Session 2014-15
House of Commons
3rd July 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
159 DOG MEAT TRADE CRUELTY 23:6:14
34That this House calls for an immediate end to dog meat trade cruelty; supports the Humane Society International's campaign to end the dog meat trade by working with government officials and local organisations in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and China to raise public awareness and strengthen laws related to this trade; and calls on the Chinese government and Yulin and Guangxi officials to stop the Yulin dog meat festival where thousands of dogs are being cruelly bound, confined, trucked and slaughtered for meat.
160 DAY OF THE SEAFARER 2014 23:6:14
41That this House recognises 25 June 2014 as Day of the Seafarer; notes the critical economic, social and cultural importance of the UK's 10,840 officers, 8,590 ratings and 1,990 officer cadets working at sea today; expresses dismay at the ongoing decline in the number of registered UK seafarers, with a 30 per cent fall in the number of ratings alone since 2011; further notes that this decline is largely due to the continued exclusion of seafarers from the full protections of the national minimum wage and the Equality Act 2010, which has allowed the undercutting of employment standards in the maritime industry; further notes that this has resulted in pay rates for seafarers in the UK ferry industry as low as £2.35 per hour, whilst ship owners in the Tonnage Tax scheme are benefiting from tax relief currently standing at over £1.5 billion; supports the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers' Ships of Shame campaign which highlights this exploitation of seafarers; and calls on the Government to mark Day of the Seafarer by committing to full enforcement of the national minimum wage in the maritime sector and implementation of the recommendation of the Government-commissioned Carter Review which called for the end of differential pay in the shipping industry.
161 AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING 23:6:14
24That this House congratulates Thatcham Research for its Stop the Crash campaign to raise awareness about the safety benefits of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) systems; notes the growing body of research showing that AEB reduces the occurrence of low speed crashes by around 20 per cent as well as being important in mitigating the effects of higher speed crashes; and welcomes the initiative taken by esure Group in offering motor insurance premium reductions to encourage people to purchase cars fitted with AEB as standard in order to support safety on UK roads.
162 REGULATION OF BUS SERVICES AND PUBLIC OWNERSHIP MODELS 23:6:14
20That this House believes the 1985 deregulation of bus services outside London has been a disaster for passengers, the taxpayer and bus workers; notes that profit-making private bus operators continue to benefit from public subsidy that makes up 44 per cent of funding in the industry; further notes that bus passengers in England outside London have been hit with a 39.6 per cent real terms fare rise since 1995, with average bus fares more than doubling in cash terms; is dismayed that despite buses accounting for two thirds of all journeys on public transport, including lifeline services for schoolchildren, pensioners and jobseekers, there has been a 17 per cent fall since 2011 in supported bus service mileage in England; condemns the Government spending cuts that are having a devastating effect on vital bus services; and calls on the Government to reverse these cuts and commission an independent review of the bus industry including the options of regulating all commercial bus services and of public ownership and other not-for-profit service models, with the aim of delivering frequent, reliable services and low cost bus fares.
164 EXCEPTIONS FOR DEMENTIA SUFFERERS 23:6:14
33That this House notes the growing prevalence in the UK of people with dementia, currently estimated at 800,000 and expected to double within 30 years; commends recent efforts by the Department of Health to address these growing numbers and to aid research into dementia; and calls on the Government to ensure that improvements are made to ease the everyday lives of people with dementia by encouraging the services industry such as banking, public transport and utility companies, to better help and acknowledge the needs of dementia sufferers by introducing exceptions and removing unnecessary restrictions and complications in order to allow them to retain as much independence as possible.
165 JOBS IN LOCAL JOURNALISM 23:6:14
38That this House recognises that local newspapers make an essential contribution to civic identity and democratic life in communities; notes that over one hundred local titles have ceased publication altogether since the recession of 2008, whilst many more have merged or reduced in frequency; expresses concern that around one in four local journalists are believed to have lost their jobs during this period; further notes that the quality of local news relies on locally-based journalists and editors able to report on public life in their particular geographical areas; regrets the decision of Newsquest management to transfer editorial production to a single hub in Newport, Wales which will transfer the production of news hundreds of miles away from sites in the North West and South London; supports members of the National Union of Journalists in taking action to defend jobs in local journalism; and calls on the Government to work with communities, union representatives and other stakeholders to implement a coherent strategy to protect jobs in quality local journalism.
