Session 2013-14
House of Commons
3rd February 2014
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
996 WITHHOLDING OF PUBLIC RECORDS 27:1:14
That this House demands that more than a million files retained by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at the Hanslope Park communications centre be released to the National Archives; points out that these papers date back 150 years and take in, among other crucial historical events, British involvement in the slave trade, the Crimean War, the Kenya Mau Mau emergency and the Cold War; believes that these papers are crucial to any impartial examination of UK foreign and colonial policy; and urges the Government to agree with the requests of prominent UK scholars to declassify these records and make them available to historians and archivists.
999 SALE OF PATIENT RECORDS 27:1:14
That this House condemns plans to sell patient information from the NHS database; points out that the previous attempt to put all records on line failed lamentably; believes that the plan to create a central data bank is designed purely as a resource to sell to researchers and will have no direct contribution to patient care; is deeply concerned that under this proposal researchers can have access to personal identities under certain conditions; demands that if the Government proceeds with this flawed sell-off then patients will have to opt-in rather than opt-out; and concludes yet again that this is yet another example of the betrayal by the Government of NHS values and standards.
1001 MAKE SPECIAL OFFERS SPECIAL 27:1:14
That this House backs consumer charity Which?'s Make Special Offers Special campaign which draws attention to inaccurate discounts and misleading multibuys in the UK's grocery industry; expresses concern at inaccurate was/now pricing where products are on discount for substantially longer periods than at the higher price; believes it is unacceptable that some grocers increase the price of products when they put them on multibuy offer therefore costing customers more during the multibuy period; further expresses disappointment that Which? has identified poor practice from each of the big four supermarkets; and urges the Government to make its Pricing Practices Guide simpler, clearer and stricter in line with Which?'s recommendations.
1002 130th ANNIVERSARY OF CCHF ALL ABOUT THE KIDS 27:1:14
That this House congratulates CCHF All About Kids, formerly the Children's Country Holiday Fund, on its 130th anniversary and commends the work of all its volunteers, supporters and donors who provide disadvantaged children with residential activity and respite breaks; notes that the charity has helped over two million children since it was founded; welcomes the contribution it makes to improving the quality of children's lives and in helping them to recognise their potential; and recognises and supports the role of the charity in helping to transform the lives of vulnerable young children by helping them to become more confident, positive and self-sufficient.
1003 10th ANNIVERSARY OF MORECAMBE BAY COCKLE PICKER TRAGEDY 27:1:14
That this House commemorates the 10th anniversary of the death of 23 Chinese cockle pickers at Morecambe Bay; recognises that their death was a dominant factor in the creation of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority; but is disappointed that the opportunity to extend the remit of the Authority into other sectors has to date been rejected.
As an Amendment to Jim Sheridan's proposed Motion (10th Anniversary Of Morecambe Bay Cockle Picker Tragedy):
Line4, at end add '; notes that the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently working with the GLA to ensure that the GLA bears down on abuse to protect vulnerable workers while working effectively in a business-friendly manner to reduce the burden of red tape for bona fide businesses; further notes that in 2012 a byelaw came into force in Morecambe Bay which states that no person shall gather cockles or mussels without possession of a full gathering permit; and further notes that the Government is currently working with the North West Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority in drafting a hybrid order under the Shellfish Act 1968 which will regulate access to specific portions of Morecambe Bay.'. 27:1:14(a1)
1004 DOLPHIN HUNTING IN JAPAN 27:1:14
That this House condemns the recent slaughter of over 40 wild dolphins in Taiji, on Japan's Pacific coast; notes with concern the capture of a further 52 dolphins for sale to aquariums and other customers including a rare albino dolphin calf, separated from its mother and now kept in captivity in Taiji Whale Museum; further notes with alarm the Japanese government's continued support for the practice by issuing quotas for the killing of over 20,000 dolphins, whales and porpoises in its coastal waters every year, despite the International Whaling Commission's moratorium on commercial whaling; deplores the inhumane slaughtering method of severing the dolphin's spinal cord with a metal spike; is further concerned that the practice of dolphin hunting may be driving some populations to extinction; is alarmed by the high levels of mercury and other toxins found in dolphin, whale and propoise food products, with reports suggesting dolphin meat is up to 5,000 times more toxic than levels allowed by the World Health Organisation; welcomes the statements made by the US Ambassador to Japan and the British Ambassador to Japan, Timothy Hitchens, opposing all forms of dolphin and porpoise drives; calls on the Taiji Whale Museum to release the albino dolphin calf from captivity; and calls on the Government to continue to raise the issue with the Japanese government at the highest level.
