Session 2013-14
House of Commons
10th 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
24That 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.
495 PRISON CLOSURES 9:9:13
18That 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
33That 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
40That 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
25That 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
37That 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
21That 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.
503 ARMS SALES TO AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES 10:9:13
33That 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
13That 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
5That 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
25That 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
13That 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.
513 SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY 11:9:13
41That 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.
515 GIBRALTAR (No. 2) 11:9:13
16That 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.
517 DEATH OF MR ATAOLLAH REZVANI 11:9:13
17That 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.
519 BACK TO SCHOOL WEEK 12:9:13
6That this House congratulates all those who will take part in the charity Future First's Back to School week between 12 and 19 October 2013; notes that young people at state schools and colleges often lack the same level of careers education and access to role models available to young people at private institutions; warmly welcomes the work of Future First in tackling this problem by establishing alumni networks for young people at state schools and colleges so that they are informed and inspired to follow fulfilling careers; commends those alumni and employers who have already volunteered to work with Future First; and encourages others to do the same including members of both Houses.
520 TRANSPARENCY OF LOBBYING, NON-PARTY CAMPAIGNING AND TRADE UNION ADMINISTRATION BILL 12:9:13
7That 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
9That 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.
524 SPEAKER'S DELEGATION TO BURMA 8:10:13
11That 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
11That 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
5That 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
12That 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
27That 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
9That 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
10That 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
11That 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.
533 SOUTHAMPTON CHILDREN'S HEART SURGERY UNIT 8:10:13
6That 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
2That 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.
536 SCOTLAND'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR JENNY McALLISTER 8:10:13
3That 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
8That 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.
541 FIREFIGHTERS' PENSIONS AND GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS 8:10:13
13That 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
18That 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.
543 FIRST WORLD WAR COMMONWEALTH MEMORIAL 9:10:13
5That this House welcomes and supports a new public campaign to recognise the collective sacrifice of the Commonwealth fallen in the First World War through a standalone and distinctive memorial statue in London created and organised by Commonwealth Exchange to mark the centenary of that war, which acknowledges and honours the diverse make-up of the Commonwealth and the UK; and further supports the Government's plans to forge a legacy that demonstrates this Commonwealth endeavour from those of differing extractions, faiths and traditions.
544 SNARING 9:10:13
5That this House expresses concern that at peak times around a quarter of a million snares are set in England and Wales causing unnecessary suffering to target and non-target animals, as highlighted in snaring research published last year by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); notes that although the study confirmed the inhumane and indiscriminate nature of these traps there has been no progress made towards a ban on snares; supports OneKind in its campaign calling for DEFRA to consult on the issue with a view to banning snaring as soon as possible; and congratulates the charity for highlighting these serious welfare concerns through its dedicated website SnareWatch.
548 REFUGEE TRAGEDY AT LAMPEDUSA 9:10:13
9That this House is shocked at the deaths of 274 refugees off the island of Lampedusa; recognises that this is the latest in a long line of tragedies where 20,000 desperate refugees have died in unsafe vessels in the Mediterranean; and reminds all EU states that they have obligations under the Geneva Convention to provide a place of safety for asylum seekers and that the tragedy of drowning has to be met with humanity and concern not xenophobia against victims of poverty and oppression.
549 REPATRIATION OF SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN 9:10:13
2That this House notes that the Government has deliberately reduced the profile of repatriation ceremonies for the fallen in Afghanistan in order to make participation in future wars more palatable; is appalled at the cynical advice in a Ministry of Defence document, obtained by The Guardian, advising reduced attention to war deaths including changing the repatriation of the fallen from Royal Wootton Bassett to Carterton, and considers this was an attempt to reduce publicity of the visible grief of the loved ones of the fallen; would welcome the reading out of the full list of the names of the fallen in the House; believes the moves to end the Wednesday announcements of the recently fallen were further attempts to diminish public mourning; and further believes that news of the deaths and the repatriation of the fallen should not be diminished, but that their sacrifices should be fully commemorated so that the country is sensitive to the true cost of war.
