Session 2013-14
House of Commons
4th July 2013
Notices of Motions for which no days have been fixed
('Early Day Motions')
The figure following this symbol is the number of Members who have added their names in support of the Motion, including the Member in charge of the Motion.
After an Early Day Motion (EDM) has been printed for the first time, it is only reprinted when names are added or amendments tabled; only the first six names and any names added since the last printing are included. After the week in which a Motion is first printed and the following week, added names and amendments appear only in a separate paper, Mature EDMs, distributed the next Thursday. In the meantime, they are available for inspection by Members in the Table Office and the Library or on the EDM database at edmi.parliament.uk
290 COURT OF PROTECTION AND THE INDEPENDENT'S INVESTIGATION INTO URGENT APPLICATIONS 24:6:13
3That this House congratulates The Independent on its exposure of the Government's complacency about the lack of scrutiny on out-of-hours applications to the Court of Protection; believes that as an absolute minimum statistics should be maintained as to the number of out-of-hours applications and their outcomes; recognises that such ex parte applications have the risk of creating a judicial momentum that families have difficulty in resisting; and calls for the Justice Committee to review this issue.
291 125th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MATCH WOMEN'S STRIKE 24:6:13
21That this House notes the 125th anniversary of the Match Women's Strike in July 2013; further notes the strike involved over 1,400 women who worked at the Bryant and May match factory in Bow, East London; further notes that the Match Women were on strike for three weeks against appalling working conditions, low pay and the use of white phosphorous which produced a terrible disease known as phossy jaw; further notes the support for the Match Women from Annie Besant, the radical member of the House Charles Bradlaugh and the London Trades Council amongst others, that the strike led to the creation of The Union of Women Matchworkers and that the strike led to a wave of new unionism in which general trade unions came into existence to represent unskilled and semi-skilled workers; and believes that the courage and the example set by the Match Women's Strike should be much more widely known.
292 EXECUTION OF PROFESSOR DEVINDERPAL SINGH BHULLAR 24:6:13
27That this House notes with concern the multiple injustices in the case of Professor Devinderpal Singh Bhullar and his subsequent state of mental health; further notes the recognition of these injustices, and the details of the case, by human rights groups including Amnesty International, Reprieve UK and Human Rights Watch; further notes that Professor Bhullar was sentenced to death in 1995 and that the Indian Supreme Court has declined to commute the sentence; further notes therefore the imminent execution of Professor Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, following 18 years on death row; further notes the vigil against this outside 10 Downing Street, which has now been ongoing for more than 50 days; calls on the Government to condemn the impending execution of Professor Bhullar; further calls on the President of India to show clemency and commute the death sentence of Professor Bhullar; and urges the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to prioritise this matter in discussions with the Indian government.
293 OBESITY AND THE QUALITY AND OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK 24:6:13
30That this House notes that obesity and being overweight affects almost two-thirds of the British population; further notes that the World Health Organisation has found that 44 per cent of the diabetes burden, 23 per cent of the ischaemic heart disease burden and 41 per cent of certain cancer burdens are attributable to being overweight and obese; believes that treating such conditions will impose a considerable financial burden on both the NHS and society as a whole, which the 2007 Foresight Report estimated could cost society £50 billion per year by 2050; further notes that action needs to be taken now to better incentivise primary care professionals to advise and recommend appropriate guidance and support for obese and overweight patients; welcomes the National Obesity Forum campaign to reform the GP incentives scheme, the Quality and Outcomes Framework; and calls on the Government to support this campaign in order to tackle the impending obesity epidemic.
294 PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN SUDAN 24:6:13
27That this House recognises the current persecutions of Christians in Sudan; expresses grave concern at the treatment of Christians in that country; and asks the Secretary of State for International Development to apply diplomatic pressure to see a change brought about to the policy of the government of Sudan which is leading to the removal of missionaries and the persecution of people who convert from Islam.
296 BOARDING PRACTICES OF AIRLINES 24:6:13
6That this House believes that the refusal by certain airlines to allow passengers to carry on board airport shopping, in addition to a prescribed cabin baggage allowance, departs from the accepted norm, and is both confusing for consumers and anti-competitive, taking away income from airport retailers; is concerned about how this practice negatively impacts consumer choice, restricts growth at regional airports and impacts on a business model that delivers £2 billion revenue per annum; and calls on the Department for Transport to support any measure that will protect consumer rights that have been in place for many years.
297 GROUP B STREP AWARENESS MONTH 24:6:13
27That this House supports Group B Strep Awareness Month in July 2013 and notes that this will raise much needed awareness of an infection that is recognised as the most common cause of serious infection in newborn babies; recognises that group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes septicaemia, pneumonia and meningitis, which all require intensive care and treatment; acknowledges that most of these infections could be prevented; welcomes the Government's recent commitment to better prevention of these devastating infections, including supporting research and making available better diagnostic tests for GBS within the NHS as are available in other developed countries; and congratulates Group B Strep Support for the work it does to raise awareness, improve prevention and support families affected by group B Strep.
