Session 2013-14
House of Commons
8th October 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
488 HOME OFFICE RETURNS PILOT SCHEME 9:9:13
22That this House deplores the recent Home Office poster campaign running in UK Border Agency offices in Glasgow and London advising people seeking advice to 'go home'; believes that this poster campaign is an insensitive and ineffective way of dealing with illegal immigration and is unlikely to encourage voluntary returns; notes that this is not the only instance of this type of campaign following the heavily criticised vans carrying similar messages; further notes that charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have expressed their concerns about the campaign; further believes that this scheme is likely to undermine its stated aims whilst creating an environment of fear; and urges the Government to halt immediately this pilot scheme and to work with local authorities, community groups and NGOs to encourage voluntary returns in a more effective, liberal, sympathetic and humane manner.
489 COVENTRY CITY FOOTBALL CLUB LTD ASSETS 9:9:13
5That this House notes that at the time when Coventry City Football Club Ltd went into administration on 21 March 2013, the club's owners claimed on the club's website that Coventry City Football Club (Holdings) Limited is the club and that Coventry City Football Club Ltd, now in administration, was merely a property subsidiary which owns no material assets and has no employees on or off the pitch; further notes that in response to evidence that some players were registered with CCFC Ltd, Mr Tim Fisher, Chief Executive Officer, told the Coventry Telegraph there had been errors and that, in these instances, the documentation clearly shows Limited as the registering company; further notes that since then the intangible assets register, signed off by Mr Fisher on 19 June 2012, has come to light, and shows that 23 named players at a closing value of £5,507,953.63 were registered as assets of the limited company as at 31 May 2011; further notes that this information flies in the face of what has been claimed repeatedly by Mr Fisher and that this information has been passed to the Football League, the Football Association, HM Revenue and Customs and the Joint Administrator who has been asked whether he accepts that these assets were held by the limited company at that date; and calls on Mr Fisher to say, in light of the above, why he has made the claims he has, and on Mr Paul Appleton, the Joint Administrator, to explain why he sold the company without first establishing what its assets were.
495 PRISON CLOSURES 9:9:13
16That this House condemns the Government's announcement of further prison closures in the next financial year; notes that the closure of HM Prison Blundeston, HM Prison Dorchester, HM Prison Northallerton and HM Prison Reading comes at a time when almost 20,000 prisoners are being held in an overcrowded prison estate; further notes the worrying increase in serious assaults on prisoners and staff due to overcrowding as well as the increase in prisoners sharing cells designed for one inmate; is concerned that the closure of these four local prisons and the creation of a superprison in North Wales will not assist in lowering reoffending and will result in prisoners being hundreds of miles from friends and family who play a huge role in rehabilitation; further notes that 685 prison officer posts will be at risk due to the closures; and therefore calls on the Government to rethink its prison closure plan and allow time for proper consultation and discussion with unions and employers to ensure a safe and fair programme to reduce overcrowding and reoffending.
496 40th ANNIVERSARY OF CHILE COUP OF 11 SEPTEMBER 1973 9:9:13
30That this House commemorates 11 September 2013 as the fortieth anniversary of the coup in Chile which overthrew the elected popular Unity government of Salvador Allende and resulted in his death and that of over 7,000 people during the military dictatorship; and extends its sympathy and solidarity to the victims and their families and salutes all those who campaigned against Pinochet and his accomplices for democracy and human rights in Chile and throughout Latin America.
497 ENGLAND COAST PATH 9:9:13
35That this House recalls that the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 was passed with overwhelming cross-party agreement; is confident, on the basis of evidence from existing coastal walking routes, that the full England Coast Path will create real jobs and bring economic regeneration to many poor rural communities; further recalls that the path was originally to be completed by 2019; and therefore urges the Government to bring forward its proposals for the completion of the path without further delay.
498 RESUMPTION OF ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS 10:9:13
20That this House welcomes July 2013's resumption of direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators; congratulates US Secretary of State John Kerry for his endeavours; urges both sides to refrain from any acts that undermine the trust required for successful negotiations; further urges both the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to ensure that these negotiations achieve a two state solution, based on the pre-1967 borders with agreed land swaps, and East Jerusalem as the capital for the new state of Palestine; and applauds the work of civil society groups such as the OneVoice Movement, whose vital work highlights the will of the majority of Israelis and Palestinians who seek an end to the prolonged occupation and conflict.
