Session 2014-15
House of Commons
16th 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
54 COMMUNITY OF ARRAN SEABED TRUST 9:6:14
21That 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 decisions in favour of sustainable marine environments.
56 20 YEARS OF WOMEN PRIESTS 9:6:14
21That 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
18That 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
24That 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
17That 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.
60 WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES 10:6:14
44That this House is deeply disappointed that the Gracious Speech did not contain measures to ban the use of wild animals in circuses, despite repeated pledges from Ministers that action would be taken; notes that since the House voted unanimously in favour of a ban in 2011 big cats have returned to Britain and is concerned that the continued delay may lead to other wild species being forced to perform in circuses; further notes that the draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill has already been scrutinised by the Environment and Rural Affairs Committee; supports Animal Defenders International and other animal welfare organisations in their ongoing campaign to end this outdated practice; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to ensure a ban can be introduced during the 2014-15 Session.
61 BADGER GASSING 10:6:14
24That this House is concerned by recent reports that the Government has been authorising secret trials gassing badger setts, even though its own earlier research has indicated that such methods regularly failed to work; notes that such practices were banned in England nearly three decades ago when they were found to be cruel, harmful and useless; and calls on the Government to cease all field trials of such methods immediately.
63 TEACHERS' EXCLUSION FROM SALARY SACRIFICE CAR SCHEMES 10:6:14
7That this House welcomes the availability of salary sacrifice car schemes for public and private sector workers, providing a boost to the motoring industry and delivering a low cost, low polluting motoring option; notes the popularity of these schemes and their long-term fiscal neutrality to the Exchequer; further notes the current exemption of teachers from the scheme despite all other public and private sector professions being eligible, and teachers having access to similar schemes such as Cycle to Work; acknowledges the demand from teachers for having access to salary sacrifice car schemes; and urges the Secretary of State for Education to consider amending the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document Agreement to extend access to the schemes for teachers.
65 WORK-LIFE BALANCE 10:6:14
16That this House calls on the Government to enter into discussion with employers' representatives and trades unions to agree a protocol on ensuring that employees do not have to answer work emails whilst off-duty or out of hours; welcomes the introduction of similar rules in France which ensure that parents can spend quality time with children without work interruptions; notes that such a protocol would not prohibit those who choose to access their work email accounts at home but merely offer protections for those who choose not to do so; further notes that a deal agreed between French employers' federations and unions ensures that approximately one million workers in the consultancy and digital sectors are not sent work emails outside the hours of 9am to 6pm; further notes that job insecurity drives people to work longer hours which in turn damages productivity; further notes that the development of children in particular can suffer if they do not have a full interaction with their parent who might be preoccupied dealing with work emails; and calls for a protocol restricting digital working time in order to ensure a healthy work-life balance.
66 NEWSNIGHT CYMRU 10:6:14
6That this House notes that BBC Scotland broadcasts a Newsnight Scotland programme four nights a week to report on Scottish politics at both Westminster and the Scottish Parliament and local government; and calls for the BBC immediately to commission a Newsnight Cymru programme on the same terms as Newsnight Scotland to ensure that Welsh viewers are treated with the same dignity and respect as Scottish citizens, ensure that Welsh politicians at both Westminster, Senedd and local government levels are held to better account and that talented Welsh BBC journalists are provided with an adequate opportunity to report on Welsh political events.
67 RELEASE OF DRIVERS' DETAILS TO PRIVATE PARKING COMPANIES 10:6:14
23That this House notes with concern the recent revelation following a Freedom of Information request that the UK taxpayer is paying up to £600,000 per year towards the cost of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) providing drivers' details to private parking companies, which then use this information to issue fines; further notes that the fee charged by the DVLA to supply this information is £2.50, but the handling cost to the DVLA of supplying it is £2.84; further notes that it is estimated that the cost of this subsidy has reached £5 million to the taxpayer over the last eight years; does not believe this to be a beneficial or appropriate use of taxpayers' funds; expresses concern about the lack of scrutiny with which the DVLA hands out UK citizens' personal details to private parking companies, which are notoriously unscrupulous and avaricious when it comes to issuing fines; believes that the DVLA should recalibrate its charges for this service so that it is at the very least breaking even, rather than providing a gift of taxpayers' money to private companies; and calls on the Government to re-evaluate the DVLA's role in assisting private parking firms to obtain citizens' personal data, and to ensure that data protection and confidentiality are not at risk from this practice.
