Session 2013-14
House of Commons
18th 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
859 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES 9:12:13
21That 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.
864 NELSON MANDELA 9:12:13
39That 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.
866 GOOGLE ALGORITHMS CHANGES AND LOSS TO BUSINESS 10:12:13
13That 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.
870 DEATH SENTENCE ON ABDUL QADER MOLLAH 11:12:13
8That this House notes that Abdul Qader Mollah has been sentenced to death by the courts in Bangladesh for crimes committed during the 1971 war; further notes that international monitoring organisations have concluded that the judicial process which led to Abdul Qader Mollah being found guilty of war crimes was deeply flawed; believes that the execution of Abdul Qader Mollah would be unjust and wrong and do nothing to promote peace and reconciliation in Bangladesh; calls on the Government to make urgent representations to the Bangladesh authorities not to proceed with this execution; and urges the Bangladesh authorities not to proceed with this execution.
871 A DOG IS FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN 11:12:13
23That this House notes the Dogs Trust's famous slogan, A Dog is For Life, Not Just for Christmas, is 35 years old this year and was created in 1978 by the charity's Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin OBE, at a time when thousands of people were buying puppies to give to family and friends as Christmas presents, resulting in puppies being abandoned in the New Year; recognises that, despite many years of campaigning by Dogs Trust, there still exists a problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents and notes that 34 per cent of children will ask for a puppy this Christmas; further notes the problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents is still a major concern in a country where there were 112,000 stray and abandoned dogs taken in by local authorities last year, 9,000 of which were put to sleep; and wholeheartedly supports the Dogs Trust in its determination to ensure that one day all dogs are cared for by responsible owners, and have a home for life.
872 FREEDOM OF THE CROSS 11:12:13
12That this House supports the Freedom of the Cross campaign which highlights the struggle that many Christians have in their faith in the workplace and public arena and feels that their right to do so must be upheld.
873 GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST 11:12:13
6That this House believes that it is unacceptable that the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has not publicly disclosed its Division of Surgery Strategy document and its proposal to centralise most surgical services across Gloucestershire and integrate some of these services currently provided by Cheltenham General Hospital and Gloucester Royal Hospital on to one site; further believes that the Trust should now fully disclose its report and publish the costs and benefits of combining services across Gloucestershire; further believes that the Trust should make clear the precise timescale of any proposed changes and fully explain what changes are being proposed and what the effect on jobs will be; and further believes that the Trust should engage in a full and open public consultation as the current secret discussions risk a loss of confidence in the management of the Trust to deliver a full range of health services in both Gloucester and Cheltenham Hospitals.
874 TAILORED BUSINESS LOANS AND EMBEDDED SWAPS 11:12:13
32That this House notes that small and medium-sized businesses across the country struggled during the financial crisis; further notes that potentially tens of thousands of businesses may have been sold inappropriate complex financial products including fixed rate swaps and embedded swaps; is concerned that while fixed rate swaps purchased as an independent product are included in the current Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) review scheme, swaps embedded in businesses loans are not; further notes that many of these embedded swaps were sold without proper explanation of either the conditions or costs; understands these products are not regulated by the FCA; and therefore calls on the Government to ensure there is proper regulation in the future and that there is a review and access to redress for those affected in the past.
875 SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH COMBATTING SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS 11:12:13
17That this House is concerned about the burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK and overseas, including the most worrying threat of antibiotic resistance in gonorrhoea, and the risks STIs pose, including mortality, and infection of the unborn foetus, while recognising the promise of interdisciplinary scientific research that will contribute to efforts to combat STIs; supports microbiologists in their work to develop new treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections, innovative diagnostic devices that improve care, and an HIV vaccine; and welcomes the Society for General Microbiology statement, Microbiology and the challenge of sexually transmitted infections: Are we up to it?, which makes the case for basic scientific research as a contribution to wider efforts to improve sexual health.
876 CHORISTER JACK TOPPING 11:12:13
13That this House recognises the efforts of Jack Topping, an 11-year-old chorister from the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir who has become the youngest solo artist to sign to Decca records; notes that Jack has been chosen to support this year's Save the Children Christmas campaign and that he is the youngest ever singer to be appointed as an ambassador for Save the Children; and wishes him every success in raising money through the proceeds of his single, Tomorrow, for a very worthwhile charitable cause.