1005 SAINSBURY'S ENERGY CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT 27:1:14
That this House condemns Sainsbury's Energy for charging consumers an average of £73 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a bank account, so paying by direct debit is impossible; recognises that this hits the poorest and most vulnerable people in society the hardest; and calls for the Government and the Regulator to review this issue.
1006 SCOTTISH HYDRO CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT 27:1:14
That this House condemns Scottish Hydro for charging consumers up to £80 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a bank account so paying by direct debit is impossible; recognises that this hits the poorest and most vulnerable people in society the hardest; and calls for the Government and the Regulator to review this issue.
1007 POWER NI CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT 27:1:14
That this House condemns Power NI for charging consumers up to £40 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a bank account so paying by direct debit is impossible; recognises that this hits the poorest and most vulnerable people in society the hardest; and calls for the Government and the Regulator to review this issue.
1008 ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1984-85 MINERS' STRIKE 28:1:14
That this House notes that March 2014 marks the 30th anniversary of the start of the 1984-85 miners' strike; further notes that strike's devastating impact on coalfield communities throughout the UK, including those in the Lothians; commends the many thousands of people across the UK who showed solidarity with the striking miners in their local communities; regrets that nearly 30 years after the strike ended, there are still men who were wrongly arrested or convicted during the dispute, who have never received justice; and welcomes plans to commemorate the strike's anniversary in East Lothian and in other communities across the UK.
1009 MOHAMMAD ASGHAR 28:1:14
That this House reiterates its opposition to the use of the death penalty under any circumstances; notes with concern the death sentence handed down to UK citizen Mohammad Asghar in Pakistan on charges of blasphemy; further notes that Mr Asghar has previously been diagnosed and treated for significant mental ill health; believes that the use of the death penalty on individuals suffering from mental ill health is contrary to the principle of natural justice; urges Pakistan to abide by the moratorium they have on the death penalty; and calls on the Pakistani authorities to review Mr Asghar's case as a matter of urgency.
1010 PETE SEEGER 28:1:14
That this House notes with sadness the passing of American singer, folk-song collector and songwriter Pete Seeger aged 94, whose songs were designed to inspire social change and promote a greener and cleaner environment via performances and appearances at civil rights marches, labour, union and anti-war rallies, college auditoriums, folk festivals, and in front of the US House Un-American Activities Committee, and subsequently in prison, as well as on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and more; further notes his infamous adaption of the negro spiritual song, We Shall Overcome, as a civil rights anthem and his Where Have All the Flowers Gone?, that became an anti-war standard; further notes his co-operation with the likes of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan among many others in voicing his views, particularly about American and international political direction; and further notes that his blacklisting and later indictment for contempt of Congress during McCarthyism cost him dearly in his musical life but will have been in accordance with his priorities which included a virulent anti-commercialism streak and a passion for peace.
1011 NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY 28:1:14
That this House welcomes the Bite the Ballot campaign National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), supported by Asda Stores, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Centrepoint Parliament, Citizenship Foundation, London Youth, the National Union of Students, Rock the Vote, SB.TV, Teach First, The Student Room, vInspired and others that aims to encourage 250,000 new electors to join the electoral register on 5 February 2014; acknowledges and welcomes the Government's commitment to get more people - especially younger people - and under-represented groups to join the electoral register in advance of the transition to individual electoral registration; notes that nearly half of 18 to 24 year olds are not on the register and that in some regions only a third of 16 to 17 year olds are registered; believes that to deliver its commitment the Government must now encourage support and promote NVRD - an annual day of action that involves youth clubs, community groups, educational establishments, businesses and individual campaigners across the UK registering people to vote; recognises that this initiative is supported by the APPG on Voter Registration with unanimous cross-party support from members of both Houses, the Electoral Commission and the Association of Electoral Administrators; further believes that NVRD will illustrate what can be achieved when the social enterprise, voluntary, charity and business sectors work in partnership to inspire young people to take part in the democratic process; and urges the Government to recognise the importance of NVRD in creating an engaged and inspired electorate in advance of forthcoming elections and referenda.
