Session 2013-14
House of Commons
8th November 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
630 OPEN GOVERNMENT AND ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS 28:10:13
28That this House is concerned that the current lack of accountability and openness created by the secrecy clause, Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, is a hindrance to public accountability, open government and the replacement, reduction and refinement of animal use in experiments; notes the concerns of the animal experimentation industry about personal information and intellectual property, which are already met by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and are no reason to maintain a blanket ban on information, especially as government polls reveal a decreasing level of public trust in regulation; and calls on the Government to repeal Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
631 TESTING OF HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS ON ANIMALS 28:10:13
28That this House notes that the Coalition Agreement contained a pledge to end the testing of household products on animals; further notes that a response to a Parliamentary Question on 28 March 2011 stated that `the prohibition will apply to both finished household products and their ingredients, although in practice mainly the latter are tested', 28 March 2011, Official Report, column 80W; is disappointed that no action has been taken on this issue to date; and supports the campaign led by Cruelty Free International to call on the Government to introduce a total ban on the testing of finished products and ingredients.
632 ALL-PARTY INQUIRY INTO ELECTORAL CONDUCT 28:10:13
33That this House notes the publication of a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Electoral Conduct; welcomes the cross-party nature of the report and the engagement of such a wide range of political parties in the process; further welcomes the recommendations of that report, including the call for the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Electoral Commission to enhance their activities in facing down racism and discrimination during elections; and calls on the Government, the Electoral Commission, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the police to respond fully to the recommendations of the inquiry.
638 LABOUR AND TRADE UNION LAW IN IRAQ 29:10:13
32That this House notes that the international trade union movement has urged successive Iraqi governments to amend the labour and trade union laws which place substantial restrictions on the fundamental rights of workers, including to associate freely, to bargain collectively and to strike; further notes that the US last year put under review Iraq's trade preferences, in large part over the Iraqi government's failure to adopt ILO-complaint legislation; and respectfully urges the Iraqi authorities, in full consultation with the trade unions, to implement new laws that overcome Saddam Hussein's restrictions on the fundamental rights of Iraqi workers so that their organisations can play a full role in helping construct a pluralist Iraq.
639 TRUSTEES' WEEK 2013 29:10:13
52That this House welcomes the fourth annual Trustees' Week between 4 and 10 November 2013 as an opportunity to recruit new trustees and to celebrate the work of nearly one million charity trustees across the UK and the vital contribution they make to civil society; notes the importance of the role good trustees and good governance play in successful charities across the UK; encourages everyone to think about the difference they could make to the community by becoming a trustee and to look at the Trustee's Week website for more information; urges hon. Members to attend the Trustees' Week reception at the Cabinet Office on 5 November 2013; and thanks the Charity Commission, OSCR, the Small Charities Coalition, Charity Finance Group, NCVO, SCVO, and Reach Volunteering for having had the foresight to establish Trustees' Week as an annual event, alongside a host of additional partners.
640 KINGS SCIENCE ACADEMY IN BRADFORD AND THE FREE SCHOOL PROGRAMME 29:10:13
7That this House is deeply concerned that a report which catalogued a series of financial irregularities at the Kings Science Academy in Bradford appears to have been suppressed for five months by the Department for Education; notes that more than £80,000 of public money was misused with false invoices submitted to cover party expenditure, pay for first-class rail travel and buy furniture for staff; additionally notes that the building, which cost £10 million, was also paid for by the taxpayer; points out that the principal Sajid Raza appointed his brother to the board of governors and employed his sister as a senior teacher while his wife also worked at the school and his father drove the bus; demands that the Department for Education report into the fiasco is published un-redacted so that those responsible are named; further demands that a fraud inquiry is opened into these matters; believes that the Prime Minister, who visited the school, should regret his words of praise; and concludes not only that there has been a total failure of governance but that crucial oversight of free schools by the Department is demonstrably negligent.
