Session 2014-15
House of Commons
17th 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
221 CONSERVATIVE PARTY PROPOSALS TO CHANGE THE LAW ON INDUSTRIAL ACTION 7:7:14

That this House believes that Conservative Party plans to further restrict the rights of public sector unions to take industrial action are once again a blatant attack on working people and are also anti-democratic and counter-productive; deplores the proposal that union leaders will have to prove that over half their members support a strike; points out that the right hon. Member for Horsham, who is proposing the law, was elected on less than 40 per cent of the electorate and that his party nationally was supported by less than a quarter of those entitled to vote; reaffirms the right of union members to withdraw their labour on a simple majority of those balloted; and supports the action by unions protesting about performance-related pay, pension cuts and the running down of public services.
224 TOUR DE FRANCE 7:7:14

That this House congratulates the organisers, the riders and the millions of spectators who made the opening stages of the Tour de France in Yorkshire such a stunning success; notes the crucial role in this triumph of Gary Verity, the chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, who came up with the idea while shaving before starting his day job as a sheep farmer; commiserates with Mark Cavendish who was injured in a fall in the last few metres of the race to the line in his mother's home town of Harrogate; and wishes the reigning Tour de France holder Chris Froome, and all other competitors, all the best in one of the world's greatest sporting events which started in one of the world’s greatest places.
225 KILLINGS OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN 7:7:14

That this House notes that over the last 13 years a Palestinian child has been killed every three days by Israel; points out that 1,518 Palestinian children have been killed by Israel's occupation forces since the start of the second intifada in September 2000, and that over the same period at least 6,000 children were injured; further notes that since the kidnapping of the three Israeli teenagers on the illegally-held West Bank and their subsequent funerals, seven Palestinians have been killed, four of them teenagers, two of them shot by Israeli snipers; and urges the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to use whatever influence he has with Israel to stop the wholesale arrests and detentions of Palestinian civilians and the likely re-occupation of Gaza, which can only lead to countless more deaths.
226 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND CONTROL OF EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES 7:7:14

That this House welcomes the introduction of mandatory cooling breaks for players in World Cup matches in circumstances where the temperature exceeds a specified level; notes that FIFA was required to introduce such control measures in order to comply with Brazilian labour law which would have seen them fined in the region of $90,000 dollars for each game played without a break; recognises that relief from excessive temperatures has a positive effect on productivity, concentration and general well-being; further notes that excessive temperature in the workplace is not something that applies only in tropical climates but regularly affects millions of workers in a wide variety of factories, call-centres, schools, forms of transport and offices in the UK; and therefore supports the campaign of the TUC-backed Cool It! coalition initiated by the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union in calling for a specific maximum working temperature to be set in legislation, beyond which the employer would have a legal responsibility to introduce appropriate control measures.
228 TOUR DE FRANCE LE GRAND DÉPART 2014 7:7:14

That this House celebrates the success of the Le Grand Départ of the 101st Tour de France and the first three stages, Leeds to Harrogate, York to Sheffield and Cambridge to London; echoes comments that this was the grandest Grand Départ in the history of the Tour; congratulates Welcome to Yorkshire and its CEO, Gary Verity, for a successful bid, supported by Leeds City Council and others; thanks race director Christian Prudhomme for his faith in Yorkshire's bid; congratulates Sir Rodney Walker and Nicky Roche and TdFHub2014Ltd, councils along the route and the 12,000 volunteer Tour Makers for delivering three fantastic stages of the race; agrees that this has been a wonderful advertisement for Yorkshire and the UK, boosting local economies and the UK economy by at least £100 million; further congratulates local communities, businesses, farms, hotels, pubs, cafes, restaurants, places of worship and community and village halls who all worked hard to provide entertainmnet, food, drink and fun for spectators; notes that over four and a half milion people are estimated to have lined the route across the three days; hopes that Le Grand Départ 2014 will inspire the next generation of UK cycling stars and welcomes the new annual three-day Tour of Yorkshire race starting next year; believes that a real legacy must and will be delivered, including through concerted strategies to get more people cycling in the UK and improvements for cyclists on our roads; and sends its best wishes to the competitors, organisers and all involved for the remainder of Le Tour 2014.
229 MARK CAVENDISH IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE 2014 7:7:14