167 SUPPORT FOR HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS WORKERS 24:6:14
27That this House sends solidarity to members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) taking action in defence of their services and jobs and to resist privatisation; recognises the pressure the workforce is increasingly under to mask job cuts; condemns attempts to divide workers by implementing a punitive performance management system that seeks to penalise 10 per cent of its staff every year; is dismayed at announcements to close a further 23 locations across the UK in June 2014 as part of an ill-conceived plan to cut 22,000 jobs and the closure of all 281 UK tax enquiry centres which forces pensioners and those most in need to contact understaffed contact centres or use the internet to get help with their tax affairs; commends PCS for its constructive attempts to negotiate a solution; and urges HMRC to enter into meaningful talks with the union and take action to reverse the cuts, centralisation and privatisation, ensuring proper staffing levels across the Department.
169 MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS WORK AND THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKS AND PENSIONS 24:6:14
25That this House believes that medical assessments for the Work Capability Assessment, the contract which Atos recently relinquished, should be brought back in-house; recalls that the failure of this contract, which was ended with keen agreement by Atos and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), follows a long history of criticism of the process and the company by politicians, press, public and DWP for their delivery of the healthcare contract, in particular the Work Capability Assessments; further believes that the current situation, with the contract yet to be granted, provides the opportunity for the Government to take responsibility and full control of the process by bringing the work and staff back in-house so that it can be delivered by the DWP; welcomes the benefits that in-house delivery would bring including the Department having direct control over processes and staffing and staff being able to work closely and interchangeably between core DWP work and those currently delivering the Atos contract, while recognising that this would go a long way to repairing the reputation of DWP medical assessment work; is concerned that awarding the contract to another private sector supplier could lead to a repeat of past mistakes, particularly as public spending cuts result in companies delivering contacts by making cuts to maintain profit margins; and urges the Government to stop the expensive bidding process now, bring the work and staff in-house, and take responsibility and control for improving the process for everyone concerned.
170 IMPRISONMENT OF JOURNALISTS IN EGYPT 24:6:14
48That this House condemns in the strongest possible terms the court case and sentences of the Al Jazeera journalists in Egypt: seven years for Peter Greste and Mohammed Fahmy and 10 years for Baher Mohamed, all of whom are suffering needlessly; condemns also the 10 year sentences in absentia for Alaa Bayoumi, Anas Abdel-Wahab Khalawi Hasan, Khaleel Aly Khaleel Bahnasy, Mohamed Fawzi, Dominic Kane, Rena Netjes and Sue Turton; notes the lack of respect these unjust sentences show for the democratic system; notes also the invaluable role these people carry out in briefing the international community regarding what is happening in other corners of the world; and calls on the Government to do everything in its power to convince the Egyptian authorities of the travesty of this case and the damage it is doing to the democratic process.
171 SECURITY AND RENT LEVELS FOR PRIVATE RENTED TENANTS 24:6:14
23That this House notes that nine million people in England rent privately and that private renting is becoming the new norm; further notes that in Brighton, Pavilion constituency the private rented sector (PRS) is roughly double the national average, accounting for 32.7 per cent of households at the 2011 Census; recognises that renting at extortionate rates is often the only choice for people on low incomes, for young families and for working people on average incomes; acknowledges the many good landlords, but condemns rogue landlords who fail to undertake basic maintenance or repairs, leaving many tenants in expensive substandard housing; believes that the norm of short-term contracts leaves PRS tenants without security in their homes, at risk of eviction and of unfair rent increases; further notes that this volatility is particularly harmful for families with children who often have to move schools as a result; further believes that longer-term renting could work better for both renters and landlords; further as the latter could reduce void periods and expensive re-letting costs; calls for five-year stable rental contracts to be the default, to give good tenants the option to stay in their homes; and also further calls for action to tackle unaffordable rents, including smart rent controls, a radical increase in housing supply including building a mass programme of sustainable, energy-efficient council housing and the establishment of a living rent commission to explore ways of bringing rent levels in line with the basic cost of living.