1012 THE OUTER HEBRIDES MOST SCENIC LANDSCAPE TOURIST DESTINATION 28:1:14
That this House congratulates the scenic Outer Hebrides for being listed favourite UK travel destination after the cities of London and Edinburgh in the biggest ever survey of UK's travel journalists; notes that Luskentyre Beach in the Isle of Harris in Na h-Eileanan an Iar was voted one of the best UK beaches by the 101 Holidays survey and 16th best beach in the world by CNN; further notes the recognition from Tom Hall, editor of Lonely Planet, that one of the greatest adventures he had experienced was flying on a small aircraft and landing onto a beach in the Outer Hebrides; acknowledges that the Standing Stones of Calanish in the Isle of Lewis raised around 2,800BC, predating Stonehenge, have been described as the best and most intricate standing stones in the British Isles, and which may have had an early tourist from Greece in the form of explorer and geographer, Pytheas in 325BC; further acknowledges that the archaeological site at Cladh Hallan on South Uist is the only site in these islands where prehistoric mummies have been found, and were older than most of the mummies found in Egypt; recognises the historical fact that on 23 July 1745 Prince Charles Edward Stuart first set foot on Scottish soil on the island of Eriskay; and celebrates that the Outer Hebrides proudly remains the main stronghold of the Scottish Gaelic language, which has the oldest cultural continuity of any language of Britain, and that the islands continue to use Gaelic and promote its active learning for the existing and future generations to come.
1013 SPARK ENERGY CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT 29:1:14
That this House condemns Spark Energy for charging consumers up to £390 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a bank account, so paying by direct debit is impossible; recognises that this hits the poorest and most vulnerable people in society the hardest; and calls for the Government and the Regulator to review this issue.
1014 SSE CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT 29:1:14
That this House condemns SSE for charging consumers up to £80 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a bank account, so paying by direct debit is impossible; recognises that this hits the poorest and most vulnerable people in society the hardest; and calls for the Government and the Regulator to review this issue.
1015 SOUTHERN ELECTRIC CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT 29:1:14
That this House condemns Southern Electric for charging consumers up to £80 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a bank account, so paying by direct debit is impossible; recognises that this hits the poorest and most vulnerable people in society the hardest; and calls for the Government and the Regulator to review this issue.
1016 RBS BONUSES 29:1:14
That this House condemns the proposal by RBS to pay bonuses to some staff double their annual salaries without even agreeing it with its largest shareholder, the UK Government; believes that bonuses are given to people for doing the wrong things well, things that harm the economy; points out that the bank is on schedule to lose £8 billion in 2014, and in total has now incurred more than £40 billion of losses since the £46 billion bail-out in 2008; notes that the Government owns 81 per cent of RBS and holds a controlling stake in Lloyds, while adopting a hands-off position which allows the same destructive policies which created the financial crisis to be reprised; reminds the Government that it can tell RBS what to do and in particular to lend to small businesses; and concludes that the banking industry is pursuing goals which are detrimental to the long-term economic interests of the country which enrich only a tiny minority while sapping human and financial resources from the rest of the economy.
1017 DOG BREEDING AND PUPPY FARMING 29:1:14
That this House notes the recent storyline in the television programme, EastEnders, regarding dog breeding and welcomes the publicity given to this issue of great concern to animal welfare charities and compassionate owners; further notes that irresponsible dog breeding and industrial-scale puppy farming regularly takes place often in horrendous conditions with no consideration for the welfare or happiness of the dogs involved; commends the work of organisations such as the Dog Rescue Federation, Pup Aid and CARIAD for highlighting these issues; further notes that around 127,000 stray and abandoned dogs were picked up by local authorities in 2012 alone and 11,000 were put to sleep for no other reason than that they were unwanted; further notes that often unregistered dog breeders make no effort to vaccinate the puppies from the lethal parvovirus resulting in many puppies dying within weeks of being sold; and therefore calls on the BBC to ensure that the impact of puppy farming is fully explored as this storyline unfolds in the coming weeks.
1018 TAKE HOME PAY FOR THE LOWER PAID 29:1:14
That this House notes recent informed opinion in the financial press regarding the negative effect of combined income tax and national insurance contributions on the take-home pay of employees in the UK; recognises that the lower paid in our society will benefit significantly as will the economy as a whole if the threshold at which any deductions begin is raised to £12,000 per annum; and calls on the Government to ensure that the economic recovery is shared more widely by the implementation of such a proposal.