That this House commends British and Manx cycling hero Mark Cavendish for his sportsmanship with regard to stage one of the Tour de France in Yorkshire, for acknowledging blame for the crash, and for apologising to Simon Gerrans, the other rider involved; notes his courage in finishing the stage in his mother's home town of Harrogate, despite suffering a dislocated shoulder and ligament ruptures; further notes and commends his comments comparing his situation to that of friends who have been injured serving in the armed forces, and applauds his support for the charity Help for Heroes; believes that his behaviour is an example to other sports and that some sports stars, coaches and managers would do well to follow Mark Cavendish's shining example of sportsmanship alongside talent and ambition, and hopes that this inspires young people who want to go into sport to adopt a similar attitude as well as aspiring for sporting success; and further wishes Mark a speedy recovery and hopes to see him succeed, including winning stages of the Tour de France in the future.
230 GREEN INVESTMENT BANK SECOND ANNUAL REVIEW 8:7:14

That this House welcomes the results published in the Green Investment Bank's second annual review; recognises that in 2013-14 the Green Investment Bank invested in 18 new green projects and committed £668 million in new capital; congratulates the Green Investment Bank on continuing to grow by taking its total capital commitments to £1.3 billion of profitable investments; further recognises that, for every £1 invested, the Green Investment Bank mobilised approximately £3 of additional private capital; acknowledges that, once built, the investments to date will create 3,500 construction jobs, provide renewable power to over three million homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking over 1.6 million cars off the road; further congratulates the Green Investment Bank on investing across the whole of the UK; and supports the Green Investment Bank in continuing to invest in the UK's green future.
234 NATIONAL RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AWARENESS WEEK 8:7:14

That this House congratulates the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) on holding its second national Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness (RA) week from 16 to 22 June 2014; notes that the autoimmune disease RA affects over 690,000 people throughout the UK; further notes the important work that NRAS does to raise awareness of this disease and provide support to those affected; welcomes the publication of a new NRAS report on the impact of chronic fatigue; further notes the report's findings regarding the high impact of chronic fatigue on worklessness and quality of life; and calls on the Government to better prioritise the management of chronic fatigue within long-term conditions and strategies and to reform the work capability assessment descriptors to properly capture the impact of chronic fatigue.
236 SECOND CHANCE INITIATIVE 8:7:14

That this House acknowledges the importance of sustained and meaningful employment in reducing instances of reoffending; expresses its support for the Second Chance initiative to enhance employment opportunities for ex-offenders which is spearheaded by the Citizen Trust working in the community and at HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs; welcomes the creation of the Second Chance Charter with a nationally recognised kitemark, which will identify employers willing to consider offering employment to suitable ex-offenders without discrimination on the basis of past records.
239 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SPENDING TARGET 8:7:14

That this House welcomes the presentation of the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill and looks forward to its second reading on 12 September 2014; highlights the cross-party consensus on development aid which underpins the UK's commitment to fulfilling the UN target to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income on official development assistance; and further welcomes the Bill's intent to enshrine this level of development spending in law.
241 HIGHWAYS AGENCY 8:7:14

That this House agrees with the findings of the Transport Select Committee, expressed in March 2014, that the case for the removal of the Highways Agency from the direct control of accountable Ministers has not been made; believes that the proposed changes of the status of the Highways Agency to a Government-owned company is the first step towards full privatisation and will lead to road tolls, increased cost to the public and a detrimental impact on the environment and road safety; regrets that the option to maintain the Highway Agency as Executive Agency of Department for Transport but with funding certainty was not even considered; further believes that these proposals are not driven by evidence but the ideological belief that the private sector is better than the public sector; and calls on the Government to accept that there is no desire amongst the British public for a costly privatised road network and that the Highways Agency, properly resourced and at arms length as it was originally intended to be, rather than a Government owned company, would be a considerably more efficient and cost-effective solution to delivering the aims of the infrastructure investment in the Strategic Roads Network.
242 STATUE OF MAHATMA GANDHI IN PARLIAMENT SQUARE 9:7:14

That this House welcomes the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on his visit to India that there will be a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Square; recognises that this is the culmination of a long campaign to honour this great man; notes that there are two other statues of Mahatma Gandhi in Tavistock Square and Belgrave Road in Leicester; and considers that a suitable location would be between the statues of Peel and Disraeli and near Nelson Mandela, with the Supreme Court behind him and facing Big Ben.
243 SUGARPOVA 9:7:14

That this House recognises the importance of encouraging people to exercise regularly and to have a healthy, balanced diet to avoid health conditions such as diabetes and obesity; believes that sportsmen and women should act as ambassadors for encouraging sporting activity and leading a healthy lifestyle; finds brands such as Sugarpova, which are marketed by admired sportsmen and women, encourage young people to eat excessive amounts of sugar; and calls on the Government to take action to help people to lead healthier lives and to adopt Action on Sugar's proposal to ban sports sponsorships of unhealthy foods.
244 OCEANS OF HOPE PROJECT 9:7:14