550 DRUG TESTING PILOT AT THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT 9:10:13
2That this House mourns the death of Nick Bonnie, a charity worker who died after taking a contaminated ecstasy tablet at the Warehouse Project nightclub in Trafford; notes with concern that this is the twelfth UK death directly related to ecstasy this year; recognises the need to avoid further tragedies such as Nick's; applauds the Warehouse Project's zero tolerance policy on drug use and welcomes the planned pilot drug testing scheme introduced by the Warehouse Project nightclub, which would test confiscated illegal substances brought onto the premises and alert patrons to potentially lethal substances via social media; further recognises that such a scheme would promote public safety and awareness of dangerous drugs whilst maintaining a strict zero tolerance drugs policy; and therefore urges the Government to support this pilot in order to combine the UK's strict drugs policy with promotion of public safety.
552 APPRENTICESHIPS AND PUBLIC CONTRACTS 9:10:13
7That this House celebrates the value of apprenticeships in providing opportunities and developing skills; notes the need for more apprenticeship opportunities particularly for young people at a time when there are almost one million young people out of work; believes that government and public authorities are uniquely placed to use the leverage of the money they already spend on procurement to promote skills training and provide new apprenticeship opportunities and that this should be part of the procurement process; resolves therefore that suppliers winning public contracts worth over £1 million should be required to offer apprenticeship opportunities on public contracts; further notes that the Fifth Report from the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, Session 2012-13, on Apprenticeships has recommended this approach and estimates that at least one new apprenticeship place could be provided for every £1 million of procurement spend; further notes that this approach was successfully pursued by the previous Government; and further notes the widespread support for the Apprenticeships and Skills (Public Procurement Contracts) Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to promote apprenticeships.
553 CENTENARY OF THE SENGHENYDD MINING DISASTER 9:10:13
22That this House notes that 14 October 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the Senghenydd Mining Disaster, the worst mining disaster in British history; pays tribute to the 439 men and boys who lost their lives in the explosion at the mine and the rescue worker who was subsequently killed; further notes that the 1913 disaster could have been avoided if the legislation passed following an explosion at the Senghenydd Colliery in 1901 had been implemented properly by the owners of the mine; and commends the work of the Aber Valley Heritage Group in organising a national memorial to those who died at Senghenydd and in other mining disasters in Britain.
554 KEEP ME POSTED CAMPAIGN 10:10:13
2That this House believes all consumers should have the right to choose how they receive bills and statements and not be subject to any form of penalty for preferring to receive this information on paper rather than a digital format; notes that many consumers who do not have access to the internet or basic digital skills are unfairly disadvantaged by organisations that do not offer them this choice; and supports the Keep Me Posted campaign which champions the principle that companies and other organisations should continue to offer consumers the right to choose without penalty how they receive information.
555 MALDIVES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 10:10:13
1That this House supports the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, in his call for a credible and peaceful second round of voting for the Presidency in the Maldives; notes that this follows a decision by the Supreme Court to annul the results of the first round of voting in elections widely regarded by the international community as free and fair and that the run-off election had originally been set to take place on 28 September 2013; condemns those who are seeking to prevent President Mohamed Nasheed from participating in any future elections in the Maldives; further condemns the perpetrators of the arson attack that destroyed the Opposition-supporting Raaje TV station in Malé; and demands that the authorities take all necessary steps to bring the perpetrators to justice.
556 ADVERSE PSYCHIATRIC EFFECTS OF ROACCUTANE 10:10:13
5That this House notes with great concern that the Roaccutane form of isotretinoin has been implicated in reports of 878 psychiatric disorders, including 44 suspected suicides, since its registration in 1983; further notes that Roche, the drug's manufacturers, maintain that there is no causal link between Roaccutane and suicidal tendencies; further notes that its variant in the US, Accutane, has proved controversial and was withdrawn from the US market as a commercial decision following mounting litigation; further notes that clinical studies using the drug on rats and mice have discovered evidence of disruption to serotonin levels, causing depression, but that similar studies have not been conducted on humans; and urges, in light of the increasing number of tragic suicides of recent years, the withdrawal of Roaccutane from the UK market pending further and full investigations into adverse reactions to the drug, to prevent further unnecessary deaths.