in the global search for such a test. |
| David Howarth | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | David Taylor | | Mr Edward Davey | | Stephen Williams |
| | Malcolm Bruce | Mr Graham Brady |
| That this House notes that the Government's proposals for Titan-style prisons have been widely condemned by those in the prison sector, including the Chief Inspector of Prisons, the Prison Governors' Association, the Prison Officers' Association and the Criminal Justice Alliance; further notes that the Prison Reform Trust cites overwhelming evidence against the likely effectiveness of very large prisons, including higher re-offending rates and greater risks to the safety of both inmates and prison staff; further notes that the Government has admitted that increases in capacity do not offer a sustainable solution to the problem of overcrowding in prisons; further notes that the estimated cost of Titan prisons is escalating, with the cost now estimated to between £1.7 billion and £2.3 billion; and calls for an immediate end to the plan for Titan prisons and a commitment to building smaller, fit-for-purpose facilities, funded in part by the sale of what are often Victorian facilities in city centre locations. |
| 1053 | RETURN OF THE ROYAL ANGLIAN REGIMENT | 11:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | David Taylor | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Colin Burgon |
| That this House welcomes back the 200 men of the 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment from Iraq; recognises their professionalism and courage; remembers that 12 of their regimental comrades paid the ultimate price of serving their country in Iraq and Afghanistan; notes that many Muslims serve in the UK armed forces, but unreservedly condemns the people who abused the troops during their homecoming parade through Luton; and calls on Muslim leaders and preachers to unequivocally reject the appalling and unfair abuse, which seriously threatens race relations in Britain, and for them to remind members of their community that British servicemen and women have fought in the past to preserve the freedom and democracy enjoyed by all people in this country. |
| 1054 | ROYAL NAVY AND ROYAL MARINES CHILDREN'S FUND | 11:3:09 |
| Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Mr Colin Breed | | Lynne Jones |
| | Mark Williams | Mr Graham Brady |
| That this House strongly supports the work of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Children's Fund, the only charity dedicated to helping children of serving, and ex-serving, Naval Services personnel; notes that the charity has been running for over 100 years and helps children deal with the long-term psychological, emotional, physical, financial and social impacts that can result from having a parent work in the Naval Services; commends the charity for helping over 1,500 children each year, especially when demand is increasing due to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; believes that the Government should encourage local authorities to provide greater assistance for the children and families left vulnerable by the effects of conflict; calls on Ministers to take into account the unique pressures and challenges being faced by the children of serving and ex-serving personnel when formulating policies; and urges everyone to support the excellent work of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Children's Fund. |
| 1057 | ACTION FOR CHILDREN | 11:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Russell | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House applauds the excellent work of Action For Children in helping the most vulnerable children and young people in the UK; supports the Happiness Counts initiative, led by Action For Children and The New Economics Foundation, which promotes positive feelings and capabilities among children, young people and their families with a view to achieving better social and economic outcomes for all; and notes with considerable regret the UK's ranking at the bottom of Unicef's 2007 report on child well-being, despite 400 new initiatives in the last 21 years. |
| 1060 | NATIONAL DEMENTIA STRATEGY | 11:3:09 |
| Robert Key | | Mrs Betty Williams | | Greg Mulholland | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Mr Gordon Marsden | | Dr Richard Taylor |
| | Mark Williams | Dr Vincent Cable | Stephen Pound |
| That this House welcomes the publication of the National Dementia Strategy; is concerned that within 30 years dementia will affect 1.4 million people in the UK alone, costing the economy at least £50 billion annually; agrees with the Alzheimer's Research Trust that dementia research must have substantially more financial support than its current 2.5 per cent. share of the medical research budget; and urges the Government to increase support for the UK's world-class dementia scientists in their search for new prevention, treatments and cures for Alzheimer's and other dementias. |
| 1061 | IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES ACT 2007 | 11:3:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Mr Nick Hurd | | Julia Goldsworthy | | David Taylor | | Mr Marsha Singh | | Mr Colin Breed |
| That this House notes the words of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the hon. Member for Salford, spoken when launching the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 at the Local Government Association Conference on 14 October, that `this Act is about changing the way we do business in this country'; notes especially her words regarding the duty on the Secretary of State not just to consult but also to try to reach agreement with the Local Government Association regarding what action she should take to help councils promote local sustainability; and accordingly hopes that this co-operative method of governance will be adopted by her and her Department when implementing this Act. |
| Bob Spink | | Jim Dobbin | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Mr David Drew | | David Taylor | | Mr Marsha Singh |
| That this House notes the value and importance of the Post Office to local communities; welcomes the Post Bank Coalition's proposal to create a secure, accessible local banking system, known as the Post Bank, which will increase the role of post offices; supports the vision of the Post Office as providing a national banking system that delivers stable, accessible and dependable services to the public and businesses; and calls on the Government to give all possible support to this initiative. |
| 1063 | SEXUAL EXPLOITATION | 11:3:09 |
| Mr Alan Meale | | Bob Spink | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Drew | | Mr Marsha Singh | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House is aware that last year the nation celebrated the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade; is however concerned that today a modern form of slavery exists in Britain and elsewhere, involved with the sexual trafficking of people forced into off-street prostitution; believes now is the time to take appropriate action to end such exploitation; and calls on the Government immediately to begin legal and other processes to achieve these objectives. |
| 1064 | LOCAL SPENDING REPORTS AND THE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES ACT 2007 | 11:3:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Mr Nick Hurd | | Julia Goldsworthy | | Bob Russell | | Bob Spink | | Tony Baldry |
| That this House welcomes the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 requiring the publication of local spending reports; believes that people have a right to know how their money is spent by public bodies; especially welcomes the assurances given by the Minister for Local Government, the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth, that the local spending reports will include all public agencies; further welcomes the Minister's assurance that the purpose is to achieve a report that identifies how much will be spent in each area by the authorities; is therefore very alarmed that the consultation now issued on the local spending reports proposes only to include local authorities, including fire authorities and police authorities, and primary care trusts, and to exclude all other public bodies despite the assurances of the Minister; believes it to be unacceptable that this document is now in blatant contravention of the expressed assurances of the Minister; and calls for proper local spending reports to be published, which give effect to those assurances. |
| 1065 | WORLD KIDNEY DAY 2009 | 11:3:09 |
| Dr Evan Harris | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Richard Benyon | | Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Jim Dobbin |
| That this House notes with concern that whilst early detection and appropriate treatment can delay or stop chronic kidney disease, an estimated 13,000 people die from kidney failure annually in the UK; further notes that the number of people relying on kidney care services is increasing each year, including the 23,000 patients in the UK receiving dialysis for kidney failure; further notes and supports the ongoing work to develop and implement guidance and tools to improve patient care by increasing access to and by raising the quality of kidney services as set out in the National Service Framework for Renal Services; believes that the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems can be reduced by a public health campaign focusing on the importance of kidneys; and welcomes, together with kidney patients, their families and friends, clinicians and healthcare professionals working in kidney care, World Kidney Day on 12 March 2009. |
| 1071 | EVIDENCE-BASED DRUG TREATMENT | 12:3:09 |
| Dr Brian Iddon | | Mr Peter Lilley | | Lynne Jones | | Paul Rowen | | John Mann | | Mr Kevin Barron |
| That this House welcomes the progress made to improve the availability and quality of drug treatment and the contribution made by drug service providers to the health and well-being of the nation; recognises that drug treatment is cost-effective and brings significant benefits to individuals, families, neighbourhoods and communities; believes that an effective treatment system must provide a range of evidence-based services, as different approaches will suit different people at different points in their journey out of drug dependency; and urges hon. Members to commit to continued public investment in drug treatment, informed by the best available research. |
| 1074 | FREE SWIMMING PROGRAMME CONSULTATION | 12:3:09 |
| Anne Main | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Rowen | | Mr Don Foster | | Mr Edward O'Hara | | Lembit Öpik |
| That this House notes with concern that the Free Swimming Programme was designed in closed consultation; expresses concern that there is a lack of wider consultation in devising further initiatives and policies in relation to swimming; further notes that the national governing body for swimming has a commercial advantage in being the only swimming organisation consulted by the Government; acknowledges that consultation which involves only one commercial operator in the field could be anti-competitive and does not ensure a level playing field; recommends that the Government undertakes a review to determine whether a national governing body that competes with other operators, whilst also being the main beneficiary of government funding, represents best value for money; urges the Government to take steps to ensure that national governing bodies do not misuse their position to gain an unfair competitive advantage; and calls on the Government to ensure that wider swimming stakeholders are consulted when devising future policy and to consider issuing consultation guidance to national governing bodies in sport which should be adhered to. |
| 1075 | PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE ARMED SERVICES | 12:3:09 |
| Mr James Gray | | Andrew George | | Mr Colin Breed | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| | Mike Penning | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House applauds the people of Wootton Bassett for their selfless tributes to those who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan; notes the widespread support for the welcome home ceremonies for returning British troops organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Army; and by contrast decries the demonstrations staged during the welcome-home parade in Luton. |
| 1078 | POSTAL SERVICES BILL [LORDS] | 12:3:09 |
| John Thurso | | Dr Vincent Cable | | Lorely Burt | | Danny Alexander | | Mr David Heath | | Mr Paul Burstow |
| That this House notes the introduction of the Postal Services Bill in the House of Lords; notes that it fails to offer the investment needed to modernise the Post Office network and to enable it to develop new services, fails to facilitate the creation of a Postbank to offer banking services to all, fails to give the Royal Mail the ability to borrow on capital markets, fails to provide the enabling powers to widen the remit of the Post Office and Royal Mail to enable them to compete in new markets, fails to facilitate the creation of any form of employee shared ownership scheme or staff council for Royal Mail and fails to give customers a proper voice to hold the activities of Royal Mail and Post Office Limited to account; believes that the Bill will not therefore secure a sustainable and competitive future for either the Royal Mail or the Post Office network; and calls on the Government to incorporate all these features within the Bill and in addition to ensure that there is a universal service obligation in place on a statutory basis six days a week throughout the UK and to ensure that the Post Office network is ring-fenced as a discrete, publicly-owned network. |
| 1080 | ROYAL ANGLIAN REGIMENT HOMECOMING PARADE DEMONSTRATION IN LUTON | 12:3:09 |
| Nadine Dorries | | Andrew Mackinlay | | Mrs Maria Miller | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr James Gray |
| That this House condemns the actions of Islamist extremists at the homecoming parade of the Royal Anglian Regiment in Luton; believes that it would have been appropriate for the antagonists and the offensive placards to have been removed from the scene of the parade, on the basis that the intention was to incite public disorder, before the parade began; hopes that the Luton Police Commander shares his experience of the event with commanders at Watford, Bolton and other towns about to host similar parades; and acknowledges the dismay of the wider peaceful law-abiding Muslim community towards the extremists. |
| 1082 | POST BANK COALITION | 12:3:09 |
| Jon Cruddas | | Mr Andrew Dismore | | Colin Burgon | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Mark Williams | Clare Short | Malcolm Bruce |
| That this House congratulates the Post Bank Coalition of the Communication Workers Union, Federation of Small Businesses, New Economics Foundation, Unite the Union, National Convention of Pensioners and Public Interest Research Centre, on its plans for a new state-owned Post Bank based on the Post Office network; recognises the importance such a Bank could have in underpinning the future sustainability of the Post Office network; and calls on the Government, as a matter of urgency, to set up a Post Bank to combat financial exclusion and allow communities and local businesses to access a fair and trusted banking system. |
| 1085 | 2009 REVIEW OF UNIVERSITY AND STUDENT FINANCE | 13:3:09 |
| Paul Farrelly | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Jon Cruddas | | Mike Wood | | Mr David Drew | | Ms Diane Abbott |
| That this House believes that the forthcoming review of university and student finance must involve a broad debate about how higher education is and should be funded; notes that the National Union of Students, as the leading voice of students, must be fully involved in this review; further believes that it should encompass full consideration of both student support and tuition fees, should aim to ensure that students are supported according to their needs while they study, and that their contribution to the costs of higher education should reflect its true benefits after graduation; considers that the review must recognise that unmanageable levels of debt are bad for both the borrower and the lender, act as a barrier to wider participation in higher education and should be avoided wherever possible; and further believes that it must examine the proper balance of contributions between the state, individuals and employers to ensure that the future funding of higher education is fair for all. |