1019 BANK OF ENGLAND AND DEVOLVED ADMINISTRATIONS (No. 2) 29:1:14
That this House notes that the Bank of England is responsible for monetary policy in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands; further notes that there are currently differing degrees of fiscal independence already in each of the nations of the sterling currency zone; believes that monetary policy should operate in the interests of all component nations of the UK; calls for greater accountability arrangements with the devolved legislatures and governments; further notes that the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank is responsible for independently determining monetary policy; further notes that the Committee is made up of nine members - the Governor of the Central Bank, the two Deputy Governors, the Bank's Chief Economist, the Executive Director for Markets and four external members appointed directly by the Chancellor; believes in the spirit of a partnership of equals within the currency zone that the devolved parliaments in future should each appoint an external member following the end of term of the current members; and further believes the Bank of England should be renamed the Sterling Central Bank to reflect political reality.
1021 TERRORISM ACT AND PRESS FREEDOM 29:1:14
That this House notes the views of Frank La Rue, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, that the Terrorism Act and defence of national security must not be used as grounds for harassing journalists who investigate sensitive subjects such as human rights abuses; further notes the comments of the former Lord Chancellor, who was among those who brought in the Act, that the powers were intended to be used only against people who are, or who might be, terrorists; expresses concern about the abuse of Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 in recent cases, including that of David Miranda, detained and questioned for collaborating with Laura Poitras and Glenn Greenwald to bring the information leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden to public attention; expresses further concern that a UK journalist with the WikiLeaks team, Sarah Harrison, is in exile and has been advised by her lawyers that it is not safe to return home on the grounds that almost every story published on the GCHQ and NSA bulk spying programs falls under the UK Government's interpretation of the word terrorism; believes that Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 is being illegitimately used to undermine freedom of the press; and calls on the Government urgently to review the application of the Terrorism Act 2000 and guarantee that it is not used to intimidate or persecute national security journalists.
1022 BASQUE PRISONERS 29:1:14
That this House welcomes the commitment of Basque nationalists to resolving their disputes with the Spanish state by peaceful means; notes that the Basque Political Prisoners' Collective, in its statement of 28 December 2013, undertook to take full responsibility for previous actions and accept the legal channels available to facilitate their transfer to prisons close to their families; draws attention to the crucial role resolving prisoner issues played in the Northern Ireland peace process; and encourages all parties concerned to use all legal means available to resolve this issue.
1023 PUBCO PROFIT MADE FROM SELLING-ON BEER 29:1:14
That this House notes that Punch Taverns, a standalone pubco which does not brew beer made, according to its own figures, an extraordinary £2.271 billion profit between 2002 and 2012 on selling beer to their own tied licensees; believes that this is a wholly unacceptable amount of profit for a company which merely acts as a broker; further notes that the standalone pubcos make considerably more profit from selling on beer than the companies who brew it, with brewery profit estimated by the British Beer and Pub Association as being as low as one penny per pint; further notes that unlike supermarkets and Wetherspoon's, the large leased pubcos not only do not pass on the benefit of this buying power to consumers, but instead charge their own tied licensees hugely marked up prices for beer often around 70 per cent more than the price direct from brewers or wholesalers and fine them if they buy elsewhere; further notes that the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers' annual benchmarking shows that average tied rents are actually higher than free of tie rents; further believes that this shows that the large pubcos continue to take too much from pub profits often leaving little or nothing for their tenants; further believes that this is yet more damning evidence of the reality of the pubco tied model which is both unjustifiable and unsustainable; and calls on the Government to implement the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee market rent-only option for companies with more than 500 pubs.
1024 WATER COMPANIES AND TAX 29:1:14
That this House condemns Britain's big six water companies for avoiding paying their fair share of tax; notes that despite amassing £1.75 billion in combined profits, only £45 million was paid in tax last year by two out of the six companies with the other four paying no corporation tax at all; further notes that these same companies are increasing their profits on the back of inflation-busting increases to customers' bills; and therefore calls on the water companies to pay their fair share of tax by putting an end to dubious tax avoidance measures; and, failing this, calls on the Government to introduce a windfall tax on all the water companies to recover the tax revenue that has been lost since privatisation.