499 NATIONAL ARTHRITIS WEEK 10:9:13
33That this House welcomes Arthritis Research UK's National Arthritis Week from 7 to 13 October 2013; recognises the substantial impact that arthritis and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, including back pain and osteoporosis, have on people's daily lives; acknowledges that MSK conditions affect over 10 million people and account for the largest proportion of years lived with disability in the UK; further welcomes Arthritis Research UK's Understanding Arthritis report with its five recommendations to improve the health and wellbeing of people with these conditions, namely ensuring NHS England fulfils its NHS Mandate objective to offer everyone with a long term condition a care plan; calls for MSK conditions to be included within Public Health England's three year set of priorities; requests that there is a fracture liaison service linked to every hospital involved in the care of people with fragility fractures; further calls on NHS England to prioritise data collection of patients' conditions and treatments in data poor areas such as rheumatology and orthopaedic outpatient appointments; and further requests that NHS England encourages GPs to routinely ask people with MSK conditions if they experience depression and anxiety.
500 PROBATION SERVICE PRIVATISATION 10:9:13
17That this House is deeply concerned by the Government's plans to outsource almost 70 per cent of the probation service in England and Wales, including the supervision of low to medium risk offenders, to private security firms such as G4S and Serco; notes the recent revelations regarding the competency of both security firms in the justice sector; further notes, with concern, the possible risks to public safety and the reputation of the service should it be outsourced which was highlighted by the Government in its restricted Ministry of Justice risk register; recognises that the probation service is at present meeting or exceeding all of its targets and has won the prestigious British Quality Foundation Award for Excellence; and calls on the Government to take into account the views of trade unions, charities and those who responded to the Transforming Rehabilitation consultation, most of whom voiced their overwhelming rejection of Government plans, and abandon proceeding with its privatisation agenda.
501 DARLASTON TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB AND GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL 10:9:13
3That this House notes the closure of Darlaston Town Football Club (DTFC) owing to financial difficulties at the beginning of the 2013-14 season; further notes the part DTFC has played in the community since it was founded in 1874; welcomes the decision by supporters to re-register the club with the Birmingham FA; praises the effort to raise £5,000 so that the club can be re-established and compete again in the 2014-15 season; wishes DTFC great success in the future; further notes Chairman of the Football Association Greg Dyke's comments on the importance of home-grown players reaching the highest levels of the game; believes that grassroots clubs can play a crucial role in achieving a higher national standard if the Football Association (FA) offers appropriate support; calls on the Premier League clubs and the FA to do more in supporting grassroots football at every level; and further calls on the Government to foster grassroots development in football.
503 ARMS SALES TO AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES 10:9:13
28That this House notes that the arms export priority markets for the UK Trade and Investment's Defence and Security Organisation in 2013-14 included Libya, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; further notes that the UK hosts one of the world's largest arms shows, Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEi); agrees with the Committees on Arms Export Controls, in its report on Scrutiny of Arms Exports and Arms Controls, HC 205, published on 17 July 2013, that the Government would do well to acknowledge that there is an inherent conflict between strongly promoting arms exports to authoritarian regimes whilst strongly criticising their lack of human rights at the same time rather than claiming, as the Government continues to do, that these two policies are mutually reinforcing; is appalled that the Russian State Technology Corporation, Rostec, one of the main arms suppliers to President al-Assad of Syria, is exhibiting at DSEi 2013; and calls on the Government to end the promotion and export of military equipment to all authoritarian regimes.
504 LONDON CONGESTION CHARGE UNOFFICIAL WEBSITE 10:9:13
11That this House notes that the website www.londoncongestion.com/tfl is the first website that comes up when drivers search online for paying the London congestion charge; further notes that this website looks like the official Transport for London (TfL) congestion charge website; further notes that if you pay the congestion charge on this website, it charges £16 rather than £10 per day; further notes that many drivers are paying the congestion charge through this unauthorised site in the belief that they are making a payment directly to TfL; believes that this constitutes a fraud on drivers paying the congestion charge; and demands immediate action by the Mayor of London and the police to close this site down, seize all information held by the perpetrators of this site relating to the card details of those who have paid into it and prosecute the perpetrators.