880 NELSON MANDELA AND NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT 12:12:13
16That this House admires the nobility of spirit and political judgment of former President Nelson Mandela; recalls the wisdom of his final speech as President of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations General Assembly on 21 September 1998; further recalls that the very first resolution of the General Assembly, adopted in January 1946, sought to address the challenge of the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction; further recalls the document submitted by the non-aligned states to the UN General Assembly in 1998 entitled Towards a Nuclear Weapon Free World: The Need for a New Agenda; agrees with Mr Mandela's call that all members of the UN should seriously consider this important resolution and give it their support; backs Mr Mandela's view expressed in his speech on 21 September 1998 that the question of whether these terrible and terrifying weapons of mass destruction are needed should be asked, even if such a question were to sound naive to those who had elaborated sophisticated arguments to justify their refusal to eliminate such weapons; and believes that the Government should take all steps to deliver the elimination of all nuclear weapons of mass destruction as demanded by President Mandela.
881 CALDERDALE HOSPITAL ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT 12:12:13
8That this House expresses concern about the possible closure of Calderdale's Accident and Emergency (A&E) department; recognises the vital role local A&E services play in meeting the health needs of local people; notes that thousands of people access treatment at Calderdale's A&E department every year; further recognises that closing that department would force people from Halifax and other communities to travel out of the area to access A&E treatment; calls on the Government and local NHS bosses to make clear what their plans are for local health services; further calls on the Government and local NHS bosses to make clear there are no plans to close Calderdale's A&E department; praises the NHS staff who do such an excellent job at Calderdale Royal Hospital; urges decision-makers to formally consult with and take into account the views of Halifax and Calderdale residents who overwhelmingly want to see the future of the local A&E department secured; and hopes that Calderdale's A&E department will continue to be at the heart of NHS provision in Halifax.
883 PROSECUTION OF RAPE IN KENYA 16:12:13
9That this House condemns the abhorrent actions of the six men who beat and raped a young woman in Kenya leaving her injured and wheelchair-bound; further condemns the behaviour of the Kenyan police who did not punish these criminals and dismissed these atrocious actions as assault, allowing them to return to the woman's family home to taunt their victim; calls for justice to be brought against the rapists and the police in Busia; acknowledges the problem of an epidemic of rape across central Africa and particularly Kenya; further calls for Kenya's General Inspector of Police to take appropriate action against the policemen responsible and to ensure justice is brought; and further acknowledges the legal support being given to the young woman by Kenya's Coalition on Violence Against Women and its work in raising awareness of the issue.
884 SOCIAL CARE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL 16:12:13
15That this House is aware that social care can provide people with mental health problems the practical support they need to stay well by supporting them with their washing and dressing, shopping, bills and appointments; notes that it can also play an important part in stabilising mental health problems by helping people to cope with their daily lives; is therefore alarmed by reports that the Government is considering the introduction of a national eligibility threshold which will exclude most sufferers from support; and calls on the Government not to adopt such criteria which is shortsighted, unfair and discriminatory.
885 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DOWNING STREET DECLARATION 16:12:13
43That this House celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the Downing Street declaration signed by British Prime Minister, Rt hon. John Major MP, and the Irish Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds TD, on 15 December 1993; believes that the remarkable contribution of these two leaders to developing the path of peace is too frequently overlooked and that the Declaration itself stands as a monument to their shared commitment to overcome the legacy of history, to heal divisions and create a lasting settlement between the peoples of Britain and Ireland; recognises that the Prime Minister's re-affirmation that the British Government has no selfish strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland, his statement on self-determination and the Government's stated commitment to encourage, facilitate and enable the achievement of agreed structures, played a pivotal role in creating confidence in a process of negotiation to be pursued exclusively by peaceful and democratic means; and urges the Government to be vigilant against threats while continuing to foster agreement and reconciliation encompassing the totality of relationships within Northern Ireland, on the island of Ireland and between Britain and Ireland.
886 LIVERPOOL POST NEWSPAPER 16:12:13
15That this House regrets the announcement of Trinity Mirror that the iconic Liverpool Post newspaper is to close after almost 160 years of publication in the city; notes that the circulation of the title, formerly the Liverpool Daily Post before it went weekly in January 2012, had dropped to 4,000 since this change; expresses its concern for the future of other local news titles that have moved away from daily publication; asks that Trinity Mirror work with the National Union of Journalists on delivering its commitment to avoid redundancies and to invest in its weekend newspaper and digital publishing, so that local journalism in Merseyside can continue to flourish; believes that local news provision is vital to the cultural and democratic life of communities; and therefore calls on the Government to work with the industry, unions and local communities to ensure that such assets are protected.