| As Amendments to Paul Farrelly's proposed Motion (2009 Review of University and Student Finance): |
| Line 6, leave out from `study' to `considers' in line 7 and insert `and that it should reflect the principles that no-one should be required to pay tuition fees for first degrees, whether studied for full-time or part-time.'. |
| Line 10, leave out from `must' to end and add `fully reflect the responsibility of the state in providing access to higher education.'. |
| 1086 | DUTY ON BEERS AND CIDER | 13:3:09 |
| Mr David Hamilton | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Jim Devine | | Mr Michael Clapham |
| That this House believes that pubs and clubs are a vital part of communities and recognises that they are under pressure from long-term trends in how citizens consume alcohol; further believes that price and taxation constitutes only one of a limited number of factors affecting their income but that the tax system should recognise the need to support pubs and clubs whilst not encouraging increases in off-trade consumption; calls on the Government to introduce measures in the 2009 Budget which place different rates of duty on draught as opposed to pre-packaged beers and cider; and further believes that by having a lower rate of duty on draught beers sold in pubs the Government can offer support to pubs and clubs without encouraging binge drinking or incurring large losses of revenues. |
| 1089 | SCHOOL TOILETS AND DRINKING WATER | 13:3:09 |
| Mr David Drew | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| That this House regrets that the Government has decided not to update the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 with regards to the provision of school toilets and drinking water, due to concerns over increasing the burden of regulation; commends the provisions within the Building Schools for the Future guidelines on school toilets and drinking water as examples of good design for secondary schools; is disappointed that this programme does not apply to primary schools; is concerned that, without central guidance, local authorities will not be incentivised to invest in improved toilet and drinking facilities for primary schools; and emphasises the positive impact improved facilities can have on children's health and wellbeing. |
| 1090 | DISABLED PEOPLE IN EMPLOYMENT | 13:3:09 |
| John Robertson | | Miss Anne Begg | | Jim Sheridan | | Mr Mike Weir | | Mr Roger Williams | | Mr Dai Havard |
| | Mark Williams | Malcolm Bruce | Ann Clwyd | | | Dr Vincent Cable | Mr Andrew Pelling |
| That this House notes that in 2007 around 350,000 people moved from employment on to incapacity benefit and that a fifth of these, 70,000 people, were on this benefit for less than three months; believes that with early intervention and the right help and support many of these people could have been supported to retain their employment; further believes that more advice and support is needed to assist employers in understanding and acting on their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to make reasonable adjustments to help employees who experience ill health or disability stay in work; and therefore welcomes measures contained in the Employment Retention Bill to put in place a framework of rights, advice and support, ensuring that people who experience ill-health or disability whilst in work, and their employers, are supported to retain that employment whenever possible. |
| 1097 | UK VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY | 16:3:09 |
| Mr Edward Vaizey | | Bob Spink | | Philip Davies | | Stephen Williams | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | John Hemming |
| | Mr Clive Betts | Andrew Rosindell |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| Bob Spink | | Mr John Leech | | Dr Rudi Vis | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Robert N. Wareing | | Alan Simpson |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 1115 | DETENTION OF CORPORAL GILAD SHALIT | 17:3:09 |
| Andrew Gwynne | | Eric Joyce | | Mr Robert Goodwill | | Mr John Whittingdale | | David Cairns | | Sir Alan Beith |
| 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 |
| | Mark Williams | Sammy Wilson |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 1122 | WORK OF ROGER HARVEY OBE | 18:3:09 |
| Mrs Linda Riordan | | Chris McCafferty | | Alan Simpson | | Julie Morgan | | John Hemming | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| 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 |
| | Sammy Wilson | Malcolm Bruce |
| 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 |
| | Jo Swinson | Ms Sally Keeble | Malcolm Bruce | | | Mr Graham Brady | Paul Holmes |
| 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 |
| | Mark Williams | Sammy Wilson |
| 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. |
| 1127 | HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING (No. 2) | 18:3:09 |
| Stephen Williams | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Charles Kennedy | | Mr Don Foster | | Steve Webb | | Mr Paul Burstow |
| | Mark Williams | Malcolm Bruce |
| 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. |
| 1129 | UNIVERSAL CARERS CARD | 19:3:09 |
| Tim Farron | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Martin Caton |
| 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 |
| That this House expresses concern at the high number of miscarriages of justice, which has led to 112 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| | Mark Williams | John Mason | Mr David Chaytor |
| 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. |
| 1143 | US BANKERS' BONUS TAX | 20:3:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Andrew George | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| That this House notes that 6 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 |
| | Stephen Pound | Dr Kim Howells |
| 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 geese without force-feeding; and further calls on the Government to prohibit the sale of traditionally-produced foie gras in the UK. |
| 1151 | PUT PEOPLE FIRST ALLIANCE | 23:3:09 |
| Lynne Jones | | Mark Durkan | | Bob Russell | | Andrew George | | David Taylor | | Dr Ian Gibson |
| | Mark Williams | Ms Diane Abbott | Jenny Willott |
| 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, of 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 |
| | Mark Williams | John Mason | Malcolm Bruce | | | Mr David Chaytor |
| 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 | | David Taylor | | Mr John Leech |
| 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 |
| | Mr Mark Todd | Joan Walley | Dr Phyllis Starkey |
| 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. |
| 1156 | ARSON ATTACK ON SIKH SANGAT GURDWARA | 23:3:09 |
| Mr Virendra Sharma | | Andrew George | | Peter Bottomley | | David Taylor | | Mr John Leech | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| 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 |
| Mr Angus MacNeil | | Graham Stringer | | Mr John Leech | | Andrew Mackinlay | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | John Mason | Mr David Chaytor |
| 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. |
| As an Amendment to Mr Angus MacNeil's proposed Motion (Electronic Tabling of Early Day Motions): |
| Line 4, at end add `; but notes that hon. Members unable to attend may also use the facilities of Royal Mail for this purpose.'. |
| 1158 | ELECTRONIC VOTING IN THE HOUSE | 23:3:09 |
| Mr Angus MacNeil | | Lynne Jones | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Dr Rudi Vis | | John McDonnell |
| 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 |
| | Mark Williams | John Mason | Stephen Pound | | | Dr Kim Howells |
| 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. |
| 1161 | ANNIVERSARY OF HANSARD AS AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION | 24:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Bob Russell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Dr Brian Iddon |
| | Mark Williams | Dr Kim Howells |
| That this House warmly congratulates Hansard writers and staff; recognises their important contribution to democracy and as an important source of information and as a key part of Parliamentary history; notes that 9 March marked 100 years since the appearance of the first volume of Hansard as an official publication of the House, while recognising that various forms of report of Parliamentary debates have existed since 1803; and further notes that since that time the role of Hansard has expanded with the addition of Westminster Hall debates, Written Answers, Petitions, Written Ministerial Statements and Ministerial Corrections. |
| 1163 | 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE | 24:3:09 |
| Mr David Blunkett | | Tony Lloyd | | Mr David Anderson | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Andrew George |
| | Mark Williams | Mr Adrian Bailey | Mr Dai Havard | | | Frank Dobson | Ann Clwyd |
| That this House welcomes the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the National Minimum Wage on 1 April 2009; applauds the fact that employees in more than one million jobs have benefited, two-thirds of them women; believes that annual uprating and effective enforcement are the key to its continued success; regards the current economic climate as an opportunity to increase the spending power of the low paid; calls for an end to discriminatory lower age rates for young workers; and further calls on the Low Pay Commission and Government to end the exemption of some apprenticeships from the national minimum wage. |
| 1164 | BUSINESS RATE RELIEF | 24:3:09 |
| Mr Mark Oaten | | Bob Russell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George |
| That this House notes with concern that businesses across the country are being notified of steep increases to their business rates; understands that this is because the 2005 to 2009 business rate scheme is the first under which no transitional relief will be available during the last year of its cycle; recognises that many businesses will find any rate increases incredibly hard to afford; and calls on the Government to extend transitional business relief for two years to help small and medium-sized enterprises weather the economic recession. |
| 1166 | GET WALKING DAY 30 MAY 2009 | 24:3:09 |
| Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough) | | Bob Russell | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George | | Graham Stringer | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Mark Williams | Dr Kim Howells |
| That this House welcomes the Ramblers' second annual Get Walking Day on 30 May 2009, offering thousands of people in England, Scotland and Wales the opportunity to enjoy a short walk with the Ramblers; applauds the Get Walking Day goal to inspire families and individuals of all ages to go for a walk and to continue walking regularly; notes that doctors agree that moderate exercise like walking helps protect people from many illnesses and conditions including obesity, depression, heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, the most common type of diabetes and many cancers; recognises that walking for a total of 30 minutes a day, or 60 minutes for children, meets the Chief Medical Officer's minimum recommendations for physical activity; is alarmed that 70 per cent. of adults and 40 per cent. of children do not meet the target, with serious consequences for public health; further notes that the cost to the NHS of obesity alone will rise to £10 billion a year by 2050 if current trends continue; believes that walking is the easiest form of exercise for the greatest number of people and that almost everyone can do it, anywhere and at any time, for free, with no special equipment or training; and urges hon. Members to support Get Walking Day and to encourage people to join in by going for a local walk. |
| 1168 | BARCLAYS BANK AND TAX AVOIDANCE | 24:3:09 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Andrew George | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Mr Mike Hancock | | John Cummings | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House condemns Barclays Bank for indulging in alleged tax avoidance schemes which may have reduced the Treasury's tax revenues by over £1 billion; and urges the Government not to provide any loans, guarantees and financial support to Barclays and suspend its deposit-taking licence until it cleans up its affairs and withdraws from manufacturing, marketing, sale and implementation of all tax avoidance schemes. |
| 1171 | UK RELATIONS WITH CUBA | 24:3:09 |
| Dr Ian Gibson | | Mr Ian Taylor | | Paul Holmes | | Robert Key | | Mr Elfyn Llwyd | | Colin Burgon |
| | Mark Williams | Dr Vincent Cable | Frank Dobson | | | Ms Diane Abbott | Kelvin Hopkins | Sir Gerald Kaufman |
| That this House welcomes the fresh approach to international relations with Cuba including recent legislation in the US to lift family visiting restrictions on Cuban-Americans; notes the recent formal visits to Cuba by the Irish and Spanish Foreign Ministers and Presidents of Chile and Argentina; further notes the recent visit by the Shadow Foreign Secretary to Cuba; welcomes the fact that the UK enjoys excellent relations with Cuba in the fields of sport, biotechnology and the arts; and calls on the Government to send a high level Ministerial delegation to Cuba, led by the Foreign Secretary, to build on UK-Cuba relations and UK interests in the region. |
| 1172 | SOUTH AFRICA AND THE DALAI LAMA | 24:3:09 |
| Tim Loughton | | Harry Cohen | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lee Scott | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan |
| That this House deeply regrets the decision by South Africa to refuse a visa to the Dalai Lama to attend a peace conference in Johannesburg this week; questions the priorities of the South African government in taking such a course of action so as not to upset relations with China; and calls on the South African government to reverse its decision in the interests of promoting free speech and pursuing a peaceful solution to settling the longstanding dispute over the autonomy and human rights of the people of Tibet. |
| 1173 | ACCESS TO HIV TREATMENT | 24:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Phil Willis |
| | Mark Williams | Sir Robert Smith | Lorely Burt |
| That this House notes with grave concern that almost 6,000 people die every day from AIDS-related illnesses; congratulates the Government on making progress on its promise of universal access to HIV treatment, prevention, care and support by 2010; and urges the Government to promote generic medicines by tackling trade barriers and by developing a patent pool for essential medicines, as promoted by the Stop AIDS campaign, and to address the health worker shortage and provide long-term financing to continue to strengthen services and infrastructure in developing nations. |
| 1174 | WORLD AUTISM DAY 2009 | 24:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Lee Scott | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Mark Williams | Stephen Pound | Dr Kim Howells | | | Mr David Chaytor |
| That this House notes that there are over half a million people in the United Kingdom with autism who, to varying degrees, struggle to make sense of the world; further notes that this can cause them considerable anxiety, particularly in understanding and relating to other people and taking part in everyday family, work and social life; welcomes World Autism Day on 2 April 2009 which can help to bring together people with autism, their parents and carers, educators, employers and potential employers, and the many people with autism who are undiagnosed; and expresses the hope that World Autism Day will increase awareness and understanding of the problems associated with autism and levels of help for those with autism. |
| 1175 | RECOGNITION FOR BRITISH HEROES OF THE HOLOCAUST | 24:3:09 |
| Mr Russell Brown | | Jeremy Wright | | Mr Jeremy Browne | | Miss Anne Begg | | Michael Connarty | | John Robertson |
| | Christopher Fraser | Mark Williams | Mr Gordon Marsden | | | Patrick Hall | Jenny Willott | Annette Brooke | | | John Mason | Mr Dennis Skinner | Andrew Selous | | | Mr Graham Brady | Dr Kim Howells |