505 REMUNERATION PACKAGE OF THE FORMER WEST YORKSHIRE CHIEF CONSTABLE 10:9:13
3That this House deplores the secret deal concluded in 2009 by the then West Yorkshire Police Authority which provided Chief Constable Norman Bettison with perks worth over £70,000 a year in addition to his salary of £170,000; points out that this sweetheart arrangement involved £34,594 a year for a private vehicle, despite him having a staff car and driver, £9,148 for health and well-being including private health insurance and gym membership, as well as half of all telephone bills; questions why this deal which was manifestly of public interest was kept secret; asks why if it was a good deal for the public it was not made public; queries the legal advice given to the authority as subsequently similar deals have been struck out; notes that Mr Bettison resigned as Chief Constable last year after he faced criticism for his role in the controversial police investigation into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster in which 96 Liverpool football fans died; further notes that the Independent Police Complaints Commission has concluded that he has a case to answer over his conduct and over concerns about a police report into a witness who gave evidence to the MacPherson Inquiry into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence; and further notes that the chair of the authority who made the private deal is Mark Burns-Williamson who is now West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner and demands that he answers why he signed off on such a secret and highly-questionable deal.
508 40 YEARS OF COMMERCIAL RADIO 11:9:13
19That this House congratulates commercial radio on marking 40 years since its launch in October 1973; applauds the contribution of this sector in providing four decades of public value through its mix of music, news, sport and entertainment; notes the enduring popularity of commercial radio, which still attracts over 35 million people each week, despite the increasing pressure on traditional media and audience fragmentation; believes that a strong commercial radio sector competing with the BBC is good for audiences and media plurality; and calls on the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to ensure that the legislative and regulatory framework supports this outcome.
509 UK COAL INSOLVENCY 11:9:13
9That this House is aware of the circumstances resulting from the insolvency of the coal production company UK Coal which caused major job losses and resulted in the reduction by at least 10 per cent of their ex-employees' and widows' pensions, and retirees' loss of concessionary coal allowances; is further aware that concessionary fuel was a historic agreement transferred under the Coal Industry Act 1994 with the protection of the TUPE agreement which gave the provision of coal to current miners, ex-miners and their widows for their lifetimes; and understands the Government’s reluctance to involve itself in the debts of this failed company, but believes it has an obligation towards those current employees, ex-employees and their widows who should be protected against such loss.
510 HEDLEY VERITY 11:9:13
3That this House commemorates, on the seventieth anniversary of his death, the life of Headingley man Hedley Verity, a war hero and celebrated sportsman; notes that Mr Verity left school at age fourteen to work for his father's coal business while maintaining his commitment to improving his cricket game, emblematic of a career defined just as much by humbleness as by hard work and grit; acknowledges Mr Verity's vast accomplishments as one of the most effective slow left-arm bowlers in the history of English cricket, which included playing in four Ashes series, highlighted by his performance in the 1934 series when he took 15 for 104, including 14 wickets in a day; further acknowledges that Mr Verity was as equally renowned for his sportsmanship as his cricketing skills, with a former rival saying that he never once heard him complain or offer a criticism; recognises that Mr Verity eventually made the ultimate sacrifice to his country when he died of battle wounds following the assault on Catania in July 1943 in the Second World War, after quickly rising in the ranks to captain; commends the fact that his memory is honoured and celebrated by the Wetherspoon's Hedley Verity pub in Leeds; and further recognises that Mr Verity set an example in his life, through his conduct both on and off the cricket pitch and his dedication to both the sport and his country, to which all of today's cricketers can aspire.
513 SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY 11:9:13
30That this House welcomes Small Business Saturday 2013 on 7 December; encourages all hon. Members to take part and shop in a local small business on 7 December; recognises that Small Business Saturday has been a huge success in the United States where it was supported by President Obama and led to 100 million Americans spending $5.5 billion; understands that small businesses are at the heart of local communities; and believes that in the critical Christmas period small businesses will benefit from the support of Small Business Saturday on the busiest shopping day of the year.
514 CATS AND DOGS IN SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS 11:9:13
17That this House notes that 202 cats and 3,214 dogs were used in experiments in Great Britain in 2012; believes that many people will find it unacceptable that these animals continue to be used in laboratories, with one in four homes being shared with at least one dog and one in five being shared with at least one cat; further notes that many people consider their companion animals to be their best friends and would not want them, or any other companion animals to be used in laboratories; and supports the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in calling on the Government to issue a policy statement to end the use of cats and dogs in experiments.