68 ROAD TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) BILL 10:6:14
12That this House welcomes the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which would amend drink-drive and driver training laws for Northern Ireland; further welcomes that the Bill introduces new lower blood alcohol content limits of 50mg/100ml for most drivers and 20mg/100ml for learner drivers and novice drivers in their first two years after their test and for professional drivers and significant changes to driver training and testing; notes that only the UK and Malta currently have a blood alcohol content limit for drivers that exceeds 50mg/100ml; further welcomes the substantial reductions in road casualties achieved in Northern Ireland in recent years; and believes that, if implemented, these amendments will help to further reduce the number of people deaths and injuries on roads in Northern Ireland.
69 RETHINK CANCER CAMPAIGN 10:6:14
25That this House recognises that as many as one in three individuals in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime; calls for young people growing up in the UK to receive better education about cancer; supports CoppaFeel!'s #RETHINKCANCER campaign to make cancer awareness education a statutory requirement in schools; and further calls for statutory provision to ensure that wider issues of health and wellbeing are included in the national curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education.
70 ESTATE AGENT ADVERTISING AND ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATES 10:6:14
12That this House is concerned that sales and lettings agents in the commercial media are not showing the energy performance certificate rating of the property being advertised as required by Government guidelines; calls on estate and letting agents to ensure that all properties are advertised with prominent energy rating graphs and ratings; and urges the Government to tighten the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations to eliminate the loophole allowing seven days of marketing without an energy performance certificate and to ensure the law is proactively enforced by Trading Standards.
71 FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN SUDAN 10:6:14
37That this House resolutely deplores a Sudanese court's sentencing of Meriam Yahya Ibrahim Ishag to death by hanging for apostasy and 100 lashes for adultery; strongly urges Sudan's legal authorities to immediately and unconditionally overturn Ms. Ishag's sentence; notes the joint statement by the embassies of the US, the UK, Canada and the Netherlands expressing concern over the verdict and calling for the government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion; reminds the government of Sudan of its statutory commitment to the right to freedom of religion, including the right of citizens to peacefully follow the faith of their choice, as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, under article 38 of Sudan's interim constitution and under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; calls on the government of Sudan to repeal Articles 126 and 146 of the Criminal Code that criminalise apostasy and adultery respectively and to review the entire penal code to ensure other contradictions with the constitution and international commitment are addressed; and anticipates a new constitution that respects Sudan's richly multi-faith and multi-cultural population in which citizens have the right to peacefully follow the faith of their choice without fear of persecution.
72 HOSPITAL CAR PARKING 11:6:14
6That this House is disappointed that three-quarters of NHS hospitals in England charge patients and visitors to park on-site; notes that there are discrepancies over what is charged across England, with one hospital in London charging up to £500 per week to park on-site; believes that high charges deter visitors from seeing their loved ones and can hit the most vulnerable at a difficult time; further notes that the cost of abolishing car parking charges in England is estimated to be £200 million which, according to research, could be achieved through prescribing more generic drugs; and therefore asks the Government to consider scrapping hospital car parking fees across England.
73 VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES 11:6:14
11That this House is saddened to hear of the recent suicide of teenager William Menzies, whose death, like that of 14 year-old Callum Green and two unnamed others, has been said to have been linked to playing violent video games; passes its condolences to the friends and family of these young people; believes that age ratings on video games need to be more strictly adhered to; calls on parents and retailers to take greater responsibility for ensuring that minors do not play games which are classified as unsuitable for their age group; and urges the Government to do all it can to ensure children are protected from the extreme content found in these games.
74 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS FROM LEICESTER 11:6:14
5That this House acknowledges the incredible talent of the people of Leicester; is delighted by Leicester City Football Club's triumph in becoming champions of the Championship and gaining promotion to the Premier League, the finest football league in the world; congratulates Sam Bailey for winning X-Factor, Lucy Kay for reaching the final of Britain's Got Talent, Frances Quinn for winning the Great British Bake Off, film editor Joseph Fallon for winning a top Hollywood film trailer award, actor Charlie Clapham for his nomination for the Best Newcomer award for his role in Hollyoaks at the British Soap Awards, Heather Jacks for winning the Great British Sewing Bee, Molly Smitten-Downes for being chosen to represent the UK in this year's Eurovision and Rosie Little for being named Mother of the Year by the Leicester Mercury for caring for hundreds of children; and considers that, clearly, Leicester as well as being in the centre of England, is also now the premier city in England for creative and unique talents.
