Session 2013-14
House of Commons
29th 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
746 ASSASSINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNERS IN COLOMBIA 18:11:13
That this House expresses its condolences to the family and friends of small-scale campesino farmer and community leader César García, who was gunned down in Cajamarca, Colombia, on 2 November 2013; notes that César was a leading figure in the campaign against the London-listed AngloGold Ashanti La Colosa open pit gold mining project, which many fear will have devastating environmental, social and economic consequences in the region; further expresses its condolences to the family and friends of Adelinda Gómez Gaviria, assassinated on 30 September 2013 in Almaguer, Colombia, in front of her 16 year-old son who was also injured in the attack; further notes that Adelinda was an active campaigner against mining in an area where AngloGold Ashanti has important business interests; further expresses concern about these crimes; calls on the Colombian authorities to carry out prompt, rigorous and independent investigations to identify the perpetrators of these crimes; and requests that other community leaders and environmental campaigners receive adequate protection so that they can peacefully exercise their democratic rights.
749 SIR JOHN TAVENER 18:11:13
That this House is deeply saddened by the death of Sir John Tavener at the age of 69, one of the leading classical composers of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries; appreciates his outstanding contribution to classical music by bringing it into popular culture, with works such as Protecting the Veil, Song for Athene and pieces inspired by William Blake's poetry, The Lamb and Eternity Sunrise; recognises his exceptional creative talent demonstrated in the recent piece Cantus Mysticus, which premiered at a late night BBC Proms in 2008; notes that, as a student of the Royal Academy of Music and a teacher at Trinity College of Music, his work serves as a reminder of the importance of music in our cultural life; and calls on the Government to ensure that all children not only have access to music but are able to learn to play a musical instrument.
752 REVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME 18:11:13
That this House notes that, whilst in opposition, the right hon. Member for Thornbury and Yate, now the Minister of State for Pensions, supported the campaign for assistance for 145,000 members of pension schemes throughout the UK when their company became insolvent, believing that all accrued rights should be honoured and that no changes should be made to pension rights that had already been built up; further notes that the Financial Assistance Scheme introduced by the previous Labour administration afforded 90 per cent of pension rights but due to inflation erosion and indexation being limited to post 1997 service only, is now in real terms nearer to 76 per cent of what was a guaranteed 100 per cent company pension, meaning that a pension promise made has not been kept; calls on the Government to review the extent to which the commitment to 90 per cent of expected pension entitlement has not been reached for those involved in the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS), taking into account that some 3,000 recipients of FAS received small overpayments through inaccurate calculations by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which they now seek to recover, making these pensioners even more adversely affected; and calls on the FAS to waive the clawback.
753 TEACHING ASSISTANTS IN SCHOOLS 18:11:13
That this House recognises that there are over 350,000 teaching assistants employed in England and appreciates the immense value they bring to classrooms and schools across the UK; notes that they perform an incredibly varied and complex mix of roles in schools, ranging from supporting teachers with administrative tasks to covering classes for teachers, providing targeted intervention programmes and delivering English classes for speakers of other languages; understands the difference they make to the most challenging pupils and those with severe learning difficulties and that mainstreaming in schools would have to stop without their efforts; further notes that, in a recent survey by UNISON, 95 per cent of school leaders believed that teaching assistants added value to schools, in particular in the team around the child, as effective mentors and advocates, and in enhancing the learning environment for all pupils; and joins in supporting UNISON members in their celebration day for teaching assistants on 29 November 2013 to recognise the difference they make to the education and support of children in UK schools.
757 THE LATE EDDIE McGRADY 19:11:13
That this House is deeply saddened by the death of the former hon. Member for South Down Eddie McGrady; pays tribute to Eddie's outstanding contribution to political life in South Down and throughout Northern Ireland over the past 50 years as a local councillor, MLA and MP; recognises the dedication and devotion he showed in representing his constituents and fighting for their interests without fear or favour; acknowledges the critical role he played in the peace process and in facing down all those who engaged in acts of violence through his lifelong commitment to the principles of non-violence and reconciliation; appreciates that he was absolutely dedicated to the sanctity of life and the solidarity of community on a totally inclusive basis; further pays tribute to his legacy; and conveys deepest sympathy to his family and all those who knew this true gentleman.
