Session 2014-15
House of Commons
9th June 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
1 FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX 4:6:14
6That this House congratulates the University of Essex on the fiftieth anniversary of the admission of its first students, in September 1964. at Wivenhoe Park, Colchester; notes with approval that its number of students has grown from 122 in its first year to the 11,000 from over 130 countries who are now studying at its three campuses in Colchester, Southend and Loughton; further congratulates it on being in the UK's top 10 for research, the leading university for social science research and joint second in the country for student satisfaction; welcomes its £200 million contribution to the region's economy; applauds the achievements of its alumni, one of whom is Speaker of this House, another the youngest and first female Speaker of Bangladesh's Jatiyo Sangshad, and a further two are Nobel Prize winners, Professor Christopher Pissarides and Dr Óscar Arias; recognises the achievements of its academics; and wishes the University of Essex continued success in the years ahead.
2 EAST OF ENGLAND CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY 4:6:14
4That this House congratulates the East of England Co-operative Society for its success over the past trading year, with an increase in pre-tax profits and the first rise in turnover for six years; notes that the Society, which operates in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, is not part of the troubled national Co-operative Group; is delighted that members are sharing a dividend distribution of £3.5 million, with £185,602 donated to community projects; applauds the Society for its Sourced Locally initiative which brings local products into Co-op stores direct from the region's growers and producers, which has led to the creation of around 300 new jobs by these suppliers; recognises the major role which the East of England Co-operative Society plays in the economy of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, with a turnover of more than £340 million; welcomes the fact that the Society has no debt, is profitable, is growing and employs 5,000 people; and wishes the Society, led by an independent board of directors elected by the membership, further success in the years ahead.
3 CYSTIC FIBROSIS AND PRESCRIPTION CHARGES 4:6:14
11That this House believes that people with cystic fibrosis should not have to pay prescription charges.
4 SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE DURING RECONSIDERATION OF EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE REFUSALS 4:6:14
23That this House notes that at present people who apply for employment and support allowance (ESA) and are declared fit for work can ask for this decision to be reconsidered prior to lodging a formal appeal; further notes that at present people can continue to receive ESA at the assessment rate during this period; welcomes the introduction of reconsideration in all cases as of 28 October 2013; expresses concern that people will no longer be able to claim ESA during this period; expresses further concern that their only alternative will be to apply for jobseeker's allowance (JSA), for which being fit for work is a condition of receipt; further notes that since October 2008 four in 10 appeals have been successful; fears that in future people who are awarded ESA on appeal will be ineligible for either ESA or JSA during reconsideration; believes that the Government has a duty to support those who cannot support themselves through no fault of their own; and calls on Ministers to make the necessary legislative changes to allow ESA claimants to continue to receive the benefit at the assessment rate during this period.
5 STATISTICS ON RECONSIDERATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE REFUSALS 4:6:14
24That this House notes that at present people who apply for employment and support allowance (ESA) and are declared fit for work following a work capability assessment can ask for this decision to be reconsidered prior to lodging a formal appeal; welcomes the introduction of reconsideration in all cases as of 28 October 2013; further notes that the Government regularly publishes statistics on the number of successful appeals, but does not publish statistics on the number of successful reconsideration requests; believes that this provides an incomplete picture of the effectiveness of the work capability assessment; and thus calls on the Government to regularly publish statistics on the number of successful reconsideration requests as soon as possible.
6 ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES 4:6:14
9That this House notes the opinion of leading world public health experts, including Professor Robert West of University College, London, that e-cigarettes have the potential to save hundreds of millions of lives across the world; believes that, if regulators treat low-risk nicotine products as traditional tobacco products, they are improperly defining them; regrets the decision of the EU to regulate e-cigarettes in strange and contradictory ways and believes that such inappropriate constraints upon the labelling and sale of e-cigarettes will have the perverse effect of reducing the rate at which cigarette use is declining; further notes the potentially enormous health benefits that e-cigarettes could bring to developing nations; accepts the health and economic benefits which e-cigarettes can bring to the least well-off; urges public authorities to regard e-cigarettes as a positive and not as an equivalent to cigarettes; and further urges the Government to impress upon the World Heath Organisation that encouraging, rather than discouraging, e-cigarette manufacture, sale and use will bring great health benefits across the world.
7 INVESTING IN DEVELOPMENT 4:6:14
5That this House commends the Government on its efforts to increase worldwide business transparency and reduce corruption through measures such as the EU Accounting Directive and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative; accepts that opposition parties recognise the critical importance of such initiatives; and urges the Government to continue to prioritise initiatives which enable greater UK and international investment in development across the economies of the developing world.
