Session 2013-14
House of Commons
10th 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
825 BAKERS' ASTHMA 2:12:13
33That 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
26That 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
32That 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.
829 STEPHEN WARD 2:12:13
8That 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.
830 CARE PROCEEDINGS AFFECTING FOREIGN NATIONALS 3:12:13
8That this House notes that from time to time foreign nationals are taken into care in the UK; further notes that under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention and also under Brussels II Bis revised (Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003) articles 15, 55 and 56, foreign authorities should be contacted when this happens; further notes that in 2011 Essex County Council stated in respect to a Freedom of Information request that it had no contact with high commissioners or embassies, notwithstanding the fact that it had 21 foreign national children looked-after in 2010-11; recognises that it is clear that Essex County Council is not properly following the Vienna Convention and Brussels II regulations; believes that there are other local authorities that are similarly lax in following international law relating to care proceedings; calls on the Government to take steps to ensure that local authorities do follow international law; and further calls on the Government to maintain records, ideally through the SSDA903 return of the nationality of foreign nationals taken into care in England.
831 [2013] EWHC 3632 (Fam) LJ v JD 3:12:13
4That this House notes that on 20 May 2013 JD was given a suspended prison sentence for contempt of court by His Honour Judge John in Swansea County Court; further notes that it took until December 2013 for this to appear on the Bailii database; further notes that in contravention of the practice direction of 3 May 2013 and later comments, JD has still not been identified; and calls for the Justice Select Committee to review why it is that some judges are not following the proper practice directions and what can be done to ensure that they do.
832 CRISIS IN GAZA 3:12:13
13That this House views with grave concern a United Nations report that the situation in Gaza is near the point of catastrophe; underlines that the UN special rapporteur warns that lack of fuel imports has resulted in power cuts dramatically affecting basic services, including health, water and sanitation, with the result that raw sewage is flooding into the streets; notes that residents only receive power for six hours a day after the only power plant in Gaza was shut down due to a critical fuel shortage three weeks ago; further notes that the little power that is available is not sufficient to meet the needs of specialised health services, such as kidney dialysis, operating theatres, blood banks, intensive care units and incubators, putting innocent lives at risk; concludes that the inhumane, six-year blockade erected by Israel on the tiny strip of land holding 1.7 million people is the principal cause of this widespread suffering and distress, added to recently by the Egyptian military regime's destruction of tunnels on the Rafah border which helped to breach the embargo; and calls on the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs urgently to meet with his counterparts in Cairo and Tel Aviv to persuade them to remove the blockade and allow in urgent humanitarian aid and also to raise the plight of the people of Gaza at the United Nations General Assembly.
833 IMPOVERISHED CARERS 3:12:13
14That this House is concerned that more than 32,000 carers who are looking after relatives are failing to claim carer's allowance, according to a survey by the charity Carers UK; notes that some £12.6 million has not been claimed by carers in Bradford; further notes that 42 per cent of those surveyed said they had missed financial support because of lack of information; points out that not only are carers among the poorest people in the country but they are being further hit by the bedroom tax, some of whom have lost over £700, and by the benefits cap; and calls on the Government to fund an extensive publicity campaign to make carers aware of their rights and allowances and to remove the bedroom tax penalty from some of the most impoverished people in the country.
835 NEW USAGE CLASS IN PLANNING LAW FOR TRADITIONAL PUBS 3:12:13
10That this House welcomes new research entitled, Young adults and the decline of the urban English pub: issues for planning by Marion Roberts, University of Westminster and Tim Townshend, Newcastle University, published in the journal, Planning Theory and Practice in October 2013 which argues that the English planning system should create a new usage class for traditional pubs and argues in support of the traditional pub as a site for restrained and responsible social interaction for young adults; notes that this is an idea that the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group has previously proposed; and calls on the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to seriously consider the concept which would be a way of preventing the loss of many viable and wanted local pubs which is currently happening due to the weakness of the planning system.