764 NATIONAL DEBATE ON CHILD PROTECTION 19:11:13
That this House notes with regret the high-profile cases of child deaths as a result of child abuse and neglect in recent years, such as the cases of Victoria Climbie, Baby P, Keanu Williams, Hamzah Khan and others; further notes the recent case of Daniel Pelka in Coventry and the subsequent Serious Case Review; further notes the personal attention to the case of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families and his efforts to investigate potential failures to protect Daniel Pelka; further notes the extremely difficult nature of social work and stress that social workers can be under, particularly when understaffed; further notes that protecting children relies on the effective exchange of information between agencies including the police, schools, health visitors, hospitals, GPs, social workers, local authority social care and the local Safeguarding Children boards; further notes that in the majority of serious case reviews into failures to protect children, a key problem has been information-sharing between agencies; further notes that a second key problem identified is the failure to have direct communication with the children themselves; calls on the Government to commission an investigation into methods of improving the system of information-sharing between agencies and improving social care practices; and further calls for a national debate into child protection and our social services.
766 SITUATION IN THE CONGO 20:11:13
That this House notes that the M23 militia group has surrendered after a violent 20-month campaign in Congo's eastern province; applauds the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks), the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, MONUSCO's newly-established Intervention Brigade and others for enabling these hard-won battlefield gains; supports Save the Congo's call to the Foreign Secretary, together with the UK's friends and allies in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the EU and the US to take whatever steps are necessary to extend the mandate of the UN Intervention Brigade to neutralise the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Hutu militia group whose leadership and ranks include individuals involved in the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda; and therefore urges the Foreign Secretary to work with United Nations Security Council members and the UK's allies and friends in SADC to ensure a resolution in such terms is passed.
768 PHILIPPINES DISASTER 20:11:13
That this House extends sincere sympathy to all of those who have lost loved ones in the typhoon in the Philippines; prays for all of those who are injured and displaced; offers aid and assistance to those suffering the devastation on the ground through the international aid programme; and further offers thanks to the millions of members of the British public who have already given generously to help in this dreadful disaster.
772 LETTER TO STAFF OF MITIE 21:11:13
That this House notes with concern the threat to freedom of association and the right to protest posed by the facilities company MITIE in its letters to staff which state that protesting against MITIE falls under the category of bringing the company into disrepute and that this action, like all gross misconducts, can lead to disciplinary action including suspension and dismissal; calls on the company to withdraw this threat to the basic human rights of its staff; and urges the clients of the company, including the City of London Corporation and the legal firm Clifford Chance, to disassociate themselves from MITIE's unacceptable practices.
773 AFRICAN ELEPHANTS AND THE IVORY TRADE 21:11:13
That this House notes with alarm that an estimated 40,000 African elephants are killed each year, one every 15 minutes, out of a total population of 400,000; recognises that the profits from the illegal wildlife trade pose an increasing threat to security by funding criminal gangs and terrorism, including al-Shabab, the Somali cell of al-Qaeda; welcomes the Government's active role as a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and its support for a total ban on ivory sales; further welcomes the training and support provided by the British Army for the Kenya Wildlife Services anti-poaching rangers; further welcomes the Foreign Secretary's initiative to host a high-level conference on illegal wildlife trade in February 2014; encourages the Government in its efforts to secure a commitment from the international community to work together to reduce demand for wildlife products, to enforce the law, and to provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; and calls on the Government to encourage international support for the protection of elephants which are now universally acknowledged as intelligent, social, sentient beings and to use the overseas aid budget to make a substantial and strategically important contribution to the African Elephant Action Plan adopted in 2010 by all 38 African Elephant Range States in order to enable African countries to take the necessary steps to protect their elephants from poachers and to stop the illegal trafficking of ivory.