1025 YOUNG DRIVER SAFETY 29:1:14
That this House notes with grave concern that almost a quarter of the road crashes resulting in death or serious injury in 2012 involved a driver under 24 years and that young, newly-qualified drivers are disproportionately involved in crashes, particularly catastrophic crashes involving multiple passengers, which has pushed up insurance premiums for young drivers; further notes the research by TRL, commissioned by the Government, which found that a graduated approach to young driver licensing could prevent 230 deaths and save £224 million a year; further notes the statements by the Secretary of State for Transport and other Ministers that this Government would publish a Green Paper on the safety of young drivers during 2013; deplores the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport on 18 December 2013, Official Report, column 629W, on driving: young people, in which he states that the Government is still wrestling with the issues; and calls on the Government to publish proposals for consultation without further delay.
1026 BANKERS' BONUSES IN STATE-OWNED BANKS 29:1:14
That this House congratulates the Government on reducing bankers' bonuses from £11.6 billion in 2008 to £1.6 billion in 2013; welcomes the measures introduced by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills giving a role to shareholders in determining executive remuneration; calls on the Government, where it has any stake in a bank, to exercise its rights as a shareholder to restrict bonuses and to ensure, where it has a majority stake in a bank, that bonuses are restricted; supports, in all banks partially or wholly-owned by the state, a cap on bonuses and an overall cap on executive remuneration to prevent salaries being increased to compensate for lower bonuses; opposes any bonus payments or increases in salaries for executives in banks wholly or partially-owned by the state relating to a period where a bank made a loss; and calls for the implementation of the recommendations of the Walker Review as swiftly as possible.
1027 MARGARET ANN BULKLEY (AKA JAMES BARRY) AND WOMEN IN SCIENCE 29:1:14
That this House recognises and commends the contribution to science made by Margaret Ann Bulkley (aka James Barry); notes that in 1809, upon arrival in Scotland from Ireland, she adopted the name James Barry and chose to live as a man in order to be accepted as a student at the University of Edinburgh Medical School to pursue a career as a surgeon at a time when most male doctors were opposed to having women doctors; further notes that this was over 60 years before the Medical Act 1876 achieved Royal Assent, granting registration to physicians regardless of gender, thus making her the first British woman to become a qualified doctor; acknowledges that while serving as a British Army surgeon in India and Cape Town, South Africa, she reorganised medical care with a strong emphasis on public health, campaigning against unsanitary medical practices and over-crowding in hospitals; further notes that the hospital in which she worked had the highest recovery rate of any hospital during the Crimean War; further recognises that in 1826 she performed the first caesarean section in Africa by a British surgeon in which both the mother and child survived; and calls on the Government to do more to ensure that young people, particularly young women, are encouraged to pursue careers in science.
1028 NATIONAL LIBRARIES DAY 30:1:14
That this House recognises that public library services are an essential part of communities across the country; welcomes the role they play in providing access to learning for millions of people and how they serve as a hub for local people; notes the importance of the professional expertise and skills of library staff in delivering a quality service; further recognises that libraries best benefit our society when they are well-funded and supported through strong national leadership; and joins in celebrating the importance of the work of public libraries across the UK as part of National Libraries Day on Saturday 8 February 2014.
1030 BADGER CULL 30:1:14
That this House believes that the pilot badger culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset have decisively failed against the criteria set out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in guidance to Natural England for licensing of the culls, which stipulated that 70 per cent of the badger population should be culled within a six-week period; notes that the costs of policing, additional implementation and monitoring, and the resort to more expensive cage-and-trap over an extended period, have substantially increased the cost of the culls, and strengthened the financial case for vaccination; regrets that the decision to extend the original culls has not been subject to any debate or vote in Parliament; further regrets that the Independent Expert Panel will only assess the humaneness, safety and effectiveness of the original six-week period and not the extended cull period; and urges the Government to halt the existing culls and granting of any further licences, pending development of alternative strategies to eradicate bovine tuberculosis and promote a healthy badger population.