515 GIBRALTAR (No. 2) 11:9:13
12That this House supports the people of Gibraltar at this time of Spanish aggression; reaffirms the promise that as long as Gibraltar wishes to remain British it will have the backing of this House; and calls for the application of any and all diplomatic pressure possible to ensure that Spain ceases its most recent belligerence and allows the people of Gibraltar to carry out their lives without unnecessary agitation.
516 TRANSPORT FOR LONDON FARES FOR 2014 11:9:13
30That this House notes that London commuter fares have become the most expensive in the world and are an ever increasing pressure on Londoners' household budgets while real wages are falling and bills are rising; further notes that since 2008 the cost of a single bus journey in London has increased by 56 per cent and that a zone one to six travel card is £400 a year more expensive; further notes that Transport for London has reported unbudgeted operational surpluses for the previous three years and is showing evidence of regularly under-anticipating fares income and over estimating other expenditures; and calls on the Mayor of London to use his discretion to freeze fares at RPI for 2014, easing the pressure on ordinary Londoners during the current cost of living crisis.
517 DEATH OF MR ATAOLLAH REZVANI 11:9:13
11That this House notes the killing in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran of Mr Ataollah Rezvani, an Iranian Bahá'í; believes that he was killed further to being harassed at the hands of the Ministry of Intelligence and having received threatening messages from persons unknown; observes that this is the first clear case of a religiously motivated killing of a Bahá'í in Iran in 15 years and represents a grave escalation of the persecution of Iran's Bahá'ís who have been subjected to incitement to hatred and violence with impunity that has been reported by various actors including United Nations Special Rapporteurs in recent years; and urges the Government to press for the Iranian authorities to bring the responsible persons to justice.
518 WALK ON WALES 11:9:13
15That this House congratulates Walk on Wales on its 870 mile walk around Wales to raise money for Combat Stress and the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal and to raise awareness of stress and mental health illness among armed forces personnel and veterans; welcomes the progress that has been made in providing services for veterans including a Veterans Minister and the Armed Forces Covenant over the last 10 years; and further calls for health services to have access to armed forces medical records to ensure early diagnosis and adequate treatment of mental health illness.
520 TRANSPARENCY OF LOBBYING, NON-PARTY CAMPAIGNING AND TRADE UNION ADMINISTRATION BILL 12:9:13
2That this House notes that the ludicrously mis-titled Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill was conceived in fear, drafted in haste and malice and presented with incompetence; observes the Bill's failure to reform 95 per cent. of lobbying excesses while gratuitously and vindictively imposing unnecessary bureaucratic costs on charities and trade unions; and believes that this Bill will be recognised as the signature policy of the ineptocracy created by the coalition Government.
521 SYRIA AND MOTION OF 29 AUGUST 2013 12:9:13
2That this House applauds the lead given to world opinion by its vote of 29 August 2013 in resisting the easy but dangerous false solution of a military strike in Syria in favour of the difficult, painstaking tasks of diplomacy and peace-building.
522 NEW SCOTTISH NATIONAL SPORTS PERFORMANCE CENTRE 8:10:13
1That this House congratulates Edinburgh and in particular Heriot-Watt University on being successful in its bid to host the new national sports performance centre; notes that the Edinburgh bid beat off competition from Stirling and Dundee; further notes that the centre will feature a Hampden-sized pitch, an outdoor synthetic pitch, four outdoor natural football and two rugby pitches, a nine court sports hall, a 3G indoor football pitch and a fitness suite; welcomes the fact that the centre will provide world-class facilities for sports science and medicine; and thanks all of those who worked to put together the winning bid.
523 FAIR ADMISSIONS CAMPAIGN 8:10:13
3That this House welcomes the launch of the Fair Admissions Campaign, which seeks to open up all state-funded schools to all children, without regard to religion; notes that over one third of state schools have a religious character and most have an admissions policy that allows them, if oversubscribed, to turn away children on the basis of their parents being of the wrong religion or no religion; further notes that, for this reason, many children are unable to gain admittance to their local school; believes that it is wrong for a school to be able to dictate a child's future on the basis of a system that can incentivise families to be insincere about religious belief and practice, and that risks undermining community cohesion by segregating children along religio-ethnic lines; celebrates the fact that many schools already choose not to select pupils on faith grounds yet are still able to maintain a religious ethos; and therefore calls on the Government to work with schools, dioceses and devolved governments to cease such religious selection, as well as to bring forward legislative proposals on that basis.