774 CHILCOT INQUIRY 21:11:13
That this House is deeply concerned that the Chilot Inquiry into the Iraq war has still not produced a report almost four years after its first session; notes that the ignominious anniversary will fall on 24 November 2013; understands that the delay is caused by the failure of the Government to provide to the Inquiry Cabinet documents in the run-up to the war, 25 notes from the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to US President, George W. Bush, as well as more than 130 records of conversations involving the Prime Minister, the President and the right hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath; further notes with concern that the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, who was principal private secretary to Tony Blair in the run-up to the war, is the person responsible for deciding whether documents should be handed over to Chilcot; and calls on the Prime Minister to ensure that all relevant materials requested by Sir John Chilcot are delivered so that another anniversary will not fall before judgment is passed on those who took us into this disastrous war.
780 ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS ON PALESTINIAN LAND 21:11:13
That this House agrees with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that Israeli settlements on Palestinian land are illegal and an obstacle to peace; considers the Israeli government's approval of thousands of units of new settlement building since the resumption of peace talks to be counter-productive; regrets the Israeli army's failure to arrest and prosecute settlers who burn olive groves and harass Palestinian farmers; and urges the Government to leave UK businesses in no doubt that it would help the peace negotiations if they avoided financial relationships with illegal settlements in the West Bank until there is a peace agreement.
782 CHILDREN'S FITNESS 22:11:13
That this House is alarmed at research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013 by Dr Grant Tomkinson of the University of South Australia which suggests that children's cardiovascular fitness is declining worldwide; notes that researchers looked at 50 studies on running fitness between 1964 and 2010 involving more than 25 million children, aged nine to 17, in 28 countries worldwide finding a significant decline in cardiovascular endurance; further notes the study found that 30 per cent to 60 per cent of the decline in endurance running performance could be explained by increases in fat mass; recognises that around 30 per cent of children in the UK are thought to be overweight or obese; and calls on the Department for Education to make practical cooking and food education compulsory in schools so that children are able to learn the worth of a healthy diet.
783 MUTUAL OF THE YEAR AWARD TO PROVIDE 22:11:13
That this House notes the important role of public sector mutuals and social enterprises in enhancing public service standards; commends the work of all such social businesses in creating wealth and public service renewal to the country; and especially commends Provide, which trades in Essex, the London boroughs and Cambridge, on becoming both the Employee Ownership Association's Mutual of the Year and the winner of the social enterprise of the year award at the National Business Awards 2013.
785 FLY GRAZING AND HORSE WELFARE 25:11:13
That this House is aware that throughout the UK a crisis is currently taking place in the horse industry whereby, because of austerity, lowered market values and lesser demand, coupled with the increasing costs of owning and caring for an animal, many owners have been left in the situation of neither being able to look after nor sell their horses, a situation which has led to many horses being subjected to neglect, abandonment or kept by fly grazing, a practice which sees horses left on land without the landowner's permission; notes that at the present time many equine charities are full to bursting point; and calls on the Government to make the necessary financial arrangements available to deal with this important matter.
788 ROMA MIGRANT COMMUNITIES 25:11:13
That this House notes the significance of the University of Salford's pioneering research into the demographics of the UK's new Roma migrant communities; recommends that the Government carries out an urgent review to address the major shortcomings of its National Roma Integration Strategy; and calls on the Government to send out an urgent instruction to all statutory agencies reminding them of their duty to promote community cohesion particularly by refraining from anti-Roma rhetoric.
794 BRAIN TUMOUR RESEARCH 26:11:13
That this House notes that brain tumours have one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, of just 19 per cent within five years of diagnosis compared to 51 per cent for all cancers and the highest average years of life lost of all common cancers of 20.1 years, compared to 11.8 years for lung cancer and 6.1 years for prostate cancer; further notes that brain tumours kill more people, including children, under the age of 40 years than any other cancer but receive less research funding per death than many other cancers; and further notes the recent report by Brain Tumour Research on this issue and supports its campaign for better funding for brain tumour research specifically.