8 EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL 4:6:14
16That this House expresses concern about employment protection for the terminally ill; notes that terminal conditions are currently covered by current disability legislation, therefore terminally ill employees can be dismissed if they are no longer able to conduct their role with reasonable adjustments; understands that this can mean that terminally ill people can be subjected to stressful assessments, subsequent dismissal and the loss of death in-service benefits - all following the diagnosis of a terminal illness; and calls for additional Government protection for employees from the point of diagnosis.
9 EFFECT OF SPENDING REDUCTIONS ON SEASIDE RESORT ECONOMIES 4:6:14
5That this House notes that the seven local authority areas with the largest proportion of their population in receipt of local housing allowance are coastal areas containing some of the nation's best known seaside resorts; further notes that seaside resorts dependent on tourism tend to have economies built on low value, low paid, insecure employment where cuts to welfare cannot easily be replaced outside the black economy; and calls on the Government to review urgently the impact of welfare reforms on coastal economies and seaside resorts in particular, so that such areas do not suffer disproportionately from public spending cuts.
10 TRIAL OF SINGLE/DOUBLE SUMMER TIME 4:6:14
2That this House notes the significant financial, environmental, public health and quality of life benefits that could accrue by advancing the clocks to GMT+1 in winter and GMT+2 in summer; further notes in particular the increased trade in the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors estimated at over three billion and 80,000 new jobs, the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from reduced heat and light by aligning the clocks more closely to people's lifestyles and the significant health gains from reduced levels of seasonal affective disorder and increased levels of sports participation and physical activity; further notes the likely reduction in death and injury from fewer road accidents and expected reductions in crime and the fear of crime; and therefore calls on the Government to instigate a three year trial of single/double summer time.
11 CLOSE SEASON FOR HARE SHOOTING 4:6:14
11That this House deplores the shooting of hares throughout their breeding season as cruel and unnecessary; notes that in Scotland the brown hare and mountain hare now have close seasons to protect nursing mothers and their dependant young; and calls on the Government to confer similar protection on these icons of the British countryside.
12 SEASONAL UNEMPLOYMENT 4:6:14
11That this House notes with concern that many coastal resorts in the UK experience seasonal employment fluctuations; is concerned that many workers in resorts experience low wages and employment uncertainty; and calls on the Government to consider policies to address the difficulties coastal resort economies face outside the summer season.
13 AVOIDABLE DEATHS FROM DIABETES 4:6:14
14That this House notes with alarm that up to 24,000 people with diabetes die in England each year from causes that could have been avoided; further notes that there is no reason why people with diabetes cannot live long and healthy lives if they receive the right care and support to help them manage their condition; recognises Diabetes UK's 15 healthcare essentials campaign which outlines 15 diabetes checks or services that every person with diabetes should receive or have access to; further notes that half of people with Type 2 and more than two-thirds of people with Type 1 diabetes are not receiving the care they need to stay healthy; and calls on the Government to place a greater emphasis on prioritising diabetes in the Health Outcomes and Commissioning Frameworks to improve standards of care so that the 2.3 million people with diabetes in England receive the care they need to stay healthy.
14 SMOKE DETECTORS AND FIRE SAFETY 4:6:14
13That this House notes that the number of fatalities from fires in dwellings has fallen by a quarter since 1999 but that there are still on average five fatalities a week; further notes with concern that approximately one quarter of social homes do not have smoke alarms; calls on the Government to strengthen legislation to ensure all local authority and registered social landlord properties have smoke detectors on each floor and that privately-rented properties have working smoke detectors at the commencement of any tenancy agreement; and further calls on the Government to continue its efforts to raise awareness of the benefits of smoke detectors.
15 TYPE 1 DIABETES RESEARCH 4:6:14
15That this House supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in its campaign to increase awareness and understanding about Type 1 diabetes; notes that Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are separate and distinct conditions; acknowledges that Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening auto immune condition and is not caused by eating sugary food, by being overweight or by lifestyle choices; further notes with concern that Type 1 is a leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness, stroke, heart attacks and nerve damage and that incidence of the condition is increasing by four per cent year on year; further notes that approximately five per cent of the entire NHS budget is spent on treating Type 1 diabetes; recognises that JDRF is the world's leading charitable funder of Type 1 diabetes research and the only organisation dedicated solely to finding the cure for Type 1; and believes that more funding for medical research will lead to the development of better treatments for Type 1 diabetes, resulting in fewer complications and hospitalisations, improved cost-efficiencies for the NHS budget and lead to a cure.
