Session 2013-14
House of Commons
10th 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
316 COLOMBIAN PEACE PROCESS 1:7:13
27That 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
66That 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.
319 MARKETING ON MATERNITY WARDS 1:7:13
44That 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.
As an Amendment to John Robertson's proposed Motion (Marketing On Maternity Wards):
1Line1, leave out from 'notes' to end and add 'that pregnant women, new mothers and their families require access to information, advice and support; welcomes the provision of 2.6 million free pregnancy and newborn guides containing essential health information, including public health advice from the Department of Health, to all pregnant women and new mothers through Bounty parenting club packs; notes that Bounty packs reach 96 per cent of new mothers across the UK; further notes that 81 per cent of Bounty members have a household income of under £50,000; further welcomes the fact that 82 per cent of all UK child benefit is paid as a result of the forms distributed through Bounty packs; highlights that the distribution of child benefit forms through Bounty packs costs the taxpayer 10 pence per form compared to 33 pence per form through the post; further welcomes the partnership between NHS trusts, healthcare professionals and Bounty in working together to provide patient-centred care to pregnant women and new mothers; further highlights that criticism of Bounty has been led by its commercial competitor Mumsnet; and urges the Government to continue supporting parenting clubs such as Bounty, Emma's Diary by the Royal College of General Practitioners and Baby and You by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which offer an essential and valuable source of advice and information to women and their families.'. 10:7:13(a1)
324 REFORM OF CIVIL LEGAL AID 1:7:13
62That 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
9That 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
20That 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
31That 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.
329 BILL OF RIGHTS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND 1:7:13
13That 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
22That 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
11That 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
24That 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
11That 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
83That 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
16That 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
28That 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
13That 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
18That 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.
346 HEWLETT PACKARD JOBS AND THE DWP EMPLOYMENT SERVICE PROGRAMME 2:7:13
16That 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
12That 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
20That 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
16That 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
16That 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
5That 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
23That 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
6That 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
17That 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
9That 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
12That 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
11That 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.
363 BODY MASS INDEX TYPE-2 DIABETES REVISION 5:7:13
18That this House welcomes the new National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines revising the thresholds for healthy Body Mass Index for British Asians; notes that the point at which the level of body fat becomes risky to health varies between ethnic groups and that people from black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups are at a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes than white Europeans; recognises that people of South Asian descent are up to six times more likely to develop type-2 diabetes; further notes that the new lower thresholds to indicate increased risk of type-2 diabetes are that a 5ft 11in (1.8m) Asian man should weigh below 11st 11lb (75kg) and an Asian woman who is 5ft 3in (1.6m) should weigh less than 9st 4lb (59kg); and calls on the Department of Health to commission further research to determine revised BMI figures for other weight-related diseases.
364 ANDY MURRAY 8:7:13
22That this House congratulates Andy Murray on becoming the first player from the UK to win Gentlemen's Singles Wimbledon Championship for 77 years; recognises the enormous dedication, commitment and determination he has displayed throughout his career; notes the excellent support of his brilliant team; and wishes to extend the gratitude of the whole nation in firmly establishing the Great in Britain for all tennis lovers.
365 ANDY MURRAY (No. 2) 8:7:13
14That this House congratulates Andy Murray on his victory in the men's singles final at Wimbledon, a truly phenomenal feat; recognises him as the first Briton since 1936 and the first Scot in 117 years to win the men's championship at Wimbledon; further congratulates him on being an inspiration to young tennis players; pays tribute to him and his support team; looks forward to him thrilling his tennis fans for years to come; and believes that he should join the long list of sporting greats by being awarded the honour of a knighthood.
366 RATE OF TRANSPLANTATION FOR PEOPLE WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS 8:7:13
25That this House recognises Cystic Fibrosis week, 24 to 29 June 2013; notes that up to 30 per cent of people with cystic fibrosis on the lung transplant list will not receive one and will die waiting; further notes that although new treatments and better clinical care are helping people with cystic fibrosis live longer, most people will suffer irreparable decline in lung function and the only treatment option to prolong life significantly is a lung transplant; further recognises that there are currently around 80 people with cystic fibrosis awaiting a heart or lung transplant in the UK; welcomes the Cystic Fibrosis Trust's consultation to gather the views of stakeholders and highlight specific issues affecting transplantation for people with cystic fibrosis; and supports the call for all patients, family members, clinicians and transplant organisations to take part in the consultation to ensure that all those who are suitable for a lung transplant receive one and that those who do receive a transplant have the best possible outcomes.