802 TRAINING FOR UK SEAFARERS 26:11:13
That this House notes that 90 per cent. of UK trade passes through UK ports; believes it is essential for the future security and economic well-being of the nation for the UK to retain a strong maritime skills base; is therefore alarmed by the near 60 per cent. fall over 30 years in the number of UK seafarers and that a deficit in UK officers and ratings will exist by the end of the decade unless current rates of training and recruitment for UK seafarers are dramatically increased; welcomes the President of the Chamber of Shipping's call on the Government to consider using the training commitment in the tonnage tax to increase the annual number of UK ratings being trained; further notes that since the introduction of the tonnage tax in 2000-01, qualifying shipping companies have enjoyed a total tax break of approximately £800 million but have completely ignored the voluntary link to providing training for UK ratings; and calls upon the Government to protect the national maritime skills base by promoting policies which increase training and employment rates amongst UK ratings, including extending the madatory link between the tonnage tax and training that applies to officers so that it also applies to ratings.
806 WORLD AIDS DAY 2013 27:11:13
That this House supports World Aids Day 2013, which will take place on 1 December 2013; recognises that the day offers an opportunity for people across the UK and the world to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died; notes that approximately 100,000 people are currently living with HIV in the UK and, globally, it is estimated that 34 million people have HIV; and calls on the Government to show its support for World Aids Day by committing to increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education about HIV.
809 LAUNCH OF LOVE YOUR NATIONAL PARKS CELEBRATION 27:11:13
That this House welcomes the launch of the Love Your National Parks celebration; sees the UK's national parks as assets to the nation which enjoy widespread public support and are enjoyed by millions of visitors; celebrates the diversity of national parks from upland to lowland areas; notes that they provide havens for wildlife, stunning scenery, rich cultural heritage, opportunities for adventure, inspiration, learning, physical and mental well-being and spiritual renewal, and a home for thousands of businesses; further notes that much economic activity in national parks is underpinned by their high-quality environment; further welcomes the fact that employment grew by 2.7 per cent in national parks in 2012; observes that the 90 million visitors to England's national parks alone already account for more than £4 to £6 billion of spending in national parks and their surrounding areas; further welcomes the aim of the celebration to grow the economic contribution of national parks further and increase awareness of how they can support people's health and well-being; recognises England's national parks as part of the wider network of the UK's national parks that together represent Britain's breathing spaces; and supports the impressive work of the National Park Authorities, farmers, land managers, non-governmental organisations, businesses, local communities and a wide range of partners that make this happen.
814 PUT US IN THE PICTURE: REPORT ON INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 27:11:13
That this House welcomes the Sightsavers' Put Us In the Picture report; notes that despite the fact that over one billion people worldwide have a disability, 80 per cent of whom live in developing countries, too few of them benefit from international aid programmes; agrees with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development that disability is the great neglected issue in development; further welcomes the International Development Select Committee's current inquiry into disability; believes that the potential for people with disabilities to contribute to global development is being missed because their specific needs and voices are not being taken into consideration; agrees that only with the active inclusion of people with disabilities in both UK aid programmes, and the framework that will replace the Millennium Development Goals in 2015, eliminating extreme poverty and achieving universal primary education will become realistic goals; calls on the Government to build on its recent progress by adopting a systematic approach to ensuring that people with disabilities benefit equally from, and have a voice in, international development; and urges the Government to champion disability in international development discussions.