172 EDUCATING CHILDREN ACROSS THE WORLD 25:6:14
18That this House recognises the concern felt among people that there are approximately 57 million children across the world who currently do not receive any level of education; notes that 24 million of these children also have some form of disability or special needs; and commends the Year 8 students of Banbridge High School who organise annually a Send My Friend To School initiative to raise awareness of this vital issue.
173 ACTIVE LIFESTYLES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 25:6:14
20That this House welcomes the work of the GO Run For Fun Foundation, which gets children aged between five and 10 years running and adopting a more active lifestyle across the UK; congratulates the Foundation for having 20,000 children participate since August 2013 and for being on track to get 100,000 children running by 2016; expresses deep concern that there is a physical inactivity crisis in the UK, with around half of all seven-year olds, and three-quarters of all 12-year olds, not achieving the minimum recommended amount of daily activity; notes the importance of an active lifestyle in reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease and in promoting self-esteem and psychological wellbeing; draws attention to a recent report from the All-Party Commission on Physical Activity which shows that inactivity causes more deaths than smoking and costs the UK economy £20 billion each year; further notes that GO Run For Fun is an inclusive, cost-effective and high-impact response to the inactivity crisis, which builds the foundation for future participation in physical activity and encourages lifestyle change; calls on the Government to endorse GO Run For Fun and provide financial support to extend the reach of the programme; and further calls on hon. Members and local government to help secure financial backing for GO Run For Fun events in their area and strengthen links with local schools and sports clubs to ensure the long-term impact of the programme.
174 NORTHERN AND TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS RAIL SERVICES 25:6:14
21That this House is concerned at the contents of the consultation document for the Northern Rail and TransPennine Express rail franchises; is dismayed that the proposals will result in fare rises, service and timetable cuts and the loss of hundreds of essential rail jobs; is further concerned that not only will there be the loss of hundreds of decent, relatively well-paid, skilled jobs in the north but also that passenger service and safety will be worsened by the introduction of driver-only operation, the sacking of train guards, conductors, station destaffing and ticket office closures; is also concerned that these type of cuts will particularly impact on disabled, older and women passengers; supports the numerous passenger surveys and research which demonstrate that passengers value highly proper staffing of trains and stations; and calls on the Government and local authorities, including those that constitute Rail North, to stop these cuts and protect the interests of passengers and the communities who rely on these rail services.
175 PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCH 25:6:14
48That this House recognises that pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease and is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK; acknowledges the extremely low five-year survival rates for pancreatic cancer patients, which is the worst survival rate for any of the 21 most common cancers; notes that these low survival rates are in part due to the disease being diagnosed at too late a stage for surgical intervention; further notes that pancreatic cancer research is currently underfunded and amounts to less than one per cent of the National Cancer Research Institute site-specific annual spending, despite being responsible for five per cent of all cancer deaths each year; further recognises that greater investment is urgently needed in pancreatic cancer research to develop treatments and earlier diagnostic tools for this disease; and therefore calls on the Government to increase research funding to tackle pancreatic cancer to provide hope and support for patients with this dreadful disease.
176 NATIONAL WALKING MONTH 2014 25:6:14
19That this House recognises that walking can improve physical and mental health, provides opportunities for families to spend time together walking to school, encourages people to discover their local area, cuts carbon and can save people money; notes that the Living Streets National Walking Month campaign took place during May 2014 to inspire people to walk more; and calls on the Government to support Walk to School Week and Walk to Work Week, which encourages people of all ages to walk more when going about their daily activities.
177 CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION IN UK SLAUGHTERHOUSES 25:6:14
18That this House calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals for the mandatory installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) in UK slaughterhouses; notes that a 2014 YouGov poll found that, of those who expressed a view, 87 per cent support mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses; expresses concern that eight of the nine slaughterhouses secretly filmed by Animal Aid have breached the law, a failure rate of 89 per cent; believes that the introduction of compulsory CCTV in UK slaughterhouses will increase animal protection and allow those caught on film breaking the law to be prosecuted; furthermore thanks the supermarkets for already insisting on CCTV in their slaughterhouse suppliers and welcomes the support of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for the use of CCTV in slaughterhouses as a useful monitoring tool; further notes that plant operators who operate CCTV are keen to demonstrate to FSA officials the high standard to which their operatives work; and further believes other UK slaughterhouses should follow this best practice to maintain the UK's position as a world leader on animal welfare standards.