16 SUPPORTING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES 4:6:14
15That this House notes with alarm that, according to the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit, 94 per cent of children and young people with Type 1 diabetes are not receiving the full care and support they need; further notes that 85 per cent of children and young people with diabetes have poor blood glucose control, leading to avoidable complications including amputation, blindness and early death; recognises that Diabetes UK has outlined the 10 checks, care and services needed by young people with Type 1 diabetes; further notes that the rates of admission for diabetic ketoacidosis for children with diabetes has been increasing year on year and that 25 to 30 per cent of all newly diagnosed children with diabetes present in diabetic ketoacidosis; and calls on the Government and the NHS Commissioning Board to ensure that all children and young people get the diabetes care they need.
17 WELFARE OF IMPORTED PUPPIES 4:6:14
12That this House notes with concern the growing number of puppies being imported from Eastern Europe following the relaxation of the UK's quarantine rules; further notes that some points of entry have recorded an increase in the number of illegally imported dogs detained; is concerned at the lack of specific regulations governing transport conditions and journey times for these animals; is further concerned that many may be reared and transported in poor conditions; questions the validity of the paperwork accompanying many of these animals; is further concerned that these imports could introduce disease to the UK, potentially including rabies; applauds the work of the FOUR PAWS organisation and others in this area; and calls on the Government to strengthen the current rules to end this trade in puppies and protect the UK's rabies-free status.
18 MELBOURNE DECLARATION ON DIABETES 4:6:14
13That this House notes that the first meeting of the Global Parliamentary Champions for Diabetes Forum was held in Melbourne from 30 November to 2 December 2013 and was attended by parliamentarians from over 50 countries; understands that there are an estimated 382 million people with diabetes and that this number is expected to rise to 592 million by 2035, that 80 per cent of people with diabetes live in low and middle-income countries, and that diabetes will have caused 5.1 million deaths in 2013, one every six seconds; further notes that the 66th World Health Assembly held in May 2013 has adopted nine global targets and 25 indicators to help address the non-communicable diseases (NCD) pandemic and that diabetes is the only one of the four major NCDs with its own global target, which is to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025; congratulates the 90 nations that have signed the Melbourne Declaration on Diabetes; and urges hon. Members to join those advocating for increased prevention, better diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in the UK.
19 EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETES 4:6:14
14That this House recognises the importance of early diagnosis of diabetes in order to bring the condition under control and prevent life threatening and expensive complications; notes the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes, working in partnership with Sir Michael Hirst and the International Diabetes Federation, to offer blood glucose testing on the Parliamentary Estate in March 2014 that resulted in over 145 people, hon. Members, peers and staff, taking the test; wishes to thank the nurses who volunteered their time to do this under the direction of Anne Felton of FEND (Foundation of European Nurses in Diabetes); and calls on the Government to do all in its power to encourage more diagnostic testing for diabetes in workplaces and community settings across the country.
20 PREVENTING AMPUTATIONS AS A CONSEQUENCE OF DIABETES 4:6:14
14That this House notes with concern that around 125 amputations are carried out every week on people with diabetes because of complications connected with their condition and that, as well as the devastating impact this has on the person, these amputations are currently costing the NHS between £600 and £700 million every year; further notes that 80 per cent of these amputations are potentially preventable and that this cost can be significantly reduced with better care; and therefore calls on the Government to support the Putting Feet First campaign which highlights that amputations can be prevented and underlines how important it is for people with diabetes to get regular foot checks and treatment from a specialist foot care team when a foot problem is identified and which aims to reduce diabetes-related amputations by 50 per cent in the next five years.
21 MUNICIPAL BUS COMPANIES 4:6:14
13That this House notes with pride that 2014 is the 100th anniversary of the entry into service of the first publicly-owned buses, when on 30 March 1914 six open-topped double deckers started work on routes in Coventry; recognises the importance of the remaining municipally-owned bus companies in providing excellent services and cheaper fares for passengers in UK cities and towns, including Newport, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Blackpool and Reading; is alarmed by the onslaught against local authority-supported bus services which has seen thousands of services cut or reduced since May 2010; further notes with concern that the Government does not record service cuts in the deregulated bus market which provides 78 per cent of bus services across the UK; further notes the RMT union's findings that since 2003, UK bus fares have increased by over 60 per cent; supports the Campaign for Better Transport's call for an examination of all cases for reform of the bus industry, including municipal ownership and not-for-profit services; and calls on the Government to undertake an urgent review of bus services.