644 CHARTISM AND PARLIAMENT 29:10:13
85That this House welcomes the recent lecture by Professor Malcolm Chase as an apposite recognition in Parliament of the Chartist Movement's legacy to parliamentary democracy; acknowledges with gratitude Mr Speaker's significant contribution to celebrating the 175th anniversary of the People's Charter by officially opening the Chartist exhibition in the No Lobby and allowing the Chartist lecture to be given in Mr Speaker's State Rooms; recognises the support of Mr Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art in establishing the permanent exhibition, Chartism 1838-1858, in the Upper Committee Corridor; notes that there is a web version of the exhibition at www. parliament.uk/art-chartism; notes that the Dearsley Windows at the end of St. Stephen's Hall include a depiction of the Chartist period; and places on record the professionalism of Melanie Unwin, Deputy Curator of the Parliamentary Art Collection, and the commitment of the All Party Group on Archives and History in accomplishing these appropriate tributes to our great forerunners, the Chartists.
648 WINDRUSH DAY 29:10:13
25That this House notes the cross-party campaign to celebrate a Windrush Day every year on 22 June to celebrate the positive contribution of the first generation of Caribbean immigrants since the MV Empire Windrush landed at Tilbury Docks on 22 June 1948; recognises that this generation have helped shape the UK's multicultural society, from their contribution to public service to literature, culture and food; and welcomes the statement by the Prime Minister on the 65th anniversary in 2013 praising their fortitude and determination in overcoming difficult challenges; and hopes that the Windrush generation, the last of whom are in their 80s and 90s, are remembered long into the future with an annual day of celebration.
650 INTERNET GOODS DELIVERY SURCHARGES 30:10:13
17That this House notes that people living in the north east of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands are often asked to pay substantial surcharges for the delivery of goods ordered over the internet; is concerned that such charges are often not clear to customers ordering products online; believes that such charges are unfair and discriminate against people living in the areas of the UK which are affected; welcomes the commitment of the UK Government to hold a delivery charge summit with major retailers; and backs calls from the Fairer Delivery Charges campaign for retailers to end excessive delivery surcharges and to offer delivery by Royal Mail when this is the cheaper option.
651 NIGEL DAVENPORT 30:10:13
10That this House notes with sadness the death of Nigel Davenport, a truly great and prolific actor of stage and screen and a former President of Equity, the actors' union.
655 VISTEON UK LTD PENSION SCHEME 30:10:13
38That this House continues to note that, when Visteon UK Ltd was spun off from the Ford Motor Company, employees transferred from Ford's pension fund into the Visteon UK pension fund on the clear understanding that their pension rights would be unaffected; further notes that when Visteon UK subsequently went into administration, now over four years ago, former Ford employees suffered a substantial reduction in their pension rights; regrets that the resolution of any court action is still some way off; believes that Ford should recognise a duty of care to its former employees and should make good the pension losses suffered by those worst affected without the need for legal action; and calls on the Government to use the power and influence at its disposal to help ensure that Ford recognises its obligations and accepts voluntarily its duty of care to former Visteon UK pensioners.
656 CLOSURE OF NHS SERVICES 30:10:13
23That this House notes that the Secretary of State for Health has suffered another embarrassing legal defeat after the Court of Appeal judges ruled he had acted illegally in deciding to cut accident and emergency and maternity services at Lewisham Hospital; has concerns about Government amendment 168a to the Care Bill designed to change the rules to give the power to any hospital administrator appointed in England to dismantle hospital services arbitrarily, as long as a neighbouring hospital is deemed to be failing; believes that this attempt to sneak through a fundamental change to the way decisions are made about local hospitals makes a mockery of local scrutiny and democracy; and calls on the Government to accept that it has lost and to stop trying to change the law to enable it to close successful hospital services that the community wants and needs.
658 WORKING CONDITIONS IN QATAR 30:10:13
21That this House expresses its deep concern at reports of the ill treatment of migrant workers in Qatar on construction projects in preparation for the World Cup in 2022; calls on the government of Qatar to guarantee all International Labour Organisation conditions, including the right to join and be represented by an independent trade union for all migrant workers, and enable an independent investigation into reports of slave conditions, witholding of passports and due wages by employers; and futher calls on the Government to make urgent representations to the government of Qatar.
660 POLIO IN SYRIA 31:10:13
12That this House is concerned about the occurrence of polio in Syria following confirmation from the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the disease has been identified in the country for the first time in 14 years; is further concerned that the main impact of the disease is being borne by children, who are particularly susceptible to paralytic polio, the most serious form of the disease, and that the WHO regards the risk of further infection as high; notes that the disease is entirely preventable with vaccination and that before the civil war, 95 per cent of children in Syria were vaccinated, and that the UN now estimates that over 500,000 children are currently unvaccinated and at risk; and calls on the Government to do all it can to support aid and delivery organisations operating in Syria to vaccinate all those affected, especially vulnerable children, and to support international efforts to prevent further outbreaks.