298 MEANS TESTING OF BENEFITS 25:6:13
21That this House notes the recent statements and media coverage regarding the possible means testing of benefits; is concerned that many senior citizens who are not wealthy fear that, whatever initial level of income is regarded as a basement below which means testing is disregarded, that over time more and more middle income earners will be drawn into the net; and calls on the Government and main opposition parties to commit to protecting the incomes of senior citizens.
299 PILOT BADGER CULL PARLIAMENTARY ASSESSMENT AND VOTE 25:6:13
28That this House recognises that there have been concerns about the current pilot badger cull; notes the mixed evidence from similar schemes abroad; further notes that the response from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to Questions tabled by the hon. Member for St Albans on 19 June 2013 stated that after culling in the pilot areas has finished in 2013, the results will be evaluated and a decision taken on wider roll-out and a decision is expected to be made in early 2014 and will be reported to Parliament; and calls on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to bring this matter before the House before any decision on a wider roll-out of a pilot badger cull is taken and that such a matter should be subject to a vote of the House.
300 FLOODS IN UTTARAKHAND, INDIA 25:6:13
24That this House expresses deep sympathy and sends its heartfelt condolences to the people of Uttarakhand, India at this sad time after the devastating loss of life and destruction in the region following the terrible floods that have been taking place; commends the brave work of the rescue and emergency services, volunteers and non-governmental organisations, which are helping the injured and searching for survivors, particularly in these extremely difficult conditions; and calls on the Government to take all possible steps to offer emergency aid and assistance to the people of India.
301 £3,000 VISA BOND 26:6:13
10That this House recognises the enormous importance of family visits for weddings, funerals and other special gatherings to many UK citizens with relatives living abroad; considers that visitor visas should only be issued to those whom entry clearance officers reasonably believe will comply fully with these visa conditions and leave the UK at the end of their permitted stay; and believes that those applicants who do not satisfy this test should not be able to secure a visa by offering to provide a £3,000 financial bond, as this is to erode immigration rules and discriminate against poorer families, and expose the UK to the accusation of operating a colour-coded immigration policy.
302 BBC WORLD SERVICE IN NORTH KOREA 26:6:13
13That this House, believing that at its best the BBC World Service is a beacon of hope and a voice of freedom for the oppressed, welcomes reports that its Director, Peter Horrocks, aspires to use some of the additional funding becoming available to broadcast to North Korea, and would strongly support the introduction of such a service so that the people who are victims of the repressive regime in that country can know that they are not forgotten; and is grateful that the representations of parliamentarians and the All Party Group on North Korea to the BBC have received such a positive response.
303 PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF THE RAILWAYS 26:6:13
21That this House believes that the interests of passengers, taxpayers, rail workers and the wider economy would be best served by ending the UK's complex and fragmented system of privatised railways and introducing an integrated, publicly-owned and accountable railway.
305 FIRST WOMAN APPOINTED AS DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF SUPREME COURT 26:6:13
25That this House congratulates Lady Hale for becoming the first woman to be named deputy president of the Supreme Court; notes that only 22 per cent of the judiciary are female with only an eight per cent increase over a 10 year period; further notes that she is the most senior female judge in British legal history; further notes that it is a good start and that there should be many more; and calls on the Government to ensure that she is the first of many.
306 ETHNIC CLEANSING OF BEDOUIN PEOPLE IN ISRAEL 26:6:13
19That this House condemns the vote by the government of Israel on the First Reading of the Prawer Plan which provides a blueprint for the removal of 40,000 Bedouin people from their ancestral homeland; regards such a decision to be ethnic cleansing and contrary to international law; and calls on the Government to make immediate representations to the government of Israel, and to seek the support of member states of the European Union, the United States and the United Nations in putting pressure on Israel not to proceed with an act of gross violation of the rights of a significant number of those whom it has a legal responsibility to protect.
308 DISAPPEARANCES IN MEXICO (No. 2) 26:6:13
21That this House is very concerned about the phenomenon of disappearances and enforced disappearances in Mexico, with figures from the Mexican government reporting more than 26,000 people missing or disappeared between 2006 and 2012, as highlighted in Amnesty International's report in June 2013; commends the government of Enrique Pena Nieto for taking positive steps to recognise the scale of disappearances during the last administration and to improve the search for victims; notes, however, that federal legislation criminalising enforced disappearance falls short of international law and standards; further notes that despite considerable evidence of the involvement of municipal, state and federal authorities in enforced disappearances, there have only been two successful federal prosecutions for enforced disappearance between 2006 and January 2012; is appalled that relatives of the disappeared are frequently told by police and prosecutors to stop making enquiries, and threatened to discourage them from seeking truth and justice; further notes the case of 25-year-old Lieutenant Miguel Orlando Munoz Guzman, last seen within the premises of the 26th Battalion of Ciuadad Juarez, Chihuahua, on 8 May 1993, and the lack of an effective investigation into his disappearance, with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights finding a pattern of irregularities in this case directly attributable to Lieutenant Munoz Guzman's battalion; and calls on the Government to raise Lieutenant Munoz Guzman's case, as well as the need for an effective legislative framework and an accessible nationwide rapid search mechanism, with the Mexican government, and to offer any relevant assistance.
