Session 2013-14
House of Commons
2nd December 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
785 FLY GRAZING AND HORSE WELFARE 25:11:13
21That 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.
787 LONDON UNDERGROUND TICKET OFFICES 25:11:13
18That this House is concerned at the Mayor of London's proposal to close all London Underground ticket offices and massively increase reliance on ticket machines; is further concerned that this will not only result in the loss of almost a thousand front-line station staff but will also impact on the service provided to passengers, both regular commuters and tourists; notes that in particular ticket machines are not able to provide passengers with full advice and assistance which may result in passengers enduring more expensive and difficult journeys; is also concerned that disabled and older people could be disadvantaged when trying to use ticket machines and that there will be an increased threat to the safety and security of vulnerable groups such as women travelling at night; further notes that polls show overwhelming opposition to ticket office closures; and calls on the Mayor of London to reconsider his proposals and keep the ticket offices open.
790 IMPACT ON FAMILY JUSTICE OF CUTS IN LEGAL AID 25:11:13
17That this House is alarmed by the cuts to civil legal aid and its impact on family justice; believes that the removal of £350 million from the civil and family legal aid annual budget is having a devastating impact on family proceedings and harming the children and families involved; is concerned that instead of family proceedings being cheaper and quicker they are now longer and more expensive; understands that the resultant cuts in legal advisers and managers, the rise in the number of persons self-litigating, the highly restricted opening hours of counters in Family Court offices, and the delays in the court process are leading to increasing frustration for those involved; notes that 68,000 children are likely to be affected by the lack of access to legal aid as a result of the high and bureaucratic threshold which has now been set for demonstrating evidence in order to receive legal aid including in cases of domestic violence; and calls on the Government to restore the money cut from the legal aid budget and ensure that fairness and justice for the most vulnerable families in society is its overriding priority.
791 HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS CENTRES IN NORTHERN IRELAND 25:11:13
13That this House is deeply concerned about the imminent closure of the HM Revenue and Customs office in Newry and the plans to scale down operations in Derry and Enniskillen; recognises the vital services that are provided by these centres and their high degree of competence and expertise; acknowledges that this will result in the loss of over 130 jobs in Newry alone and cause real damage to the local economy in each area where the measures have been announced; and urges the Government to reconsider this decision and retain the centres.
793 TRANSATLANTIC TRADE AND INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP 26:11:13
8That this House is concerned about the inclusion of investor-to-state dispute settlements in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP); notes that their inclusion would enable foreign investors to file complaints against a national government whenever investors perceive a violation of their rights and that these complaints are filed directly to international arbitration tribunals and completely bypass national courts and the judicial system; believes there is a real risk that these provisions in the TTIP could overturn years of laws and regulations agreed by democratic institutions on social, environmental and small business policy on both sides of the Atlantic and is of the view that the Government's assertions about the economic benefits of the trade deal are questionable; further believes that any transatlantic partnership implies a relationship based on mutual trust, respect and shared values, something that the ongoing revelations about US secret services' surveillance of EU citizens and public representatives up to the highest level has shown to be gravely lacking; therefore calls for investor-to-state dispute settlements to be removed from the TTIP; and further calls on the Government to push for talks on the partnership agreement to be frozen immediately, in order to allow for a full public debate and Parliamentary scrutiny from both Houses of Parliament with a view to establishing whether full transparency and fundamental EU rights and rules can be guaranteed.
794 BRAIN TUMOUR RESEARCH 26:11:13
26That 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.
796 IMPROVING TREATMENT DECISIONS FOR BREAST CANCER PATIENTS 26:11:13
22That this House welcomes the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's final guidance on the Oncotype DX breast cancer test; notes that this represents an important milestone in delivering personalised medicine to breast cancer patients in the NHS; recognises that this test will guide individual decisions about chemotherapy treatment; further notes that avoiding chemotherapy where it is unlikely to be beneficial could improve patient outcomes, reduce overtreatment and save the NHS between £7,500 to £10,000 per patient; and urges the Government to encourage swift uptake of the Oncotype DX across the NHS and to ensure patients have fair and equitable access by developing a national commissioning policy for the test as soon as possible.
802 TRAINING FOR UK SEAFARERS 26:11:13
37That 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.
809 LAUNCH OF LOVE YOUR NATIONAL PARKS CELEBRATION 27:11:13
10That 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.
813 PULSE OXIMETRY TESTING OF ALL NEWBORNS 27:11:13
5That this House urges the Secretary of State for Health to ensure that hospitals and the medical profession administer the pulse oximetry tests on newborns as part of standard tests that are carried out to detect heart conditions; notes that congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect affecting around one in every 133 children in the UK or around 5,000 to 6,000 each year; further notes that getting more conditions diagnosed early could help save money, distress and save lives; and further notes that pulse oximetry tests are cheap, easy to administer and painless.