524 SPEAKER'S DELEGATION TO BURMA 8:10:13
6That this House wishes to thank Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker's Office and the British Embassy staff in Rangoon who helped to organise Mr Speaker's successful delegation to Burma on 28 July to 4 August 2013; welcomes the constructive meetings with Daw Suu Kyi, President Thein Sein and other Burmese politicians and activists; notes the need for constitutional change to allow Daw Suu Kyi to stand for election as President of Burma; further notes the meetings between faith leaders and the delegation, and hopes that this continued contact brings lasting peace to Burma; further welcomes Mr Speaker's speech at Yangon University; praises the hard work by all parties to reform Burma's political process, but also notes the work left to do to strengthen Burma's democracy; further welcomes the enthusiasm and desire for democracy from the younger generation shown during the meeting with youth activists in Mon State; calls for the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Beliefs to be allowed to carry out his work with the full protection of the local police; further calls for the establishment of a UN Office of Human Rights in Burma as agreed to by President Thein Sein; and further calls on the Government to continue to provide practical assistance to strengthen the capacity building of the Burmese Naypyidaw Parliament's research department to help reduce the workload of the Bill Committees and help assist Burmese Members of Parliament to carry out their work.
525 SPEAKER'S DELEGATION TO BURMA (No. 2) 8:10:13
6That this House notes the Speaker's successful delegation to Burma which visited that country between 28 July and 4 August 2013; welcomes the constructive meetings with Daw Suu Kyi, President Thein Sein, HE U Soe Thane, Minister Presidential Office, HE U Khin Aung Myint, Speaker of the Upper House, HE U Thura Shwe Mann, Speaker of the Lower House, Burmese MPs from all parties, Burmese Committee Chairs, non-governmental organisations, UN agencies, international agencies, Rohingya and Rakhine leaders, 88 Generation, ethnic and faith leaders, including Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Anglican and Catholic representatives, the Burmese business community, the Chief Minister of Mon State, the Speaker of Mon State Parliament, local MPs, and young political activists; further notes the visits to a DFID-funded school, UK-funded law clinic, a Commonwealth War Cemetery, a Migrant community clinic, and humanitarian projects; further notes the work by all parties to reform Burma's democratic process, but notes that there is still more work to be done, especially in the area of human rights; and calls on the Government to continue its support for democratic reform in Burma and to provide the resources necessary to strengthen Burma's democratic institutions.
526 BRITISH SOLDIERS AND SECTARIANISM 8:10:13
3That this House condemns the reprehensible and ill-disciplined behaviour of members of the armed forces, including some Royal Marine soldiers at Ibrox Park, the home of Glasgow Rangers, on 28 September 2013 on what was dubbed an armed forces' day; notes the sickening scenes as they chanted songs attacking Catholics, embraced braying fans and held up sectarian banners; questions the role of the senior officers who apparently sanctioned the event and appeared to take no action to halt the behaviour; and demands that those marines who joined in this hatefest are severely disciplined.
527 PROFESSOR PETER HIGGS 8:10:13
5That this House congratulates Professor Peter Higgs CH FRS FRSE of the University of Edinburgh on the occasion of being awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics 2013 by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; notes the outstanding contribution that Professor Higgs has made to the cause of theoretical and particle physics; further notes that this richly deserved Nobel Prize has been awarded for his role in proposing the mechanism that explains how the most basic building blocks of the universe have mass; further notes that scientists using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, confirmed that they had found a particle (the Higgs Boson) that matched the theories; further notes that this marked the culmination of 49 years of work since Professor Higgs and his colleagues first described the new type of particle; further congratulates Belgian scientist François Englert for his role and on also being awarded the Nobel Prize; and expresses pride in the achievements of UK science.
528 PROFESSOR PETER HIGGS AND THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR PHYSICS 8:10:13
18That this House congratulates Professor Peter Higgs, Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Edinburgh, for the much merited award to him, along with François Englert, of the Nobel Prize for Physics for their theoretical work on the Higgs Boson which was recently confirmed by experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider.