309 ATTACKS ON MEDIA FREEDOMS IN TURKEY 26:6:13
24That this House condemns the continuous targeting of journalists and media organisations in Turkey following the recent police raids on the residences of journalists working for the daily newspaper Atilim, Özgür Radio and Etkin News Agency; notes the growing concerns over the increasing state control of media organisations by the censoring body, RTÜK, the Supreme Board of Radio and Television, which has threatened to impose fines on television channels that are critical of the government, including Ulusal Channel, Halk TV, Hayat TV and Cem TV; is concerned by reports that that government is planning a draft law to regulate the use of social media following the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's claim that the social media is a threat to society; further notes that Article 26 and Article 34 of the Turkish Constitution also guarantees the citizen's rights to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration; further notes that the Turkish government is also bound by its international obligations such as the European Convention on Human Rights (Article 10 on freedom of expression and Article 11 on freedom of assembly) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 19 on freedom of expression and Article 20 on freedom of assembly); and therefore supports the call of the National Union of Journalists and European Federation of Journalists for the British Government to make representations to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stressing the need to respect the right of journalists to freedom of expression guaranteed by European and International law.
310 ALI AARRASS 26:6:13
16That this House commends the diplomatic mission at the Belgian Embassy in London for receiving on 18 June 2013 the sister of the torture victim and Belgian-Moroccan national Ali Aarrass and a delegation representing concerned British lawyers, human rights activists and academic experts on torture; notes the significance of the report by UN Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez which strongly supports the statement made by Ali Aarrass that he was severely tortured in Morocco and that his conviction there was based solely on torture evidence and that he continues to face reprisals, threats and intimidation in prison following his meeting with Mr Mendez; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Belgian government to build on the example set by its diplomatic staff by agreeing to meet Ali Aarrass' family and to demonstrate, furthermore, its commitment to the international obligation to prevent torture, not least by visiting Ali Aarrass in prison in Morocco as a matter of urgency.
312 JUNK FOOD IN HOSPITALS 27:6:13
17That this House welcomes the motion passed overwhelmingly at the British Medical Association’s annual meeting in Edinburgh on 27 June 2013 to ban the sale of all junk foods in hospitals; backs the campaign by Dr Aseem Malhotra and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, representing the UK’s 220,000 doctors professionally, urging hospitals to sell only healthy products; notes that there has been a four-fold increase in the number of children and teenagers admitted to hospital for obesity-related conditions in the last decade and that hospitals should set an example; and calls on the Department of Health to issues guidelines prohibiting the sale of junk food and fast food franchises in hospitals.
313 MILLWALL SHIRT SPONSORSHIP AND PROSTATE CANCER UK 27:6:13
20That this House congratulates Millwall Football Club for choosing to donate the sponsorship of its shirts to Prostate Cancer UK, the leading charity working with men affected by prostate cancer; acknowledges that Millwall chose to donate the value of its shirt sponsorship with the welfare of its fans foremost in its mind and that it was for these reasons that it chose not to negotiate with any companies from the payday loan industry; notes that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with 40,000 men diagnosed each year in the UK, and that it is set to be the most common cancer by 2030; further notes with sadness that 10,000 men die from the disease each year; further congratulates Prostate Cancer UK on the work it does to help more men survive prostate cancer and enjoy a better quality of life by providing information and support to individuals, funding research and leading change to raise awareness and improve care; and further congratulates Millwall FC for taking this important lead in helping to promote the charity and raising awareness of this disease to help save more lives.
314 ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW 2013 1:7:13
5That this House congratulates the Royal Highland Show 2013 on its success; notes that the show attracted 170,000 people, an increase of 9,500 on last year; further notes that 25,000 children were amongst those who attended; recognises the work of the show and the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) in engaging and educating children about Scottish agriculture and related industries; welcomes the addition of renewable energy as a part of the show for the second year running; and thanks the RHASS for all of its efforts in showcasing the very best of what Scotland has to offer at the annual Royal Highland Show.
316 COLOMBIAN PEACE PROCESS 1:7:13
23That this House welcomes the visit of the Colombian Congressional Commission for Peace to London; wishes to express its support for the peace process between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas; calls on the Government to support the international call for increased participation of Colombian civil society in the Colombian peace process; regrets the continuing humanitarian crisis in Colombia; notes that despite the peace dialogue taking place in Havana, hostilities carry on in Colombia resulting in continuing numbers of people being killed and internally displaced; and further calls on the Government to support international calls for a bilateral ceasefire in Colombia and to support civil society requests for the Colombian government and the ELN to also engage in peace talks.
317 BUZZ THE LITTLE HONEY BEE PUBLICATION ON BEES AND BIODIVERSITY 1:7:13
40That this House congratulates the children of Merthyr Tydfil on the publication of their book Buzz The Little Honey Bee, raising awareness of the need for positive actions to protect the future of honey bees, joining with Merthyr Tydfil District Naturalists' Society in the European-wide Bees and Biodiversity Project and showing the need for governments to take co-ordinated action to protect bees; and therefore calls on the Government to follow the children's lead by recognising more fully the economic, environmental and cultural importance of the honey bee with scientists, farmers and agriculturalists, the chemical industries, naturalists, manufactured food producers, food retailers and others to ensure all positive actions are taken to protect bees now and in the future.