178 CONTINUED USE OF TORTURE WORLDWIDE 25:6:14
32That this House notes with grave concern that, despite a global ban on torture, torture has been reported in 141 countries since 2009; is dismayed that governments continue to carry out this barbaric practice while continuously denying it; wishes to raise greater awareness of the International Day in support of victims of torture on 26 June 2014 and the Stop Torture campaign led by Amnesty International to protect individuals from the risk of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment carried out by state officials, particularly in the focus countries of Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, the Philippines and Uzbekistan; calls for all governments to have effective safeguards against torture, to respect the absolute prohibition against torture and to bring to justice all those responsible for acts of torture; recognises the contribution made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) through its Strategy for the Prevention of Torture work which focuses on preventing torture globally; urges the FCO to ensure that the strategy is applied consistently and that its staff are adequately trained; and further calls on the Government to ensure accountability for any alleged UK involvement in torture.
180 MR PAUL WESTWOOD AND ZIMBABWE 25:6:14
14That this House regrets that two years ago Paul Westwood and his family, now resident in the UK, were forced to flee Zimbabwe, despite him being a loyal permanent resident of Zimbabwe; notes that his car business in Zimbabwe was seized by Temba Mliswa, Zimbabwean MP for Hurungwe West in 2009; further notes that Mr Westwood suffered a substantial financial loss because of this and is worried about his former employees, some of whom have been with the firm for decades; is very disturbed that Mr Westwood and his family were allegedly threatened with violence, rape and death to hand over their business; supports Mr Westwood in seeking legal redress in the Zimbabwean courts for the seizure of his business; further notes allegations of corruption against Mr Mliswa; believes that a case has been made that Mr Mliswa improperly used his country's indigenisation law for his own personal gain and that he hid behind his uncle Mr Didymus Mutasa, Minister for Presidential Affairs, to escape proper accountability; is sceptical of Mr Mliswa's apparent claim that he had presidential permission to seize Mr Westwood's business; further notes that President Robert Mugabe has given his office full permission to expose all perpetrators of corruption and commends President Mugabe on his stance; and urges President Mugabe, the Zimbabwean parliament, Zanu-PF and all other relevant authorities in Zimbabwe to investigate Mr Westwood's case and the allegations against Mr Mliswa, punish any guilty parties and provide appropriate and timely compensation to Mr Westwood and his family.
183 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL 25:6:14
6That this House congratulates the Presbyterian Church of the United States on its vote to divest from Hewlett-Packard, Motorola Solutions and Caterpillar, all companies with well-documented ties to the Israeli illegal occupation of the West Bank in defiance of international law, the Geneva Convention and UN resolutions; notes that this is the biggest move yet by any institution in the US to take non-violent action to end Israel's occupation; and calls on the Government to urge British companies with interests in the West Bank, such as G4S, to terminate their involvement which supports the illegal occupation.
184 LIVING STREETS REPORT 26:6:14
15That this House recognises that walking to school can improve the physical and mental health of children, young people, parents and carers, provides the opportunity for parents and carers to spend quality time with their children and reduces carbon emissions and congestion; notes Living Streets' report Putting Pupils First and its recommendations to make the walk to school safer and easier and the success of the Living Streets Walk to School campaign in encouraging increased numbers of children, young people, parents and carers to walk to school; and calls on the Government to develop a fully resourced cross-Government national action plan for sustainable school travel as part of a national strategy to support walking with clear ministerial leadership including the promotion of practical measures including walking zones, Park and Stride and School Route Audits and tackling policy and legislative barriers to walking including inconsiderate parking, the provision of safe crossing points and slower vehicle speeds.
186 FESTIVALS ON PRIVATE LAND 26:6:14
6That this House notes that a festival which has a stage, plays music or serves alcohol requires a licence from the local council; further notes that a festival on private land without a stage or similar does not need any formal permission and can go ahead regardless of the number of people attending the event; and urges the Government to reconsider the legislation in this area and enable councils to consult with local communities before any events are allowed to take place, especially in small villages where the number of people attending the event exceeds the local population.