661 PILOT BADGER CULL PARLIAMENTARY ASSESSMENT AND VOTE (No. 2) 31:10:13
17That this House recognises that 145 hon. Members signed Early Day Motion 299 expressing concern over the pilot badger cull; notes that since this EDM was tabled the pilot badger culls have killed fewer badgers than was envisaged and that the cull timetable has been extended; further notes that 10 members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons have written a letter to England's Chief Veterinary Officer suggesting that the extension of the badger cull could result in increased suffering of badgers and place both badgers and cattle in and around the cull zones at greater risk of contracting bovine tuberculosis; further notes that the reduced effectiveness of the cull makes vaccination more cost effective; and calls on the Government to make a statement to the House and bring forward a vote to decide on the most cost effective, humane and efficient way to reduce bovine TB.
662 UNDER-OCCUPANCY PENALTY 31:10:13
29That this House recognises that the bedroom tax, spare room subsidy, is unjust, discriminates against disabled and sick people, carers, separated parents, grandparents, the low paid and the poorest, will not reduce homelessness or housing benefit spending as claimed, and puts financial and social strain on communities, landlords and local authorities; and calls on the Government to suspend the policy pending a review of its impact and effectiveness, which should consider writing off the tenant and landlord arrears it has caused.
663 COMMISSION ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY 31:10:13
25That this House welcomes the launch of the Government's Commission on Physical Activity to confront the urgent issue of physical inactivity in children in the UK; notes that the Commission will take a cross-sector approach to investigating the physical inactivity epidemic and take evidence from organisations and individuals across health, sport, transport, urban planning and education; recognises that 31 per cent of boys and 28 per cent of girls aged between two and 15 were classed as either overweight or obese in 2011-12; and reminds the Government of the role of food and drink manufacturers in contributing towards this obesity epidemic that should not be ignored.
664 QUALIFIED TEACHERS 31:10:13
17That this House believes that teachers are the single most important resource of any school, and that parents want and expect their children to be taught by good qualified teachers; further believes that all state-funded schools should provide parents with a guarantee that their children are taught by qualified teachers or those working towards a teaching qualification; notes that the Education Act 2002, enacted under Labour, failed to include a legal requirement for non-maintained schools to employ qualified teachers; and welcomes the fact that there are 3,000 fewer unqualified teachers employed by state-funded schools than when the Coalition Government came to power.
665 NEUROBLASTOMA TREATMENT 4:11:13
20That this House recognises that neuroblastoma affects around 100 children a year in the UK; further recognises that children with this type of cancer have an 80 to 95 per cent chance of relapsing at any time until they reach the age of 20; understands that the best chance of survival is by using a new treatment called Radioimmunosorbent Test (RIST); acknowledges that those suffering from the disease have to travel abroad for RIST treatment because none is available in the UK; notes that the cost of RIST treatment can be as high as £300,000; and calls on the Government to consider ways in which RIST treatment can be made available in the UK.
666 VULTURE FUNDS 4:11:13
27That this House welcomes the impact of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010 in preventing vulture funds taking an estimated £145 million from developing countries; further welcomes the passing of similar laws in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man; notes that vulture funds are trying to force Argentina to default on its debt through a legal case in New York; further notes that vulture funds are making large profits on Greek debt repayments owed under UK law, despite other creditors agreeing a reduction in the amount they are owed; is concerned that vulture funds are preventing the fair implementation of debt restructuring; and urges the Government to share its experience of legislating on vulture funds with the US administration, bring forward legislative proposals to prevent vulture funds ignoring international agreed debt restructuring for Argentina and Greece in UK courts, and support the creation of a fair, independent and transparent arbitration mechanism for sovereign debt.
667 LOBBYING REGISTER 4:11:13
30That this House is concerned that the Government's planned lobbying register is deeply flawed and would result in less than one per cent of lobbying activity being publicly-registered; and calls on the Government in the strongest possible terms to amend its proposals to ensure that 100 per cent of professional lobbyists - to include those working in-house, for trade unions, for charities, for think tanks, for lobbying agencies, for law firms and for accountancy firms - are all part of a statutory registration regime in the UK.