814 PUT US IN THE PICTURE: REPORT ON INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 27:11:13
13That 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
24That 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
4That 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.
818 RECOGNITION OF WORK DONE BY THE CHARITY, INDEPENDENT AGE 28:11:13
3That this House acknowledges that on 23 December 2013 it will be the 150th anniversary of Independent Age, a national older people's charity which offers advice, befriending and also campaigns for a fairer deal for older people; celebrates the work the charity does to provide personalised support to 10,000 older people and their families, including information and advice on social care provision; notes that Independent Age provides up to 40,000 older people and their families with information and support via a growing range of free publications and guides and advice on its website; welcomes the charity's production of Wise Guides, which offers practical information and advice for over-65s on finances, staying independent and getting the most out of later life; believes it is crucial that charities like Independent Age are in place to offer regular face-to-face or telephone support to those who are lonely or isolated through its network of volunteers; and calls on all hon. and right hon. Members to support Independent Age as it continues its work assisting older people.
819 UNESCO WORLD PHILOSOPHY DAY 2013 28:11:13
5That 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.
824 PRESERVATION OF THE UK'S INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE 29:11:13
3That 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.
825 BAKERS' ASTHMA 2:12:13
4That this House notes with concern recent Health and Safety Executive statistics which demonstrate that employees in the baking industry remain approximately 40 times more likely to develop occupational asthma than the average worker due to exposure to flour and other bakery dusts; further notes that the real incidence rates are higher still, given academic data on the under-reporting of the condition in the UK; believes that every worker has the right to work in a healthy and safe workplace and is extremely alarmed that thousands of bakers could be at risk of developing an incapacitating respiratory condition; further notes that local authorities lack the resources to conduct regular inspections of exposure levels in supermarket scratch bakeries and small, independent craft bakeries; recognises the outstanding research work done over many years by Professor Paul Cullinan of the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London; welcomes the agreement of supermarket chain Morrisons to work with Professor Cullinan on identifying measures to limit this exposure in its bakeries; and further calls on the Government to meet the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union in order to ensure that all relevant employers implement such control measures to protect bakers from developing asthma.
826 UK PENSIONERS' PARLIAMENT 2:12:13
4That this House welcomes the support given in recent years by Government and by the devolved administrations to organisations such as the British Youth Parliament and the Scottish Youth Parliament; notes that in recent times these organisations have contributed significantly to the public debate on a number of issues such as lowering the voting age and have raised the profile of many issues of importance to young people; further notes that in Ireland the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament has had similar success raising issues such as pensions; believes that similar organisations could help highlight the issues facing pensioners living in the UK; and calls on the Government to look into creating and supporting a UK Pensioners' Parliament to help ensure that the views of pensioners are properly taken into account by Government and service providers.
827 KILBIRNIE NET WORKERS' STRIKE 1913 2:12:13
11That this House pays tribute to the Kilbirnie Women Workers on the 100th anniversary of their strike in 1913; commends the determination of the women workers of these fishing net factories in Kilbirnie; acknowledges that those who took part in the 22 week dispute fought to secure improved pay and conditions and union recognition; further acknowledges the work of Kate McLean setting up the branch of the National Federation of Women Workers in the thread mill in Kilbirnie in 1912; recognises the support given by the Scottish Trades Union Congress in raising financial support and helping to settle the dispute; understands that the progress which has been made in improving equality in the workplace would not have occurred were it not for women such as the Kilbirnie Women Workers standing up for their rights; and further commends the women involved in 1913 for securing an agreement of secure pay, union recognition and non-victimisation of strikers.
828 THE T20 WORLD CUP 2014 IN BANGLADESH 2:12:13
1That this House congratulates Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Ireland, Nepal, The Netherlands, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe for qualifying for the T20 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh in 2014, and Ireland for winning the qualification tournament in Abu Dhabi; commiserates with Namibia, Scotland, Italy, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Kenya, Uganda, Bermuda, the US and Denmark who failed to qualify; and looks forward to Bangladesh hosting an excellent world cup in Sylhet, Chittagong and Mirpur, Dhaka between 16 March and 6 April 2014.
829 STEPHEN WARD 2:12:13
1That this House notes that Stephen Ward was convicted by a jury in 1963 at the Old Bailey of living off immoral earnings; believes this to have been a miscarriage of justice brought about by an Establishment seeking to scapegoat Stephen Ward in order to deflect attention and responsibility from John Profumo; regrets that Stephen Ward was driven to suicide as a result of the witch-hunt against him; and calls on the Government to publish the transcript of the trial at the Old Bailey and the evidence provided to the Denning Inquiry into the Profumo affair, and to refer the conviction of Stephen Ward to the Court of Appeal as a potential miscarriage of justice.