75 PRE-DIABETES RESEARCH 11:6:14
10That this House commends the work of Professor Richard Baker of the University of Leicester, the lead author of a new report on the prevalence of pre-diabetes, and his colleagues for their research; recognises the distressing conclusions made including the fact that the number of people with pre-diabetes trebled to over 35 per cent between 2003 and 2011; is concerned about the fact that each year between five and 10 per cent of people with pre-diabetes develop Type 2 diabetes; acknowledges that this is the first pre-diabetes study to be conducted in England; trusts that its alarming findings will lead to further essential research into this area; believes that it is vital that more preventative work is done before this condition develops; and hopes that the Government will do all it can to offer the necessary support and care to the huge and ever-increasing number of diagnosed diabetics.
76 NORTHERN IRELAND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 11:6:14
9That this House believes that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, as the National Human Rights Institution for Northern Ireland, plays a vital role in ensuring that Government and public bodies protect the fundamental human rights of everyone in Northern Ireland; acknowledges the role that the Commission has played in promoting understanding and education about human rights so that people know their rights and the protections they are entitled to if these are violated, denied or compromised; pays tribute to the role of the Commission in maintaining peace, promoting progress and building community cohesion in Northern Ireland in the spirit envisioned by the Good Friday Agreement and under UN obligations in post-conflict societies; notes with concern that the Government is cutting the Commission's budget by over 10 per cent for 2015-16 and that this follows a 25 per cent budget cut in the last four years; further notes that these cuts will impair the Commission's capacity to operate successfully and could jeopardise its United Nations A status and with it Northern Ireland's voice at the UN; and calls on the Government to withdraw this cut and provide full and proper funding to the Commission so that it can fulfil its duty to protect and promote the rights of all of the people in Northern Ireland.
77 NHS ACCELERATOR FUND 11:6:14
7That this House notes that Apposite Capital LLP, The Orchard Down Consultancy Ltd, Mike Farrar Consulting Ltd and the NHS Confederation have raised project funding of almost £1 million from NHS organisations including NHS hospital trusts in England and Northern Ireland to initiate the NHS Accelerator Fund; calls on the Secretary of State for Health to explain why there has not been a public procurement exercise for that fund and to publish the accounts of it to date; and demands that the Secretary of State confirms that the NHS has carried out due diligence on the involved organisations and explain the exact status of the project given the current financial pressures across the NHS.
78 SOCIETY LOTTERIES 11:6:14
10That this House recognises the tremendous and vital work undertaken by hospices, air ambulance services, veterans' charities, animal charities and a whole range of voluntary organisations across Great Britain, thanks to the valuable support they receive from players of hospice and society lotteries; welcomes and supports the findings of the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) report, published in February 2014, entitled What have we got to lose? How society lotteries could do even more for good causes, which advocates modest changes to rules governing the society lottery sector to allow hospice lotteries and other society lotteries to grow and deliver ever-increasing income for their good causes; notes that the imposition of tighter operating conditions for hospice and society lotteries could reduce the income for these charities; believes that society lotteries and the National Lottery can and do grow together to boost the overall income going to good causes; and calls on the Government to consider the findings of the CEBR report when undertaking their consultation into society lotteries in summer 2014.
79 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACK ON THE GOLDEN TEMPLE 11:6:14
8That this House commemorates with deep sadness the 30th anniversary of the attack in June 1984 by Indian armed forces on the Harmindir Sahib, the Golden Temple at Amritsar; expresses its condolences to the families and friends of all those who were killed and injured in this massacre and condemns this desecration of the holiest site of the Sikh religion; calls on the Prime Minister to establish an independent public judge-led inquiry into the involvement of the UK Government of the time in the events leading up to the attack, the attack itself and the subsequent abuse of human rights in the Punjab by the Indian army and police, including the release of all documents, reports and materials, especially those relating to the advice provided by the UK to the Indian government and military and the dialogue between UK Government Ministers and officials and Indian government ministers and officials.
80 ENERGY IN BUILDINGS BILL 11:6:14
11That this House believes that greater energy efficiency and the installation of cost-effective measures to generate energy by householders can reduce fuel bills and assist with alleviating fuel poverty and with achieving low carbon homes; and therefore supports the Energy in Buildings Bill brought forward in the last Session by the hon. Member for Gower which will require the Secretary of State to draw up and implement a strategy to promote such measures.