That this House applauds the fantastic work of the Oceans of Hope project which challenges negative perceptions of multiple sclerosis; and recognises the efforts of its round-the-world crew, which completes its journey at Portsmouth this week.
245 DETENTION OF ANDARGACHEW TSEGE IN ETHIOPIA 9:7:14

That this House is seriously concerned about the safety of Andargachew Tsege, a British citizen, who was detained and then abducted on 23 June 2014 by the Yemeni authorities while in transit through Sana'a airport on his way to Asmara, Eritrea; understands that he may have been extradited from that country to Ethiopia and since then has been denied consular access; believes that this UK citizen's life and well-being may be in danger during his period of illegal detention; and calls on the Government to insist on his immediate release and repatriation back to Britain at the earliest opportunity.
246 COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT OF PALESTINIANS 9:7:14

That this House notes that once again Palestine's Gaza region has come under attack by the Israeli Defence Force; further notes that in this wholly unequal cycle of violence 490 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israel since the end of Operation Cast Lead in 2009, and three Israelis; further notes that in this current attack Defence 4 Children International Palestine report that eight children have been killed and Palestinian writer and health worker, Mona Elfarra, reports the, not unusual, targeting of health centres including the European Hospital East of Khan Younis where many were both suffering and sheltering; and calls on the Government to do everything within its power to bring about an end to the collective punishment of Palestinans and the occupation that is a virtual death sentence for them.
247 USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN INTENSIVE FARMING 9:7:14

That this House recognises that the overuse of antibiotics in intensive farming adds to the serious public health threat from antibiotic resistance and the rise of superbugs; welcomes the Government's efforts to reduce over-prescribing by doctors; calls for parallel action to reduce the use of antibiotics by veterinary surgeons and farmers; and further calls on the Government to take steps to ensure that the routine prophylactic use of antibiotics on UK farms is phased out and that specific controls are introduced on the use in livestock of antibiotics that are critically important in human medicine.
249 STOP THE WAR ON THE POOR CAMPAIGN 9:7:14

That this House welcomes the Stop the War on the Poor initiative which commemorates Martin Luther King's Poor People's Campaign launched just before his assassination on 4 April 1968; further welcomes the RISE Out of Poverty Act now before the US Congress, which would make the elimination of child poverty the priority of welfare policy and recognises the caring work of mothers and other carers; believes that the UK would benefit from a similar policy since four million UK children, one in three, are living in poverty; notes that Dr King condemned the Vietnam War, accusing Congress of hostility to the poor by spending military funds with alacrity and generosity; further notes that he supported mothers' right to welfare, a living wage and a guaranteed income for all; rejects US-style workfare as it forces unwaged carers to work for their benefits, undermining both the minimum wage and pay equity; and reaffirms humanity's assumption that every child is precious to the whole society, and that every primary carer is entitled to resources and support for their life-saving, life-enhancing caring work.
250 ISRAELI MILITARY STRIKES ON THE GAZA STRIP 10:7:14

That this House regards Israel's latest attack on the Gaza Strip, Operation Protective Edge, as a disproportionate escalation of violence against Palestinians; notes that since the end of Operation Cast Lead on 19 January 2009 Israel has killed 490 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip; calls for an immediate end to Israeli military strikes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and military incursions into Palestinian population centres in the West Bank, both of which constitute collective punishment and are in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention; calls for an immediate end to retaliatory rocket attacks from Gaza; and urges Israel as the occupying power to de-escalate the conflict.
251 CHILDREN AND THE COUNTRYSIDE 10:7:14

That this House is deeply concerned that over 35 per cent of children have never visited the countryside and that a child's chance of visiting the countryside has halved in a generation, with children from disadvantaged backgrounds being particularly badly affected; recognises that children who spend time in natural environments obtain better health and educational outcomes, performing better in reading, mathematics, science and social studies; and congratulates the hon. Members who are leading the John Clare Trust's 150 Poems challenge, which will raise vital funding to enable more schools to participate in opening up the woodlands, forests and meadows of our beautiful countryside to many more children.
252 COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF HILL 112, 10 TO 12 JULY, NORMANDY 10:7:14