23 MERIAM YAHIA IBRAHIM ISHAG 4:6:14
39That this House recognises the fundamental importance of the non-derogable right to freedom of religion or belief, as aspired to in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enshrined as law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; reaffirms the centrality of the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice to this right; asserts that Mrs Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag's right to freedom of religion or belief has been flagrantly abused by the legal system of the Republic of Sudan; commends Mrs Ibrahim for asserting her internationally-recognised right and refusing to recant her faith; congratulates Mrs Ibrahim on the recent birth of her child and abhors that this birth occurred in prison; and calls in the strongest terms upon the Republic of Sudan to uphold Mrs Ibrahim's fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief by pressuring the Sudanese judiciary to overturn the charges against Mrs Ibrahim and release her with immediate effect.
25 RECALL OF HON. MEMBERS 4:6:14
27That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to introduce a power of recall for constituents to recall their hon. Members; urges the Government not to introduce a system that requires approval by a parliamentary or other committee; and calls instead for a system where voters themselves can recall their elected representatives if a majority has lost confidence in them, for whatever reason, and if enough voters sign a petition to trigger a recall vote, in order to rebuild trust between people and power.
26 BRITISH-IRISH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FOR CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE 4:6:14
13That this House welcomes the British-Irish Strategic Partnership, 2014 to 2018 launched by UK Youth, Youth Work Ireland, YouthAction Northern Ireland, Youth Scotland and Youth Cymru; endorses the aspirations of the partnership to make England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales the best places for young people to flourish; endorses the partnership priorities of inspiring young people, promoting youth work, connecting young people and challenging inequalities; and encourages the five leading youth work charities to continue working locally, regionally and nationally to improve the life chances of young people throughout the UK and Ireland.
27 MOTHERS' NAMES AND MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES 4:6:14
48That this House notes that regulations from 1986 mean it is still the case that the particulars to be registered for a marriage include details of the fathers and not the mothers of the bride and groom; believes our law should not perpetuate the offensive and outdated message that marriage is a business transaction between fathers; further notes that both mothers and fathers are recorded on a civil partnership certificate and believes the same should be the case on a marriage certificate; further believes that change is needed so that mothers are no longer erased from these important historical records; and calls on the Secretary of State for the Home Department to bring forward the necessary legislative proposals without delay.
28 LIFEWORKS AND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH 4:6:14
2That this House notes with concern the proposed closure of the Lifeworks service in Cambridge, which helps people with borderline personality disorder, and that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust (CPFT) failed to adequately consult on the closure; further notes that mental health services across the country have been underfunded for many years, especially in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; expresses concern that the savings from reducing community mental health care lead to substantial extra costs for other services, including accident and emergency, GPs and the police, which are not properly accounted for; highlights that there continues to be a high level of stigma associated with mental health conditions; calls on the Government and NHS England to provide more funding for mental health services, support parity of esteem, and implement equal tariff deflators for mental and physical health care; and further calls on the CPFT to listen to the response to their new consultation and restore the Lifeworks service.
29 SAFETY OF POLYPROPYLENE MESH DEVICES 4:6:14
40That this House expresses concern at the serious adverse effects currently suffered by thousands of women due to complications from polypropylene transvaginal mesh (TVM) procedures; calls on the Secretary of State for Health immediately to initiate comprehensive independent research to evaluate the safety of mesh devices informed by both domestic and international evidence on the safety of TVM procedures, to consider seriously the suspension of TVM implants pending the completion of research, introduce mandatory reporting of all adverse incidents by health professionals, work with devolved governments to set up a UK mesh implant register and introduce fully informed consent with uniformity throughout devolved health boards and clinical commissioning groups; and further calls on the use of the Government's offices to lobby the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to reclassify TVM devices to heightened alert status to reflect ongoing concerns.
30 UNLICENSED ADVERTISEMENT OF PUPPIES 4:6:14
9That this House recognises that dogs are not a retail commodity and should be bought only from licensed breeders; notes that the internet and local news media are used to advertising the sale of puppies; is concerned that these advertisements are unregulated with no controls to identify the breeder, nor the source of these animals; and urges the Government to review and strengthen the existing Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 and to bring forward legislative proposals to govern the advertising and breeding of dogs.