668 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JOHN F KENNEDY 5:11:13
28That this House notes the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy on 22 November 1963; remembers with fondness and admiration a great, compassionate and devoted leader whose life was tragically cut short; further notes President Kennedy's many accomplishments during his short life in office, his dynamic, vibrant and charismatic personality, his unwavering faith in public service and his unparalleled ability to motivate and rouse people from all sectors of society, through both his inspirational rhetoric and truly empathetic actions; shares his belief that people can solve their common problems if they put their country's interests first and work together in harmony; expresses its admiration for his courage and willingness to fight for new government programmes to help the poor, the elderly, the ill and the abused, his prioritisation of civil rights and his eagerness to fight for those segregated and mistreated in American society on racial or other grounds; recognises his realisation that the war in Vietnam was a war that had to be fought and won by the South Vietnamese people rather than the US; commends President Kennedy, and his family, for their tireless, selfless and dedicated work for the American people and for keeping the beliefs, hopes, aspirations, dreams and work of President Kennedy alive; and further shares the belief expressed in the words of his brother, the late Senator Edward Kennedy, when he said, the hope endures, the dream shall never die.
669 80th ANNIVERSARY OF THE WIENER LIBRARY FOR THE STUDY OF HOLOCAUST AND CONTEMPORARY GENOCIDE 5:11:13
29That this House congratulates The Wiener Library as it celebrates its 80th anniversary; notes that the Library was founded in 1933 by Dr Alfred Wiener who spent years warning German politicians, industrialists and ordinary citizens of what a Nazi takeover would mean; recognises that on the eve of World War II, Dr Wiener brought his library to the UK and placed it at the disposal of Britain's war effort, contributing significantly to the success of the Nuremberg Trials and later the prosecution of Adolf Eichmann; further notes that today, The Wiener Library's unparalleled collection defines it as a key player in Holocaust research, commemoration and education; and expresses its commitment to ensuring that The Wiener Library will continue to be indispensable to those touched by the Holocaust, to those studying its causes and consequences and to anyone committed to strengthening democratic values as a bulwark against anti-Semitism, racism and religious intolerance.
670 FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (No. 2) 5:11:13
27That this House expresses concern that there is a need for stronger action to prevent the crime of female genital mutilation (FGM); notes the report by a coalition of health professionals calling for FGM to be treated as child abuse; further notes the action plan on tackling FGM published by the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer; calls for implementation of the recommendation in the report and action plan that evidence of FGM in the family should be collected and used to identify persons who may be at risk of FGM; further calls for examination of the reporting duties for medical professionals and teachers in referring possible FGM cases to the police; and further calls on the Government to formulate a strategy to raise awareness of this issue.
671 GAY HUSSAR 5:11:13
26That this House is saddened to learn of the decision by Corus Hotels, part of Malaysian United Industries, to auction the Gay Hussar restaurant in Soho, London in early December 2013; while recognising the right of Corus Hotels to dispose of its assets, notes that the restaurant's long-standing and loyal staff have not been consulted in any way; further notes that the Gay Hussar has played an important role in the culinary, political and journalistic life of the capital for more than 60 years and as such is an important national institution; and applauds any initiative, including a possible diners' and staff co-operative venture, as a means of keeping the Gay Hussar alive for future generations of rebels and Rabelaisians to enjoy.
672 FUEL POVERTY AMENDMENT TO THE ENERGY BILL 5:11:13
16That this House welcomes the fuel poverty amendment moved by Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan in the House of Lords to the Energy Bill, seeking to retain a legal commitment to end the scandal of cold homes; recognises that the best way of doing so is in setting minimum energy efficiency standards that have to be met in the worst of the UK's housing stock, and within specified target dates; believes it is essential that such an objective remains in primary rather than secondary legislation; and calls on hon. Members and Members of the House of Lords to add their support to this initiative.
673 BONUSES FOR ENERGY COMPANIES' CHIEF EXECUTIVES 5:11:13
11That this House welcomes the commitment from Sam Laidlow, Chief Executive of Centrica to give up his bonus this year; believes that accepting a six or seven figure bonus whilst putting up fuel bills by up to 10 per cent for customers would be unreasonable and highly questionable; and calls on the chief executives of E.ON, Npower, Scottish Power, SSE and EDF Energy to make the same commitment to waive their bonuses in light of the price rises announced by their respective companies.