837 ADVERTISING OF CHILDREN'S TOYS 3:12:13
16That this House is concerned that the methods used to promote and advertise children's toys are far too often gender-specific; believes this is especially noticeable in the advertising campaigns up to Christmas with separate advertisements for boys toys and girls toys; is further concerned that there is a risk that children's preferences and expectations will be channelled along out-dated traditional lines which may impact on their future educational and career choices; welcomes the progress that many retailers have made in removing unnecessary gender-specific advertising for children; and calls on all retailers to take action to end unnecessary gender-specific advertising.
838 ROSALIND FRANKLIN AND WOMEN IN SCIENCE 4:12:13
15That this House recognises and commends the contribution to science by Rosalind Franklin in molecular biology; notes her outstanding work in the fields of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite; further notes her work field of X-ray crystallography and the well-known X-ray diffraction image, Picture 51, which led to the discovery of the structure of DNA; believes that as a female scientist, whose contribution to the discovery of the structure of DNA was never fully recognised, she serves as a reminder of the importance of promoting the work of great women in science; and calls on the Government to do more to ensure that young people, particularly young women, are encouraged to pursue careers in science.
839 IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUMS' PRIVATISATION OF VISITOR SERVICES AND SECURITY 4:12:13
11That this House commends the excellent work undertaken by the staff in visitor services and security at the Imperial War Museums; recognises that their expertise and experience creates an informative and personalised service for visitors; is concerned that the proposals for privatisation will result in the deterioration of this service at a crucial time of increased visitor numbers during the centenary of the First World War; and believes that visitor services and security should continue to be provided in-house to ensure a continued quality of service to the public and of terms and conditions of staff.
840 THE CULTURE SECTOR 4:12:13
10That this House is concerned that the Government's funding cuts to museums and galleries has led to continued privatisation of services; notes that this has resulted in reductions in staff and the increased use of zero-hours contracts and volunteer staff; believes that the cuts and casualisation create a diminished experience for visitors; and calls on the Government to increase funding for arts and culture to ensure that the UK's cultural heritage is safeguarded for future generations.
841 FEDERATION OF BRITISH HISTORIC VEHICLE CLUBS 4:12:13
19That this House pays tribute to the work of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs in promoting the preservation of historic vehicles and also encouraging their use; notes that the historic vehicle movement contributes £4.3 billion annually to the UK economy and employs 28,000 people; congratulates the Federation on the occasion of its 25th anniversary in 2013; and wishes it continued success in the future.
842 EU-MOROCCO FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT 4:12:13
19That this House notes the imminent vote on 10 December 2013 in the European Parliament on the new Protocol to the EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement; acknowledges that the Government to date has not supported this protocol which, if approved, would be in clear violation of international law because it includes the Western Sahara (WS) territorial waters; further notes that the WS remains under illegal Moroccan occupation and no country recognises Moroccan sovereignty over it and so any agreement with Morocco should exclude the WS territories and its natural resources; recognises that the European Parliament voted against the same protocol 12 months ago; and calls on all MEPs to send a positive message to the Saharawi people and vote against the Protocol and to support the United Nations in its efforts to reach a just, lasting solution to this long-running conflict.
843 RAIL ELECTRIFICATION TO HULL 4:12:13
8That this House urges the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Transport to support First Hull Trains' proposals to electrify 70 miles of track between Hull and Selby; notes that under current plans, Network Rail intends only to electrify east-west rail services as far as Selby as part of a £9.4 billion package of rail infrastructure funding announced in 2012; further notes that First Hull Trains has submitted a business plan for a private finance deal to fund the £94 million project to install 70 miles of electrified overhead line equipment to cover tracks both ways from Hull to Temple Hirst junction; believes electrification is necessary to assist the millions of visitors who will be coming to Hull in 2017 when the city takes on the City of Culture title; understands that electrification will create jobs and growth and will provide a link between the city and the High Speed 2 network; acknowledges that electrification will also reduce journey times and provide opportunities for more direct services to London and other northern cities; calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Transport to approve electrification on railway lines in and out of the city to support its economic regeneration and help bring the region's transport links into the 21st century; and congratulates the Hull Daily Mail on its Hook up Hull campaign which is championing the issue on behalf of its readers.