| That this House salutes the courage of British citizens who aided and rescued Jewish people and other minority groups during the Holocaust at great personal risk to themselves and their families; notes that in the midst of the depravity and desperation of the Holocaust, which saw the very worst of mankind, these individuals exemplified the very best of humanity in the compassion, courage and bravery they showed in rescuing thousands from certain death; believes that just as the memory of those who suffered and perished in the Holocaust should never be forgotten, the memory of those who helped save so many lives should be remembered and honoured; lauds the work of the Holocaust Educational Trust in seeking to bring greater recognition to such individuals; further notes that many communities take great pride in honouring local heroes of the Holocaust such as Jane Haining in Dumfriesshire, June Ravenhall in Warwickshire and Major Frank Foley in Stourbridge; believes it to be inadequate that while many of these individuals have been recognised as Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial authority, they have not been honoured or recognised by the British Government in their own lifetime; and calls on the Government to consider changing the statutes governing the honours system to allow the granting of posthumous honours and to consider ways in which appropriate recognition can be afforded to these individuals. |
| 1177 | FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE | 24:3:09 |
| Eric Joyce | | Mr Stephen Crabb | | Mary Creagh | | John Barrett | | Stephen Williams | | Andrew George |
| That this House recognises the 15 year anniversary commemoration of the genocide in Rwanda which began in April 1994 and resulted in around one million dead in 100 days; urges the United Nations as well as all countries to learn from its terrible consequences and act decisively to prevent genocide; acknowledges the enduring legacy of the genocide for the 400,000 survivors in Rwanda today, many of whom are vulnerable widows and orphans; condemns continued instances of attacks on genocide survivors; notes that shelter, education, healthcare and livelihood programmes to deliver restorative justice for survivors are vital for reconciliation in Rwanda; commends the work of organisations working towards this end; and calls upon the Government to maintain and build upon its support to survivors. |
| 1181 | PLEURAL PLAQUES (No. 2) | 24:3:09 |
| Mr Michael Clapham | | Jim Sheridan | | David Taylor | | Mr David Hamilton | | Mr Eric Illsley | | Paul Flynn |
| | Mark Williams | Dr Kim Howells | Mr David Chaytor |
| That this House welcomes the Prime Minister's recent statement that an announcement will be made soon in relation to the Government's response to the consultation on pleural plaques and the proposed action that will deliver justice to sufferers; recognises that victims who suffer with the condition caused by negligent exposure to asbestos have waited long enough for justice; and believes that the announcement should include the principle of establishing liability following a documented diagnosis to provide the basis for a settlement should there be the development of a fatal asbestos disease. |
| 1182 | SHORT-TIME WORKING SUBSIDY | 24:3:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Tony Lloyd | | Mr David Crausby | | Jon Cruddas | | Jim Sheridan | | Jim Dobbin |
| That this House calls on the Government to introduce subsidies to employers moving workers to short-time hours or making temporary lay-offs as a result of the economic difficulties caused by the recession; believes that such support would enable employers to avoid immediate redundancies and retain essential staff and skills, preventing unnecessary job losses; further believes that if linked to training, it would also enable longer-term workforce investment; further believes that such a measure is a quick and effective way to target support to struggling employers and providing financial support to employees during these difficult times; notes that similar subsidy packages have already been introduced in Wales, which has been welcomed by the right hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, as well as in Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy; welcomes the support of business organisations and trades unions; and calls on the Government to work with business representatives and trades unions to introduce a targeted subsidy package to support the sectors of the economy, such as manufacturing, that are in greatest need. |
| 1183 | LEVEL PLAYING FIELD CAMPAIGN AND DISABLED FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS | 24:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mark Durkan | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes the benefits to disabled people of their involvement in sport and welcomes the Level Playing Field campaign organised by the National Association of Disabled Supporters; further notes that the campaign is now in its fourth year with over 80 professional football clubs taking part last year; further notes that this year's campaign will take place over the two-week period commencing 21 March 2009 and ending on 5 April, offering football clubs the opportunity to showcase their disability projects and to promote their disabled supporter facilities and services to their local communities; and congratulates those clubs which help with the campaign. |
| 1184 | DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND BRITISH BRANDING | 25:3:09 |
| Daniel Kawczynski | | Bob Russell | | Mr Andrew Mackay | | Mr Colin Breed | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Ann Winterton |
| That this House is deeply disappointed and frustrated by the lack of reference to Britain, and in particular the country's flag, in the branding used by the Department for International Development (DFID) when working on development projects abroad; believes the current DFID branding is meaningless and does not effectively convey the origins of the funding provided by British taxpayers to those people that it is helping; considers the stripping out of the British brand by DFID in order to stop the Department from being subsumed into foreign policy has gone too far; further considers that Britain should instead follow the lead of other organisations across the world such as the United Nations, the European Union and United States Agency for International Development in clearly stating the origins of its aid; and calls on the Government to introduce a small Union Jack on all DFID branding overseas, sending a clear message that the UK is proud of those representing its nation and what they are doing. |
| 1185 | FUTURE OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL MEDIA | 25:3:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Andrew George | | Mark Durkan |
| | Mark Williams | Mr Graham Brady | Mr David Chaytor |
| That this House notes with concern the difficulties being experienced by local and regional media operators, particularly following the collapse of advertising revenues as a consequence of the economic downturn; recognises the threat this poses to the provision of good quality local news and current affairs reporting through regional television, radio stations and local newspapers; and urges the Government to review product placement to help commercial operators and also look to top-slice funds currently given to the BBC into independent news outlets in order that healthy competition is maintained in the provision of news, current affairs and local information. |
| 1186 | CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AND THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM | 25:3:09 |
| Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Lee Scott | | Bob Russell | | Stephen Williams | | Ann Winterton |
| That this House is dismayed at proposals to include internet skills such as twitter and blogging in the national curriculum at the expense of traditional subjects including the study of the Second World War; recognises the significance and importance of ensuring that future generations understand the sacrifices that their grandparents and other relatives made during the War; believes that a vastly reduced history syllabus allowing schools to choose two periods of British history severely limits a child's understanding of the past and therefore the present; and calls on the Government to ensure that children are not taught a piecemeal history of this country. |
| Nick Harvey | | Steve Webb | | Mr Michael Moore | | Tom Brake | | Mr Charles Kennedy | | Mr Don Foster |
| That this House notes that Ofcom receives over 1,000 complaints about silent telephone calls a month; recognises that, whilst silent calls are not malicious and are usually caused by automated calling systems, which are used in call centres to generate and connect calls, they can cause distress and anxiety to members of the public; welcomes the campaign by Ofcom, Consumer Focus and Age Concern to raise awareness of silent calls and how to avoid them; calls on the Government to draw attention to the issue and the campaign; and urges the Government to enforce Ofcom regulations more strictly, requiring call centres using automated calling systems to play an information message if a call is abandoned in order to prevent the call from being silent. |
| 1189 | LIVE TELEVISION COVERAGE OF INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL | 25:3:09 |
| Mr Gregory Campbell | | David Simpson | | Dr William McCrea | | Sammy Wilson | | Mr Paul Keetch | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes the controversy surrounding attempts to have a British football team entered for the Olympics in 2012; also notes Government support for such a venture; and expresses the wish that the Government will use whatever influence it has to ensure that television broadcasters, particularly national BBC and ITV, concentrate on delivering live coverage to national audiences of competitive games in World Cup and European Championship qualifying competitions involving international teams from across the UK rather than meaningless friendly games involving England. |
| 1190 | SHORT TIME WORKING AND TAX CREDITS | 25:3:09 |
| Mr Mike Weir | | Lynne Jones | | Mark Durkan | | Andrew George | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Colin Breed |
| | Mark Williams | Mr David Chaytor | John Mason |
| That this House notes that many firms have introduced short time working for employees during this time of recession; further notes that many workers who are in receipt of tax credits are facing difficulties as the reduction in hours takes them below the minimum hours required to qualify for tax credits; and calls on the Government to take action to ensure that those who are so affected are deemed to still be working for the minimum hours and that their tax credits are maintained until such time as their hours are reinstated. |
| 1191 | SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES AND GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE | 25:3:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Tom Brake | | Steve Webb | | Mr Adrian Sanders | | Danny Alexander | | Mr Jeremy Browne |
| | Mark Williams | Mr Don Foster | Jenny Willott | | | John Mason |
| That this House notes with concern the Home Office's consideration of a government database for monitoring activities of law-abiding citizens on social network websites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace; highlights that these sites contain sensitive data on individuals which the Government has no right to know; further notes recent failures by Government Departments to keep confidential data secure; further notes that police can monitor social networking accounts of those suspected of criminality, under existing warrant procedures; and urges the Government to drop any plans for blanket monitoring of all users on social networking websites. |
| 1192 | USE OF UNSUPERVISED SUNBEDS BY UNDER 18 YEAR OLDS | 25:3:09 |
| Mrs Siân C. James | | Mr Greg Knight | | Julie Morgan | | Hywel Williams | | Mr Dai Davies | | Dr Hywel Francis |
| | Mark Williams | Dr Kim Howells |
| That this House expresses concern that under 18 year olds are able to easily access unsupervised sunbed salons; notes that unsupervised sunbed salons have no staff to prevent under 18 year olds using sunbeds; further notes that both the World Health Organisation and the European Union have expressed the view that under 18 year olds should not use sunbeds; further notes that sunbed use when young is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer; further notes with alarm the increase in incidence rates of malignant melanoma over the last 20 years; recognises the commitment in the Cancer Reform Strategy to review options for addressing sunbed consumer safety; and calls on the Government to prohibit use of sunbeds by under 18 year olds, provide evidence-based health information in sunbed salons and prohibit unsupervised sunbed salons. |
| Martin Horwood | | Mr Richard Benyon | | Mr Russell Brown | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House notes that over 70 per cent. of UK sharks, skates and rays are categorised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as threatened or near threatened with extinction; further notes the recent publication of the European Community Plan of Action for Sharks, and the context of EU legislation EC No. 1185/2003, prohibiting the removal of shark fins at sea; believes the UK Government should build on the foundation of previous shark conservation actions and lead the way in Europe as a champion of shark conservation, promptly implementing effective shark conservation and management measures; further believes that, on no occasion should the UK Government approve any derogation from the shark finning legislation in order to allow UK-registered vessels to remove shark fins at sea; and urges the Government to lead the way in Europe by ceasing provision of special permits to remove shark fins at sea, thus enforcing the original intention of the shark finning legislation, and supporting improved shark fisheries monitoring, management and conservation measures. |
| 1196 | TAX STATUS OF NON-PARTY POLITICAL PEERS | 26:3:09 |
| Mr Gordon Prentice | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Flynn | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mrs Janet Dean |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | Dr Ian Gibson |
| That this House notes with approval the revised criteria to be used by the House of Lords Appointments Commission in respect of new non-party political peers, requiring nominees to be resident in the UK for tax purposes and to confirm their acceptance of the requirement to remain so. |
| 1197 | FREEDOM OF THE BOROUGH OF MACCLESFIELD FOR THE 1st BATTALION THE MERCIAN REGIMENT (CHESHIRE) | 26:3:09 |
| Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr James Gray | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Ann Winterton |
| | John Hemming | Mr Graham Brady | Dr Kim Howells |
| That this House congratulates the 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire) on receiving the Freedom of the Borough of Macclesfield from its last Mayor, Councillor Mrs Thelma Jackson; praises the people of the Borough of Macclesfield for the tremendous reception they gave to members of the Regiment when they marched through the town on 19 March 2009; and further extends its gratitude to all the UK's armed forces at home and abroad for the outstanding service which they give to the nation. |
| 1198 | WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM (No. 2) | 26:3:09 |
| Mr Neil Gerrard | | John McDonnell | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Dr Brian Iddon |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew |
| That this House recognises the importance of the forthcoming Durban Review Conference to be held in Geneva in April 2009; recalls the declaration of the World Conference Against Racism held in Durban in 2001 which emphasised the importance of the provision of effective remedies, recourse, redress, and compensatory and other measures at the national, regional and international levels, aimed at countering the continued impact of slavery and the slave trade; and urges the Government to support proposals at the Review to ensure that the recommendations of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action are put into practice. |
| 1199 | HEADINGLEY ENTERPRISE AND ARTS CENTRE | 26:3:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Phil Willis | | John Hemming |