31 ZOMBIE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS 4:6:14
10That this House notes the recent report by Which? magazine outlining the ongoing problems being faced by people dependent on income from their savings; further notes that numerous financial institututions continue to have accounts, often known as zombie accounts, offering 0.1 per cent interest, meaning that people with on average £10,000 in these accounts receive less than 20 pence per week in interest; and calls on each bank and building society offering such rates to existing savers to pro-actively market their more competitive accounts in order that elderly savers, many of whom do not regularly monitor savings rates, can avail themselves of a significantly better return.
32 LGBTQ PEOPLE IN UGANDA AND NIGERIA 4:6:14
12That this House recognises the immediate danger faced by LGBTQ people in Uganda and Nigeria under newly implemented laws which criminalise homosexuality and dish out punishments including life imprisonment for repeat offenders; believes that the Government should make concerted efforts to contribute to the promotion of LGBTQ rights in both these countries; expresses deep concern that LGBTQ people in these countries are being beaten by mobs, arrested by authorities and subjected to torture by those in power at detention facilities; further recognises that there may already have been an increase in asylum requests by LGBTQ people from Uganda and Nigeria; acknowledges that the legal obligations of the UK under international law is to provide sanctuary to those fleeing persecution and violations of their fundamental rights; accepts that the legal obligations under EU law is to respect the prohibition of arbitrary detention; further accepts that refoulement would lead to human rights abuses; regrets that the Government has done nothing to end practices that discriminate against LGBTQ asylum seekers and prejudice their cases through demands that they prove they are gay and demeans the ordeals they go through; notes that the policies currently in place are questionable and perversely violate the rights of individuals who seek asylum on the basis of their sexuality and sexual orientation; and calls on the Secretary of State for the Home Department to provide safe resettlement to present and future cases of LGBTQ asylum seekers from Uganda and Nigeria, recognising their political status and the serious threat to their safety, wellbeing and life.
33 WARZONE RAPE IN CONGO AND BEYOND 4:6:14
16That this House notes the horrific continuation of the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war in conflicts around the world; further notes the shocking scale of this crisis in Congo where an estimated 48 women are raped every hour; applauds the work of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to end these atrocious crimes; welcomes his initiative to host an international conference on warzone rape with UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie in the UK; supports Save the Congo's 48AnHour campaign which aims to mobilise an international effort to end Congo's culture of impunity for the use of rape as a weapon of war and for crimes of international concern; and calls on the Secretary of State to support the creation of a hybrid international Criminal Tribunal for Congo to address impunity behind the wars, revenge attacks and conflicts that continue to consume the Congolese people.
34 RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN THE ARAB WORLD 4:6:14
14That this House recognies the importance of freedom of religion as a fundamental element of an open, liberal democracy; calls on the Government to use its influence, directly with the nations of the Arab world and indirectly through the EU and the UN, to protect Christians and other religious minorities under threat and ensure that they are not forced to flee from their homes and become refugees and asylum seekers; urges that any new constitutions fully support religious freedom as defined by Articles 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and asks the Government to raise issues of religious liberty as a key topic in all dealings with the governments of the Arab world.
35 SALE OF PUPPIES IN PET SHOPS 4:6:14
11That this House recognises that dogs are not a commodity and should be bought only from licensed breeders; notes that puppies sold in pet shops or by other third parties are almost exclusively bred on puppy farms; and, given the fact the Pet Animals Act 1951 is out of date, calls on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that secondary legislation to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 prohibits the sale of puppies in pet shops.
36 CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA 4:6:14
11That this House recognises that the birth defect congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), which is as common as cystic fibrosis but much less known, can affect any unborn child, requiring additional antenatal care plus intensive care and treatment of the affected newborn; regrets that only 50 per cent of babies diagnosed with CDH survive, whilst those who do survive endure ongoing medical problems ranging from asthma and feeding problems to chronic lung and digestive problems, development delays and oxygen dependency; acknowledges that there is no known cause or prevention for the condition and that treatment remains medically challenging and costly; congratulates CDH UK for the work it does to raise awareness of the condition and support families facing diagnosis; and calls on the Government to provide funding to progress research into the causes of CDH, with a view to identifying developing prevention strategies and better treatment of the condition, which could save lives and potentially reduce costs to the NHS in the long term and to work with the devolved administrations to develop expertise and share knowledge on the condition throughout the UK.
37 TRIDENT REPLACEMENT 4:6:14
21That this House notes the findings of the National Security Strategy that a nuclear weapon threat from another state is of low likelihood; further notes a procurement cost of £25 billion and an estimated lifetime cost of over £100 billion for the replacement of the Trident nuclear weapon system; believes that there are greater spending priorities both at the Ministry of Defence and across other departments; and urges the Government not to replace Trident.