844 BANNING OF JOURNALISTS FROM FOOTBALL GROUNDS 4:12:13
24That this House condemns the decision of Newcastle United FC Chairman, Mike Ashley, to withdraw all report facilities for journalists working on the Newcastle Chronicle, Newcastle Journal and Sunday Sun; notes that the denial of access to the St James' Park stadium press box, training ground and interviews with players and manager leaves reporters unable to report on events which are of great interest to the local community; further notes that this follows the temporary banning of a Daily Telegraph reporter by the same club last season and similar actions by Nottingham Forest, Crawley Town, Port Vale and Rotherham United; supports the National Union of Journalists in believing that journalists working for a free press in a democratic society must be able to express themselves as they see fit within the law, without fear of petty and vindictive corporate sanctions; welcomes the broad support that supporters of the club have given to reporters trying to do their professional best in reporting the affairs of football clubs; and therefore calls on the Premier League and Football Association to implement a code of conduct in respect of the treatment of working journalists.
846 RETIREMENT OF FOOTBALLER DAVID HEALY 4:12:13
8That this House notes the retirement from football of David Healy MBE; recognises the outstanding contribution he has made at a number of clubs, but particularly his Northern Ireland career where he is the country's highest ever goal-scorer with 36 goals in 95 international appearances; further recognises that he is one of the few players in the world to score a hat-trick against Spain, also smashing the European record with 13 goals in a single European qualifying campaign; and wishes him and his family every success for the future in the knowledge that his goal-scoring exploits will live long in the memory of football fans across the UK but especially in his birthplace, Northern Ireland.
848 COUNTRY SPORTS 4:12:13
9That this House acknowledges that shooting sports' true value to the UK is worth £1.6 billion; further acknowledges that it creates approximately 60,000 jobs for the economy; and believes that it improves the environment and benefits all.
849 POLICING OF MINIMUM WAGE 4:12:13
8That this House views with concern that only two employers in four years have been prosecuted for paying below the minimum wage; understands that HM Revenue and Customs has investigated 10,777 firms since 2009, collected £15.8 million in arrears and imposed £2.1 million in fines; points out that the unit which pursues firms costs £8 million a year to run whereas it collects just £4 million a year in arrears; notes that an estimated 300,000 people in the UK are earning less than the minimum wage; and demands a zero-tolerance policy so that all companies discovered to be paying below the minimum wage are named and shamed and that fines are increased by at least 10 times the present paltry ceiling of £5,000.
850 PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE PRIVATISATION OF EAST COAST MAIN LINE SERVICES 4:12:13
18That this House notes that rail services on the East Coast Main Line have been publicly and successfully run since November 2009; further notes the record levels of passenger satisfaction; believes that the Government's plans to re-privatise East Coast Main Line services by February 2015 is motivated by rigid ideology and not in the best interests of taxpayers or passengers; and calls on the Government to hold a full public consultation before any final decision is made.
852 SUSSEX UNIVERSITY STUDENTS 5:12:13
8That this House calls on Professor Michael Farthing, Vice-Chancellor of Sussex University, to retract the suspension of five Sussex students which began on 4 December 2013 following protests against the outsourcing of the university's services to private companies and in support of striking staff campaigning for fair and equal pay; notes that the protest by the students was targeted at the private company involved in the outsourcing and did not disrupt the work of students or university staff; and urges the university's management to respond positively to the requests by students and staff for a meaningful dialogue rather than continue to intimidate and penalise those students who speak out against the university's current outsourcing and staffing policies.
853 DAIRY COUNCIL CEREMONY OF THE CHRISTMAS CHEESES 2013 5:12:13
4That this House congratulates the Dairy Council in staging the 2013 Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, which forms the beginning of the Chelsea Pensioners' traditional Christmas celebrations; further congratulates in-pensioner, Paddy Fox, who was given the honour of cutting the cheese at this historic ceremony; notes that dairy products are a nutrient-rich food for people of all ages as part of a balanced diet; welcomes the work of the Royal Hospital in ensuring that dairy products play an important role in the diet of the Chelsea Pensioners; and calls on the Department of Health to take steps to promote the consumption of nutrient-rich food such as milk, cheese and yoghurt.