816 IMPLEMENTATION OF SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT ON FOOTBALL LEAGUE 27:11:13
That this House notes the recent work of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee into Football Governance; further notes the report published by the Committee in July 2011 that found the Football Association (FA) in need of urgent reform; further notes that the report raised concerns including that the leagues have too great an influence over the FA's decision-making processes, at the increasing commercialisation of the game and the consequent financial risk being taken on by football clubs; further notes the report's call for the industry to put forward proposals for reform and the subsequent proposals from football authorities; further notes the Committee's rejection of the proposals and calls for the Government to bring forward legislative proposals; further notes the position of the Government as expressed in a letter of 30 April 2013 from the then Minister for Sport to the Committee as reproduced as an Appendix to the Committee's First Special Report of 2013-14, HC 156, stating that he agreed with the committee's recommendation that in the absence of significant progress by the beginning of next season, the Government should seek to introduce legislation as soon as practicably possible and that 'I have already been given drafting authority by the Parliamentary Counsel, and my officials have started working up a draft Bill and supporting documentation should football fail to deliver. This Bill will reflect the conclusions of your report'; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislation on football governance and finances as soon possible.
817 IMPRISONMENT OF ZAKARIA AL SAFWAN IN SAUDI ARABIA 28:11:13
That this House is deeply concerned at the 10 year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia of Zakaria Al Safwan following his initial detention in April 2011 after writing an article entitled, In Defence of Peaceful Protest; is further concerned that the charges he faced included contacting foreign media and writing anti-government articles; notes he was denied access to a lawyer throughout this case; and calls on the Government to raise this case immediately with the government of Saudi Arabia and request access to him by independent human rights groups.
819 UNESCO WORLD PHILOSOPHY DAY 2013 28:11:13
That this House notes that reasoning and critical thinking are important for education and innovation and that speaking and listening skills are vital for literacy and emotional development; further notes that philosophical inquiry develops these vital skills and a range of others necessary for the future economic and social development of the UK; is concerned about the focus on teaching to test rather than inspiring life-long learning; reaffirms its concern over the high number of children and adults who struggle with literacy difficulties and considers that all children and young people should be able to access philosophy to improve educational achievement and autonomous thinking; commends the mission of the Philosophy Foundation to raise aspiration and attainment through promoting philosophical inquiry in the classroom; and welcomes the opportunity of UNESCO World Philosophy Day 2013 to highlight the need to expand access to philosophical inquiry to all children.
821 HEART FAILURE AND DIABETES 28:11:13
That this House is alarmed by the findings of the National Diabetes Audit published earlier this month which found that people with diabetes are 38 per cent more likely to die early and have a 73 per cent higher chance of being admitted to hospital for heart failure than others; notes that the Audit looked at the experience of more than two million people with diabetes and found that more than a quarter of hospital admissions for heart failure were among diabetics; recognises that blood pressure and cholesterol checks are part of the nine key care processes in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, but that on average only 49.8 per cent of patients received all nine checks; and calls on the Government to create a targeted campaign at healthcare professionals to raise awareness of the guidelines, so that all diabetics receive all nine checks.
822 MAKING MISLEADING WEBSITES PURPORTING TO OFFER GOVERNMENT PAYMENT SERVICES ILLEGAL 28:11:13
That this House notes that unofficial websites are continuing to rip off customers seeking to pay for Government services such as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and Land Registry; further notes that the Cabinet Office and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, as departments responsible for these two services, are aware of the problem but have not so far secured the full co-operation of Google in protecting the public from these sites; further notes the Government has been advised that in most instances these unofficial websites are not illegal under current law; and therefore calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals urgently to make it illegal for unofficial websites to solicit payment for Government services, payment for which is already freely available on the official Government websites.
824 PRESERVATION OF THE UK'S INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE 29:11:13
That this House is concerned that the future of two historic textile machines, unique examples of innovative nylon and polyester yarn-making equipment from the 1950s, may be at risk following reorganisation of exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Manchester; notes that the Fluflon and air-jet weaving machines are irreplaceable artefacts from the UK's hey-day of artificial fibre textile development; and calls on the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to work with MOSI to secure their safe preservation for posterity.