1031 CURRENT SITUATION IN BANGLADESH 3:2:14
That this House notes that the 10th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh were held on 5 January 2014 and that over half of constituencies went uncontested; is deeply concerned about the levels of violence and instability surrounding the election; urges the UK Government to explore every available option to encourage dialogue between the opposing parties; calls for international bodies to apply pressure on opposing parties to resolve this situation at the earliest opportunity; condemns the violence, political harassment and arbitrary confinement; further notes with concern the effect the upheaval is having on the garment industry, which accounts for 80 per cent of Bangladesh's exports; and further urges leaders of all parties to find a way forward to make sure the people of Bangladesh can participate in a peaceful, inclusive, free and fair election which meets international standards.
1032 2014 SUPER BOWL 3:2:14
That this House congratulates the National Football League (NFL) on hosting a successful 2014 Super Bowl week and game in New York and New Jersey; notes the positive economic impact of such world-class sporting events on the local economy; welcomes the news that three NFL games will be played at Wembley in 2014 and have already sold out, reflecting the increasing popularity of NFL in the UK; and encourages the Government to work in partnership with the Mayor of London to examine the feasibility of the capital attracting additional NFL matches and hosting the Super Bowl at Wembley.
1033 ENGLAND WOMEN'S CRICKET TEAM ASHES VICTORY 3:2:14
That this House congratulates the England women's cricket team for retaining the Ashes after defeating Australia 10-8 in the multi-format series; pays tribute to captain Charlotte Edwards and her team for their strong performance; recognises the players as great role models for girls and young women playing sport; and wishes the team the best of luck in the forthcoming World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh.
1034 SYRIA - YARMOUK AND HOMS 3:2:14
That this House expresses deep concern over the continued suffering of civilians in towns and suburbs in Syria such as Yarmouk and the Old City of Homs which are beseiged by Syrian government armed forces; notes that there have been documented deaths due to starvation; asks the Government to continue to bring their plight to the attention of the UN and the Syrian government; and calls on the Government to do all it can to bring pressure to bear on the Syrian government and opposition forces to respect international humanitarian law and guarantee access for humanitarian aid to civilians in areas such as Yarmouk and the Old City of Homs.
1035 NUCLEAR SUBSIDY 3:2:14
That this House believes that the UK has been ripped off by Électricité de France (EDF) which has agreed to sell future electricity in France at £38 per Mwh while pressuring the Government to pay £92.50 per Mwh for Hinkley Point electricity, double the present price, index-linked and guaranteed against EDF loss for 35 years; and further believes this massive subsidy will inflate electricity bills for four decades.
1036 NUCLEAR SUBSIDY (No. 2) 3:2:14
That this House is appalled that UK consumers will pay up to £17.6 billion of super-normal subsidies via their energy bills to the French government-controlled company EDF for Hinkley Point nuclear electricity; and calls on the Government to accept the European Commission's judgement, abandon this absurd agreement and honour its Coalition Agreement promise of no-nuclear subsidies.
1037 FAMAGUSTA PETITION 3:2:14
That this House is aware that recently a petition signed by more than 50,000 people, supported by both the Famagusta Association of Great Britain and the Turkish Cypriot Association for Democracy was delivered to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street; notes that it also contained the results of an opinion poll, undertaken by the Turkish Cypriot Initiative Group which showed that an overwhelming majority of citizens believed that the town should be returned to its inhabitants; and believes that this should occur immediately and that the opening of its port would result in its comprehensive economic development to the benefit of Greek, Turkish and other communities and would positively promote socio-cultural co-operation which would then serve as a catalyst in reaching an amicable solution to the Cyprus problem.
1038 SYRIA 3:2:14
That this House notes the present conflict worsening considerably in Syria with the increasing numbers of people fleeing the country in search of safety now reaching epidemic proportions, 52 per cent of whom are children; believes that as this crisis intensifies Britain should do all in its power to make a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable that have been affected; recognises that the UK has already committed £600 million to the UN's humanitarian appeal to assist; is disappointed that so far no refugees have yet been allowed admission to the UK under the terms of the UNHCR Refugee Programme; and calls on the Government as a matter of priority to provide urgent entry, safety and protection for the most beleagured of these suffering citizens.
1039 FIREFIGHTERS' PENSION SCHEME 3:2:14
That this House is aware that the Government is currently consulting on a third year of pension contribution increases for firefighters despite the fact that their scheme is already amongst the highest for contributions paid in the public and private sectors; and believes this to be unfair on the UK's firefighters and a slap in the face for men and women who every day risk their lives in this profession.