38 VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS DAY 2014 4:6:14
7That this House welcomes the seventh annual Vocational Qualifications Day on 4 June 2014; congratulates the millions of people who gain technical, practical and vocational qualifications each year; notes that high-quality technical and practical learning provides young people with the skills, experience, motivation and inspiration to get ahead; and agrees that practical skills should be valued as highly as academic education and that they contribute towards economic growth, improve social mobility and inspire ambition in young people.
39 UK ATTENDANCE AT HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS CONFERENCE 4:6:14
19That this House notes the recent governmental conferences on the Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Weapons, attended by 127 states in Norway in March 2013 and by 145 states in Mexico in February 2014; welcomes the announcement of a new follow-up conference in Austria in December 2014; further notes the call for UK attendance; and urges the Government to ensure that it is represented at this event in Vienna.
40 VAT ON TOURISM 4:6:14
12That this House recognises the value of the tourism sector; notes that tourism-related businesses lie at the heart of the local community and economy; further notes that 24 out of 27 EU states, including the Republic of Ireland, take advantage of a reduced rate of VAT for some part of their tourism sector, and that this has made a positive impact by increasing investment and jobs; acknowledges that, as a result, local regions that have a high reliance on the tourism sector are at a competitive disadvantage compared to other EU states; highlights the economic study produced by Professor Adam Blake, using the Treasury's own modelling technique, which showed that a cut in tourism VAT could increase gross domestic product by up to £4 billion per year; calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to introduce a sector-specific VAT reduction for certain tourism-related products, including accommodation and attractions; and further recognises that such a move would strengthen the wider economy, support job creation and generate investment in local businesses.
41 HASSAN HUSSAIN MOHAMMED 4:6:14
10That this House calls on the Kenyan government to release the Christian convert Hassan Hussain Mohammed, who was detained by Kenyan police on 30 April 2014 and to drop all investigations immediately.
42 BOMB ATTACKS IN NIGERIA 4:6:14
12That this House condemns the bomb attacks in Nigeria in the city of Kanu, where 20 people were killed, and in the city of Jos, which claimed 118 lives, carried out by Boko Harem upon people of Christian beliefs; and requests that the Nigerian government takes immediate action against the terrorist group Boko Harem.
44 VICTORY OF ST JOHNSTONE FOOTBALL CLUB IN SCOTTISH CUP 4:6:14
7That this House congratulates everyone connected with St Johnstone FC on winning the Scottish Cup for the first time in the club's history; recognises the contribution made by Dundee United to what it considers a thrilling final; and praises both sets of supporters for creating such a noisy and colourful atmosphere for what was truly a festival of football.
45 NATIONAL SCHOOL SPORT WEEK 2014 5:6:14
9That this House welcomes National School Sport Week 2014, which takes place from 23 to 27 June 2014; notes that since 2009, 9.6 million young people and 22,000 schools have taken part in National School Sport Week; celebrates the excellent opportunity that National School Sport Week provides to encourage young people to be more active and take part in PE and school sport; recognises that the provision of high quality school sport and PE has significant positive impacts on young people's lives including improving physical and mental health outcomes, enhancing academic achievement and building key personal and social skills; further recognises the work of the Youth Sport Trust in using the power of sport to change young people's lives; and calls on the Government to support National School Sport Week and the sustained provision of high quality sport and PE for all young people.
46 AN INDEPENDENT AIRCRAFT NOISE OMBUDSMAN 5:6:14
6That this House recognises that, for those who live near major airports, aircraft noise can be an imposition; believes that a fresh approach to tackling aircraft noise must be adopted in order to give such people confidence that their legitimate grievances are being addressed; echoes the Campaign Statement published jointly by Let Britain Fly, the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise and London First advocating the establishment of the role of an independent aircraft noise ombudsman; endorses the recommendation in the Davies Commission Interim Report of 17 December 2013 of the creation of an independent aviation noise authority (IANA); and urges the Government, when the Department of Transport issues its response to the Davies Interim Report, to publish both a timetable setting out how it will create an IANA and its plans for securing cross-Party endorsement of the backing for this initiative.
47 LEGAL RECOGNITION FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH A PARTICULAR GENDER 5:6:14
9That 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 in Australia and New Zealand citizens are able to obtain a non-gender specific X passport 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.