318 ACCESSION OF CROATIA TO THE EU 1:7:13
9That this House welcomes the enlargement of the European Union with Croatia's accession as the 28th member state; acknowledges that two-thirds of the Croatian population voted in favour of this accession in 2012; notes that Croatia is a country of rich cultural heritage, bringing to Europe additional diversity and a new language; further notes that this will provide a more diverse labour market and has the potential to create 300,000 jobs across EU member states; and urges the Government to do all it can to ensure that Croatia becomes a productive and successful EU member state.
319 MARKETING ON MATERNITY WARDS 1:7:13
27That this House notes with concern the interruption of new mothers in NHS maternity wards by sales representatives; expresses concern that these representatives pass on advertising material during this time, that, more worringly, they extract data from these new mothers in order to sell it on to third parties and that sales representatives' motivation is unclear, with many new mothers believing they are giving their details to an official from the NHS; further notes that this confusion is compounded by the fact that HM Revenue and Customs pays Bounty £90,000 annually to distribute child benefit forms in their 812,000 baby bags, the information from which is sold on to third parties; further expresses concern that the NHS receives £2.3 million annually in fees and equipment from Bounty for access to maternity wards; highlights a recent Mumsnet survey which showed that over half of new mothers felt the Bounty sales representative invaded their privacy; further expresses concern that new mothers are taken advantage of by these practices during a vulnerable time; further highlights that Bounty baby bags and other marketing materials, such as Emily's Diary, validated by the Royal College of General Practitioners, which offers gift packs in exchange for personal data, implies the approval of these products and practices by NHS doctors, radiographers and midwives; condemns the commercialisation of the NHS maternity ward; congratulates Poole NHS Hospital Trust for cancelling its contract with Bounty; and calls on the Government to stop allowing sales representatives on to all maternity wards, to ensure that materials handed to new parents at this time are informative without advertisement and to forbid the selling of data acquired at this time being sold on to third parties.
322 PUPIL PREMIUM ELIGIBILITY AND FREE SCHOOL MEALS 1:7:13
11That this House welcomes the introduction of the pupil premium to help support disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap; notes that pupil premium funding is allocated to schools on the basis of students who have been eligible for free school meals in the past six years; further notes that, according to the Children's Society, approximately 700,000 children living in poverty as defined by the Government do not meet the eligibility criteria for free school meals because their parents are working yet receiving low wages; believes that as a consequence of the current eligibility criteria schools in rural areas with the lowest wages in the country are not receiving funding on the scale that they should; therefore urges the Government to make the pupil premium available to all children living within its own definition of child poverty or to all those whose parents will receive universal credit when it is introduced later this year; and further notes that this could be achieved at no greater cost than what has already been budgeted, if the value of the pupil premium remained at this year's level.
324 REFORM OF CIVIL LEGAL AID 1:7:13
54That this House believes access to justice is a hallmark of a civilised society; further believes that the Government's proposed reforms to civil legal aid will severely limit the ability for many to access the justice system; is deeply concerned by plans to introduce a residence test for civil legal aid, which will remove legal support for many vulnerable groups including victims of human trafficking and domestic violence; notes that the residence test will also prevent many cases being brought against the Government when it is accused of wrongdoing abroad; further notes that the majority of individuals held in immigration detention will be left without support to challenge their continued detention; regrets the effect the proposed reforms to judicial review will have on the ability of individuals to hold public bodies to account; further believes that the proposals relating to prison law will effectively mean that justice stops at the prison gate; and calls on the Government to abandon its proposed reforms of civil legal aid immediately.
325 TESCO 1:7:13
6That this House is disappointed at the treatment of Tesco distribution centre workers in Harlow; notes that Tesco’s UK and Ireland Distribution Director Steve Strachota tweeted that - five depots closing and three new ones ready to go. Awesome teamwork, courageous leadership, a bit of luck. #worldclass - which was seen by many Harlow Tesco workers and their families; further notes that this decision lost 800 workers in Harlow their jobs, many of whom have given over 20 years of loyal service to Tesco; and therefore urges Tesco to condemn this tweet and recognise the upset that this has caused to Harlow workers.
326 WOMEN ON BANKNOTES 1:7:13
15That this House welcomes and supports the petition Bank of England: Keep a woman on English banknotes; is concerned at the Bank of England's decision to remove Elizabeth Fry from the five pound note; notes that Elizabeth Fry is currently the only female honoured in this way and the second one ever after Florence Nightingale; further notes that there is a range of alternative national female figures that could be considered for such recognition; further notes that women make up over 50 per cent of the population and should therefore be represented on at least 50 per cent of banknotes; and calls on the Government to support equal representation and recognition of women across all spheres of public life.