81 DANGEROUS PARKING OUTSIDE SCHOOLS 11:6:14
8That this House expresses its concern about dangerous parking outside schools; recognises the safety implications for children of parents parking outside schools on double yellow lines; acknowledges that parents and local residents are concerned that poor parking increases congestion and makes it harder for drivers to see children crossing the road, thereby potentially putting school children in danger; supports a campaign to tackle the lack of awareness of the dangers to school children when cars are parked illegally and acknowledges the need for drivers to slow down to protect children; suggests that motorists should be more cautious and think before they park so as to minimise the risk to children walking in, out and around the school premises; encourages schools to work with county councils to promote road safety in and around schools; and calls on the Government to get the road safety message out to schools and parents.
82 INVESTIGATION INTO THE BALLYMURPHY MASSACRE 11:6:14
8That this House is deeply concerned by the Government's decision not to establish a review panel to assess the evidence relating to the massacre in Ballymurphy, Belfast in August 1971; is dismayed that the families of the victims continue to be denied justice; is further concerned that the decision runs contrary to the spirit of the peace and reconciliation process in Ireland; and calls on the Government to issue a statement of innocence, to issue an apology to the families and to deliver an independent international investigation, modelled on the Hillsborough Independent Panel, examining the circumstances surrounding these deaths.
83 PROTECTION OF MOUNTAIN GORILLAS 12:6:14
9That this House welcomes the announcement made by UK oil company Soco that it will end its operations in Virunga National Park; congratulates the WWF for launching a successful campaign to protect Africa's oldest national park; notes however that there are now fewer mountain gorillas than there are hon. Members; and calls on the Government to support further measures to protect the gorillas and other endangered species.
84 DETENTION OF PRINCESSES SAHAR AND JAWAHER IN SAUDI ARABIA 12:6:14
21That this House is deeply concerned that Saudi Princesses Sahar and Jawaher, daughters of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, have been denied access to food for more than 60 days and have limited access to water; is further concerned that the two sisters have been held under house arrest in Jeddah for 13 years by their father; notes that they have been isolated in their compound and denied access to the outside world; expresses concern that Sahar and Jawaher's conditions have become increasingly difficult since they spoke out about their imprisonment in the international media earlier this year; calls on the Government to raise the princesses' situation with representatives of Saudi Arabia; and urges the Saudi government to grant the princesses access to food and water at the earliest possible opportunity.
85 HM PASSPORT OFFICE STAFF 12:6:14
8That this House commends the work which is being carried out by front and back office staff at HM Passport Office; notes their dedication during a time of immense pressure with offices opening seven days a week from 7am to midnight; is concerned by the Government's lack of accountability regarding the current crisis where backlogs are reaching over half a million; further notes that its current contingency plans are having little effect; further notes the warnings of an impending crisis the Government received from unions and hon. Members before the implementation of its drastic cuts programme which has seen the workforce reduced by a tenth and the closure of 22 interview offices and one application processing centre; and calls on the Government to acknowledge the current crisis and commit to increasing the staffing levels at both interview offices and processing centres across the country and ending the misery for families throughout the UK.
86 ASSISTED SUICIDE IN WASHINGTON STATE 12:6:14
14That this House notes the results of the Washington State Death With Dignity Act Report, 2013, published on 10 June 2014 which concludes that the number of deaths through physician-assisted suicide has tripled since the first year of implementation and increased by 43 per cent between 2012 and 2013; expresses grave concern that 61 per cent of those who received lethal drugs in Washington in 2013 gave as a reason for seeking assisted suicide being a burden on family, friends or caregivers; recalls that those who introduced the law in Washington assured the public that it would only apply to terminally ill, mentally competent patients; and reiterates its belief that a corresponding change in UK law would endanger the lives of the most vulnerable in society.
87 OUTSOURCING OF PARLIAMENT'S SEARCH AND SCREENING FUNCTIONS 12:6:14
8That this House values the dedication of House of Commons security staff who are employed by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS); recognises their professionalism and commitment every day to ensure that all those within Parliament are safe; is concerned by plans to outsource search and screening functions for the three main entrances of Parliament, which will affect around 150 staff, when the current contract expires in 2015; and urges the Clerk of the House and the Clerk of the Parliaments to reconsider their proposals and ensure all security functions continue to be carried out by employees of the MPS or by staff directly employed by Parliament.