48 CHANGES TO DISABLED STUDENTS' ALLOWANCES 5:6:14
18That this House notes the importance of providing support to disabled students to enable them to access education and to help them study; further notes that National Union of Students' research has found that 55 per cent of disabled students have already seriously considered leaving their course compared to 35 per cent of non-disabled respondents with 54 per cent reporting this was because of financial problems; further notes with concern the proposed changes to disabled students' allowance (DSA) as announced on 7 April 2014; further notes that DSA is an important means of support for disabled students to access support and research has shown that students receiving DSA are more likely to reach a first or upper class second honours degree than disabled students who do not receive an allowance; further notes that many potential students stand to be affected by the proposed changes to DSA; and calls on the Government to provide equal access, wherever the student is studying.
49 TREATMENT OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN 5:6:14
12That this House notes that Israeli forces continue to use excessive force including live ammunition and rubber coated metal bullets on unarmed protestors, including children and that 1,400 people have been killed in this way since 2000; further notes the lack of transparency in the investigation of such incidents; acknowledges the excellent work that Defence for Children International Palestine do in increasing awareness of these deaths; further notes that since January 2008, 129 children have been affected by settler violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including four fatalities with each of the cases occurring near Palestinian neighbourhoods, villages or roads located close to Israeli settlements and the nature of the violence includes being shot at, beaten, pelted with stones and sprayed with gas; and calls on the Government to press the Israeli government to respect the right to peaceful protest and prioritise the safety of all children who come under such attack on a routine basis.
50 MARSHALL ISLANDS AND NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT 5:6:14
11That this House notes the 67 nuclear weapons tests conducted in the Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958; regrets the environmental and humanitarian impact of those tests on the Marshall Islands; further notes that the US Atomic Energy Commission in 1956 described it as by far the most contaminated place in the world; expresses support for the Marshall Islands' legal proceedings against nine nuclear weapons states, including the UK, at the International Court of Justice over their failure to comply with Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; and urges the Government to respond by committing to scrap Trident.
51 DEFENCE REVIEW 2015 AND TRIDENT REPLACEMENT 5:6:14
11That this House notes that a National Security Strategy (NSS) and Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) is due to be conducted in 2015; further notes the Seventh Report of Session 2013-14 of the Defence Committee, Towards the next Defence and Security Review, HC 197, and its concern that SDSR 2015 must be about understanding and outlining Britain's place in the world; believes that the decision on whether to maintain a nuclear weapons system beyond the life of Trident is central to this discussion and must be fully debated within the NSS and SDSR process; and urges that the Main Gate decision on the construction of Trident replacement submarines be delayed until after the publication of the SDSR.
52 IMPRISONMENT AND MALTREATMENT OF SHAHROKH ZAMANI AND OTHER TRADE UNIONISTS IN IRAN 5:6:14
9That this House notes with great concern that Shahrokh Zamani, a member of the Painters' Union, was charged with endangering national security and participating in an illegal organisation following his attempts to build an independent trade union and was then physically and psychologically abused, denied medication, denied access to visitors and was recently transferred to the notorious Ghezel Hesar prison before returning to Rajai Shahr prison; further notes the recent 47-day hunger strike conducted by Mr Zamani in protest against his maltreatment and that of fellow prisoners; urges the Iranian government to release Mr Zamani unconditionally; and calls on the Government to press the Iranian government to respect trade union rights and International Labour Organization conventions.
53 JOURNALISTS IN DETENTION IN EGYPT 5:6:14
9That this House notes the dangers encountered unjustly by journalists reporting from areas of conflict and change; expresses its alarm that since July 2013 more than 30 Al Jazeera staff have been detained in Egypt while four still remain imprisoned; further notes that Abdullah Elshamy was arrested in August 2013 and has been on hunger strike and is ill and that Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were arrested in December 2013; further notes the international support for their plight from the National Union of Journalists as well as #FreeAJStaff and spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Amnesty International and prominent international journalists; urges all governments to guarantee the safety of all journalists who play a crucial role in reporting the news as and when they see it; and further urges the Government to press the Egyptian authorities to bring about the release of all the detained journalists as a matter of the utmost urgency.
54 COMMUNITY OF ARRAN SEABED TRUST 9:6:14
5That this House applauds the Community Of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) for its work to establish the south of Arran coast as a Marine Protected Area (MPA); congratulates it on gathering over 1,300 responses to a Scottish Government public consultation on MPAs, of which 99 per cent were in favour of the south of Arran MPA; notes the importance of MPAs across the globe, which promote sustainable fishing such as creeling, hand diving and sea angling, create an area protected from bottom trawling and dredging and protect important habitats and fish nursery grounds; urges the Scottish Government to act on the consultation and introduce the south of Arran MPA, as well as other MPAs, which are legally protected; further congratulates COAST on its earlier work which produced a No Take Zone (NTZ) in Lamlash Bay after 13 years of campaigning; further notes after five years the seabed in Lamlash is now 40 per cent more complex and healthier than the area outside the NTZ; further notes that there are higher densities of scallops, crabs and lobsters, both older and larger, being recorded and increased numbers of juvenile cod and haddock; and further congratulates COAST on its numerous campaigns and responses which have been submitted to influence policy decision in favour of sustainable marine environments.