| That this House congratulates the 800 members of the Headingley Development Trust on all their hard work and dedication in getting the go ahead for the Headingley Enterprise and Arts Centre by securing an investment of £105,000 through the sale of shares; joins the community in Headingley in celebrating this decision which is a momentous one for Headingley; anticipates that the new centre, on the site of the old Headingley Primary School, will be an example of community regeneration and reinvention and a new way of delivering community projects; notes that it will provide a valuable community resource in terms of business enterprise and the arts; recognises that it is hugely important for the long-term sustainability of Headingley as a community and for encouraging people of all ages, including families to live and work in the area and to encourage businesses to set up or relocate there; pays tribute to the community and residents groups which have backed this scheme, and to the dedication of the three Headingley councillors without whose backing this project would not have succeeded; and praises the foresight and courage of the leadership of Leeds City Council for deeming this very exciting scheme worthy of investment. |
| 1200 | SMALL BUSINESSES IN HAMPSHIRE | 26:3:09 |
| Sandra Gidley | | Chris Huhne | | Mr Mark Oaten | | Dr Alan Whitehead | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Roger Williams |
| That this House notes the pressure that the present economic downturn is placing on small businesses in Southampton and Hampshire; believes that local businesses rely on residents to support their local shops and to buy local goods when possible; supports proposals to aid small businesses across the UK, such as the introduction of automatic payments to those businesses eligible for small business rate relief; supports the efforts of the Federation of Small Business, the Rural Shops Alliance and others in highlighting the needs of their industries in the downturn; congratulates the Southern Daily Echo on its Buy Local Shop Local campaign to encourage communities to pull together in support of local traders; and calls on the Government to ensure everything possible is done to help small businesses during the economic downturn. |
| 1201 | WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES | 26:3:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Mr Charles Kennedy | | Lindsay Roy | | Peter Bottomley | | Sandra Osborne | | Sir Robert Smith |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | John Mason |
| That this House notes that people with paralysis and serious spinal cord injury have an impaired ability to regulate their body temperature due to an inability to constrict their blood vessels; further notes that this often leads to people with serious spinal cord injuries having to heat their homes at higher temperatures than other households and therefore increasing many of their fuel bills; expresses concern that many single people with spinal cord injury who have a carer or who do not live alone only have access to a minimum income of £84.40 or £96.70 depending on the level of disability living allowance they receive; and calls on the Government to make people with spinal cord injury eligible for either the £200 annual winter fuel payments currently paid to pensioners or an equivalent winter fuel payment scheme. |
| 1202 | FURTHER REFORM OF CAPITAL GAINS TAX IN THE BUDGET | 26:3:09 |
| Paul Farrelly | | Mr Marsha Singh | | Mr Martin Caton | | Harry Cohen | | Mrs Janet Dean | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House believes in fair taxation and firm measures to minimise tax avoidance; is concerned, therefore, that capital gains tax (CGT) is levied at 18 per cent., which is lower than both the top 40 per cent. and standard 20 per cent. rate of income tax; notes too, that the current annual exemption from CGT stands at £9,600, considerably more than the personal income tax allowance; recognises the urgent moral and financial need to reform CGT announced in the 2007 Pre-Budget Report, to raise rates from a minimum 10 per cent. and to abolish taper reliefs, which had cost the public purse over £20 billion in just six years; considers, however, that the reforms did not go far enough as very wealthy people still pay lower rates on unearned income than office cleaners on hard-earned low wages; believes, too, that the discrepancy in rates constitutes a huge, continuing incentive for tax avoidance; further notes Treasury estimates that a 40 per cent. rate of CGT would raise around £2 billion for hard-pressed government finances; and urges the Chancellor of the Exchequer, therefore, in the Budget to equalise CGT with the top rate of income tax, and to set out reforms, too, to the system of dual allowances. |
| 1203 | HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH RAIN OF FIRE REPORT | 26:3:09 |
| Paul Rowen | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Martin Caton | | John Hemming | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House notes the publication of the report Rain of Fire by Human Rights Watch on the subject of Israel's use of white phosphorus in Gaza; further notes that the document illustrates Israel's extensive use of white phosphorus munitions during its most recent military operation in Gaza; further notes that the report concludes that the Israel Defence Forces repeatedly exploded white phosphorus munitions in the air over populated areas, killing and injuring civilians and damaging civilian structures; recognises the principles of distinction and proportionality enshrined in customary international law; and calls for an urgent, international, impartial fact-finding mission to begin the process of criminal prosecution in relation to the Gaza conflict. |
| 1204 | ASBESTOS IN SCHOOLS | 26:3:09 |
| Paul Rowen | | Lorely Burt | | Annette Brooke | | Bob Russell | | Mr Don Foster | | Jenny Willott |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew |
| That this House welcomed the opportunity to debate the issue of asbestos in schools in Westminster Hall; notes the fatal effect that exposure to asbestos continues to have on pupils and teachers exposed to asbestos fibres in school buildings; further notes that the incidence of mesothelioma is rising, with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers citing at least 400 members of the teaching profession who have been exposed to asbestos, recognises that 75 per cent. of all schools across the country have asbestos present in one form or another; notes that in the United States of America and the Republic of Ireland clear policies have been adopted in relation to asbestos in school buildings; calls upon the Government to carry out a confidential national survey of schools, followed by funding from the Department of Children, Schools and Families for any school identified during the survey as needing remedial work; further calls on the Government to implement a policy of replacing all asbestos containing materials in schools as part of a national strategy with clear targets in order to provide safe environments for the nation's pupils to succeed; and welcomes the Government's concession that proper training needs to be provided to all head teachers and school managers regarding their current responsibilities in this area. |
| 1205 | ARTIST STEVE MCQUEEN AND ROYAL MAIL | 26:3:09 |
| Eric Joyce | | Peter Bottomley | | David Lepper | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr David Drew | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House notes the importance of the service rendered by armed forces personnel in Iraq; congratulates Turner Prize-winning artist Steve McQueen on his work Queen and Country, on display at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art; further notes that the work is being toured by independent charity The Art Fund as part of its campaign on behalf of Steve McQueen to see his work Queen and Country completed with the publication by Royal Mail of commercial stamps made from the work; further notes that the work has been created by the artist in response to his war artist's commission, working with the families of members of the British armed forces who have lost their lives in service to the nation in Iraq and is made up of stamps showing a portrait of each fallen serviceperson from the Iraq conflict; and calls on Royal Mail to work with the artist to complete his vision of published stamps, in order to renew the relationship between the UK public and those who serve in the armed forces, and remind the nation of the sacrifice made. |
| Lembit Öpik | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Lynne Jones | | Mr John Leech | | Paul Rowen |
| That this House commends the play Deepcut at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn; recognises it as a continuation of the Tricycle Theatre's excellent record in exposing injustice; believes it highlights in the clearest terms the catalogue of secrecy and apparent cover-up surrounding the deaths at the barracks; and hopes that its success will eventually result in a full public inquiry into the apparent murders of young recruits at the base. |
| 1208 | OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING SAVE XMAS CAMPAIGN | 27:3:09 |
| John Mason | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Dr Brian Iddon | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Lynne Jones |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | Angus Robertson | | | Stewart Hosie | Mr Alex Salmond |
| That this House supports the Office of Fair Trading Save Xmas campaign which was established in response to the Farepak collapse and encourages households to start saving now for Christmas 2009; welcomes the campaign's sensible advice for savers at a time of economic uncertainty, with jobs at risk and poor interest rates; and expresses continued concern that victims of the Farepak Christmas collapse in 2006 are still waiting to receive compensation. |
| Pete Wishart | | John Cummings | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Ronnie Campbell | | John Mason | | Stewart Hosie |
| That this House welcomes the Scottish government's campaign highlighting the dangers of airguns and replica weapons; regrets that the UK Government has failed to take decisive action on this issue; and calls on the UK Government to take such action immediately or devolve control of airguns to the Scottish Parliament where the Scottish National Party Scottish government are committed to tackling this issue. |
| 1210 | NATIONAL PUB DAY | 27:3:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Mr Brian Binley | | Mr Eric Illsley | | David Taylor | | Bob Spink | | Mr Nigel Waterson |
| | Patrick Hall | Bob Russell | John Hemming | | | Jenny Willott | Dr Kim Howells |
| That this House welcomes the first ever National Pub Day on 4 April 2009; applauds Justice for Licensees and the Save the Great British Pub campaign for this initiative; believes that the British pub is an important part of UK's history and heritage and a community focus for social, sporting and charitable activity; further believes that the public house provides a controlled and sociable drinking environment which encourages responsible drinking; recognises that pubs are currently facing difficult circumstances and require support; believes that more should be done to support and protect pubs and give more power to communities to protect them; and hopes that the first National Pub Day will receive widespread support and become an annual opportunity for celebrating the British pub which is a wonderful and unique institution and something that hon. Members should cherish and celebrate and raise a toast to on 4 April. |
| 1211 | NATIONAL CASK ALE WEEK | 27:3:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Bob Spink | | Mr James Gray | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Nick Harvey |
| | Patrick Hall | Bob Russell | John Hemming | | | Jenny Willott | Sir Nicholas Winterton |
| That this House welcomes the forthcoming National Cask Ale Week, the world's largest ale festival, from 6 to 13 April 2009, a week of campaigning across the United Kingdom to promote the importance and pleasures of drinking real ale in pubs; supports the aim of National Cask Ale Week to denote 6 April as National Beer Day; notes the economic strength of the cask ale industry as demonstrated by sales figures from the Small Independent Brewers' Association in November 2008; expresses hope that National Cask Ale Week will succeed in entering the Guinness Book of Records for the world's biggest toast, a record breaking attempt which will take place on 11 April 2009; and encourages hon. Members to support their local pub's participation in National Cask Ale Week. |
| 1212 | SAVE OUR HIGH STREETS CAMPAIGN | 27:3:09 |
| John Mann | | Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Mr Gordon Marsden | John Hemming |
| That this House welcomes the Daily Mirror and Federation of Small Businesses' Campaign to Save Our High Streets which calls for monthly instead of quarterly rents to ease bills, the abolition of upward only rent reviews, and measures to force banks to lend to small business firms again; believes that local town centres are the lifeblood of the local community, providing jobs, services and entertainment; and calls on the Government to work with partners to save the UK's high streets and help communities through this difficult period. |
| 1213 | TEACHER TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | 30:3:09 |
| Mr Fabian Hamilton | | Mr Phil Willis | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Bob Spink | | Mr John Leech |
| That this House is concerned that initial teacher training and continuing professional development available for teachers does not adequately train them to use the resources available in a twenty-first century classroom; believes that because of this the potential of ICT resources such as interactive whiteboards and virtual learning environments is not being fully exploited; and calls on the Government to support teachers' development in the context of their schools' present and future needs. |
| Mr Michael Meacher | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Lynne Jones | | Andrew George | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Mr David Drew | Mr David Chaytor | John Mason |
| That this House notes that Sir Fred Goodwin has been awarded a pension of £703,000 a year even though he presided over a 95 per cent. fall in the stock market value of the Royal Bank of Scotland when he was Chief Executive leaving the bank with a deficit of £28 billion, the biggest corporate loss in British history; and believes that bankers' pensions should be calculated on the appropriate percentage of accumulated lifetime earnings, and then adjusted in the same proportion as the change in the value of the company under their watch. |
| 1215 | ADDITIONAL COSTS ALLOWANCE AND SECOND HOMES (No. 2) | 30:3:09 |
| Greg Mulholland | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Lynne Jones | | Bob Russell | | Jo Swinson | | John Hemming |
| | Mr David Drew | Lorely Burt | John Mason |
| That this House believes that the way a number of hon. and right hon. Members have used the additional costs allowance or second home allowance has brought the House of Commons into disrepute; believes that this allowance should only be used for the necessary and legitimate costs of living in two locations to be able to do the job of Member of Parliament and that this should only apply to those hon. Members whose seats are outside London; believes that House of Commons rules should be changed as quickly as possible so that the allowance can only be used for this and not for personal financial gain by wrongly declaring main and second residences; believes that this should be monitored by an independent body and not by hon. Members themselves; and further believes that any Minister who is found to have wrongly declared their main and second residences for personal gain should immediately resign and if they refuse to do so should be sacked. |
| 1216 | GURKHA SERVICEMEN AND RESIDENCY RIGHTS | 30:3:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr John Leech | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Mr Alan Meale | | David Taylor |
| | Mr Gordon Marsden | John Hemming | Mr David Drew |
| That this House welcomes the Government's decision to reconsider the rules governing the right of Gurkhas to settle in Britain; regretfully notes the anguish caused to thousands who have served in the British Army as Gurkhas by denial of residency rights; and praises the commitment of Gurkhas to protecting the interests of Great Britain. |
| As an Amendment to Bob Spink's proposed Motion (Gurkha Servicemen and Residency Rights): |
| Mr Gregory Campbell | | Lady Hermon |
| Line 4, leave out `Great Britain' and insert `the United Kingdom'. |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Phil Willis | | Mr Ian Cawsey | | John Hemming |
| That this House congratulates the Brawn GP Formula 1 team on its remarkable success in the 2009 Australian Grand Prix; recognises that Brawn GP employs several hundred people in Britain in its Formula 1 team; notes the contribution that the Brawn Team makes to British sporting excellence and to promoting British engineering and technology and developing safer and more fuel-efficient systems for use by ordinary motorists; and calls on the Government to offer greater incentives to businesses to increase engineering and technology research and manufacturing. |