367 NORTHWOOD FOREST HILLS - URBAN FOREST OF THE YEAR 2013 8:7:13
7That this House congratulates Knowsley's achievement in securing the Best Urban Forestry award at the Excellence in Forestry Awards 2013; notes that the Best Urban Forestry award provides external recognition for the significant improvements to green spaces in Northwood; further notes the qualitative improvements made, the strong and effective partnership between the Council and The Mersey Forest and the fantastic efforts of local residents and volunteers; further notes the transformation of Forest Hills from an overgrown and little-used green space on the edge of Northwood to a delightful wooded green space with a mosaic of water, wetland features, grasslands and wildflower meadows; and praises the excellent involvement of the local community and their local ownership of the new woodland.
368 GLOBAL MALALA DAY 8:7:13
20That this House reiterates its condemnation of the cowardly and cruel shooting of Malala Yousafzai and her two friends in Pakistan in October 2012; notes that Malala was targeted for her courage in campaigning against the Taliban and for education as a basic right for girls; further notes that over 60 million children across the world are denied the right to education; commends staff at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital for their successful treatment of Malala and her recovery from her injuries; further commends Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign to end gender discrimination in education; congratulates Malala on leading the first ever youth takeover of the United Nations General Assembly in New York city on 12 July 2013, her 16th birthday; welcomes 12 July as Global Malala Day; and wishes Malala the very best on her 16th birthday.
369 COVENTRY CITY FOOTBALL CLUB 8:7:13
17That this House notes the long-running dispute between Coventry City Football Club and the owners of the Ricoh Arena, Arena Coventry Ltd (ACL), over stadium rent, match-day revenues and stadium ownership; further notes that Sisu, the club's owners, have been looking at options for a new stadium; recognises that the club has been in administration after being taken to court by ACL and that the Ricoh Arena ended negotiations in May 2013; further notes the proposed sale of the club by the administrator to Otium Entertainment Group Ltd; understands that the club is considering hiring Northampton's ground for home games; expresses dismay at the possibility of Coventry City Football Club playing home games outside Coventry; further notes that the Minister of State for Sport and Tourism said in an adjournment debate that he would be happy to intervene in this matter at a stage at which his intervention might be helpful, 12 March 2013, Official Report, column 67WH and believes that this time has come; and, given that all parties have taken up entrenched positions, calls on the Sports and Tourism Minister to convene an urgent meeting between the club, ACL, Coventry City Council, which half owns ACL, and the Football League to negotiate an interim arrangement to enable the club to remain at the Ricoh Arena until a final settlement can be reached.
As an Amendment to Mr Jim Cunningham's proposed Motion (Coventry City Football Club):
11Line2, leave out from '(ACL)' to end and add 'and condemns the decision of the Football League to allow the owners of Coventry City Football Club to play their homes games for the next three years over 30 miles away from the city in Northampton; believes there is no viable plan or intention of the owners to return to the Coventry area and that therefore this permission is in contravention of the League’s own policy; believes rather than seeking a £1 million surety from the club obliging their return, the League should have investigated the situation as well as the background of an organisation that put itself into administration having run up many millions of debt while ensuring that it was structured in such a way that it would itself be the main creditor, and that this was a deliberate strategy developed over time to defraud its creditors; further believes that this kind of owner brings the game of football into disrepute; and calls on the Government, if the League will not act, to draw up proposals to reform the governance of the game and prevent this kind of abuse.'. 8:7:13(a1)
370 TREATMENT FOR POSTNATAL DEPRESSION 9:7:13
15That this House welcomes the news of a breakthrough in the identification of the likelihood of a woman developing postnatal depression; is further aware that postnatal depression is one of the commonest causes of suicide in younger women; notes that the cost of this test per patient could be as low as £10; and calls on the Government, Clinical Commissioning Groups, National Institute for Care and Clinical Excellence and health trusts to take urgent action in implementing these screening tests across the country as soon as possible.
371 SPORTING EXCELLENCE IN THE UK 9:7:13
8That this House notes the exceptional sporting achievements for UK sport over the weekend of 7 and 8 July 2013, when the British and Irish Lions, composed mostly of Welsh players, defeated Australia in rugby, the Northern Ireland golfer Graham McDowell won the French Open and the Scots tennis player Andy Murray won Wimbledon, becoming the first British player in 77 years to win the Men's Singles title; and expresses the hope that English players and teams will also perform well in the future so that all in the UK will have just cause to be proud of our British athletes.