854 HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS 5:12:13
24That this House welcomes the statement from 125 states expressing concern about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons at the UN General Assembly First Committee on 21 October 2013; notes the attendance of 127 states at a governmental conference in Oslo to discuss this issue in March 2013; regrets the non-attendance of the Government; further welcomes the announcement of a new governmental conference in Mexico in February 2014; and urges the Government to ensure it is represented at the event.
855 MIDDLE EAST WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION FREE-ZONE 5:12:13
24That this House welcomes progress in diplomatic negotiations in the Middle East, both with Iran and Syria, to prevent the future development and eliminate existing stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction; believes it vital that the same pressure is applied to all states of the region to dismantle such arsenals; concludes that the UK must make serious progress on a weapons of mass destruction free-zone in the Middle East; and urges the Government, as one of the conveners, to do its utmost to take advantage of positive momentum and ensure a conference supported and attended by all states of the region is convened without delay.
856 PROPOSED PORT SERVICES REGULATION 5:12:13
25That this House opposes the latest attempt by the European Commission to introduce further controls on European seaports through its proposed Port Services Regulation; supports the Government's opposition to the Regulation; notes that the UK ports industry makes a vital contribution to the UK economy, supporting over 390,000 jobs, often in less advantaged areas of the country and contributes an estimated £21 billion to UK GDP; further notes that the proposed EC port services regulations threatens these jobs and creates uncertainty for investment; highlights that the Regulation is generally regarded across Europe as unnecessary, unfair and harmful to employment, especially to the highly competitive and efficient UK ports industry; and urges the Government to continue to oppose this measure and to work with other member states to ensure that it is not enacted.
857 POPPY SCATTER TO MARK WORLD WAR ONE 5:12:13
3That this House notes the plan to mark the anniversary of the start of the First World War, on 28 July 2014, by scattering poppies; further notes that Steve Trainor of Morecambe came up with this idea and is now working to make it a reality; believes that this is a fitting way to mark this important occasion; thanks Steve Trainor for the hard work in starting the Morecambe poppy scatter group; and encourages all hon. Members to start a poppy scatter in their own constituency to mark the start of the First World War.
858 THREE-PARENT CHILDREN 5:12:13
4That this House expresses the gravest concerns about proposals to authorise the creation of three-parent children effectively opening the door to the creation of designer babies; notes that Britain would be the first country in the world to do so; and strongly urges the Department of Health to focus primarily on the interests of any children to be born through such a procedure and to ensure that full information regarding such proposals, including the results of tests conducted to establish the likely safety of such procedures, are made known to Parliament and the general public alike for thorough scrutiny and debate before the laying of any relevant regulations.
859 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES 9:12:13
2That this House recognises that many new housing developments have property management companies appointed to provide a range of services; further recognises that contracts are put in place between home occupiers and property management companies that set out the range of services to be provided; notes that often there is a lack of transparency in property management contracts about the standard of service to be provided; further notes that the cost of providing services, the annual accounts relating to the service charge and any increase in the annual service charge are sometimes also lacking in transparency; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals that will require property developers to provide greater clarity in the contracting, costing, incremental rises in service charges and the process of tendering for property management contracts.
860 EXCLUSION OF SEAFARERS - EU LABOUR DIRECTIVES 9:12:13
14That this House is aware that discussions are currently taking place at inter-Government level to allow the inclusion of seafarers to be within the scope of EU social directives, thereby ending the unjustifiable and discriminatory treatment of this group of workers; notes that so far there have been three individual Commission consultations on this matter since 2007; believes there is no rationale for sustaining the current exclusion regime and that instead all seafaring employees should as of right be placed on an equal footing with other land-based workers; and calls on the Government to support the extension of the acquis communautaire on labour and social laws so that such people enjoy the same protection as other categories of workers.