55 THE ROYAL INSTITUTION 9:6:14
3That this House welcomes the decision of the trustees of the Royal Institution (Ri) that the sale, or even part-sale, of 21 Albemarle Street will not be considered as part of any long-term plan for the charity; praises the hard work of the trustees in securing a sustainable future for the Ri; congratulates the Ri on a record level of membership of nearly 4,500 individuals; hopes that these achievements can help the Ri increase its impact and the reach of its public and educational programmes; notes that 21 Albemarle Street was the workplace of Sir Humphry Davy, Michael Faraday and other leading British scientists; further notes that this is the place where 10 elements were discovered and where Michael Faraday first demonstrated the power of electricity; and calls on the Government to continue to ensure that the Ri's legacy of Britain's contribution to science continues, at 21 Albemarle Street, as the place for discovery, innovation, inspiration and imagination.
56 20 YEARS OF WOMEN PRIESTS 9:6:14
3That this House notes that the Church of England has celebrated 20 years since the first women were ordained as priests on 12 March 1994; congratulates the first 32 women who were ordained and led the way for many more women to follow them; welcomes the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury during a service at St Paul's Cathedral on 3 May 2014 that men and women are equally icons, witnesses and vessels of Christ for the world; praises the progress that has been made, but also notes that there is still more work to do; and calls on the Government to encourage the Church of England's General Synod to bring in legislation for women bishops to be appointed.
57 FRACKING UNDER PEOPLE'S HOMES WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT 9:6:14
1That this House notes with concern the Government's decision to open a consultation on regulatory changes that would make it possible for energy companies to drill for gas under people's homes without the occupier's consent; condemns this attempt to prioritise the interests of big business over the rights of ordinary citizens and protecting the environment; further notes that this consultation was opened on a day when Parliament and the UK media were occupied with the recent election results, and is concerned that this was an attempt to evade proper public scrutiny; further notes that public opposition to these plans is estimated at 74 per cent and therefore observes that the Government lacks a popular mandate to institute this change; further notes that the many problems of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) include climate change, water, soil and air contamination, loss of protected habitats, and lower house prices in areas where fracking takes place; calls on the Government not to allow fracking to take place anywhere in the UK, and particularly where local residents who would be affected by it are opposed to it; urges the Government to listen to the voices of the majority of UK citizens; and calls for investment in genuinely sustainable technologies such as wind, wave and solar power, rather than an attempt to extract yet more fossil fuels regardless of the environmental and social cost.
58 PERSONAL DATA OF UK CITIZENS 9:6:14
4That this House views with concern the Government's attempts to share unprecedented amounts of personal data belonging to UK citizens, including medical and tax records, with non-governmental organisations and particularly with the private sector; notes the trend of selling this data to commercial companies at prices far below commercial rates, for purposes of private profit rather than public good; further notes the worrying evidence that data in an anonymised and pseudonymised form can be merged with other databases to identify individuals; believes that the Government's current attitude towards protecting citizens' data ignores best practice and the advice of experts; further believes that the Government should learn the lessons of the conspicuous failure of the public awareness campaign for the release of medical data under the care.data scheme and the widespread public opposition to that scheme; is concerned that the Government's view of citizens' personal data as a commodity to be released to the free market is damaging and dangerous; and calls on the Government to halt with immediate effect any further data releases for the purpose of commercial exploitation and any further commercial access to data which it holds in trust on behalf of UK citizens, including data held by HM Revenue and Customs.
59 MAKING FREEDOM EXHIBITION 9:6:14
2That this House notes with respect and contrition the details of the Making Freedom exhibition in Parliament; thanks the Windrush Foundation, Arthur Torrington CBE and all in the team who created the exhibition; invites all in Parliament to commend the website www.makingfreedom.co.uk and the observance of 1 August each year as Emancipation Day; remembers with respect the service and sacrifice of members of the West Indies regiments in the Great War and other conflicts; and determines to match the achievements of the passing of Acts banning the slave trade and then slavery with the uncomfortable knowledge of compensation going to slave owners and not to those enslaved.