372 NUMBERS OF MIDWIVES 9:7:13
8That this House welcomes the Women's Institute (WI) national campaign entitled We Need More Midwives; recognises the hard work of the Old Portsmouth WI for highlighting this campaign; notes that while the Government has made significant gains in increasing the numbers of midwives, more effort needs to be made with a focus on investment in employment, retention and the training of midwives; expresses concern following a recent investigation which found that half of midwives feel that they are unable to deliver the quality of care that they aspire to; acknowledges that, despite Government pledges, 34 per cent of women did not get the contact details or name of their midwife, that 88 per cent had not met their midwife before going into labour and that 13 per cent of women did not receive one-to-one care in labour; and urges the Government to review midwifery services and ensure that high standards are being met throughout the NHS.
373 BRITISH LIONS, GRAEME McDOWELL AND ANDY MURRAY 9:7:13
12That this House recognises the hard work that is put in by British sports people all year through; celebrates with the British Lions Rugby Team, who represented all regions of the UK so well; rejoices with Graeme McDowell, the great Ulster golf player, who won the French Open; and exults in the Wimbledon men's trophy being brought home for the first time in 77 years by the amazing Andy Murray.
374 PUBLIC TOILETS AND BUSINESS RATES 9:7:13
10That this House recognises the importance of providing high-quality public toilet facilities, especially in areas popular with tourists and visitors; notes with concern that public toilets operated by town and parish councils are charged business rates, despite not being businesses; further notes that many councils are struggling to cover the cost of paying business rates for the public toilets for which they are responsible; and urges the Government to exclude the rating of public lavatories owned or operated by parish councils in order to ensure that the provision of these vital facilities remains financially viable.
376 BLACKLISTING IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY 9:7:13
18That this House congratulates the GMB trade union for bringing to light widespread blacklisting of employees in the construction industry and for lodging claims on behalf of 70 of its members in the High Court; notes that GMB is the first trade union to go to the High Court in order to seek compensation for those kept out of work as a result of blacklisting activity; further notes that contemporary blacklisting came to light when in 2009 the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) seized a Consulting Association database of 3,213 construction workers and environmental activists used by 44 companies to vet new recruits and that, in particular, the ICO confirmed that 224 construction workers from around the UK were victims of blacklisting by Carillion; and unreservedly condemns the blacklisting of employees.
377 WALKERS' SAFETY 9:7:13
8That this House notes that since 1996, 67 people have been killed due to cattle in agriculture; and calls for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to work with farmers, walking groups and other stakeholders to draw up plans for the safe containment of cattle to reduce the number of deaths and make walkers' routes safer.
378 NON-COMMERCIAL NATIONAL RADIO STATION FOR CHILDREN 9:7:13
11That this House recognises the benefits to children of specialist radio programming, including the stimulation of communication, concentration and memory; notes that, in 2011, the BBC reduced the number of hours of children's programming in the radio schedule by 75 per cent; further notes that the remainder of these programmes have been moved to the primarily adult station of Radio 4extra; further recognises that by moving children's programming onto primarily adult channels constant parental supervision is required; believes that despite claims from the BBC, the success of commercial children's radio stations such as Fun Kids and abracaDABra! demonstrates the desire among audiences for radio stations aimed exclusively at providing children's content; and as a result calls for the creation of a non-commercial national radio station for children.
379 BBC TELEVISION PROGRAMME ON ISRAEL 9:7:13
3That this House condemns the BBC for a television programme called Israel: Facing The Future, which did not give equal attention to the plight of Palestinians throughout the 65 years since the establishment of the state of Israel; and calls on the BBC to produce a programme featuring the life of Palestinians since 1948 and looking ahead with the title, What future do Palestinians have?
380 25th ANNIVERSARY OF CRIMESTOPPERS 9:7:13
7That this House records with appreciation the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Crimestoppers, which since 1988 has resulted in 114,000 individuals being arrested as a result of information provided by members of the public calling 0800 555 111; gives special thanks to Lord Ashcroft, Chairman of the Trustees of Crimestoppers, who has been a core supporter and donor to the charity throughout; notes that the scheme had its origins five years earlier in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where on 24 June 1983 a local version was launched by Detective Chief Inspector Michael Cole of the Norfolk Police, Mr Jim Carter, Manager of Woolworths and Mr Peter Ward, Editor of the Yarmouth Mercury newspaper; and wishes all associated with Crimestoppers continued success, with members of the public reporting, with guaranteed confidentiality, incidents leading to 23 people being arrested every day and one person every week for murder.