674 HOMELESS FAMILIES IN BED AND BREAKFAST ACCOMMODATION 5:11:13
11That this House notes with deep concern that the number of homeless families with children living in bed and breakfast accommodation is at a 10-year high; understands that, according to the housing charity Shelter, 2,090 families are living in this emergency housing, an increase of 8 per cent on 2012; further notes that 43,000 homeless families with children were living in other forms of emergency temporary accommodation, usually privately-rented flats, and that this is an increase of nine per cent on last year; and concludes that the Government's so-called welfare reforms are damaging the country's most poor and vulnerable families and children.
675 POLITICAL REPRESSION IN THE MALDIVES 5:11:13
7That this House condemns the selling of teargas, stun grenades and rubber bullets by the British company Survitec to the repressive Maldives police force; notes that the Maldives police force prevented the re-run of the presidential elections in that country in October 2013; further notes that the massive consignment was exported by a Singapore-based subsidiary of Survitec, thus escaping UK arms controls; and demands that the Government introduce legislative proposals to prevent the evasion of arms controls in this way by British companies.
676 CO-OPERATIVE BANK TAKEOVER 5:11:13
6That this House deplores the capture of the Co-operative Bank by rapacious US hedge funds; notes that the bank has mutural, ethical and collective principles which are at odds with the motives in this capitalist takeover; points out that the collapse of the Bank was caused by the catastrophic business judgements of the previous management; further notes that it is the workforce which is now paying for these disastrous errors; and calls on the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to exercise his powers under section 76 of the Companies Act to require the bank's new board to outline a plan to return the Co-operative to more democratic control within a fixed timescale.
677 COMPENSATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE IN ECUADORIAN AMAZON 6:11:13
14That this House notes the huge environmental and social damage caused by oil giant Chevron-Texaco in the Ecuadorian Amazon; further notes that Chevron-Texaco admits to dumping billions of gallons of toxic waste into the Ecuadorian Amazon between 1964 and 1990; is concerned that this contaminated the rivers used by local people for drinking, bathing and fishing resulting in numerous health issues for the people living there; believes this is one of the world's greatest environmental disasters with the oil dumped estimated to be roughly 30 times the amount spilt in the Exxon Valdez disaster; is concerned that Chevron-Texaco never carried out a meaningful clean up; congratulates the 30,000 local people who organised themselves into Amazon Defence Front and filed legal action against Chevron-Texaco to demand compensation; regrets that over the past 20 years Chevron-Texaco has not settled but used its financial advantage to oppose providing any compensation to the Amazonian communities; further notes that after decades of campaigning in 2011, an independent Ecuadorian court ordered Chevron-Texaco to pay $19 billion in compensation to the affected people; is concerned by reports that Chevron-Texaco has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in legal and lobbying fees to prevent compensation being paid; further notes that in contrast BP established a $20 billion fund to settle claims following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill; and calls for Chevron-Texaco to settle the compensation payment to the Amazon communities for the damage caused.
678 DOROTHY HODGKIN AND WOMEN IN SCIENCE 6:11:13
9That this House recognises and commends the contribution to science by Dorothy Hodgkin; notes her outstanding work in the field of X-ray crystallography; notes her discovery of the structure of penicillin for which she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964; believes that as a pioneer for women in science she is a role model for young people, particularly young women, interested in and working in scientific fields; and calls on the Government to do more to encourage and support the work of women in science.
679 ROYAL NAVY IN GIBRALTAR 6:11:13
9That this House condemns the recent activity of the Guardia Civil in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters during which the Guardia Civil manoeuvered in a dangerous and provocative manner, causing a collision with HMS Scimitar, whilst she was on regular escort duty for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary; points out that the actions of the Guardia Civil resulted in an armed stand-off; recognises the restraint and professionalism of the Royal Navy, Royal Gibraltar Police and Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the face of Spanish aggression; notes that the aggressive activity at the land border resulted in delays of up to four hours for hard-working people of Gibraltar and Spain; and expresses concern that Spain, a democratic member of the European Union, is acting in this manner.