327 UNIVERSAL CREDIT PILOTS 1:7:13
23That this House notes the start of universal credit pilots in April 2013; further notes that almost one million young people are unemployed and increasing numbers of people in work are underemployed; believes that the introduction of conditionality for those in work, who formerly claimed tax credit and stricter sanctions for those out of work at this time are cruel, ineffective, unnecessary and discriminatory; is concerned that the Government’s preferred option of online claiming discriminates against two of the groups most likely to be entitled to elements of universal credit - those with disabilities and those on low incomes; further believes that the Government target of 80 per cent of universal credit being claimed online is unrealistic due to internet poverty and computer illiteracy; and calls on the Government to rethink universal credit and develop an approach based on creating jobs and supporting people into those jobs, as opposed to punishing them for not being able to find jobs.
328 THE ROYAL INSTITUTION 1:7:13
9That this House notes the anonymous donor who provided £4.4 million towards the Royal Institution's (RI) debts and prevented the immediate sale of 21 Albemarle Street, which provided time to develop a new strategy for the RI; further notes that this was the workplace of Sir Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday and other leading British scientists; further notes that this is the place where 10 elements were discovered and where Michael Faraday first demonstrated the power of electricity; is concerned that the RI, which is a focus for children's first experience in science particularly with the Christmas lectures founded by Michael Faraday in 1825, may be lost; welcomes the fact that interest in science is on the increase among girls and boys; and calls on the Government to continue to ensure that the RI's legacy of Britain's contribution to science continues and remains in the building at 21 Albemarle Street as the place for discovery, innovation, inspiration and imagination.
329 BILL OF RIGHTS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND 1:7:13
8That this House believes that there should be a legally enforceable Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland; recognises that such a rights-based framework would enshrine fundamental protections and freedoms for everyone while promoting equality across society; is concerned that 15 years after the Good Friday Agreement the Government has not fulfilled its commitment to provide a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland; recognises that a Bill of Rights is a central part of Northern Ireland's internationally-recognised peace agreement and is central to the creation of a truly shared society in Northern Ireland; notes that an IPSOS/MORI poll showed that supporters of all the main parties were 80 per cent in favour of a Bill of Rights; and urges the Government to meet its obligation to introduce a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland and complete the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
330 SINGLE EUROPEAN SKY AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS 1:7:13
18That this House is concerned that the European Commission is planning legislative changes to implement Single European Sky (SES) 2+ for 2020; notes that the changes will result in a loss of air traffic control staff and operations' centres across the EU; further notes that legislative changes will result in poorer service quality, delays to passengers, poorer safety and could result in the UK relinquishing control over its own sovereign civil and military airspace; and calls on the Government to put pressure on the European Commission to engage constructively with air traffic management staff and ensure that changes under SES will not result in air traffic management staff being cut and so that the UK will be able to retain the ability to control its own airspace.
332 BATTLE OF THE SOMME ANNIVERSARY 2:7:13
5That this House, on the anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916, commemorates the courage and bravery of the 36th Ulster Division who wrote their names in the annals of history forever; and remembers with gratitude the legacy that they left for everyone in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
335 RAISING AWARENESS OF DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY 2:7:13
18That this House congratulates Craig Walter, who lives in Wakefield and has had Duchenne muscular dystrophy since birth, on his drive to raise money for, and awareness about, the Martin House Children's Hospice and muscular dystrophy campaign; notes that Craig will undertake, with two carers, a journey of 2,366 miles around the UK which will include visiting John O'Groats, Aberystwyth, Land's End and Great Yarmouth, and that he will drive his wheelchair the equivalent distance of a half marathon and that this culminates in a reception in Parliament on 16 July 2013; further notes that his aim is to collect stories from people living with muscular dystrophy about their experiences and the quality of care in their area; and hopes that this will help highlight the issue of inconsistent care for people with muscular dystrophy in the UK.
336 CROSSRAIL STEP-FREE ACCESS 2:7:13
5That this House strongly welcomes the construction of Crossrail but notes with concern that seven stations on the new Crossrail line, Seven Kings, Manor Park, Maryland, Hanwell, Langley, Iver and Taplow are not planned to be step-free to platforms; notes that despite the assurances given by the Mayor of London (MoL) to the London Assembly on 14 March 2012 that full disabled access will be a facility at each of the Crossrail stations in Redbridge, no estimates have been made of the costs and benefits and no plans put forward by the MoL or Transport for London (TfL) to introduce step-free access at Seven Kings station; calls on the Government and TfL to ensure that funding is made available urgently to ensure step-free access at Seven Kings; considers that the lack of planned step-free access on parts of Crossrail undermines the Government's aim that by 2025, disabled people have access to transportation on an equal basis with others; believes that in the context of an ageing population, the benefits of accessible transport to disabled and older transport users, parents and non-disabled transport users outweigh the costs of installing lifts; further believes that the exclusion of disabled and older passengers from their local Crossrail station contributes to the marginalisation of disabled and older people in public life; and further calls on the Government, Network Rail and TfL to make Crossrail a truly accessible rail line.