That this House notes with pride this week the 70th Anniversary, 10 to 12 July, of Operation Jupiter in Normandy and the battle of Hill 112, the holding of which was described by Rommel as the key to the whole of Normandy, as part of the Allied victory, which was successfully conducted through the courage and bravery of the 43rd Wessex Division, including the 112th Field Regiment RA, the 59th AT Regiment, the 7th and 9th Royal Tank Regiments, together with the infantry Battalions of 7th Hampshire's, 4th and 5th, Dorset's 4th and 7th Somerset Light Infantry, 4th and 5th Wiltshire's, 5th Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry, 1st Worcester's, 2nd Glasgow Highlanders, 7th Seaforth Highlanders, the 9th Cameronians, the Royal Scots Greys and 46th Highland Brigade, 15th Scottish, 53rd Welsh and 4th and 11th Armoured Division, supported by Typhoons and Mustangs, with parallel operations by the North and South Staffordshire Regiments, Canadian and Polish Divisions and those from East Lancashire, Royal Warwickshire and 49th West Riding and all others who successfully repulsed the Waffen SS/Hitler Youth 9th, 10th and 21st Panzer Divisions (Panthers and Tigers) and the 102 Tiger Tank Regiment and L.E.H.R. Division; and congratulates the Mayor and community of Fontaine Etoupefour who, with Andre Nové organised, a commemoration this week of the battle in and around Hill 112, Maltot and Éterville.
254 SCRUTINY OF NOMINEES FOR EU COMMISSIONER 14:7:14

That this House notes that the next EU Commissioner to be nominated by the UK will have an important role, not only in the particular policy area where they will have the lead, but also more generally in promoting the UK's national interest and vision for reform in Europe; further notes that Parliament currently has not had the opportunity to scrutinise the Government's candidate before their nomination is confirmed; and calls on the Government to ensure that such pre-appointment scrutiny takes place before the nomination of the next EU Commissioner by the UK.
255 SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURES ON LIVING ANIMALS REPORT 2013 14:7:14

That this House notes the publication of the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals 2013 report; expresses concern that despite a reduction of 0.38 per cent on the 2012 figure, 4,017,578 animals were used in scientific procedures in Great Britain in 2013; further notes that the number of procedures increased by 0.28 per cent, meaning animals are being used in more than one procedure; further expresses concern that these are the last statistics before the General Election and in contrast with the pledge, in the Coalition Programme for the Government to 'work to reduce the use of animals in scientific research', there has been an overall increase of more than 10 per cent since that time; is disappointed with the slow progress being made on this issue; and supports the National Anti-Vivisection Society in calling on the Government to set targets on reduction and increase transparency in research using animals, as part of moves to eventually end the use of animals in experiments.
256 MOVING TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY, REDUCING WASTE AND IMPROVING RECYCLING 14:7:14

That this House believes that moving to a zero-waste, circular economy will deliver great economic and environmental benefits to the UK including job creation, reduced dependence on imported resources, protection of the UK's air, water, land, sea, rivers and green spaces and a reduction in carbon emissions; broadly welcomes the European Commission document, Towards a Circular Economy, published on 2 July 2014, whilst reiterating the importance of the waste hierarchy and the need to prioritise the reduction of resource consumption in absolute terms, waste prevention, reuse and then recycling; calls on the Government to embrace the proposed 70 per cent recycling target by 2030 and landfill ban for recyclable waste by 2025 as steps in the right direction, but to go further by supporting a ban on incineration as well as landfill of recyclable and compostable waste by 2020; notes that the zero waste plans of Wales and Scotland already include targets and policies to recycle 70 per cent of waste by 2025; further believes that England can do equally as well; further calls on Ministers to provide the necessary funds and support to enable local authorities to improve infrastructure for collection, reuse and re-processing; further notes proposals to allow local authorities to keep landfill tax receipts; and urges Ministers to push for design standards to make products longer lasting and easier to repair, including through extending the Ecodesign Directive to include resource efficiency.
257 MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE 14:7:14

That this House is alarmed that the drug mefloquine hydrochloride, better known by its brand name Lariam, continues to be prescribed to an estimated 2,500 British servicemen and women every year before they are sent out to visit a malarial country; notes the drug has long been known to cause a range of negative side effects, including ringing in the ears, depression, loss of memory and hallucinations and is aware that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has received more than 2,000 accounts of adverse reactions to the drug's use; and calls on the Ministry of Defence to immediately cease prescribing it to UK personnel in its charge and to investigate a full review of its use.
258 INDETERMINATE SENTENCES FOR PUBLIC PROTECTION 14:7:14