88 BAHÁ'IS IN IRAN 12:6:14
6That this House is alarmed at the steps taken by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to begin destroying a historically important Bahá'i cemetery in Shiraz, Iran; observes that attacks on Bahá'i cemeteries are part of a wide ranging, multifaceted, cradle-to-grave campaign of persecution against Bahá'is conducted by the Iranian government with the aim of eliminating the community as a viable entity in Iran; deplores this recent act of desecration; and calls on the Government to strongly urge the Iranian authorities to prevent further destruction of the cemetery.
89 ENERGY DEMAND REDUCTION BILL 12:6:14
8That this House welcomes the publication by the Department for Energy and Climate Change of the report, Energy Efficiency Opportunity in the UK, in November 2012 which shows the potential for cost effectively reducing the demand for electricity by 69TWh by 2020, for gas by 74TWh by 2020 and for oil and other fuels by 53TWh by 2020; further welcomes the publication of the report, Electricity Demand Reduction, in May 2013 which showed that a further 32TWh of electricity could be saved by 2030; and so supports the proposals contained in the Energy Demand Reduction Bill introduced in the last session for the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to draw up and implement a strategy to achieve those reductions.
90 BRETON REUNIFICATION 12:6:14
3That this House notes the French government's proposals for the reorganisation of its current 22 regions thereby creating 14 super regions; further notes that under these proposals the current boundaries of Brittany are unchanged, but that the Breton Department of Loire Atlantique, separated from the rest of Brittany by the Vichy regime in 1941, is to be included in the new super region of Pays-de-la-Loire; further notes that Loire Atlantique included the historic Breton capital of Noaned/Nantes; and further notes that a LH2 poll in April 2014 found that 63 per cent of the residents of Loire Atlantique and 57 per cent of people living in Brittany support reunification; and calls on the French government to respect the wishes of the Breton people and Brittany's unique history, language and culture and to take this opportunity to restore its historic boundaries.
91 REDUCTIONS IN SKILLS FUNDING AGENCY STAFFING 12:6:14
14That this House condemns the reduction of staff numbers at the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) from 1,355 to 925; notes that these ideological cuts to staffing will have a detrimental effect on the delivery of apprenticeships and the National Careers Service; is concerned that that detriment will increase the potential for fraud and will be felt by small and medium-sized employers which may not be able to take on apprenticeships if they do not have contact and support from staff of the SFA; further notes that these ideological cuts contradict the Government's commitment to apprenticeships; and calls on the Government to acknowledge the value and dedication of staff working within the SFA and to commit to further recruitment in the agency to enable them to deliver on apprenticeships.
92 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF BREAKING THE SILENCE 12:6:14
6That this House notes that 2014 marks the 10th anniversary of the Israeli non-governmental organisation, Breaking the Silence, established by veteran Israeli Defence Force soldiers to raise awareness about the reality of life for soldiers and civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; welcomes the important work that Breaking the Silence does to provide a unique and credible voice amidst ongoing tension and conflict in the region; recognises the courage and contribution of those involved in this work; further notes the importance of their engagement with the International Development Committee during its visit to Hebron as part of an inquiry into the Department for International Development's work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; expresses concern at the UK Government's decision to discontinue funding for Breaking the Silence's public education programmes; and calls on the Government to reverse that decision.
93 MESOTHELIOMA RESEARCH FUNDING 12:6:14
8That this House notes with concern that mesothelioma is an invasive form of lung cancer caused primarily by prior exposure to asbestos; recognises that there is currently no cure for this devastating disease and that mesothelioma patients frequently have a very short life expectancy and experience complex debilitating symptoms; further notes that the UK has the highest rate of the disease in the world and that over the next 30 years more than 50,000 people will die of mesothelioma in the UK unless new treatments are found; believes that investment in research into the causes and potential cures for mesothelioma is desperately needed; and calls on the Government to facilitate the establishment of a long-term sustainable mesothelioma research scheme funded by the insurance industry.