187 WAR WIDOWS' PENSION 26:6:14
36That this House is deeply concerned about the anomaly whereby war widows awarded a pension between 31 March 1973 and 5 April 2005 lose their entitlement if they co-habit or re-marry, whereas those widowed before and after those dates do not; and calls on the Government to rectify this unfair discrimination, affecting some 4,000 widows, by allowing all of them to keep their pensions for life, as advocated by the War Widows' Association of Great Britain.
188 PATIENT CHOICE AWARDS 30:6:14
14That this House notes that there are more than 1.2 million people in the UK on long-term warfarin treatment, many of whom are receiving excellent care and support in managing their condition; welcomes the first Patient Choice Awards event held in Parliament by the Anticoagulation Self-Monitoring Alliance to celebrate the excellent work that healthcare professionals are doing across the UK to support people on long-term warfarin wishing to self-monitor their blood clotting levels; congratulates the award winners for delivering the highest quality of care and professionalism for their patients; and calls on the Government to work closely with NHS England and clinical commissioning groups to ensure that the option of self-monitoring is made available to as many people on long-term warfarin as possible.
189 WILDLIFE CRIME 30:6:14
51That this House welcomes the Government's increased focus on tackling international wildlife crime demonstrated through the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade and subsequent declaration signed by 41 countries, as well as the UK Commitment to Action on the Illegal Wildlife Trade; and urges the Government to now deliver a thorough, domestic, strategic plan for tackling wildlife crime offences within the UK.
190 RELEASE OF CHINESE RIGHTS LAWYER GAO ZHISHENG 30:6:14
17That this House expresses concern about the imprisonment of Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng and the lack of information about his physical and psychological wellbeing; notes that as a result of his work advocating for victims of human rights violations, including religious minorities, Mr Zhisheng has disappeared and been imprisoned and tortured; further notes that the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Mr Zhisheng's detention to be a violation of international law; recognises that according to the calculations of some legal experts, Mr Zhisheng should be released on 22 August 2014; and calls for the timely and unconditional release of Mr Zhisheng without any further restrictions on his personal freedoms.
191 SECTION 75 AND THE MILITARY COVENANT IN NORTHERN IRELAND 30:6:14
13That this House notes the Report published by the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Veterans Transition Lord Ashcroft, in which he made two key recommendations in relation to the provision of support services to armed forces veterans in Northern Ireland, namely that the Government should amend section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act to enable service leavers and veterans to receive the recognition and provision they deserve and appoint a security-vetted Armed Forces Champion in Northern Ireland to enable service leavers and veterans to claim entitlements without fear for their personal security; believes that section 75 can in certain circumstances be an impediment to full implementation of the Military Covenant in Northern Ireland; and calls on the Prime Minister to act upon these key recommendations and to implement them without delay.
192 REVENGE PORNOGRAPHY 30:6:14
20That this House is deeply concerned at the growth of revenge porn, which typically sees individuals publishing online explicit and intimate photographs and videos of ex-partners; notes that whilst the images are often taken with full consent, their dissemination is not; further notes that the dissemination of these images have ruined lives, destroyed careers and caused untold psychological damage; understands that currently there is no specific legislation to deal with the problem; and urges the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to criminally sanction individuals who breach the privacy of others through these vengeful acts.
193 INCOME THRESHOLD FOR FAMILY VISAS 30:6:14
12That this House is aware that as a result of rule changes British citizens wishing to sponsor their non-EU husband or wife to join them in the UK must now earn at least £18,600 per annum; is concerned that these rules have priced out some citizens from being able to live with their spouse or partners because of their low earnings in employment; believes that the less well-off should not be discriminated in such a way; and calls on the Government to immediately stop such unfair practices.
194 MENTAL HEALTH IN THE UK 30:6:14
26That this House is aware that in the UK approximately one in four people experience a mental health problem in any given year, circumstances which demand that as a priority sufferers should get the support and respect they need; and pays tribute to the mental health charity MIND which has published a manifesto calling on law makers to set in place measures to improve the lives of everyone affected by this condition, including reductions in stigma and discrimination, priorities for treatment, speedy access to crisis care, increased funding and the implementation of a national strategy towards improving the wellbeing of those suffering from such conditions.
195 UN WORLD REFUGEE DAY AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS 30:6:14
26That this House notes that 20 June 2014 has been designated by the United Nations (UN) as World Refugee Day; further notes that according to official UN figures there are consistently over 10 million more internally displaced persons in the world than refugees; and therefore calls on the UN to rename 20 June 2014 as World Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons Day.