381 WHITECHAPEL LONDON UNDERGROUND STATION TICKET OFFICE 10:7:13
2That this House is concerned that the proposals to close ticket offices on the railway will worsen passenger services through the loss of thousands of frontline workers from ticket offices; is deeply concerned that the proposal to close the ticket office in Whitechapel London Underground station during the process of rebuilding the station for Crossrail breaks the principle of a staffed ticket office at each London Underground station; is dismayed at the prospect of the local community and users of the busy local market and hospital being denied access to a staffed ticket office; is further concerned that the closure may become permanent in an attempt to shut ticket offices one by one; believes that all railway stations and London Underground stations should be fully staffed to ensure safety and accessibility for all passengers; and opposes the closure of any ticket offices even on a temporary basis.
382 ELEPHANT MASSACRES IN THE CONGO BASIN 10:7:13
5That this House is concerned that in early May 2013, 26 elephants, including four babies, were massacred by rebels in the Central African Republic's world famous bai in Dzanga Sangha National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site and that in early 2012 over 300 elephants in Cameroon's Bouba Ndjida National Park were slaughtered by Sudanese rebels; notes that 60 per cent of the Congo Basin's elephant population is estimated to have been lost in the past decade; is further concerned that in China it is still fashionable to adorn one's house or person with elephant body parts; and calls on the Government to do all it can to press for the necessary governance to be put in place in Africa and China to stop the slaughter and trade in elephant parts so that the species does not become extinct.
383 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AT COUNCIL MEETINGS 10:7:13
2That this House regrets the decision of Conservative-run Essex County Council, supported by UKIP councillors, not to allow members of the public to speak at meetings of the Council; agrees with Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green councillors that such provision should be made; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to make it a requirement that all local authorities should have public question time sessions.
384 WESTMORLAND GAZETTE'S SAFETY ON THE MORECAMBE BAY SANDS CAMPAIGN 10:7:13
1That this House commends the Westmorland Gazette for its efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of Morecombe Bay sands; notes that Morecombe Bay is an area of stunning natural beauty but encourages all walkers to understand the risks of walking on the sands without expert guidance; further notes the two recent incidents where people have found themselves trapped on the sands in June 2013; and calls on all those who have influence in the Bay area and the public to support the campaign to heighten the awareness of these dangers.
385 USE OF EPILIM IN PREGNANCY 10:7:13
4That this House notes the BBC Panorama programme broadcast on 1 July 2013 entitled The truth about pills and pregnancy, which identified the offspring health risks of some medicine consumption by pregnant women; recognises the evidence that the epilepsy drug Epilim (sodium valproate), manufactured by Sanofi Aventis, has been responsible for a range of disabilities and health problems in up to 20,000 children since this drug was first licensed in 1973; acknowledges the evidence of the consultant clinical gynecologist, Dr Peter Turnpenny, on Panorama that, at the severe end of the fetal valproate syndrome spectrum, even young adults struggle with independent living; supports the call by the Independent Fetal Anti-Convulsant Trust (IN-FACT) for an inquiry into the reason why sodium valproate has harmed so many young people over such a long time; congratulates the members of the National Advisory Council to the Thalidomide Trust for the active support they are providing to this campaign; and urges the Government to establish such an inquiry immediately.
386 TYNE AND WEAR METRO CLEANERS AND THE LIVING WAGE 10:7:13
4That this House welcomes the growing consensus for workers to be paid a living wage; notes, however, that cleaning members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) working for Churchill on the Tyne and Wear Metro have now been in dispute for a year in their campaign for a living wage and have scheduled a further two weeks' strike action commencing on 12 July 2013; pays tribute to the courage and determination of these low-paid workers to achieve justice; is dismayed that these workers are being denied a living wage despite Churchill doubling its profits in the last five years and the contracting company DB Schenker increasing its profits by 240 per cent; is appalled that, as DB Schenker is owned by German state railways, profits that could be used to pay the living wage and boost the North East economy are instead being used to support the German economy; believes that this cannot be in the interests of passengers and taxpayers; and therefore calls for an urgent summit to resolve this dispute involving the local transport authority, the RMT union, Churchill and DB Schenker.
387 SKILLS SAFETY IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR 10:7:13
8That this House is concerned that the current review of the Construction Design and Management Regulations (CDM 2007) by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), planned for August 2013, will remove the reference to individual competence; recognises that the inclusion of competence in the CDM regulations is vital to ensure that the number of serious injuries and fatalities on construction sites are kept to a minimum; notes that whilst direct employee and employer relationships are referenced in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, inclusion in the CDM regulations ensures that competence is extended to the supply chain relationships that are so vital in the construction industry; and urges the Government and HSE to consider retaining the reference, to ensure the principal contractor always has responsibility for checking all those working on a site are competent.