94 ROYAL BRITISH LEGION BATTLE BACK CENTRE EXPEDITION 12:6:14
7That this House congratulates the Battle Back Expedition Team, including wounded servicemen and All Party Mountaineering Group members on their trek to climb Cotopaxi in Ecuador, an active volcano that stands at 5,897 metres/19,347 feet; recognises the positive role of sports in the rehabilitation of our wounded service men and women and celebrates the work of the Battle Back initiative; further recognises the life changing rehabilitation work of the tailored programmes at the Battle Back Centre in Lilleshall to help with both physical and psychological challenges, supporting wounded, injured and sick members of all three services in achieving their best possible recovery in order to either return to service duty or make a smooth transition to civilian life; and appreciates the efforts made by the team to overcome the encounters of the climb in order to raise funds for this worthy cause.
95 MINIMUM ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR PRIVATE RENTED HOMES 12:6:14
12That this House notes that the private rented sector (PRS) is a rapidly growing part of the housing market, accounting for 17.5 per cent of English households; that the PRS has over five times more homes in EPC Bands F and G than the social housing sector and that nearly half the PRS households living in Band F and G properties are in fuel poverty, costing the NHS £145 million annually and that those households are home to 191,000 children, 62 per cent of whom are in fuel poverty; further notes that the Energy Act 2011 placed a duty on the Government to introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard for the PRS by April 2018, and that Ministers repeatedly indicated that they expected the standard to be EPC Band E; further notes that new research for WWF-UK and the UK Green Building Council shows that the average cost of bringing a property up to Band E is £1,421 and that 72 per cent of properties can reach this standard for less than £1,000; regrets that the regulations have been significantly delayed; therefore calls on the Government to consult on and lay the regulations without further delay, in order to give landlords adequate time to comply; and further calls on the Government to ensure that the regulations are made clear and enforceable by specifying Band E as the minimum standard in all cases, and by keeping exemptions to an absolute minimum.
96 BRITISH-IRISH COUNCIL AND TOBACCO PRODUCT PACKAGING 12:6:14
6That this House notes that the Irish Cabinet has now endorsed draft legislation to ensure standardised graphic packaging, without brand logos, on all tobacco products; further notes the UK Government's undertaking to bring forward similar legislation following the unambiguous findings of the independent review led by Sir Cyril Chantler; recognises that such measures are promised significant oppposition, including legal challenges, from vested commercial interests; encourages both the UK and Irish governments to use the British-Irish Council (BIC) to co-ordinate and mutually reinforce such significant advances in public health policy; and believes that the BIC can also engage all relevant devolved policy responsibilities in the context of work to enhance the compatibility and comparability of respective legislative measures across these islands.
97 RADIO CAROLINE'S 50TH BIRTHDAY 12:6:14
3That this House congratulates Radio Caroline on its 50th birthday this year; calls on Ofcom to exhaust all avenues in making the provisions available to celebrate its birthday by broadcasting on a medium wave frequency which appears unwanted by both the BBC and commercial operators as a broadcast platform; expresses its disappointment that, having pioneered commercial radio in the UK and for the past decade being a fully licensed broadcaster, Radio Caroline, a cornerstone of British radio history, until now has been denied by Ofcom the opportunity to secure a medium wave frequency from which to broadcast; and regrets that as a result its devoted listeners are confined to listening to Radio Caroline via the internet and unable to enjoy its musical offerings in transit.
98 LANCASTERIAN SCHOOL 12:6:14
2That this House notes the tremendous hard work of all those at Lancasterian School, a specialist school for interaction and communication, which was awarded an Outstanding grade by Ofsted following an inspection on 1 and 2 April 2014; recognises that this is the third consecutive Outstanding grade that the school has received; commends the superb management of the school by Executive Head Teacher Dave Calvert and Head Teacher Katie Cass; and congratulates all those at Lancasterian on its fantastic work in providing education and care for pupils who have physical disabilities, complex medical conditions or speech, language and communication difficulties in addition to moderate, severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties.
99 HIGH COURT JUDGMENT ON ASYLUM SUPPORT 16:6:14
5That this House notes the High Court judgment of 9 April 2014 (Refugee Action v Secretary of State for the Home Department) which states that the Government's assessment of the amount needed by asylum seekers to meet their essential living needs is flawed and further notes the Government's decision not to appeal this ruling; is concerned as stated in the judgment, that asylum support rates have not been increased since April 2011 and that the majority of those on asylum support receive just £5.23 a day to pay for essentials such as food, clothing and toiletries; further notes that asylum seekers spend an average of 18 months on this support and are almost never allowed to work; believes this is detrimental to the well-being of refugees including children; is particularly concerned that children aged 16 and 17 years are treated as adults for the purposes of asylum support making it difficult to participate fully in education; and calls on the Government to raise asylum support rates to at least 70 per cent of income support - the equivalent of £7.17 a day for most adult asylum seekers - and to increase this in line with inflation annually.