| 1220 | HON. MEMBERS' ADDITIONAL COSTS ALLOWANCE | 30:3:09 |
| John Mann | | Bob Spink | | Ms Katy Clark | | Andrew George | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew |
| That this House believes that the loss of public confidence in hon. Members is being continuously eroded by allegations over the use of the second home allowance by hon. Members of all parties and that the parliamentary rules are themselves a significant factor in this regardless of whether or not they are ever being broken; and calls for immediate action to resolve this long-standing problem. |
| 1221 | SATURATED FATS | 30:3:09 |
| Mike Penning | | Mr Andrew Lansley | | Mr Mark Prisk | | Greg Mulholland | | Mr Peter Bone | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle |
| | Mr Robert Walter | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | | | Dr Kim Howells |
| That this House congratulates Asda, Boots, The Co-operative Group, Iceland, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose for their commitment to reducing the levels of saturated fat consumed in the UK; welcomes retailers proactively taking voluntary steps to reformulate existing foodstuffs, introduce lower fat alternatives of popular products, use labelling to inform consumers of the levels of saturated fat in their food and use their understanding of consumer purchasing behaviour to raise awareness and develop long-lasting change; recognises that tackling the nation's obesity crisis requires a multi-faceted approach; and further welcomes members of the British Retail Consortium leading by example and playing their part. |
| 1223 | BRITISH EMBASSY TO THE HOLY SEE | 30:3:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Jim Dobbin | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Ruth Kelly | | Mr Joe Benton |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | Stephen Pound |
| That this House fully supports the work of the British Embassy to the Holy See; recognises the importance of the UK maintaining a strong international relationship with the Holy See; welcomes the increased engagement between the Government and the Holy See in recent years on a wide range of issues including climate change, conflict resolution and international development work; further supports and welcomes the recent decision to establish an additional post of Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy to the Holy See and to also make further resources available to reflect the increasing work of the Embassy; supports fully this decision; and believes that, in doing so, it will help to further strengthen ties between the UK and the Holy See. |
| 1224 | INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MOVEMENT'S OUR WORLD. YOUR MOVE CAMPAIGN | 30:3:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Bob Russell | | Bob Spink |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House fully supports the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the world's largest humanitarian network with almost 97 million volunteers across 186 countries; notes that 2009 is the 150th anniversary of the battle of Solferino, which inspired the idea of the Red Cross and modern International Humanitarian Law (IHL); further notes that 2009 is also the 90th anniversary of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and 60 years since the adoption of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the cornerstone of IHL; recognises the continued vital importance of the Geneva Conventions and the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross Movement; congratulates the Movement on its achievements and ability to respond to humanitarian need across the world; pays particular tribute to the work of the British Red Cross, its staff and 30,000 UK volunteers, as an invaluable auxiliary to the UK Government in providing humanitarian assistance in times of crisis in the UK and across the world; and further fully supports the Movement's Our World. Your Move campaign, which highlights the challenges faced by people in need throughout the world and the actions that can change their lives. |
| 1225 | WARINGSTOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL | 31:3:09 |
| David Simpson | | Mr Jim Cunningham | | Andrew Mackinlay | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Lady Hermon |
| | John Hemming | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House congratulates Waringstown Primary School on its recent success in winning the Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year competition for the second time; recognises the huge work and dedication of everyone involved with this victory; applauds the record of excellence demonstrated by Waringstown Primary School; and wishes it every success for the future. |
| 1226 | KARI BLACKBURN BOTO | 31:3:09 |
| Simon Hughes | | Peter Bottomley | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | John Hemming |
| That this House joins in the tributes to Kari Blackburn Boto whose life achievements to public service were wonderfully celebrated at St Mary le Strand in London in March 2009 on what would have been Kari's 55th birthday; expresses its great sadness at her untimely death; recognises with gratitude Kari's outstanding BBC career including as producer, Head of the Swahili Service, Head of the African Service, as executive editor of the African and Middle East region, and as international operations director of the World Service Trust; expresses thanks for Kari's unlimited commitment to her family, friends, colleagues, the BBC and Africa; delights in the support she and her family have given to Ogogoro Primary School in Liri, in northern Uganda; and urges the BBC World Service always to follow the highest standards set by people like Kari Blackburn Boto, and ensure that excellent, fearless and impartial broadcasting by the BBC is always available to all the peoples of Africa. |
| 1227 | HER MAJESTY'S REVENUE AND CUSTOMS AND PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES | 31:3:09 |
| Mr Austin Mitchell | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Russell | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Martin Caton |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes that over 300 self-employed weight loss counsellors working as part of the Lighterlife Programme help an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 individuals on average during any week to address their problems of serious obesity using nutritionally balanced and regulatory-compliant food products formulated to comply with industry best practice in supportive group environments; welcomes the contribution that such projects make to the achievement of public health objectives for reducing obesity and its associated morbidities; further notes that Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has decided to levy valued added tax on those counsellors, that the charge is to be backdated, and totals many millions of pounds; observes that this will place major burdens on those counsellors and the organisation, will increase the costs to the obese of the programme moving forward, and will create an anomaly, in that value added tax is levied on specialist food products; and urges Ministers to review regulation, policy and practice to ensure that HMRC's approach does not further undermine Government strategies to improve the health of the nation. |
| 1228 | PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN EL SALVADOR | 31:3:09 |
| Simon Hughes | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Paul Holmes |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Mr Michael Moore |
| That this House congratulates the people of El Salvador on the peaceful presidential election that took place on 15 March 2009; recognises the significance of the victory of Mauricio Funes of the FMLN after 20 years of rule by the ARENA party, given that a non-violent transfer of power is a key principle of democratic states; notes that the peace accords were signed as recently as 1992, after a brutal civil war in which 75,000 people were killed; welcomes accordingly the spirit of cooperation between ordinary members of the FMLN and ARENA parties on the day of the election; and hopes that the political progress made in El Salvador can be an inspiration to other post-conflict nations across the globe. |
| 1229 | STOCKPORT POSTMARK | 31:3:09 |
| Mark Hunter | | Andrew Stunell | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Phil Willis | | Mr Gordon Marsden |
| | John Hemming | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House condemns the decison by the Royal Mail to move the Stockport sorting office into Manchester later this year; notes with dismay and regret that the Stockport postmark will be abolished as a result of this move; believes that the Stockport postmark is integral to Stockport's strong local identity as an independent, proud and successful borough; further believes that moving the Stockport sorting office and removing the postmark shows how little attention Royal Mail pays to the needs and opinions of the local community; and calls on the Royal Mail to reconsider both moving the Stockport sorting office and abolishing the Stockport postmark. |
| 1230 | UK BEE HEALTH (No. 2) | 31:3:09 |
| Danny Alexander | | Willie Rennie | | Mr Charles Kennedy | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell |
| | Mr Gordon Marsden | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | | | David Taylor | Jeremy Corbyn | Ann Winterton | | | Paul Holmes |
| That this House notes with concern the threat to the UK bee population, valued commercially at approximately £165 million by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, posed by an increase in reported cases of colony collapse disorder and resistance to the chemical treatment for the varroa destructor mite; further notes that Scottish bee farmers, who run 25 per cent. of the UK's commercial hives, are particularly vulnerable as the alternative treatment for the varroa mite requires an ambient temperature of over 15 degrees centigrade; observes that the limited diagnostic and follow-up service for bee health matters in Scotland comprises only four bee inspectors; calls for greater coordination between Westminster and Holyrood to solve this national problem; and welcomes the support of the Scottish Beekeepers' Association and Bee Farmers' Association for greater funding for research into ways of combating the threats to Scottish hives. |
| 1231 | LARGS VIKING FESTIVAL | 31:3:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Mark Fisher | | Mr Hugo Swire | | Mr Alistair Carmichael | | Mr Angus MacNeil | | Sandra Osborne |
| | John Hemming | David Taylor | Jeremy Corbyn | | | John Mason | Mr Alex Salmond |
| That this House notes that the Largs Viking Festival began in 1980 as a celebration of the 1263 Battle of Largs and to celebrate and promote the strong historical importance of Largs in defeating the Vikings in Scotland; further notes the importance of Vikings to Largs as evidenced by the number of references to Vikings around Largs, including the famous monument popularly known as The Pencil which commemorates the battle, the Vikingar, an interactive exhibit of Viking tales and myths, and the many street names around the town; pays tribute to the strong local commitment that has enabled this event to grow from a small celebration into a popular annual week-long festival featuring battle re-enactments and the ceremonial burning of the Longboat; recognises that the festival plays an important role in highlighting the historical significance of Largs in defeating the Vikings; and congratulates all those involved in the organisation of the Largs Viking Festival for its continuing success, and wishes the new Viking Festival Committee well for the Festival in 2009 and beyond. |
| 1232 | BLYTH VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL | 31:3:09 |
| Mr Ronnie Campbell | | John Cummings | | Mr Alan Meale | | Mr Stephen Hepburn | | Mr David Clelland | | Mr Doug Henderson |
| That this House congratulates Blyth Valley Borough Council on 35 years of excellent service to the people of the area; notes that the council has achieved many notable successes and ends its days as an excellent council with a glowing audit letter and praise from the Audit Commission; and pays tribute to the councillors who have served the area well and who leave a mammoth task for the new council to follow. |
| 1233 | CLIMATE CHANGE (SECTORAL TARGETS) BILL | 31:3:09 |
| Mr Martin Caton | | Mr David Heath | | Joan Walley | | Mr David Chaytor | | Colin Challen | | Mr Michael Meacher |
| | Mr David Drew | David Taylor | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House welcomes the Climate Change (Sectoral Targets) Bill introduced on 11 February by the hon. Member for Gower, which would require the Secretary of State to set long-term targets for energy efficiency in the domestic and non-domestic sectors, for renewable energy, for microgeneration and for other low carbon sources of energy generation in order to satisfy all of the UK's energy needs, provide for security of supply and also help achieve carbon reduction targets; notes that the Bill would also require a strategy to be drawn up and implemented by the Secretary of State in order to achieve those targets, and believes that such an approach will provide an immediate, flexible, realistic and cost-effective way of delivering the stated objectives of energy policy which would also create jobs and help regenerate the economy. |
| 1234 | SPEEDING NEAR SCHOOLS | 31:3:09 |
| Keith Vaz | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn | Dr Ian Gibson | | | Stephen Pound | Mr David Chaytor |
| That this House has serious concerns about the speeding of motorists, particularly in close proximity to schools; notes that between 2005 and 2007, the latest period for which figures are available, police officers attended 14,577 accidents in which someone was seriously injured and speeding was listed as a contributory factor; is alarmed that in 2007 speeding contributed to 727 deaths; welcomes the fact that the Government was forecast to spend £1,815,000 on television advertising to make people aware of the dangers and consequences of driving in excess of the speed limit in 2008-09; and calls on the Government to implement 20 mph speed limits in areas surrounding schools. |
| As an Amendment to Keith Vaz's proposed Motion (Speeding Near Schools): |
| Mr Greg Knight | | John Hemming |
| Line 8, at end add `which is enforced only immediately before, immediately after and during times when the school is in use.'. |
| 1235 | ALLEGATIONS OF WAR CRIMES IN GAZA (No. 2) | 31:3:09 |
| Martin Linton | | Ms Karen Buck | | Dr Phyllis Starkey | | Richard Burden | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell |
| | John Hemming | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Dr Brian Iddon | Dr Ian Gibson | Stephen Pound |
| That this House notes the allegations which have been made in respect of war crimes committed during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009 on the basis of investigations by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and The Guardian newspaper; notes that these allegations include the use of human shields, unmanned aerial vehicles and the targeting of medical staff and medical facilities, all of which are prohibited under the Fourth Geneva Convention; recalls that Britain is a High Contracting Party to the Convention and is, therefore, legally required to uphold its provisions; and urges the Government to call for an independent inquiry sanctioned by the UN Security Council into allegations of war crimes during Operation Cast Lead. |
| 1236 | MARK CAVENDISH | 31:3:09 |
| David Lepper | | Andrew George | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Martin Caton | | Mr Phil Willis |
| | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn | Andrew Rosindell |
| That this House congratulates Mark Cavendish on his victory in the Milan-San Remo cycle race and on being the first British rider since Tommy Simpson in 1964 to win the race; and wishes him and all other British cyclists continuing success in international competitions in 2009. |
| 1237 | CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL FOR DISABLED SCOTTISH VETERANS | 31:3:09 |
| Angus Robertson | | David Simpson | | John Mason |