337 BOW MATCH WOMEN'S STRIKE OF 1888 2:7:13
56That this House welcomes the first Match Women's Festival being held in London on 6 July 2013 to mark the 125 years since the 1888 strike by 1,400 mainly women workers at the Bryant and May factory in the Bow area of East London; notes modern research by the historian Louise Raw that proves that the strike was instigated, organised and led independently by the match women themselves and then supported by others, after many years of dangerous working conditions, poverty wages and bullying by the match women's employers; further notes that the match women's strike in 1888 led directly to the Great Dock Strike of 1889 in the same part of London and, therefore, set in train the historic events from which the Labour Party was created in 1900; and believes that the match women's victory was also an inspiration to the Suffragette movement and for all those campaigning for equality today, especially on issues such as violence against women.
338 CHILD PROTECTION AND THE REACH CAMPAIGN 2:7:13
10That this House recognises that every child has the right to be safe; condemns the lack of protection offered to vulnerable children, which demonstrates the need for a wider change in culture when all agencies respond to children who appear to be out of control or at risk, not least because of the proven link between running away and child sexual exploitation; calls on the Government to increase pressure for greater collaboration between the police, health and social services, local authorities and third sector specialists to provide a multi-agency response and swifter support in respect of child protection, which, in these times of tighter budgets, will allow for more joined-up and efficient working, resulting in larger savings for all parties, such as the Reach model proposed by the children's charity Railway Children; and believes that this model effectively brings together a range of interventions for young runaways that are personalised to stop risk factors from escalating with a recent evaluation showing proven success in the Sheffield area.
339 PUBLIC SECTOR INVESTMENTS IN TOBACCO FIRMS 2:7:13
26That this House notes with concern that English local authorities, which took over public health functions from the NHS in April, invest over £1.6 billion in tobacco firms such as British American Tobacco and Philip Morris through their pension funds; further notes that smoking causes more preventable deaths than anything else, nearly 80,000 in England during 2011; believes that these investments run counter to the duty given to each council to improve the health of people in its area under the Health and Social Care Act 2012; welcomes Public Health England's call for councils to divest from tobacco as part of their commitments under the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; urges local authority pension fund managers to review their tobacco investments in light of ethical concerns and the high-risk nature of tobacco investments; calls on the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health to send a letter to each English council leader urging them to divest from tobacco firms; and further calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to prohibit public sector organisations from investing directly in tobacco companies, in order to meet the letter and spirit of the UK commitment to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
340 TERMINATION OF MONEY TRANSFER SERVICE BANK ACCOUNTS 2:7:13
10That this House notes the concerns expressed by the United Nations Secretary General’s Co-ordinator for Somalia over the termination of bank accounts of money transfer service companies by high street banks, such as Barclays; recognises the importance of remittances by family members in the UK to dependent relatives in some of the poorest countries in the world; and deplores the way in which the banks withdrew from this service which will exacerbate poverty, undermine the work of international aid agencies and result in the closure of many legitimate UK money transfer businesses.
341 PAYDAY LOANS 2:7:13
9That this House welcomes the belated decision to refer the payday loans market to the Competition Commission; is concerned about the expansion of the market, now worth an estimated £2 billion a year; regrets that the investigation may take 18 months; notes that the major player, Wonga, has recently raised interest rates to more than 5,000 per cent APR; is conscious that this market depends on the exploitation of families’ poverty; and condemns the failure of the Government to properly regulate the payday loan market and to cap interest rates.
343 ENERGY EFFICIENCY FAILURE 2:7:13
6That this House is concerned that, five months after the launch of the Government’s Green Deal, not a single household in Britain has completed the process of making their home more energy-efficient under the scheme; notes that, of all the cash back payments, 99 per cent. were for boiler upgrades; recalls that in 2012 the Climate Minister claimed that eight million solid wall homes had no affordable solution to insulation and that the Green Deal would change that; laments the failure of the scheme; and concludes that the general public are not convinced by the financing model or the Government’s commitment to energy-saving measures.
346 HEWLETT PACKARD JOBS AND THE DWP EMPLOYMENT SERVICE PROGRAMME 2:7:13
10That this House is concerned that Hewlett Packard (HP) Enterprise Services is making redundant 124 skilled and experienced staff in Sheffield who provide specialist IT services to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) employment service programmes; notes that the Sheffield jobs are being relocated to Cobalt in the North-East of England and Erskine in Scotland and that staff wishing to apply for redeployment have not been offered relocation packages; is deeply troubled that HP is relocating some of these jobs in return for a £7 million regional selective assistance grant from the Scottish Government for delivering new jobs in Scotland; notes the potential for multinational companies to use taxpayers' money to maximise their profits and minimise wage costs; while exploiting the political situation in advance of the vote on independence; is concerned that these jobs are being relocated with no apparent thought given to the consequences for the delivery of vital public services; urges HP to keep the highly skilled and experienced staff in Sheffield; and urges Ministers to exert what pressure they can to ensure that this happens, particularly at a time of massive change in the DWP work and delivery of new systems.
347 UK CAMPAIGN OVER INTERNET ADVERTISING 3:7:13
6That this House welcomes the UK online campaign to promote greater awareness and consumer control over advertising on websites; supports the EU-wide self-regulation of targeted advertising and its evolution that makes this a reality; notes that internet advertising plays a significant role in helping to fund online content, services and applications and plays an important contribution to the UK's digital economy; and calls on the Government to ensure that a proportionate balance is met between fostering innovation and safeguarding consumer privacy to ensure this UK success story continues.