100 INTERNATIONAL CLEANERS' DAY 16:6:14
2That this House notes International Cleaners' Day on 16 June 2014; celebrates the achievements of trades union-organised cleaners; recognises that the London living wage is now paid to nearly 10,000 cleaners; welcomes the representation brought to many otherwise vulnerable workers by trades unions; celebrates the recognition of the importance of cleaning work and those who carry it out; and further recognises the dignity and respect that cleaners across the world have fought for and won in their workplaces.
101 EDUCATION ENTITLEMENT FOR ALL CAMPAIGN 16:6:14
1That this House welcomes the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers' Entitlement for All campaign, which advocates the adoption of an entitlements-based approach to state education, including the tackling of poverty and disadvantage in society as a prerequisite to improving educational outcomes for all, providing a broad and balanced curriculum experience fit for the 21st century, insisting that all teachers have met nationally-relevant professional standards and expectations in order to work as qualified teachers and investing in a highly skilled education workforce to support children and young people.
102 VAT REDUCTION FOR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY 16:6:14
2That this House recognises that local restaurants and public houses are facing very challenging conditions in the current economy and are being put under further pressure by the rise of large supermarkets that enjoy preferential value added tax (VAT) treatment; notes that these businesses lie at the heart of their local communities, economically and socially; further notes that 13 EU member states, including the Republic of Ireland, have introduced a reduced rate of VAT within their tourism and hospitality sectors for restaurants and public houses, and 22 have done so for hotel accommodation, and that such measures have had a positive impact; calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to introduce similar sector-specific VAT reduction measures to help businesses in the UK; and further recognises that such a move would encourage growth in the wider economy, support job creation and generate investment in local businesses.
103 COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE AWARDS 2013 16:6:14
4That this House congratulates the winners of the Countryside Alliance Awards 2013; welcomes these awards which celebrate outstanding rural businesses in the UK; notes the support of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for the awards also known as the Rural Oscars; recognises that the awards are in the ninth year of running; applauds the high standard of all entrants and the excellent quality of winning and highly commended entries; and further recognises the huge importance of small and medium-sized businesses to the rural economy and the positive impact which they have on rural communities.
104 YOUR GP CARES CAMPAIGN 16:6:14
3That this House welcomes the British Medical Association's Your GP Cares campaign; recognises that the UK family doctor service is widely admired around the world; notes that the increased demand on general practice caused by demographic changes, more complex health needs and care moving out of hospitals is contributing to challenging pressures on the service and is therefore compromising the care GPs can provide to patients; further notes that some 340 million consultations are undertaken every year, an increase of 40 million since 2008; believes that having more GPs, working as part of properly resourced practice teams, in buildings fit for purpose, would support the delivery of services that patients need and deserve; further believes that UK GPs care about the concerns of patients and want to find long-term sustainable solutions to meet their needs; and calls for an immediate and sustained investment in general practice.
105 MONTE CASSINO 16:6:14
3That this House notes with gratitude the heroism and courage of those who served and died at the Battle of Monte Cassino in the Second World War which claimed some 50,000 allied lives; and on this 70th anniversary of the battle resolves never to forget the sacrifice of those who fought so valiantly for our freedom.
106 DOG AWARENESS WEEK 16:6:14
1That this House welcomes Royal Mail's Dog Awareness Week supported by Battersea Dogs and Cats Trust which takes place between 30 June and 4 July 2014; notes that over 3,000 Royal Mail postmen and women alone were attacked by dogs between April 2012 and April 2013; further welcomes the change in law amending the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 which came into force on 13 May 2014; further notes that postmen and women delivering the universal service obligation, six days a week to circa 29 million addresses across the UK, and other public service workers are now protected in law should they be attacked on private property; further welcomes the work being done by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Dogs Trust and Royal Mail to promote responsible dog ownership; and calls on dog owners to not forget that during the summer months postmen and women and others will be in the community carrying out their jobs and should be able to do so without fear of being attacked by a dog.