196 MANDATORY HOMING FROM LABORATORIES OF DOGS, CATS AND OTHER ANIMALS WHICH ARE NO LONGER NEEDED 30:6:14
31That this House notes that there is currently no law protecting dogs, cats and other animals once they have outlived their use in laboratories; and supports the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in calling on the Government to issue a policy statement that the homing of cats, dogs and other animals no longer required should become a mandatory requirement for laboratories where possible and that laboratories should be required to work with reputable animal shelters and organisations to find homes for these animals.
197 WESTMINSTER ABBEY DISABILITIES PROTEST 30:6:14
14That this House congratulates Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC) and ILF Fight Back and Occupy London for their protest on 28 June 2014 occupying the grounds of Westminster Abbey and calling on the Government to halt its plans to abolish the Independent Living Fund in view of the impact this would have in undermining the potential of disabled people living independent and full lives within the community; regrets the refusal of the Dean of Westminster Abbey to even talk to the disabled protesters; but lends its support to DPAC and ILF Fightback's ongoing campaign to save the Independent Living Fund.
198 ENGLAND FOOTBALL TEAM AND TELEVISION MONEY COMING INTO FOOTBALL IN ENGLAND 30:6:14
8That this House regrets the elimination of the English football team from the World Cup; points out that all England players play in the Premier League which is the richest league in the world, with domestic television income totalling more than £5.6 billion during its current contracts; recalls that when the owners of Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool conspired with the managing director of LWT and the chief executive of the Football Association to break away from the Football League in 1992, every single individual involved asserted that the intention of setting up the Premier League was to benefit the England team and not to make owners, players and their agents fabulously rich; notes that while vast amounts of money are now pouring into the Premier League, school and recreational football is played on deteriorating pitches and changing facilities are often decrepit and unhygienic and, therefore, believes that the time is right for the Government to impose a 50 per cent levy on all television monies coming into football, with the proceeds not going to the Treasury but ring-fenced and administered by a reformed Football Foundation, which would have a duty to ensure a more equitable redistribution of monies throughout professional football and would have responsibility for working with local authorities and schools to ensure that local pitches and facilities are radically improved; and further points out that even if a 50 per cent levy on all television money coming into football was to be implemented, the Premier League would still be the richest league in the world.
199 TRADING STANDARDS 1:7:14
12That this House welcomes the publication of the Trading Standards Workforce Survey which shows that the number of trading standards staff in local authorities has been halved since 2009; values the work that trading standards officers do in their local communities to protect vulnerable elderly residents from rogue traders and scams, prevent young people from accessing age restricted products like tobacco, alcohol and knives and ensure consumers receive accurate information on what they are buying, protecting them from food fraud and unsafe goods; applauds trading standards professionals for maintaining a high level of service despite shrinking resources; further welcomes the Government's commitment to consumer protection as represented by the Consumer Rights Bill; and encourages the Government to continue working with trading standards and local authorities to find long-term solutions to the problem of constrained resources for local authority trading standards services.
200 POWERS OF HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS 1:7:14
20That this House notes with grave concern the proposal in the 2014 Budget to grant powers to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to gain direct access to citizens' bank accounts without judicial oversight; further notes the evidence given to the Treasury Committee and the Committee's recommendations in its Thirteenth Report, Budget 2014 (HC 1189); is concerned by the continuing failure of HMRC to manage and store data in a manner commensurate with such powers; believes that the granting of such powers would constitute an unprecedented reduction in the rights of citizens and their right to fair protection from the state by reintroducing Crown Preference without due process; and therefore calls on the Government to abandon these plans.
201 IRAQI FEDERAL SUPREME COURT AND KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OIL EXPORTS 1:7:14
5That this House welcomes the recent decision by the Federal Supreme Court in Baghdad to reject a request from the Iraqi Federal Oil Minister to rule against oil exports from the Kurdistan region of Iraq; notes that the Court convened a special meeting to address the Minister's request, examined the reasoning behind his request and decided unanimously to reject the request for being contrary to the applicable legal contexts in Iraq; further notes that the Court's decision is binding on the Minister and cannot be challenged in any way; believes that this vindicates the position of the Kurdistan Regional Government; urges the authorities in Baghdad to immediately abandon their illegal and unconstitutional interventions to prevent oil exports from the Kurdistan region and cease sending intimidating and threatening letters or making false claims to prospective traders and buyers of oil exported legally by the Kurdistan Regional Government; and agrees that oil exports from the Kurdistan region are for the benefit of the people of Kurdistan and Iraq.