681 THE HAPPY LANDS 6:11:13
5That this House congratulates Theatre Workshop Scotland and film director Robert Rae on the ground-breaking film The Happy Lands; commends the active involvement of members of local mining communities in Fife in rediscovering and recording a key time in their local history; notes that the film presents powerful stories about the UK's industrial heritage during the 1926 General Strike; applauds the engagement of so many local people in all aspects of making the film, from performing to set and costume design; warmly welcomes such collaborative, community-based film-making; encourages other communities to follow Robert Rae's lead in offering the film industry a genuine alternative methodology for film-making; acknowledges with gratitude that, with the negative impact of the recession in Fife, the making of The Happy Lands played a real part in transforming lives by investing in local work experience, jobs, enterprise and education; is delighted that the film has been selected for the 2013 Glasgow Film Festival, the 2013 Beijing International Film Festival, the 2013 Rennes Travelling Festival, the British Council's UK Now Festival in China and the National Schools Film Week Festival; further notes that it has recently been entered for the BAFTA Scotland Audience Award 2013; believes the film deserves to be shown to the widest possible audience; and thanks the director and producers of The Happy Lands for screening the film within the Palace of Westminster.
682 FIRST BLACK FEMALE SECOND PERMANENT SECRETARY AT THE TREASURY 6:11:13
9That this House congratulates Sharon White on her appointment as Second Permanent Secretary at the Treasury; notes that she is the first woman and the first black person to be appointed as a Permanent Secretary at the Treasury; further notes that Ms White has 25 years' experience in the Civil Service and she will have overall responsibility for managing the UK's public finances; welcomes HM Treasury's landmark and progressive decision; and encourages diversity in senior positions in the Civil Service to reflect multicultural Britain.
683 TAX ON HIGH CALORIE FOODS IN MEXICO 6:11:13
6That this House applauds Mexico's congress for passing a bill to impose a levy of eight per cent on high calorie foods and a tax of one peso (£0.04) per litre on soft drinks to tackle the country's growing obesity problem; notes that it is estimated that by 2025, five million people in the UK will have diabetes because of rapidly rising numbers of overweight and obese people; further notes that a 20 per cent tax on sugary drinks proposed by the UK's Academy of Medical Royal Colleges would cut the UK's obesity rate by 1.3 per cent, resulting in approximately 180,000 fewer adults with a body mass index of 30 or more; and calls on Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer to investigate the feasibility of imposing such a tax and the revenue that would be gained from it.
684 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FISCAL DEVOLUTION AND FREEDOM 6:11:13
10That this House believes local government in England should become ever more independent from central control; welcomes the historic coming together of the Core Cities Group, the Mayor of London and London councils to campaign as City Centred for fiscal devolution and greater freedoms to England's great cities; notes that these cities are the engines of the UK's economy and have bold ambitions for growth that would bring benefits across the country calls for funding reform to better allow the cities to invest and grow; further notes their concern that 95 per cent of all tax raised in these cities currently is sent to the Treasury; understands that their proposals will be cost-neutral at the point of devolution and not impact on funding for other parts of the country; and calls on all parties that aspire to Government to take action to progress the proposals as part of their localism agenda.
688 POLITICAL PRISONERS IN AZERBAIJAN 6:11:13
7That this House observes that the already dire situation of human rights abuses in Azerbaijan has deteriorated further in the past year; is appalled that the ten-month imprisonment on trumped-up charges of two opposition politicians continues; and calls on the Government to make representations on behalf of Ilgar Mammadov and Yeni Musavat, plus many others imprisoned for political reasons by the Aliyev regime.
689 PROTECTION OF THE GREEN BELT 6:11:13
7That this House notes the need to protect the Green Belt which is made up of undeveloped land that surrounds urban areas; pays tribute to Ebenezer Howard who first proposed the Green Belt in his 1898 book, Garden Cities of Tomorrow, and whose day job was as a Hansard Reporter in Parliament; further notes that the Metropolitan Green Belt was proposed by the Greater London Regional Planning Committee in 1935, was enacted by Parliament in 1938 and was extended to other parts of the UK in 1955; acknowledges the need to build new homes; further notes that these new homes should first be built on brown field land such as the Servis Site in Darlaston, Walsall, which has planning permission for 124 homes; further considers that the practice of land banking should be ended and that those areas of land that already have planning permission should be developed before new areas are used; further notes the National Planning Policy Framework, published in March 2012, and the section titled Protecting Green Belt land; calls on the Government to commit to protecting the Green Belt from development and urban sprawl; and further calls on the Government to attach the appropriate weight on planning grounds, balancing the need for housing with a protection of the countryside preserved for future generations.