529 PROTECTION OF WORKERS SERVING THE PUBLIC 8:10:13
3That this House is appalled at levels of violence suffered by workers who deal with the public, as evidenced in the 2013 survey from the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, which showed that four per cent of shopworkers had been physically attacked in the previous 12 months and 35 per cent had been threatened with violence, and at the traumatising effects of these incidents for staff who have to face the continual possibility of attack or abuse throughout their working day as they are on the frontline of dealing with the public; is concerned at the paltry level of sentences meted out to offenders, often with a suspended sentence or with no custodial element; and calls on the Government to introduce a specific offence of assaulting a worker who is serving the public in order to ensure that victims of such violence are given the justice they deserve and to provide a deterrent.
530 HELP FOR SAVERS 8:10:13
7That this House recognises the ongoing financial difficulties faced by many working families throughout the UK; acknowledges that lower interest rates have assisted home buyers in recent years; understands that there are many more savers than mortgage holders across the nation, many of whom are senior citizens depending on the relatively low interest their savings provide to supplement their income; and calls on the Governor of the Bank of England to examine ways in which new products could be introduced and promoted to assist savers.
531 ROYAL MAIL PRIVATISATION 8:10:13
2That this House is concerned at the imminent privatisation of the Royal Mail postal service; recognises that the postal service is integral to people and businesses across society; commends the dedication of all those who work within the service to ensure that people receive mail whatever the conditions; acknowledges the particular importance of postal services to the rural economy where it lies at the centre of commercial and social activity; is deeply concerned that the market pressures of privatisation will lead to the watering down of long held social compacts including the universal service obligation and the commitment to deliver six days a week; has reservations that the sell off will be highly lucrative for speculators, hedge funds and investment banks rather than the public; and calls on the Government to review its decision and reassure the public that a fully functioning service will remain in place.
532 SKERTON HIGH SCHOOL 8:10:13
1That this House notes that Lancashire County Council (LCC) is consulting on the closure of Skerton Community High School (SCHS); further notes that 52.9 per cent of pupils at the school have special educational needs; believes that this specialist support is not available at other local schools; further believes that SCHS is a centre of excellence that is vital to ensuring the community has a breadth of educational options; and calls on LCC to listen to residents and parents who are expressing these points in their consultation responses.
533 SOUTHAMPTON CHILDREN'S HEART SURGERY UNIT 8:10:13
3That this House commends the surgeons and staff at the Children's Heart Surgery Unit at Southampton General Hospital for the outstanding care they provide; notes that Southampton Children's Heart Unit is rated the best in the country outside London, and was rated as exemplary in the management of paediatric intensive care, supporting parents with information and choice, and training and innovation in the 2010 Kennedy Report; further notes the advantages provided by the strategic partnership with Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals through the South of England Children's Congenital Heart Network; is concerned that the planned future development of the Unit is now uncertain given the suspension of the Safe and Sustainable Process; calls on the Secretary of State for Health to ensure the future of children's heart surgery at Southampton is resolved as quickly as possible to minimise further distress to patients and staff; and further calls on the Government to keep the Unit open and to invest in its future.
534 EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL AND WELFARE REFORM MINI-DRAMAS 8:10:13
1That this House congratulates East Lothian Council for producing a series of innovative mini-dramas on the Government's welfare reforms and making them widely available on social media outlets as part of its support for local residents affected by the reforms; believes that the four mini-dramas on debt crisis, fear of the future, downsizing and rent arrears, are an innovative and creative approach to communicating important messages to members of the public who are dealing with these difficult problems; commends the non-professional actors from East Lothian Tenants and Residents Association and Bridges Project, professional actors and council staff involved in making the films; and hopes that other local authorities can learn from this approach.
535 EXPLORIS AQUARIUM 8:10:13
6That this House recognises the great potential in Exploris Aquarium in Portaferry, Northern Ireland; expresses concern at the proposed closure; and asks that the Northern Ireland Executive take the burden from one council and give this province-wide attraction the financial boost that is needed and which will benefit the whole of Northern Ireland.