| That this House congratulates the Scottish government for its actions to extend free bus travel to Scotland's disabled veterans; notes that there will be cuts made to concessionary travel in England from 1 April 2009; further notes that the cost of bus travel has fallen in Scotland, in comparison to a one per cent. rise in the cost across the UK, and that more Scottish commuters are taking longer bus journeys; and believes that even more people will be encouraged to use buses and other forms of public transport in Scotland, therefore helping Scotland to meet its climate change targets and move towards a cleaner, greener future. |
| 1238 | CORNISH TIER OF GOVERNMENT | 31:3:09 |
| Dan Rogerson | | Mr Colin Breed | | Andrew George | | Julia Goldsworthy | | Matthew Taylor | | Mr Mike Hancock |
| That this House notes that Cornwall is going through a significant reorganisation of local government this year; congratulates Cornwall's seven district, borough and county councils on their past 35 years of joint public service to the people and environment of Cornwall; particularly commends the outstanding contribution of the thousands of rank-and-file staff and officers from each of the seven authorities; believes they have a record of which they can be proud; recognises the commitment and dedication of councillors from all parties and none over the years; believes Cornwall should be a distinctive region within the UK, a champion of social justice and an exemplar of environmental policy; further believes that the advent of a new strategic voice for Cornwall presents the Duchy with an opportunity to realise those aims; acknowledges that there will be challenges along the way; and urges everyone with an interest in the future of Cornwall to work together to make the new authority successful and ambitious for Cornwall as the first step to real devolution from Westminster towards a Cornish assembly. |
| 1239 | CONTACTPOINT DATABASE | 31:3:09 |
| Annette Brooke | | Mr David Laws | | Bob Russell | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Paul Holmes | | Mr Colin Breed |
| That this House notes the announcement of another delay to the implementation of ContactPoint because of further concerns about the accuracy and security of the database; expresses concern over the safety implications of such a vast database containing potentially sensitive information in the light of security breaches in various Government departments; further expresses concern over the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's recent report stating that the database is almost certainly illegal under human rights and data protection law; further notes continued concerns over the projected cost of ContactPoint; further notes the conclusion of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Merits of Statutory Instruments that the Government has not conclusively demonstrated that a universal database is a proportionate response to the problem being addressed; and therefore calls on the Government to scrap the database. |
| 1240 | SIZES OF MODELS | 31:3:09 |
| Richard Younger-Ross | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Paul Holmes | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | John Hemming |
| | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House notes that approximately 24,000 16 to 18 year old women and men suffer from anorexia; further notes that for many the desire to be thin is driven by societal pressures that determine thin as beautiful; further notes that such pressures are fuelled by the media and fashion magazines, and therefore welcomes those positive images for average-sized and larger women such as the selection of Crystal Renn, a size 16, as the face and body of Evans and the promotion of this in the April edition of Cosmopolitan magazine; and therefore calls on all in the fashion industry to select models who are of larger sizes for inclusion in magazines. |
| 1241 | HON. MEMBERS' PAY AND ALLOWANCES | 31:3:09 |
| Richard Younger-Ross | | Mr John Leech | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mr David Drew | | David Howarth | | Mr Nigel Evans |
| | John Hemming | David Taylor | John Mason |
| That this House notes that there is widespread public distrust of allowances paid to hon. Members which is undermining public faith in Parliament itself; believes that such is this distrust that only a full independent review of hon. Members' pay and allowances can start to restore faith in Parliament and that such a review must have no predetermined rates or starting points but should seek to set out a fair system that rewards hon. Members and their staff for their work, is open and transparent, and will restore confidence in parliamentary pay and allowances, whilst maintaining support for hon. Members' work in the House, as well as communicating with and helping constituents, with the outcome of such a report to be then binding on the House. |
| 1242 | PENSIONS (S.I., 2009, No. 615) | 31:3:09 |
| Mr David Cameron | | Mrs Theresa May | | Andrew Selous | | Mr Nigel Waterson | | Mr John Baron | | Mr Patrick McLoughlin |
| That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Occupational, Personal and Stakeholder Pensions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2009 (S.I., 2009, No. 615), dated 10 March 2009, a copy of which was laid before this House on 16 March, be annulled. |
| 1243 | TAX CERTIFICATES | 31:3:09 |
| Peter Bottomley | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr David Drew |
| That this House welcomes the proposal by the right hon. Member for North West Hampshire that the Government should reintroduce tax certificates with tax-free interest, which would help savers to gain a real return while Government borrowing would be lower. |
| 1244 | LOST HERITAGE CYPRUS EXHIBITION | 31:3:09 |
| Mr David Burrowes | | Andrew George | | Bob Russell | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | Mr Mike Hancock [R] | | David Lepper [R] |
| | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House welcomes the new Lost Heritage exhibition at Gallery K in London running until 30 April 2009; commends the work of the photographer Doros Partasides in bringing together an exhibition of works by well-known artists highlighting the damage to the cultural heritage of Cyprus from the division of the island; notes the substantial loss and damage to icons, mosaics, wall-paintings and artefacts in monasteries and churches dating from the fifth to the 16th century; further notes the ongoing negotiations between President Christofias and Mr Talat and hopes that a settlement will lead to the restoration of Cypriot heritage; and urges the Government to do all it can to support a reunited Cyprus on an agreed basis by Cypriots. |
|
[R] Relevant interest declared |
| 1245 | ORDNANCE SURVEY | 31:3:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Holmes | | John McDonnell | | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| | Mr Clive Betts | John Hemming | David Taylor | | | Annette Brooke | Jeremy Corbyn | Dr Brian Iddon | | | Sir Nicholas Winterton |
| That this House recognises that Ordnance Survey provides a valuable and well respected public service; welcomes the fact that Ordnance Survey exceeded its target for operating profit in the last financial year and is currently a net contributor to public funds; further recognises that in the current economic climate public assets such as Ordnance Survey will have a lower market value; expresses concern that in the forthcoming Budget there will be a report as part of the Operational Efficiency Programme to identify efficiency savings and the concern that there might be proposals to privatise this service; notes with concern the damaging effect which this will have on staff morale; and calls on the Government to continue to provide Ordnance Survey with all the support which it needs to continue to operate at its current high standards in the public sector. |
| 1246 | YEAR OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS CAMPAIGN | 1:4:09 |
| Mrs Theresa May | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | David Taylor | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Mr Gordon Prentice | Sir Nicholas Winterton | Lynne Jones | | | Ann Winterton | Mrs Ann Cryer | Andrew George |
| That this House congratulates the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) on the launch of its Year of Rheumatoid Arthritis campaign; is concerned at recent research which revealed an alarming ignorance about the causes and impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); is particularly worried that 62 per cent. of people overall and 75 per cent. of younger people did not know the causes of RA or that it can affect other organs like the heart or lungs; and calls on hon. Members to support NRAS's campaign which aims to tackle misconceptions about this disabling and debilitating condition and to increase understanding of RA and its symptoms so that those affected can seek swift medical advice and treatment to halt the rapid progression of the disease and prevent long-term joint damage. |
| 1247 | SPEAKERS' TERM LIMITS | 1:4:09 |
| Mr Gordon Prentice | | John Hemming | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House believes the maximum term for a Speaker of the House of Commons should be the same as that of a Chairman of a Select Committee. |
| 1248 | CONFLICT PREVENTION | 1:4:09 |
| Simon Hughes | | Mr Gary Streeter | | John McDonnell | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | John Hemming |
| | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn | Kelvin Hopkins | | | Mr Michael Moore | Lynne Jones | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Andrew George | John Mason | Paul Holmes |
| That this House recognises that for every dollar spent globally on conflict prevention nearly two thousand times as much is spent on defence and the military; applauds the many local initiatives around the world that help to prevent conflict; calls on the Government to carry out a study into the cost-effectiveness of local and regional peace building initiatives in the run up to the Global Summit on Security and Peace Building in 2010; and encourages the Government through the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to give greater priority to conflict prevention work and in particular to fund from existing resources more local conflict prevention initiatives. |
| 1249 | SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY (No. 2) | 1:4:09 |
| Sammy Wilson | | Mr Gregory Campbell | | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson | | David Simpson | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Ann Winterton |
| That this House notes with concern the decision to confer an honorary knighthood upon Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, despite the clouds that still hang over him due to his expulsion from Harvard and his role in the events at Chappaquiddick; further notes that Senator Kennedy has consistently supported the political wing of the IRA which for many decades killed a great number of innocent civilians; further notes that he opposed the sale of US arms to the RUC at the height of the terrorist onslaught; believes that it is in extremely poor taste that Senator Kennedy is being awarded a knighthood for services to the UK-US relationship and services to Northern Ireland despite the fact that he has for many years supported the break-up of the United Kingdom and has explicitly sought to deny the wishes of the majority of people in Northern Ireland by supporting calls for Northern Ireland to cease to exist and become part of the Republic of Ireland; further notes that he offended many in Northern Ireland by calling for Protestants to go back to Britain; and calls on the Government to reconsider the conferral of his honour. |
| 1250 | REPORTING ON CARBON LIABILITIES | 1:4:09 |
| Colin Challen | | Mr Tim Yeo | | Simon Hughes | | Peter Bottomley | | John Hemming | | Mr David Drew |
| | Jeremy Corbyn | Mr Gordon Prentice | Kelvin Hopkins | | | Lynne Jones | Mrs Ann Cryer | Andrew George | | | Paul Holmes |
| That this House acknowledges the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change; looks forward to a successful global deal on climate change at Copenhagen later this year; notes that in a future carbon-constrained world businesses will need to account for the carbon intensity of their operations and products, particularly in the oil, gas and power sectors; believes that transparent reporting of the lifecycle carbon impacts of these operations and products as financial liabilities is the best way to enable investors and pension funds to factor in carbon risks to investment analysis and support emissions reductions and low-carbon growth; further notes the massive hidden carbon costs of the exploitation of unconventional fossil fuels such as oil sands, which emit on average three times more carbon dioxide in their extraction and production than conventional oil and represent a significant carbon risk for investors; also notes that new coal-fired power stations have lifespans of over 40 years; and therefore calls on the Government to require all UK-listed companies in the oil, gas and power sectors to report on their total carbon liabilities. |
| 1251 | CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING | 1:4:09 |
| Mr Fraser Kemp | | Mr Lee Scott | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | Mr David Drew | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Sir Nicholas Winterton | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones | | | Dr Ian Gibson | Mrs Ann Cryer | Andrew George | | | Paul Holmes |
| That this House welcomes the recent Written Ministerial Statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health announcing that the Independent Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening will now formally review all available evidence relating to the issue of screening women under 25 years old and take evidence from interested parties; and congratulates families, individuals and the cervical charity Jo's Trust on their campaigning work; and hopes the results of the review will result in a reduction in the number of women who develop invasive cervical cancer and the number of women who die from it. |
| 1252 | SATELLITE NAVIGATION DEVICES | 1:4:09 |
| Norman Baker | | Mr John Leech | | Mark Hunter | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | John Hemming |
| | David Taylor | Jeremy Corbyn | Lynne Jones | | | Mrs Ann Cryer | Andrew George | Paul Holmes |
| That this House is extremely concerned that satellite navigation devices (sat navs) continue to direct large vehicles down narrow and unsuitable routes; notes with regret that this has a serious impact upon other road users and many communities; and calls on the Government to eradicate this problem by ensuring that sat navs take account of the height, width and length of the vehicle before selecting a route. |
| 1253 | FURTHER PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN REPORT ON EQUITABLE LIFE | 1:4:09 |
| Daniel Kawczynski | | Peter Bottomley | | Bob Spink | | John Hemming | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Sir Nicholas Winterton |
| | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones | Dr Ian Gibson | | | Ann Winterton | Mr Graham Brady | Paul Holmes |
| That this House notes the findings of the report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman on Equitable Life; further notes the Ombudsman's letter to all hon. Members in which the Ombudsman indicated her intention to take the unusual step of using powers under the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 to present Parliament with a further report; recognises the vital role the Ombudsman plays in public life; reaffirms the duty of Parliament to take adequate account of the Ombudsman's decisions; and further notes with concern that over 30,000 Equitable Life policyholders have died without seeing their situation resolved since the Society's near-collapse in 2000. |
| 1254 | PROPOSALS FOR CAR PARKING CHARGES IN RICHMOND PARK | 1:4:09 |
| Susan Kramer | | Mr Virendra Sharma | | Mr Edward Davey | | Peter Bottomley | | John Hemming |
| That this House is concerned that the Royal Parks are consulting on a change to park regulations which would result in car parking charges in Richmond Park; notes that such charges would give an incentive to Richmond Park visitors to park outside the gates on residential streets and force local residents to apply for costly and otherwise unnecessary controlled parking zones; asserts that encouraging use of the park is desirable for leisure and health; calculates that parking charges could cost regular users of the park in excess of £400 a year; recognises that access to most areas of the park is only possible by car for any but the fittest users since no public transport goes through or stops in Richmond Park; and calls on the Royal Parks to withdraw these charging proposals. |