692 CONSUMER CHOICE IN GLUCOSAMINE PRODUCTS 7:11:13
3That this House notes the longstanding position of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency that depending on the way in which glucosamine products are formulated and marketed, they may correctly be considered in some cases as food products and in others as medicinal products with a licence; appreciates that this approach has ensured consumer access to a wide range of safe and popular glucosamine products; fully supports the Agency's defence of its position against a challenge by one company that seeks to have all glucosamine products designated as medicines so driving up prices, reducing consumer choice and limiting the way in which the benefits of such products may be promoted; and encourages Consumers for Health Choice to keep up it's campaign to defend consumer choice in natural health products.
693 KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ 7:11:13
2That this House warmly welcomes the historic news that the Kurdistan region of Iraq and its neighbour, Turkey have concluded a comprehensive agreement to build oil and gas pipelines to ship the autonomous region's rich hydrocarbon reserves to world markets; believes that this could allow the Kurdistan region to export two million barrels per day of oil to world markets and at least 10 billion cubic metres per year of gas to Turkey in a move that will increase the security and diversity of energy supplies; recognises that this represents a triumph of diplomacy based on hard-headed self-interest between two places which were once at loggerheads; hopes that it can underpin a successful peace process between Turkey and its Kurds; and rejects the unreasonable fear that economic independence for the Kurdistan region of Iraq will lead to the disintegration of Iraq, because the country as a whole will gain from the success of the Kurdistan region, oil will remain the property of the people of Iraq and the proceeds of energy sales will be shared by all according to a much needed and robust revenue sharing formula and a fully-functioning federal system, as outlined in the Iraqi constitution which was approved by the people of Iraq in 2005.
694 A P McCOY'S 4,000th WINNER 7:11:13
5That this House congratulates the jockey A P (Tony) McCoy on riding his 4,000th National Hunt winner in Britain and Ireland; notes that he is the most successful jumps jockey of all time, leading his rivals by a considerable margin; further notes that he has been the champion jumps jockey in every season since 1995-96; recognises him as a great ambassador for the sport of horse racing; pays tribute to him for being one of the country's greatest sportsmen; and wishes him well in his future riding and racing career.
695 REDUNDANCY AND WOMEN OF HYPERTAC 8:11:13
1That this House notes that Smiths Group plc is proposing to close down production at Hypertac, Brent, making 30 women redundant by Christmas 2013 in order to move production abroad; further notes that while the company made a profit of £365 million in 2011-12 the women all earn less than £7.86 per hour, less than the London Living Wage, regardless of length of service, and that most have served the company loyally for between 25 and 39 years; understands the devastating impact of this news on the women, especially as 20 out of the 30 are the sole earners providing for their families; believes that these women deserve fair treatment having given their lives to making the employer a global success; supports the women of Hypertac in their fight; and calls on Smiths Group plc to reconsider its decision to close the plant, and guarantee that if closure goes ahead it will give the workforce a fair redundancy package, which recognises the length and loyalty of the service of the Hypertac employees.
696 ROAD SAFETY WEEK 8:11:13
1That this House congratulates all those who will take part in Road Safety Week, 18 to 24 November 2013, coordinated by the charity Brake and supported by partners Specsavers and Romex; notes that thousands of schools, emergency services, community groups and companies will be running events to raise awareness and help to make roads safer and prevent traumatic road crashes; further notes the campaign this year calls for everyone to tune into road safety and avoid all kinds of distraction from technology, such as mobile telephones, when driving, but also when using roads on foot or cycling; and calls on the Government to review evidence on the dangers of hands-free mobile telephone use when driving.
697 MUSLIM SUPPORT FOR THE POPPY APPEAL 8:11:13
1That this House recognises the contribution of many Muslim soldiers to victories in both world wars; welcomes the efforts being made in the Muslim community to encourage the wearing of poppies in remembrance of all those who paid the ultimate price for freedom; notes the estimate that one million Muslims may be wearing poppies this year; urges those who have not yet purchased a poppy to do so; applauds Muslims who are running poppy stalls in different parts of the country alongside all the many dedicated volunteers working with the Royal British Legion for this very important cause; appreciates that these efforts will undoubtedly enhance community relations; and believes they will also help to counter the deplorable actions of a small number of extremists, who in no way represent the views of the overwhelming majority of Muslims, who have symbolically burned the poppy in the name of Islam in recent years.