536 SCOTLAND'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR JENNY McALLISTER 8:10:13
1That this House congratulates Scotland's Teacher of the Year, Jenny McAllister, on her success in being the first teacher ever to be awarded that prestigious title who teaches outside of the conventional classroom; acknowledges the exceptional work being undertaken in outdoor learning centres across Scotland, including the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick where Jenny is based; believes that her recognition is, at least in part, a testimonial to the important part in education played by learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom; and wishes her well as she competes on Scotland's behalf in the UK awards ceremony in London on 20 October 2013.
537 NEW NUCLEAR 8:10:13
4That this House is appalled at the record of delays and cost overruns of new nuclear plants; notes the French designed Olkiuoto plant started construction in May 2005 had an original promised completion date in 2009, and that construction costs have doubled and completion delayed to 2016; further notes that the similar designed Flamaville plant is suffering a three year delay with costs rising from €3.3 billion to €8.5 billion; further notes similar problems occurred at the construction of China's Sanmen plant; believes that the new generation nuclear plants are even more unreliable than earlier plants such as Fukushima Daiichi; and calls on the Government to stop dreaming up ever more exotic subsidies to attract new foreign investors, and to support sustainable renewable energy plants producing clean and green electricity from ever lasting energy sources such as wave, wind and solar.
538 ACCURACY IN HONOURABLE MEMBERS' SPEECHES 8:10:13
1That this House believes in the importance of greater accuracy from hon. Members in parliamentary debates; notes that on 10 September 2013, the hon. Member for Monmouth claimed that a parliamentary answer he had received said that, every person in the country will be paying between £4,700 and £5,300 a year towards the Government's climate change policies; further notes that the figures given described the average per person for all energy costs between 2010 and 2050 including all capital, operating and fuel costs for the whole energy system including cars, trains, aeroplanes, power stations, boilers and insulation; asserts that climate change policies account for a very small part of the total; further notes that on 5 June 2013 the hon. Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire said that 40 per cent of the badgers in the Welsh experiment in north Pembrokeshire will already be suffering from bovine TB; further notes that in answer to a request for the source of his claim he quoted a briefing from Professor Boyd of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who subsequently said that figures for the prevalence of bovine TB in badgers in Wales were not provided; and looks forward to the hon. Members' consideration of whether their words inadvertently misled the House; and calls on them to make appropriate corrections where necessary.
539 EARTHCARE AWARD TO JOHN MUIR TRUST 8:10:13
1That this House congratulates the John Muir Trust (JMT) on receiving the Sierra Club Earthcare Award 2013 on the occasion of its 30th anniversary, for its efforts to protect and restore the wild lands of Scotland and the greater United Kingdom; notes that this includes the important educational programme of the JMT; and further notes that this prestigious award honours an individual, organisation or agency distinguished by making a unique contribution to international environmental protection and conservation.
540 BIBLE OATHS IN COURT 8:10:13
6That this House expresses concern at the proposals by the Magistrates' Association (MA) to remove the traditional religious aspect of court oaths; recognises that this historic change is unnecessary as there is already an option of an opt-out for those who don't wish to reference God or swear by a Holy Text; and urges the MA to re-think this proposal and take into account that the Bible is bound up in the entire constitution of our monarchy and institutions of this country and there is no possible reason for any change.
541 FIREFIGHTERS' PENSIONS AND GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS 8:10:13
3That this House is concerned by the Government's failure to ensure a fair resolution to the firefighters' pensions dispute; recognises the invaluable contribution firefighters make to public safety; is further concerned by the prospect of firefighters being forced to perform physical duties until 60 years of age, believing that this could jeopardise public safety; is further concerned at the prospect of firefighters in their fifties being dismissed for being unable to fully perform their duties until the age of 60 and thus losing out on their pension entitlements; urges the Government to return to negotiations; notes the role the Government has in setting the financial limits for devolved fire pensions; applauds the actions of the Scottish Government in continuing negotiations; further urges Ministers of the Welsh Assembly Government to follow suit and to re-enter negotiations to work towards a new offer and to make representations to the Government on financial limits; believes that Defence fire and rescue service workers should also be exempt from a rise in the pensionable age; and further believes a lifetime of work should be rewarded by a fair pension.
542 SALE OF STUDENT LOANS 8:10:13
5That this House believes that the Government's plans to sell off the student loan book to the private sector would be a grave error; notes that in order to make the student loan book profitable for private companies it would need to be accompanied by either subsidies from the taxpayer or an increase in the financial burden placed on graduates; and opposes any proposal to privatise the student loan book.