887 NUCLEAR POWER COST 16:12:13
12That this House commends the judgement of City analysts Liberum Capital who say that the Hinkley Point nuclear power station deal is economically insane offering a price for electricity at double the going rate, index linked and guaranteed for 35 years; agrees with the head of Ineos, Jim Ratcliffe, that the price of £95 per megawatt hour agreed with Électricité de France is a rip-off especially when the company simultaneously agreed a price of £38 for French customers; is alarmed that future British industry and domestic users will be forced to buy some of the most expensive electricity in the world, adding to the burdens of domestic bills and putting industry at a competitive disadvantage; and calls for a full disclosure of the deal and parliamentary debate.
888 ROMANIAN AND BULGARIAN CITIZENS INTENDING TO WORK AND LIVE IN THE UK FROM 1 JANUARY 2014 17:12:13
9That this House notes the lifting of Transitional Provisions set out in Article 20 and Annexes VI and VII of the European Communities No. 2 (2005) Treaty from 1 January 2014 with reference to the movement of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens intending to work and live in the UK; acknowledges that there are nearly one million young people out of work in this country; and therefore urges the Government not to lift Transitional Provisions on the movement of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens intending to work and live in the UK while unemployment and youth unemployment remain so high in this country.
889 LEGAL RECOGNITION FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH A PARTICULAR GENDER 17:12:13
10That this House recognises the issues faced by those in the UK who identify themselves as non-gender, bi-gender or intersex; believes that many of those who are non-gendered or bi-gendered feel compromised and diminished as a result of inappropriate gender references on their personal identity information; acknowledges that all passports issued by HM Passport Office are currently gender-specific and it is therefore not possible to obtain a passport that contains no reference to gendered identity; understands that, alongside F (Female) and M (Male), the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Document 9303 already contains X (unspecified) as a permitted character for three permitted characters under the mandatory sex element for machine-readable travel documents; notes that this week Germany introduced a policy enabling citizens to obtain a non-gender specific X passport, that a similar policy is already in operation in Australia and New Zealand and that India, Nepal and Pakistan also recognise the legitimacy of X as a preferred option when M and F are not appropriate; further believes that allowing this possibility in the UK would go a long way to amend this discriminatory policy which denies non-gendered and bi-gendered people a legitimate identity; and therefore urges the Government and HM Passport Office to make non-gender-specific X passports available to those UK passport holders who do not identify with a particular gender.
891 CONTINUED RWANDAN SUPPORT FOR M23 MILITIA 17:12:13
5That this House is gravely concerned by revelations in the UN Group of Experts report to the UNSC Sanctions Committee that the recently defeated M23 militia in Congo has continued to recruit in neighbouring Rwanda; notes that in November 2012 the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for International Development described the finding of a similar report as credible and compelling; further notes that last October the US blocked military aid to Rwanda over alleged backing of M23 child soldiers; recalls that in December 2008 Sweden and the Netherlands revoked aid to Rwanda because of its support of militia gangs killing and raping in Congo; further recalls that in June 2012 Britain, the Netherlands, the US, Germany and others suspended aid money that goes directly to the Kagame regime because of Rwanda's support to the M23 militia; supports Save the Congo's appeal to the Foreign Secretary to call on the International Criminal Court to bring charges against principal members of the Kagame regime for aiding and abetting M23 crimes in Congo; and urges the Government fully to examine Britain's relationship with the Kagame regime, adopt tough measures and report to the House on this matter at the earliest possible opportunity.
892 BEER DUTY AND THE 2014 BUDGET 18:12:13
10That this House welcomes the ending of the beer duty escalator and the impact of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's historic beer duty cut in the 2013 Budget, the first such cut since 1959, in supporting the growth of Britain's breweries and underpinning confidence in the UK's pubs; and urges the Government to sustain this momentum by considering the case for a further freeze in beer duty in the 2014 Budget which would secure over 2,000 jobs in pubs up and down the land and help reduce the cost of living for hard-working men and women.
893 RAIL FARES FREEZE AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS 18:12:13
15That this House notes that since 2008 rail fares have risen three times faster than wages; is concerned that these increases have taken place while rail companies have been making substantial profits; further notes that hard-pressed rail passengers, on top of energy and water price rises, are due to face further fare increases in the New Year; and calls for urgent consideration of a freeze in rail fares and service improvements financed by a windfall tax on the profits of rail companies which would be part of a first phase of consideration of returning the railways to public ownership to ensure a better deal for both the taxpayer and fare-payer.