348 HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE GAMBIA 3:7:13
8That this House commends Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh, Coordinator of the Coalition for Change Gambia, for his unceasing non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights and democracy in The Gambia; condemns his arrest and sentencing to life in jail by The Gambia government for printing T-shirts; applauds Rev Jesse Jackson for his intervention to secure his release; expresses its solidarity with the people of The Gambia in light of the reported human rights abuses being committed in their country; is horrified that arbitrary arrests, torture, detention without trials and enforced disappearances are a daily reality in The Gambia; urges the Gambian government to uphold the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to release immediately all prisoners of conscience; recognises the commitment of the British High Commission in The Gambia in supporting human rights; further expresses concern over the recent withdrawals of the Gambia government from the EU Article Political Dialogue; further urges the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to put an end to impunity in The Gambia; calls on the Government to lead an international effort in the UN to secure a resolution against Africa's most repressive nation and to put The Gambia's horrific human rights record at the centre of the international agenda; and further calls on the Government to exclude from the UK and freeze assets of those Gambian officials involved in gross human rights violations in The Gambia.
349 REPEAT ABORTIONS 3:7:13
4That this House endorses the views of Lord Steel of Aikwood expressed in the House of Lords on 6 June 2013 that the use by some women of abortion as a form of contraception is thoroughly undesirable; is concerned that the Minister confirmed in answer to Lord Steel's question that 36 per cent of abortions in England and Wales are now performed on women who have had one or more previous abortions; is profoundly alarmed to learn that some women have had as many as eight abortions and recalls with profound regret that 6.2 million abortions have taken place since 1968 and that in the last eight years, fewer than 10 in total have been emergency cases where a life was at risk; believes that the way the Abortion Act 1967 is today enforced is far from the intentions of those who supported its enactment; invites the Secretary of State for Health to look again at the lack of counselling that is given to women presenting with pregnancies to ensure they are fully aware of the options open to them and are encouraged to give serious consideration to the choices they make; and calls on the police and inspection authorities to ensure that the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967 are properly enforced and, where breaches are identified, that prosecutions are brought.
350 TRANSLATION OF BIBLE INTO WELSH 3:7:13
3That this House pays tribute to the role of Humphrey Lhuyd, MP for Denbigh who in 1563 campaigned to secure an Act which led to the translation of the Bible and Book of Common Prayer into Welsh; celebrates the role this played in supporting Welsh culture and language; and offers its support to the National Eisteddfod which this year, on the 450 year anniversary since the passing of the Act, will be held in Mr Lhuyd's home town of Denbigh when between 2 and 10 August 2013 thousands of people will attend and enjoy a wonderful mix of Welsh music, literature, culture, dance and theatre.
352 VOTING FRAUD 4:7:13
2That this House notes that voting fraud hugely increased as a result of the introduction of postal voting on demand; further notes that, despite some tightening up of the system, postal voting on demand still renders voters liable to intimidation and the end of the secrecy of the ballot; further notes that individual voter registration will not address this fundamental flaw in postal voting on demand but will lead to many less well-off and less-educated voters falling off the register; believes that individual voter registration will lead to a serious decline in voter registration and should be abandoned; and further believes that it is postal voting on demand which is undermining the integrity of the electoral system, that there is no evidence it increases overall turnout and that it should be abandoned.
353 UK MUSIC SKILLS ACADEMY 4:7:13
4That this House welcomes the launch of the UK Music Skills Academy (UKMSA) as an innovative initiative to tackle skills, education and training issues in the music industry; supports the UKMSA's objectives to create a national network of high quality music education partners, improve routes into industry through apprenticeships and mentoring, ensure that young people have access to careers advice that is industry-relevant, professionalise training for those already working in the sector, nurture grassroots talent via the UK Music Rehearsal Spaces scheme and improve equality and diversity across the industry; notes that the UKMSA is not a physical building but a national network of people, businesses, education institutions and organisations committed to skills and training to support the next generation of talent; and calls on the Government to endorse the example shown by the music sector towards skills to the rest of the creative sector.
354 LIZZIE ARMITSTEAD AND HER ACHIEVEMENTS IN CYCLING 4:7:13
1That this House recognises Lizzie Armitstead, from Otley, in Yorkshire for her victory in the British National Road Race Championships in Glasgow on 23 June 2013; acknowledges her remarkable success already including winning the silver medal in the road race at the 2012 Summer Olympics and winning a total of five medals at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in 2009 and 2010; commends her work building stronger communities and improving the lives of young people through her work as an ambassador for the charity Sported and through other charitable ventures; and believes that she will continue to serve as a role model to inspire people to take up cycling, especially in the run up to Le Grand Depart of the Tour de France 2014 taking place in Yorkshire, which includes starting in Leeds and progressing through Otley, a renowned cycling town due to the annual Otley cycle races and the work of the Otley Cycle Club and Otley Sportive.