202 TRANSATLANTIC TRADE AND INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP, DEMOCRACY, RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW 1:7:14
36That this House notes that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership includes investor-state dispute settlements that are being designed in secret, so enabling multi-national companies to intimidate and sue governments for lost profits due to Government policies designed to protect the public as consumers or workers or to change the level of public ownership, that such settlements will be decided in private by arbitration panels, not in open court, that such actions and arrangements threaten to compromise the UK's established democracy, human rights and the rule of law and that the shared fruits of trade should not be at the expense of the social and economic justice that democracy demands; and therefore calls on the Government to ensure that all proposed arrangements are fully scrutinised by Parliament and that no arrangements are made which compromise established standards of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
203 DIVERSITY IN THE MEDIA 1:7:14
11That this House commends the work of Lenny Henry, who has continuously campaigned for increased diversity in the media; notes that Mr Henry gave evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee during its review of the future of the BBC prior to the Charter Renewal in 2016-17; is disappointed that between 2006 and 2012 the proportion of people working in the media from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds decreased by 30.9 per cent; states that the BBC has a responsibility to ensure that it allocates appropriate funding and support to make sure it is a diverse organisation that is representative of the British population; and calls on the Government and the BBC to accept the recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee to ensure that diversity in the media remains a top priority.
204 DESTRUCTION OF PALESTINIAN HOMES IN THE WEST BANK BY ISRAEL 2:7:14
9That this House notes with concern that, despite being a clear and egregious violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel recently announced that it will return to a policy of demolishing the homes of Palestinians suspected and convicted of involvement in terrorism and other violence; deplores and denounces the decision of the Netanyahu-led government in Israel for resuming this questionable practice which human rights group B'Tselem has stated harms only innocents and not the accused; further notes that in 2005 an Israeli military report concluded that the policy of punitive home demolitions did not act as an effective deterrent against terrorism; affirms Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention that the destruction of private property is permitted only where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations; believes that the demolition of homes of innocent family members of people accused of crimes constitutes collective punishment; further believes that Israeli government statements on this matter exposes the absence of the rule of law under Israel's occupation and that revenge, demonisation and absolute disregard for the lives and rights of the Palestinians under its control now defines Israeli activities in the occupied Palestinian Territories; urges the Government to condemn Israel's actions as cruel, inhumane and a degrading punishment; calls for urgent action to be taken to oppose these policies; and further calls on the Government to pressure the State of Israel and ensure accountability for any violations that occur as a result of its renewal of demolitions.
206 OBESITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF OSTEOARTHRITIS 2:7:14
11That this House notes that obesity and being overweight have been identified as major public health challenges, that obesity is a risk factor in the development of a vast range of related conditions, including osteoarthritis, that an estimated eight and a half million people in the UK currently live with osteoarthritis, a number likely to rise due to the spread of obesity, that obese patients tend to have a worse outcome from joint replacement surgery in the short term compared to those with a healthy weight and that weight loss can have a substantial, positive impact on pain levels endured; welcomes Arthritis Care's recommendation that weight loss should be advocated as a first-line management approach and packages of support should be put in place based on assessments of need that are personalised to the individual and holistic; and calls on the Government to support this campaign in order to help people who have and who will develop arthritis.
207 HOSPITAL CAR PARKING (No.7) 2:7:14
5That this House notes that hospital parking charges can be a huge burden on patients and visitors at a vulnerable time in their lives; further notes that Nottingham City Hospital and Queen's Medical Centre charge £4.00 for one hour of parking, that Royal Free Hospital, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas's Hospital, and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital charge £6.00 for two hours of parking, that Royal Free Hospital, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas's Hospital and South Bristol Community Hospital charge £12.00 for four hours of parking, that Royal Free Hospital charges £72 for one day of parking and £504.00 for one week of parking; recognises that these charges are disproportionate and onerous for patients; therefore condemns these hospitals and others which charge similar fees; and urges the Government to consider ways to reduce the cost of hospital parking.