861 PARTHENON MARBLES (UNESCO MEDIATION PROCESS) 9:12:13
4That this House recalls that Greece has continuously, since it gained full independence in 1832, requested the return of the sculptures removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin and held in the British Museum since 1816; is aware that this dispute has been on the agenda of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Promotion of the Return of Cultural Property since 1987; notes that the Director General of UNESCO has recently written to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Director of the British Museum to advise them of Greece's request for the dispute to be settled by mediation; and calls on the Government and the British Museum to co-operate fully and positively in the mediation process.
863 PAY OF HON. MEMBERS AND PUBLIC SECTOR PAY 9:12:13
7That this House notes the decision in the Spending Review announced to Parliament on 26 June 2013 to restrict public sector pay increases to 1 per cent; endorses the view that what is good enough for the workers is good enough for the politicians; and instructs the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to enforce public sector pay policy in its decisions over hon. Members' pay.
864 NELSON MANDELA 9:12:13
13That this House is deeply saddened by the news that Nelson Mandela has passed away; passes its condolences to his family and friends; recognises his deserved iconic status reached through his unwavering commitment to promoting equality and democracy in South Africa; recalls his outstanding achievements in helping to dismantle apartheid in South Africa; remembers his great work performed for his various charities including the Nelson Mandela and the Mandela-Rhodes Foundations; pays its respects to this great and inspirational man; and calls on the Government to fashion a suitable initiative that will best secure his legacy.
865 DR ELSIE INGLIS AND THE SCOTTISH WOMEN'S HOSPITALS 10:12:13
3That this House celebrates the bravery, achievements and hard work of Dr Elsie Inglis and the other women who set up and served in the Scottish Women's Hospitals; notes that Dr Inglis persevered with this project despite a severe lack of support from the British War Office; recognises that by the end of the First World War nearly £500,000 had been raised and 14 fully equipped field hospitals had been set up; estimates that between 1914 and 1918 some 1,000 women served in the hospitals in Serbia, Belgium, France, Russia, Romania, Corsica, Corfu and Greece, saving the lives of tens of thousands of people; further notes that whilst Dr Inglis and the other women who served in these hospitals are recognised as heroes in Serbia, their work and achievements are barely recognised in the UK outside of Dr Inglis' adopted home of Edinburgh; and strongly believes that during the centenary year of the outbreak of the First World War, the work of the brave women who served in these hospitals should be properly recognised and celebrated.
866 GOOGLE ALGORITHMS CHANGES AND LOSS TO BUSINESS 10:12:13
1That this House calls on search engine giant Google to be mindful of supporting small to medium business and reset their algorithms in such a way that small and medium-sized businesses who pay their taxes are not disadvantaged against large multi-national foot loose companies; and notes that some small businesses recently reported that changes by Google to algorithms have cut 30 per cent of internet hits and traffic to their sites, hitting sales and profits and potentially losing the Exchequer millions, if not more, in lost tax revenues and undermining jobs in the real economy.
867 PROTEST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON 10:12:13
1That this House believes that police have no place on university campuses and other seats of learning; condemns the University of London management for calling in officers and private security to break up a peaceful protest against plans to close down the student union; deplores the naked mendacity in the statement from Chris Cobb, the University's chief operating officer, that the University would always support peaceful and legitimate protest; and demands that the University's Vice-Chancellor and its Collegiate Council act immediately to rescind the closure of the union and the prohibition of protest at Senate House.
868 THE GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC POLICY 10:12:13
1That this House believes that the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement demonstrates that he is attempting to balance the books by slashing welfare and by pouring cash into property speculation, rather than productive investment; notes that if there is no change in policy by 2018-19, public services will be cut by 20 per cent; further notes that according to the respected Institute of Fiscal Studies the bulk of the reduction in the budget deficit will come from cuts in spending rather than tax increases, 86 per cent as against 14 per cent; is convinced that this policy of locking the country into a low productivity, low investment, low wage economy will see public services crumble and poverty soar; and calls on the Liberal Democrat partners in this damaging coalition to divorce themselves from this disastrous course which can only mean falling living standards for the majority of people while the rich once more prosper.