355 FINANCIAL TRANSACTION TAX 4:7:13
1That this House supports the Robin Hood tax campaign which calls for the introduction of a financial transaction tax; notes that by taking an average of 0.05 per cent from speculative banking transactions, hundreds of billions of pounds could be raised every year to tackle poverty and climate change, at home and abroad; believes that banks, which had a large role in causing the economic crisis, should do more than just pay back the bailouts or insure against future crises; further believes that a Robin Hood tax would be an effective and popular response, with a poll last year finding 76 per cent of respondents were in support of the Robin Hood tax; commends the work of all those organisations backing this campaign who have mobilised their supporters to increase the pressure for such change; further believes that this tax is an idea that has come of age; is disappointed at the EU proposal to channel funds raised directly into the general EU budget without consideration for development and aid; and urges the Government to do all that is possible to ensure that the Robin Hood tax becomes a reality.
356 RWANDAN ARMY OFFICERS AND M23 MILITIA GANG 4:7:13
2That this House is outraged by findings in the United Nations Group of Experts interim report to the Security Council's Congo sanctions committee, which concludes that military officers from Rwanda continue to fuel violence in eastern Congo; notes that a group of Rwandan students have sought asylum in Uganda, saying they are the victims of harassment by security officials back home for refusing to join the M23 militia gang; is deeply disappointed by the news that elements of the Congolese military have co-operated with a Rwandan Hutu refugee rebel group against Kigali's M23 which the Group says is making around $180,000 a month from illicit taxes; further notes that since the outset of its current mandate, the group has to date found no indication of support to the rebels from within Uganda; applauds the Group of Experts for their groundbreaking work in Congo; supports Save the Congo's call to all major aid donors to cease all financial and military support to both Kinshasa and Kigali until all support to negative forces tyrannising Congo ends; and calls on the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to fully examine Britain's relationship with both the Kagame and Kabila regime and report to the House on this matter on the earliest possible occasion.
357 MASS KILLINGS IN THE PANJAAB REGION OF INDIA 4:7:13
2That this House takes serious note of the revelations made by Sub-Inspector Surjeet Singh of the Punjab Police, as widely published in the media, that there was a systematic practice conducted in Punjab of killings by fake encounters; notes that such actions involved the mass killing of innocent civilians during the 1984 to 1995 period, in Panjaab, of widespread killings of male Sikhs, labelled as terrorists; further notes that these fake encounter practices form one part of the multiple human rights abuses that afflicted the Panjaab region between 1984 and 1995 alongside torture, disappearances, random detention and incarcerations, police intimidation and harassment, as widely documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Asian Centre for Human Rights (New Delhi), Punjab Human Rights Organisation (Panjaab) and others; believes this was a tragic and horrifying period of human rights atrocities directed at the people of Panjaab; and supports calls for an international commission of inquiry into this unresolved, hidden crime against humanity, in order to restore justice, reconciliation and progress in Panjaab.
358 G4S AND PALESTINIAN PRISONERS 4:7:13
1That this House condemns G4S for providing services to Israeli prisons to which Palestinian prisoners are illegally transferred in serious violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and also, in the case of child prisoners, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; further condemns G4S for being associated with treatment of Palestinian prisoners, including children, who are routinely subjected to violence and inhumane treatment at G4S-serviced prisons in Israel and Palestine; and urges the Government not to renew any contracts with G4S while it continues to support Israel in its breach of human rights, UN resolutions, international law and the Geneva Convention.
359 FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF CALSHOT ACTIVITIES CENTRE 4:7:13
22That this House congratulates Calshot Activities Centre, on the Solent, for its 50 years of training, education, recreation and adventure courses provided to tens of thousands of children and adults from Hampshire and beyond; notes that its outstanding facilities include skiing, climbing, sailing, canoeing and velodrome cycling; believes that its character-building work is a fitting successor to Calshot's historic role as home to Royal Air Force flying boat squadrons, Schneider Trophy contests and Royal Air Force High Speed Flight attempts on the world speed record; welcomes the vital support it receives from Hampshire County Council; and, accordingly, wishes all present and former participants, instructors, staff and supporters a successful week of 50th anniversary celebrations in July 2013.
360 HM GUIDE TO MORECAMBE SANDS 4:7:13
1That this House notes that the sands at Morecambe Bay can be a dangerous place without correct supervision; further notes that there have been two major rescues from the sands in the month of June 2013; further notes that Her Majesty's Guide to the Sands is Cedric Robinson MBE; and urges anyone who wishes to cross the sands to contact Cedric and participate in one of his guided tours to ensure that those wishing to cross the sands do so safely.
361 EUROPEAN REFERENDUM 4:7:13
1That this House notes that the hon. Member for Stockton South will shortly present a Bill to Parliament which will ask for a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU before 31 December 2017; further notes that the EU has created a lot of red tape in the UK and other member states with unnecessary laws; and urges the whole House to support this Bill to allow the people to decide.
362 SENIOR COURTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES (S. I., 2013, No. 1412) 4:7:13
6That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2013 (S.I., 2013, No. 1412), dated 4 June 2013, a copy of which was laid before this House on 10 June, be annulled.