| 1255 | PROXIMITY OF HEATHROW AIRPORT TO SCHOOLS | 1:4:09 |
| Susan Kramer | | John McDonnell | | Mr Edward Davey | | John Hemming | | Mr David Drew | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| That this House is concerned that the quality of education in schools close to Heathrow Airport is being compromised because children are denied full and proper development through outdoor learning due to noise from overhead flights; expresses deep concern that the Government is not adhering to its own manifesto, Learning out of the Classroom; calls on the Government to enshrine in law the right of children to educational outdoor space, a high standard of well-being and health as well as social and personal development; and further calls on the Government to ensure that such standards are enforced for schools in the proximity of Heathrow Airport before any approval for a third runway is granted. |
| 1256 | RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF AFGHAN WOMEN | 1:4:09 |
| Sir Menzies Campbell | | Sarah Teather | | Malcolm Bruce | | Jo Swinson | | Mr Edward Davey | | Lynne Featherstone |
| | Mr David Drew | Mr Gordon Prentice | Mr Michael Moore | | | Lynne Jones | Mrs Ann Cryer | Andrew George | | | Paul Holmes |
| That this House notes with concern reports that the President of Afghanistan supports the introduction of legislation designed to restrict the rights and freedoms of Afghan women, including articles which would legalise rape within marriage and end a woman's freedom to enter employment or access education and health services without her husband's permission, despite the Afghan constitution and a number of the international treaties Afghanistan has signed guaranteeing equal rights for women; and urges the Government unequivocally to convey its opposition to the introduction of such repressive laws given the support the United Kingdom and British troops in particular are giving the Afghan government in its struggle against the Taliban, an ogranisation synonymous with the repression of women. |
| 1257 | TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION | 1:4:09 |
| Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Jim Dowd | | Mr Mike Hancock | | Mr Marsha Singh | | Frank Cook | | Ann Winterton |
| | Kelvin Hopkins | Mrs Ann Cryer | Andrew George | | | Paul Holmes |
| That this House regrets that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has opposed including Taiwan's participation as an observer to the World Health Assembly (WHA) on its agenda since 1997; notes that the 62nd WHA will convene between 18 and 27 May 2009; recognises that disease knows no boundaries and there should be no gap in the global public health network; contends that the WHO should not ignore the health rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan; applauds the valuable medical assistance and humanitarian aid provided by Taiwan's public and private sectors worldwide exceeding US$450 million over the last decade; applauds President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan having improved the cross-Taiwan Strait relations while effectively safeguarding Taiwan's sovereignty since assuming office on 20 May 2008; welcomes WHO's recent inclusion of Taiwan in the mechanisms of the International Health Regulations; further notes that the Mainline Chinese leadership has recently expressed certain goodwill in Taiwan's bid for WHA observer status; urges mainland China to play a positive role further in Taiwan's participation in international organisations where Taiwan wishes to make a contribution; regrets that the UK Government has only supported Taiwan's meaningful participation in the WHO rather than Taiwan's WHA observer status; strongly encourages the UK Government to support Taiwan's justifiable bid for WHA observer status to institutionalise Taiwan's meaningful participation in WHO activities; and urges the WHO Director-General to invite Taiwan on its own merits as a WHA observer to ensure no gap in the global public health network. |
| 1258 | HELP FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES | 1:4:09 |
| Mrs Linda Riordan | | Bob Spink | | Mr David Drew | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Lynne Jones |
| That this House welcomes the steps the Government has taken to help small and medium-sized businesses during the recession; recognises that more could be done to build on policies like the Enterprise Finance Guarantee which can help business survive the current economic climate; supports a call from Calderdale Trades Council for the establishment of credit unions for small and medium-sized businesses in Halifax and other places; urges the Government to look closely at piloting such an initiative in an area like Calderdale before rolling it out nationally; supports such a move as it would help secure jobs by providing working capital for small and medium-sized enterprises; further recognises that in the long-term such unions would aim to establish a new financial instrument as they would act as a local merchant bank based on membership and collaborative ownership; further recognises that such a local fund would provide the necessary liquidity for local small employers which are currently being treated harshly by the banks; and calls on the Government to implement this idea to link in with its existing support for businesses. |
| 1259 | SOCIAL HOUSING, DECENT HOMES AND HOUSING BENEFIT | 1:4:09 |
| Chris Ruane | | David Taylor | | John Smith | | Mrs Joan Humble | | Mr Martin Caton | | Julie Morgan |
| | Mr David Drew | Jeremy Corbyn | Kelvin Hopkins | | | Mrs Ann Cryer | Andrew George | Paul Holmes |
| That this House is deeply concerned by the very poor quality of housing in parts of the privately-rented sector, as evidenced by the recent Rugg review, where damp and poorly insulated properties are a major contributor to health inequality and child poverty in this country; notes that this can be a particular problem in homes of multiple occupancy such as in seaside towns as well as in cities where prices are high but incomes are low; commends the Government for committing to raising all social housing to the decent homes standard; and urges the Government to do the same for privately-rented housing by refusing to pay housing benefit and local housing allowance for substandard properties. |
| 1260 | WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN | 1:4:09 |
| Ms Katy Clark | | Jo Swinson | | Mary Creagh | | Ms Diane Abbott | | Laura Moffatt | | Michael Connarty |
| | John Hemming | Jeremy Corbyn | Mr Gordon Prentice | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Andrew George | Mr David Chaytor | Paul Holmes |
| That this House deplores the actions of President Hamid Karzai for recently introducing a law severely curtailing the rights of Afghan women; expresses its gravest concerns that reportedly under this law women must seek the permission of their husband to work, go into education or seek medical treatment; condemns the fact that this law may legalise marital rape and believes that this would violate both the United Nations Convention on Human Rights and the Afghan constitution; notes that the United Nations and leading human rights activists have expressed serious criticisms about the law; and calls on the Government to condemn strongly this law and seek immediate talks with President Karzai on the subject and urge him seriously to reconsider the move. |
| 1261 | PRESCRIPTION CHARGES (No. 2) | 1:4:09 |
| Mr Russell Brown | | Michael Connarty | | Sandra Osborne | | Mr David S. Borrow | | Mr Bob Laxton | | Mr Tom Harris |
| | Mr David Drew | Kelvin Hopkins | Dr Ian Gibson | | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House notes that from 1 April 2009 cancer patients will be exempt from prescription charges in England, whereas in Scotland they will be required to pay £4 per prescription; congratulates the Government for this targeted and responsive measure and is disappointed that the devolved Scottish administration has failed to provide similar support to those requiring prescription drugs to deal with cancer in Scotland in a similarly timely manner. |
| 1262 | UNIVERSITY TUITION FEES | 1:4:09 |
| Bob Spink | | John Hemming | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House notes with concern that students coming into higher education post 2011 could face debts of up to £32,000; notes that 70 per cent. of English adults want a similar tuition fee system to Scotland where students do not pay fees; recognises the University and College Union's belief that expanding Treasury funding of higher education would help to deal with the economic crisis; and calls on the Government to review policy on higher education funding and fees. |
| 1263 | OFGEM AND PREPAYMENT METER PRICES | 1:4:09 |
| Bob Spink | | Peter Bottomley | | David Taylor | | John Hemming | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House welcomes Ofgem's proposals to ban unjustified price differences; notes that Ofgem's measures will prevent the very worst differentials of up to £500 but feels these new proposals do not go far enough as online direct debit prices will be far lower than prepayment meter prices; and calls on Ofgem to ensure that prepayment meter customers do not pay a penny more than quarterly billed customers. |
| 1264 | SIMPLE SOLUTIONS FOR LIVING TOGETHER REPORT ON GYPSY AND TRAVELLER SITE PROVISION | 1:4:09 |
| Julie Morgan | | Mr Tim Boswell | | Andrew George | | Mr Andy Slaughter | | Lynne Featherstone | | Peter Bottomley |
| | Jeremy Corbyn | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones | | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House welcomes the Gypsies and Travellers: Simple Solutions for Living Together report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission; recognises that investment in adequate site provision can generate income for local authorities and significantly reduce eviction costs, improve community relations and provide safe and decent accommodation for Gypsy and Traveller communities; notes that as little as one square mile of land across all of England would be enough to provide all Gypsy and Traveller families with sufficient authorised sites; further notes that local authorities need to double their rate of progress in order to meet the Government's 2011 target to provide sufficient accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers; and calls on the Government to encourage local authorities to work with Gypsies and Travellers and local residents to find fair and sensible ways to deliver the modest number of authorised sites required for Gypsies and Travellers. |
| 1265 | ROYAL MAIL (No.2) | 1:4:09 |
| Bob Spink | | John Hemming | | Sir Nicholas Winterton | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Lynne Jones | | Ann Winterton |
| That this House welcomes the conclusion of the Business and Enterprise Select Committee that the Government should further explain its plan to part-privatise Royal Mail; and urges the Government to drop its privatisation plans, resolve the pension deficit and find a solution to future investment in the Royal Mail in the best interests of all stakeholders. |
| 1266 | FURTHER EDUCATION CAPITAL PROGRAMME | 1:4:09 |
| Stephen Williams | | Mr David Laws | | Dr Vincent Cable | | Paul Holmes | | Nick Harvey | | Dr John Pugh |
| | John Hemming | Annette Brooke | Kelvin Hopkins | | | Lynne Jones | Peter Bottomley | Andrew George |
| That this House notes the report by Sir Andrew Foster on the Capital Programme in Further Education, and in particular the finding that the Learning and Skills Council was warned in February 2008 of mounting financial pressures and that the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was insufficiently incisive to uncover ongoing flaws in implementation of capital expenditure decisions; endorses recommendation six of the report, that HM Treasury should recognise the importance of skills development in the context of national economic recovery; and believes that investment in further education colleges now will secure jobs in the construction industry and bring long-term advantage to the economy through skills development. |
| 1267 | SHREWSBURY PICKETS (No. 2) | 1:4:09 |
| Mr Gerald Howarth | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes that the so-called Shrewsbury Pickets were jailed not for exercising the right to protest but for acts of violence; notes that the trial judge, Mr Justice Mais, said of one of the convicted, `you took part in violence and encouraged violence' and of all six before him the judge concluded that `some. . .were. . .determined to strike terror in the hearts of those continuing to go to work'; notes with concern that Old Labour attitudes towards violence on the picket line have not changed; and commends the letter in The Times of 14 January 1975 from the hon. Member for Aldershot which sets out the position prevailing at the time. |
| 1268 | 20th ANNIVERSARY OF SAVING OF SETTLE TO CARLISLE RAILWAY LINE | 1:4:09 |
| Mr Eric Martlew | | Mrs Ann Cryer | | David Taylor | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Mr Gordon Prentice | | Kelvin Hopkins |
| That this House welcomes the 20th anniversary of the announcement that the Settle to Carlisle railway line was to be saved; applauds the efforts of those who were instrumental in the campaign to save the line, including hon. Members, local councils and Friends of Settle to Carlisle Railway; acknowledges that this was the last attempt by any government to close a major railway line; and regards the decision as the start of the renaissance of rail. |
| 1269 | UPRATING OF BASIC STATE PENSION | 1:4:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Jim Dobbin | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | Mr David Drew | David Taylor | John Hemming | | | Jeremy Corbyn | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones | | | Dr Ian Gibson | Mrs Ann Cryer | Mr David Chaytor | | | John Mason |
| That this House welcomes the five per cent. increase in the basic state pension for 2009-10; believes that pensioners deserve extra support to help respond to the difficulties faced by the economic downturn; recognises that many pensioners rely on the interest on their savings for the additional income and due to interest rates reductions and a historically low interest rate they have lost out financially; expresses concern that the Government's economic projections show the retail prices index (RPI) as negative in September 2009 and that this figure is used to calculate the basic state pension increase for year 2010-11; notes with concern that in the light of a negative RPI change, the Government will use its discretion to the uprate in the basic state pension; and further believes that, given the impact of the downturn on pensioners, the Government should commit to a state pension uprate for 2010-11 of no less than that introduced for this financial year. |
| 1270 | SAY NO TO UNI FEES CAMPAIGN | 1:4:09 |
| That this House notes the `Say NO to Uni Fees' Facebook group, set up by the hon. Member for Castle Point, which draws attention to the concerns of 55 per cent. of the population who agree that university education should be at no cost to the student or their family; further notes this modern approach to communicating with and engaging people, especially younger people, that social networking media offer to hon. Members; and calls on the Library to provide a training briefing for hon. Members in the use of such media as an additional communication tool for hon. Members. |
| 1271 | RAILWAY SERVICES AND JOBS | 1:4:09 |
| John McDonnell | | Mr David Drew | | David Taylor | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Kelvin Hopkins | | Lynne Jones |