388 OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING DEMONSTRATION 10:7:13
1That this House notes that Fair Fuel UK will be handing in a petition signed by 30,000 people to the Office of Fair Trading on 15 July 2013; further notes that oil prices are worryingly high in the UK and that petrol and diesel as a result are more expensive than they have ever been; further notes that, despite a unanimous vote of the House in September 2012 and support from the Minister for Energy at the time calling for a full and thorough investigation, the Office of Fair Trading only managed an enquiry whether to have an enquiry after pressure from hon. Members and that while it expressed concerns about rigging in the oil market, no further action was taken; concludes that rip-off oil prices are crushing the living standards of British families, are a huge brake on jobs and growth and that motorists in the UK are being taken for a very expensive ride; and therefore urges the Government to support the petition for a formal enquiry from the Office of Fair Trading.
389 MAYPOLE CLUB AND PEARSON 10:7:13
1That this House is shocked and saddened at the closure of the Maypole Club in Harlow; notes the vital contribution that the club made to the community of Harlow; further notes that many Harlow residents had special occasions booked at the club, and football teams will no longer be able to use their pitches with immediate effect; believes the staff and managers of the club should have received notice before it closed; and therefore urges the new owners to provide an alternative clubhouse and alternative pitches to local football teams.
390 IN RECOGNITION OF NATHAN POPPLE AND HIS WORK ON ACCESSIBILITY 10:7:13
1That this House recognises and congratulates Nathan Popple for his accomplishment on being named Whizz-Kidz Campaigner of the Year 2013; acknowledges Whizz-Kidz Ambassador Nathan's successful Accessible Leeds campaign, running an innovative website that serves as a resource to wheelchair users in Leeds and highlights the accessibility or inaccessibility of businesses, services and facilities in the Leeds area; expresses its commitment to promote the issue of accessibility for people with disabilities across the country; commends Whizz-Kidz and the Whizz-Kidz ambassadors; and further supports the Whizz-Kidz Generation Inspired? initiative.
391 ENGLISH NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR THE RUGBY WORLD CUP 10:7:13
2That this House welcomes calls for an English anthem to be used by the England Rugby League team at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup which takes place between October and November in venues across England, Wales and France; further believes that the Rugby League World Cup 2013, which is the first major international sporting tournament played on these shores since the inspiring London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, should be the first major sporting tournament where an England team sings an English anthem; notes that the World Cup will see England, Wales and Scotland competing with the Wales team using Land of My Fathers and the Scotland team Flower of Scotland and therefore believes that England should not use the UK anthem, God Save the Queen, that equally belongs to Scotland and Wales, but should use an English anthem instead; calls on the Rugby Football League to announce that England will use an English anthem and perhaps organise a poll of England fans to decide what this should be, or use the anthem chosen for English athletes used at the Commonwealth Games; looks forward to the England Rugby League team taking to the pitch for the opening game of the Rugby League World Cup 2013 at the Millennium Stadium on 26 October and proudly singing an English anthem; and further wishes the best of luck to all the distinct home nation sides participating in the tournament and hopes that they are successful.
392 STATEMENTS MADE BY THE BRITISH BEER AND PUB ASSOCIATION 10:7:13
4That this House is troubled by the repeated misleading statements from the large leased pub-owning companies and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA); believes this is a cynical attempt to persuade the Government not to fulfil its commitment to reform the failing Pubco business model through a statutory code of practice for companies with 500 or more pubs; notes that these organisations have sent reports and other documents to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills presenting them as evidence of the negative effects of reform when there is no reliable evidence to back up these claims; further believes this to be a desperate bid to stop the Government fulfilling its promise to enshrine in law the principle that a tied licensee should not be worse-off than a free of tie licensee; is especially concerned by incorrect and misleading statements made by the Chief Executive of the BBPA, Brigid Simmonds, when appearing as a witness before the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee on 11 June 2013; further notes that in her response to a letter from the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group detailing their concerns, Ms Simmonds has admitted to providing two incorrect statements; further notes that in the Business and Enterprise Committee's Seventh Report, Session 2008-09 (Pub Companies) pub company bosses were reported to have given partial and in one case positively false information to the Committee; calls on the Committee to take appropriate action; and further calls on the Department to properly scrutinise all claims made by those opposing reform.