208 DEMOLITION AND CHANGE OF USE OF PUB BUILDINGS 2:7:14
4That this House believes that permitted development rights are leaving pubs in England vulnerable to demolition or conversion to a range of retail uses without planning permission; further believes, in light of evidence from the Campaign for Real Ale, that two pubs a week are converted to supermarkets, and that these planning loopholes are contributing to the loss of valued community amenities; is concerned that local people are being denied a say in the future of their neighbourhoods; and so urges the Government to bring forward amendments to the General Permitted Development Order 1995 so that any demolition or change of use involving the loss of a pub would require planning permission.
209 DARFUR 3:7:14
1That this House condemns the expulsion of Pamela DeLargy, United Nations Population Fund country chief in Sudan and the suspension of the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Jebel Marra, Darfur; calls on the government of Sudan to allow unhindered humanitarian access and better co-operation with UN and international staff operating in the country; recognises that these removals are the latest involving foreign aid workers in a country where more than two million are displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance; notes the increased pressure on humanitarian resources as a consequence of the deteriorating security situation and around 700,000 newly displaced persons in Darfur and the arrival of more than 80,000 South Sudanese refugees into the country; understands that whilst Sudan's need for aid increases, donor funding has fallen in each of the last three years; and stresses that the UK Government and international community need to ensure the UN appeal for Sudan is adequately funded and that increased resources be made available to meet growing humanitarian needs.
210 CEREDIGION CARERS ALLIANCE 15TH ANNIVERSARY 3:7:14
1That this House applauds the work of the Ceredigion Carers Alliance in its 15th year in supporting local carers in Ceredigion; acknowledges the impact and invaluable role the Alliance plays in local communities and in maintaining the rights and providing a voice for people who volunteer, and in some cases devote their lives to helping others in need of physical, emotional or social care; notes the excellent contribution the Ceredigion Carers Alliance has made in enabling, guiding and supporting the work of volunteers; and hopes that Ceredigion Carers Alliance will continue to remain a driving force for carers in Ceredigion for many years to come.
211 DEMENTIA CARE 3:7:14
2That this House calls for the pharmaceutical industry to redouble its efforts to find an effective treatment and care for dementia and to set a deadline for a cure to be found by 2025.
212 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOL SUPPORT WORKERS' PAY 3:7:14
1That this House recognises that local government and school support workers provide an excellent and essential service to the public; expresses concern about levels of local government pay; further recognises that local government workers have endured a real terms 18 per cent reduction in basic pay since 2010; believes that low pay in local government is resulting in significant economic hardship for them and their families; supports the National Joint Council (NJC) pay claim for 2014-15; notes that this would deliver the Living Wage for the 500,000 lowest paid local government workers; further notes that 55 per cent of the cost of the claim could be met through increased tax and national insurance income and reduced spending on in-work-benefits; and therefore calls on local government employers to accept the NJC claim and offer a pay award which includes an emphasis on fair rewards for the lowest paid and hard-pressed sections of the workforce.
213 BAHRAIN JUSTICE SYSTEM 3:7:14
6That this House notes the lack of reform in the administration of criminal cases in Bahrain despite the acceptance of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry Report in 2011; is concerned by the failure of the Bahraini government to implement a number of the recommendations made by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry specifically to address the culture of impunity and inequality of Bahrain's justice system; further notes the 2014 Human Rights Watch Report that highlights the continued prosecution and conviction of defendants, including human rights activists, political figures and medical personnel, on charges based on the exercise of rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly; is further concerned by the harsh sentences given by court judges for insulting the king and the ratification of recent penal code amendments in February 2014 that increase the sentence for such charges; expresses disappointment at the inadequacy of Bahrain's attempt to investigate and prosecute security personnel accused of torture and calls on the Government of Bahrain to hold human rights offenders accountable; calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners including Ibrahim Sharif, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, Hassan Mushaima, Naji Fateel and Abdulwahab Husain; is further concerned at the failure of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to list Bahrain as a country of concern in its 2014 Human Rights Report; and further calls on the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to condemn human rights abuses in Bahrain and list it as a country of concern in order to promote accountability and transparency within Bahrain's justice system.