| | Dr Ian Gibson | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House notes rail transport can provide a lower carbon emission alternative to the car and lorry; believes the railways during the recession can be a powerhouse for promoting green jobs, a green stimulus to the economy and managed in a way which alleviates the effects of the economic downturn; is therefore dismayed that despite being heavily reliant on billions of pounds of Government subsidy, thousands of passenger services, infrastructure and freight jobs are being threatened or have been lost on the railways and London Underground with the Government in effect subsidising redundancy; is appalled that these cuts will also affect the level and quality of service and are taking place despite private railway companies continuing to pay a dividend to shareholders and presiding over the most expensive fares in Europe; supports the call of the rail unions for an immediate industry-wide moratorium on cuts in jobs and services on the railways and London Underground and a freeze in dividends with all profits instead invested to protect services and jobs; and further believes that the Government should create an integrated, publicly-owned and accountable people's railway where passengers and workers have a real voice, which puts people before profit by ensuring all revenues are used to safeguard and expand rail services, jobs and skills, to expand electrification, develop high speed lines and introduce affordable and fair fares. |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr Nigel Evans | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Alan Meale |
| | Mr David Drew | David Taylor | Jeremy Corbyn | | | Kelvin Hopkins | Peter Bottomley | Mrs Ann Cryer | | | Mr Graham Brady | Paul Holmes |
| That this House notes with concern the number of pubs and clubs that are struggling to survive, particularly during the current economic downturn; recognises that the most significant difficulty facing pubs is being tied into contracts with the brewers in relation to the purchase of alcohol which restricts the ability to make profits; and calls on the Government to outlaw the pub tie and allow landlords greater flexibility in the purchasing of alcohol in addition to reviewing the duty placed on alcohol in order to ensure that this reflects alcohol volume rather than flat rate increases in duty. |
| 1273 | SUPPLY OF HARM REDUCTION PRODUCTS TO DRUG USERS | 1:4:09 |
| Mike Wood | | Paul Flynn | | Mr Mike Hancock | | John McDonnell | | Mr David Drew | | Jeremy Corbyn |
| | Kelvin Hopkins | Lynne Jones | Peter Bottomley | | | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House notes that section 9A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was intended to prevent the commercial sale of kits and equipment for the preparation and consumption of illicit drugs; further notes that there have only ever been a handful of prosecutions for the commercial sale of drug kits and paraphernalia since 1986 due to the ambiguous nature of section 9A, leading many police forces to abandon enforcement; further notes that on each of the two occasions that the Act has been amended since the insertion of section 9A in 1986 to incorporate newly-developed harm reduction interventions, each amendment has involved a lengthy process of campaigning and legislative change; is concerned that section 9A currently prevents legitimate harm reduction services from providing a number of otherwise innocuous products to their drug-using clients because these items are not explicitly permitted in the legislation; and therefore calls on the Government to consider either a general exemption for all harm reduction products supplied by drug treatment providers and healthcare professionals, or the repeal of section 9A. |
| 1274 | SCRAPPAGE INCENTIVE SCHEME | 1:4:09 |
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle | | Mr David Crausby | | Jim Dobbin | | Jon Cruddas | | Mr Alan Meale | | Dr Rudi Vis |
| | Mr David Drew | Lynne Jones | Mrs Ann Cryer |
| That this House calls on the Government to introduce a scrappage incentive scheme; notes that such a scheme, as supported by Unite and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, would incentivise owners of cars and vans over nine years old to scrap their vehicle in exchange for £2,000 towards a new or nearly-new car or van; recognises the success of similar schemes introduced in other European countries, particularly in Germany, which has boosted the new car market, increasing registrations by 21.5 per cent. in February 2009, giving the first year-on-year monthly rise since July 2008; believes that the potential increased value added tax revenue to Government would largely offset the cost of the scheme; further believes that this measure would be popular with the public, with 76 per cent. of consumers being in favour of its introduction; and calls on the Government to urgently introduce a scrappage scheme to give a much needed boost to the new vehicle market and automotive sector in the UK and, importantly, the 800,000 people that work in it. |
| 1275 | FA CUP SEMI-FINALS AT WEMBLEY | 2:4:09 |
| Mr John Leech | | Dr Ian Gibson | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House notes with disappointment the decision to stage the FA Cup semi-final between Everton and Manchester United at 4 p.m. on a Sunday at Wembley Stadium; further notes that the other semi-final between two London teams, Chelsea and Arsenal, is to take place on the previous day at the same venue; recognises that these decisions are dictated by television rather than for the convenience of the fans and believes that this arrangement will cause considerable unnecessary cost in terms of both time and money to supporters of both Everton and Manchester United; further notes that neutral venues at Anfield or Eastlands or Villa Park are all suitable venues worthy of holding an FA Cup semi-final between two North West Premiership teams; and, while recognising that holding semi-finals at Wembley allows more fans to attend the games, believes that using Wembley for the semi-finals takes away some of the magic of reaching the final and playing at the magnificent new Wembley stadium; and therefore calls on the Football Association to review the policy of holding semi-finals at Wembley in the future. |
| 1276 | FREE TO VIEW TELEVISION COVERAGE OF BASEBALL | 2:4:09 |
| Mr John Leech | | Dr Ian Gibson |
| That this House welcomes the rise in popularity of baseball in the United Kingdom and wishes continuing success to the Manchester Baseball Club at Mersey Bank Fields in Didsbury, which provides a good sports facility and team environment for young and old; recognises the contribution that televised baseball has made in increasing the popularity of the sport and in particular the contribution of Jonny Gould, Josh Chetwynd and Erik Janssen; expresses disappointment at Five.TV's decision to cease showing Major League Baseball on terrestrial television; expresses concern that the rise in popularity of baseball in Britain may suffer as a result; and therefore calls on Five.TV or another free-to-view channel to show Major League Baseball on television. |
| 1277 | BOGUS CLOTHING COLLECTION COMPANIES | 2:4:09 |
| Jo Swinson | | Andrew Stunell | | Stephen Williams | | Frank Dobson | | Julie Morgan | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House condemns the practice of bogus clothing collection companies that use misleading leaflets to solicit clothing donations under the pretence of benevolent purposes but sell the clothes for financial gain; further condemns the outright theft of charitable donations from doorsteps carried out by organised criminal gangs in connection with these bogus companies; notes with concern the losses to the charitable sector of £3 million per year, caused by these actions, as estimated by the Association of Charity Shops; and calls for measures to be taken to raise public awareness of these activities, stronger action to prevent bogus companies operating outside the law and further steps to help the police tackle donation theft, particularly concerning the rules on ownership of charitable donations. |
| 1278 | ON-PACK RECYCLING LABEL | 2:4:09 |
| Miss Anne McIntosh | | Mr Richard Benyon | | Angela Watkinson | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House welcomes the launch of the British Retail Consortium's (BRC's) On-Pack Recycling Label, which is supported by the Waste and Resources Action Programme; notes that the label will help to support consumers to recycle more packaging; further notes that the label will help local authorities and others to increase recycling rates for those materials that could be recycled but that currently have low collection and recycling rates; supports the BRC's aim to encourage at least 60 retailers and suppliers to join the scheme by the end of 2009; and calls on as many companies as possible to support the scheme. |
| 1279 | COMPENSATION FOR ABOLITION OF 10 PENCE TAX RATE | 2:4:09 |
| Mr Frank Field | | Mr Greg Pope | | Jeremy Corbyn | | Kate Hoey | | Dr Ian Gibson | | Ms Diane Abbott |
| | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | Ms Katy Clark | Mark Fisher | | | Alan Simpson | Jim Dobbin | Mike Wood | | | Paul Flynn | Mr Dai Havard | Mr Marsha Singh | | | Jim Dowd | Kelvin Hopkins | Mr David Drew | | | John McDonnell | Mrs Ann Cryer | Mr Austin Mitchell | | | Mr Jim Hood | Mrs Linda Riordan | Janet Anderson | | | Mr Roger Godsiff | David Taylor | Mr David Chaytor | | | Michael Connarty | Mrs Betty Williams | Ms Gisela Stuart | | | Andrew Mackinlay | Mr Lindsay Hoyle | Andrew George | | | Paul Holmes | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House records with real disappointment that up to 3.8 million individual taxpayers are still worse off as a result of the abolition of the 10 pence tax rate; registers that the two measures the Government have since announced do not yet compensate them fully; and calls on the House to secure justice for this group of low tax paying workers at the next Budget. |
| 1280 | HEALTH SUPPORT IN SCHOOL | 2:4:09 |
| Mr Jim Cunningham | | Peter Bottomley | | Andrew George |
| That this House notes with considerable concern that the health of around a million children with specified health conditions, including asthma, cancer, coeliac disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, HIV, mental health problems, multiple sclerosis, sickle cell disease and conditions that can cause stroke, is put at risk because they are not receiving sufficient support at school; further notes that poor support at school stops children from fulfilling their potential; recognises that while guidance on medicines in schools remains voluntary, inequality of experience will continue; and acknowledges that by providing better support, children with medical needs will have improved health outcomes and reduce the financial burden on the NHS. |
| 1281 | MONUMENT TO GENERAL KAROL SWIERCZEWSKI | 2:4:09 |
| That this House notes the value and importance of the monument in the Polish city of Poznan commemorating the internationalism of General Karol Swierczewski, veteran of the International Brigades in Spain, widely believed to be the inspiration for the figure of General Golz in Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls; recognises the threat to it by the conservative powers there; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Polish authorities to ensure that the monument remains safe and respected and to ensure international solidarity preventing this act of political vandalism which has no place in modern Europe. |
| 1282 | NUCLEAR WEAPONS CONVENTION | 2:4:09 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | | Frank Cook | | Paul Holmes | | Peter Bottomley | | Paul Flynn | | Michael Connarty |
| | Harry Cohen | Dr Doug Naysmith | Ms Katy Clark | | | David Taylor | Lynne Jones | Mr Andrew Dismore | | | Mr Neil Gerrard | Mr David Chaytor | Jon Cruddas | | | Mr George Galloway | Colin Challen | John Mason | | | Roger Berry | Hywel Williams | Mr Gordon Prentice | | | Dr Brian Iddon | Tom Brake | Miss Anne Begg | | | Nick Harvey | Alan Simpson | Kelvin Hopkins | | | Mr Peter Kilfoyle | Mr Jim Devine | John McDonnell | | | Richard Burden | Chris McCafferty | Mr David Drew | | | Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews | Andrew George |
| That this House notes the forthcoming 40th anniversary of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty; further notes the continued failure of the international community to abolish nuclear weapons or prevent their further proliferation; endorses the unanimous opinion of the International Court of Justice that there exists an obligation to pursue in good faith, and bring to a conclusion, negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control; further notes the recent 10th anniversary of the submission of a model nuclear weapons convention by Costa Rica to the United Nations for discussion; and calls upon the Government to work to achieve progress on multilateral negotions with the aim of achieving implementation of a nuclear weapons convention by 2020. |
| 1283 | CELEBRATION OF ST. GEORGE'S DAY | 2:4:09 |
| Andrew Rosindell | | Paul Holmes | | Peter Bottomley |
| That this House looks forward to celebrating St. George's Day on 23 April 2009; believes that the day of England's patron saint is an opportunity for all the people of England to celebrate their country's heritage, values and traditions; calls upon the Government to mark the occasion by ensuring that the Cross of St. George flag is flow from all public buildings on this day; further encourages local authorities, schools, organisations and businesses also to fly the flag of England with pride; and further calls upon hon. Members to support the campaign to establish 23 April as an annual public holiday, so that all the people of England may be united in celebrating their country's proud achievements and rich history. |
| 1284 | MINIMUM PRICE FOR UNIT OF ALCOHOL | 2:4:09 |
| Chris Huhne | | Mr Don Foster | | Norman Lamb | | Paul Holmes | | Tom Brake | | Dr Evan Harris |
| That this House notes the recommendations made by the Chief Medical Officer in his Annual Report 2008 to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol; further notes evidence of a link between price and level of consumption; recognises the damage caused by alcohol misuse to individuals, families and society; further recognises the concept of `passive drinking' or the consequences of one person's drinking on another's well-being; acknowledges that alcohol misuse costs the UK economy up to £25 billion per year, including alcohol-related health and crime costs; further acknowledges that 80 per cent. of people think that more should be done to tackle alcohol abuse in society; and calls on the Government to take steps to end the deep discounting and loss-leading sales of alcohol products and to make careful consideration of the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer to implement a minimum price for alcohol as a means to do so. |
| 1285 | ALCOHOL LABELLING | 2:4:09 |
| That this House notes the recent publication of The Human Cost of Alcohol - Doctors Speak Out by the British Medical Association Scotland; recognises that those in the medical profession have a far greater understanding than most of the true extent and cost of alcohol misuse in the UK; further notes the range of recommendations made in the report to reduce excessive drinking, including steps to control price and availability and increase awareness of the amount of alcohol in drinks; further notes that, 10 years after the drinks industry introduced a voluntary code of practice for alcoholic labelling, only 3 per cent. of products were found to contain all the information required, and 43 per cent. of products contained no information at all; acknowledges previous research from the USA which found that mandatory labels on alcoholic beverages increased knowledge regarding the risks of drink-driving and drinking during pregnancy; and therefore calls on the Government to introduce legislation to make clear and consistent labelling of alcoholic products a legal requirement. |
| 1286 | SAVINGS SUMMARY BOX | 2:4:09 |
| That this House recognises that recent cuts in interest rates have led to a significant loss of income for many savers; condemns the fact that most savings statements do not clearly indicate the correct current interest rate of the account and that Bank of England interest rates have changed dramatically over the last six months, leaving many savers confused about the level of interest which they are receiving; notes that there is no technical barrier to publishing a bespoke rate; calls on the Financial Services Authority to give savers the same protection as credit card holders by mandating savings account providers to include a savings summary box in every online and paper statement; further calls on the Financial Services Authority to require that this summary box include the current bespoke interest rate, bonus rates including expiry date, penalties for withdrawal and lay out what institution the account is linked to for the purposes of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; and anticipates that this simple step will greatly improve the transparency of many savings accounts, enabling hard-pressed savers to ensure they are maximising their savings. |
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