894 FUTURE OF UK TRAIN MANUFACTURING 18:12:13
6That this House notes that Bombardier in Derby is the UK's last train manufacturing facility; understands that if Bombardier does not win the Crossrail contract then the plant will close and end train manufacturing in the nation that gave the railways to the world; is deeply concerned that the closure of the Bombardier plant would have a devastating impact on the region and supply chain with the loss of existing train manufacturing skills, scores of apprenticeships and at least 10,000 jobs; further notes that the Crossrail contract is co-sponsored by the Mayor of London and Department for Transport; and urges both the Mayor and the Government to do all they can to ensure the survival of UK train manufacturing.
895 PLANNING LAWS AND FIXED ODDS BETTING TERMINALS 18:12:13
1That this House notes the increase in the number of betting shops in deprived areas, that betting shops are currently in the same use class as banks and building societies, allowing them to be opened with no planning consent required for change of use in some cases and that most of the revenue generated from betting shops is now from high reward fixed odds betting terminals rather than from traditional betting on sport and track events; further notes that the Portas Review into the future of high streets describes gaming outlets as a blight on the high street, that their proliferation is creating unsightly gambling clusters on struggling retail hotspots and that in many areas, crime and anti-social disorder has been associated with a proliferation of betting shops; believes that local authorities should be empowered to decide whether or not to give approval to existing and additional gambling venues in their community; and calls on the Government to place betting shops in a new separate planning use class, allowing local authority planning committees to control them and to amend the Gambling Act to allow council licensing committees to take into account the cumulative impact of a proliferation of gambling activities when considering applications.
896 STEER CLEAR CAMPAIGN 18:12:13
2That this House commends the Steer Clear campaign, which encourages all seasonal revellers either to leave their car at home or to appoint a designated driver; congratulates the Portsmouth News for promoting the campaign and the many pubs that have already signed up, promising to offer a free soft drink to the designated driver in a group of four or more between 6pm and 9pm; encourages the setting up of these initiatives countrywide; and expresses the hope that schemes of this kind will be successful in reducing the level of drink-driving and drink-related road accidents.
897 SUPPORT FOR SIXTH FORM COLLEGES 18:12:13
1That this House believes in the excellent contribution made by sixth form colleges in providing students with a wide range of courses, subjects and an atmosphere akin to that of a university; emphasises the view of the National Audit Office that sixth form colleges are the most successful and cost-effective providers of post-16 education; urges the Government to end the present discrimination against colleges in favour of sixth forms in schools; feels that colleges and school sixth forms should be put on an equal funding basis by the Government reversing its decision to withhold the VAT rebate proposed from colleges and by restoring the cuts which have been made to tutorial and support funding, to enrichment and careers education, as well as the cuts in the overall funding for students over 16 and, now the proposed 17.5 per cent reduction in funding for students aged 18; further emphasises that this vulnerable group of 18 year olds is in a critical year of transition and includes students who have lost time through illness, a change in career plans, students who have had to repeat their level 2 qualifications and students who have been excluded from sixth forms in schools; and points out that the Government's pledge not to cut education budgets is not being honoured by these cuts.
898 LEGAL AID AND ADVICE (S. I., 2013, No. 2790) 18:12:13
1That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Criminal Legal Aid (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I., 2013, No. 2790), dated 1 November 2013, a copy of which was laid before this House on 4 November, be annulled.
899 LEGAL AID AND ADVICE (S. I., 2013, No. 2791) 18:12:13
1That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Criminal Legal Aid (Financial Resources) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I., 2013, No, 2791), dated 1 November 2013, a copy of which was laid before this House on 4 November, be annulled.
900 EVE'S LAW AND VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 18:12:13
6That this House recognises that victims of domestic violence and abuse are being placed at risk when forced to give their safe address in open court in unrelated proceedings; supports Eve's Law to address this dangerous anomaly; further supports Eve's Marker which would red flag the personal information of a victim of abuse as confidential and highly sensitive and would ensure that the data would never be publicly disclosed unless exceptional circumstances demanded it; notes that Eve's Law would protect victims of domestic violence in court on an unrelated matter; further notes that Eve's Law would close an anomaly which may deter victims of domestic violence from reporting abuse; and urges the Government to introduce Eve's Law.