107 IMMIGRATION RULES 16:6:14
3That this House condemns the Financial (Minimum Income) Threshold in the Immigration Rules introduced by the Government which came into force on 9 July 2012; notes that the rules are having a negative impact on UK citizens who have spouses from non-EU/EEA nations and is resulting in families being forced to live outside the UK or to live separately in different countries; calls on the Government urgently to lower the threshold for the minimum income and allow families to return to the UK with immediate effect; further calls on the Government to implement the recommendation of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Migration to undertake an independent review of the Financial (Minimum Income) Threshold generally to ensure that families with spouses from non-EU/EEA nations with stable and reasonable incomes are granted permission to immigrate to the UK; and notes that the UK's four children's commissioners all endorsed the APPG report on Migration and its recommendations.
108 NEW THAMESLINK, SOUTHERN AND GREAT NORTHERN FRANCHISE 16:6:14
12That this House is dismayed that the new Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise will deliver profits to the French and German governments whilst resulting in the loss of hundreds of essential railway jobs and a worse, less safe service for passengers, particularly for older, disabled and women passengers; notes the franchise has been won by French-owned Keolis with contractual requirements and incentives to sack guards, introduce driver-only operation and reduce station staff and ticket offices and is appalled that passenger service and safety is being jeopardised in this way; further notes that the rolling stock for the franchise will be provided and maintained by German multinational Siemens, who has refused to take on the existing train maintenance thereby threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of skilled railway workers; and calls on the Government urgently to review this franchise, ensure that these cuts do not take place and that rail passenger services and jobs are protected.
109 THE ROLE OF THE KURDISTAN REGION 16:6:14
1That this House notes the continuing and strong security of the Kurdistan Region and the protection from ISIS given to Kirkuk following the evacuation of Iraqi security forces; further notes that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fleeing from Mosul have made their way to the sanctuary of the Kurdistan Region, where they are welcome, but which is also placing huge strains on the Kurdistan Region, already the home of over a quarter of a million refugees from the conflict in Syria and of previous flights by Christians and others from Arab Iraq; believes that the international community should do much more to partner the Kurdistan regional government and help it cope better with this influx of refugees; further believes that pressure should be placed on the Iraqi Prime Minister to lift his economic blockade of the Kurdistan Region which has meant that its civil servants, including its brave and effective Peshmerga soldiers, have not been paid for six months; and recognises that the Kurdistan Region has a vital role to play in any new configuration in Iraq.
110 REPEAL OF SECTION 24 AND GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION 16:6:14
10That this House notes the Government's consultation on the review of section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; welcomes reform of this policy which has allowed animal research to be carried out in complete secrecy; understands the need to protect personal information of researchers; supports the National Anti-Vivisection Society in its campaign to end the secrecy around animal experiments; and calls on the Government to repeal section 24 and allow interested stakeholders with expertise access to project licence applications prior to approval, which may help identify non-animal alternatives or similar research elsewhere and contribute towards the Government's promised reduction in the use of animals in scientific research.
111 IT AND PROBATION 16:6:14
2That this House is alarmed by the ongoing reports of IT issues within the newly formed National Probation Service (NPS) and 21 community rehabilitation companies (CRC); notes the failure of the NDelius IT system in the first days of the new service with some areas in England and Wales reporting the system was down for four days; is concerned that this has resulted in numerous residual issues including delays in court reports and prison recall as well as significant delays in transferring cases to the new organisation; is further concerned that staff working in the CRCs cannot access records of the NPS and this has resulted in CRC staff being unable to assess an individual's risk of harm, including risk registers such as child protection and sexual offences, which is putting both staff and the public at risk; and calls on the Government to assess the risk to public safety of the new probation service and halt the process of privatisation to protect the public and the dedicated staff of both the NPS and CRCs.
112 BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S YOUR GP CARES CAMPAIGN 16:6:14
6That this House welcomes the British Medical Association's Your GP Cares campaign; recognises that the UK family doctor service is widely admired around the world; notes that the increased demand on general practice caused by demographic changes, more complex health needs and care moving out of hospitals is contributing to challenging pressures on the service and is therefore compromising the care GPs can provide to patients; further notes that NHS England for example estimates some 340 million consultations are undertaken every year, an increase of 40 million since 2008; believes that having more GPs, working as part of properly resourced practice teams, in buildings fit for purpose, would support the delivery of services that patients need and deserve; further believes that UK GPs care about the concerns of patients and want to find long-term, sustainable solutions to meet their needs; and calls for an immediate and sustained investment in general practice.