That this House notes that there are 5,206 prisoners in the UK who are still serving indeterminate sentences for public protection, which were abolished by the Government in 2012; further notes that 3,575 of these prisoners have already passed their tariff and that, since the Parole Board releases roughly 400 inmates every year, it will take nine years for the Board to clear this backlog of cases; further notes with dismay that many prisoners serving indeterminate sentences fail to gain places on appropriate courses which would progress their rehabilitation, and that, as a result, such prisoners have little hope of release; further notes that each prison place costs £40,000 every year, making indeterminate sentences highly costly; and calls on the Government to increase funding to the Parole Board to clear the backlog of indeterminate prisoners, starting with those given initial tariffs of two years or less.
259 WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN 15:7:14

That this House congratulates the 30 local authorities which have been awarded White Ribbon Campaign accreditation for involving men in challenging violence against women and girls; believes that men have responsibility to challenge the violence of some men against women and girls by challenging the outdated attitudes and negative gender stereotypes which underpin abuse; recognises that the White Ribbon Campaign is the largest charity to engage men in action to eradicate abuse and violence against women; notes that a further 25 local authorities are currently seeking accreditation and that the Campaign also involves sports clubs and sporting bodies, music venues, companies and trade unions in working with their male supporters, customers and employees; and calls on the Government and other public and private institutions to work with the White Ribbon Campaign to show men that they can, and must, be part of the solution to end the epidemic of violence against women and girls.
260 EDUCATION (PUPIL REGISTRATION) (ENGLAND) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2013 15:7:14

That this House acknowledges the Department for Education's desire to tackle persistent absenteeism; notes that it removed maintained schools' discretionary right to grant leave during term time for family holidays and restricted other leave to exceptional circumstances through the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013; further notes that in 2012-13 persistent absentees had less authorised absence for family holidays (1.8 per cent of total absences) than other pupils (8.5 per cent); further notes that no evidence was gathered as to the reason why parents took holiday in term time and that no assessment of the impact of the statutory instrument (SI) was undertaken; further notes that campaign group, Parents Want a Say, has reported an impact on children with disabilities, families dealing with bereavement and trauma, parents in professions with restricted holidays as diverse as police, paramedics, bus drivers, farmers, campsite owners, carers and families with low incomes as well as business staffing requirements and the tourism industry; further notes that there is no right of appeal on the issue of a fine for unauthorised absence and that parents refusing to pay the fine are being taken to court with little hope of the individual circumstances of their case being considered; further notes that this is having a detrimental impact on the relationship between parents and schools; further notes that there is widespread public concern about the level of government interference in family life; considers it likely that blanket bans by local authorities and/or schools are against public authorities' obligations under the Human Rights legislation; and calls on the Government to repeal the SI.
261 RURAL 4G NETWORK 15:7:14

That this House believes that the roll-out of the 4G mobile network is potentially insufficient; further believes that the Government has not done enough to ensure the expansion of 4G networks into rural areas; notes that these same areas, that also suffered a lack of 3G coverage, are detrimentally and disproportionately affected; feels that 4G, due to its high data speeds, offers an internet connectivity solution where internet cabling may not reach; further notes that countries such as Finland, Sweden and Estonia, with much lower density of population, are able to offer nationwide 4G networks capable of covering 99 per cent of the population, while the UK covers only 72 per cent of the population and is not expected to meet the 98 per cent population coverage target until the end of 2017; and calls on the Government to take a more proactive role in ensuring that the residents of rural areas are sufficiently covered by mobile data networks as they offer an immense development possibility for these areas.
262 CRIMINAL RECORD CHECKS AND CHILD ARRANGEMENT ORDERS 15:7:14

That this House notes that a parent is entitled to apply for a child arrangement order; further notes that the Children Act 1989 emphasises that the child's welfare shall be the court's paramount consideration and the welfare check-list that a court must have regard to in making a decision regarding a child arrangement order; further notes that it is extremely important that the criminal record of an applicant, whether a parent or not, must be made clear at this stage to ensure the court is in full possession of the necessary information to make an informed decision for the welfare of the child; and calls on the Government to emphasise that the criminal record of an applicant must always be taken into account by courts in making decisions regarding child arrangement orders to help prevent violent and abusive parents gaining child arrangement orders.
263 CONDUCT OF LORD BLENCATHRA 15:7:14

That this House believes that the lenient punishment of Lord Blencathra proves that the Lords is not fit to discipline its members; notes that Lord Blencathra admitted at a hearing in 2012 to lobbying for the Cayman Islands for payment of £12,000 a month but explained that he was lobbying the Government not Parliament; observes that he failed then to reveal the existence of a contract he had signed; is astonished that the Lords Commissioner for Standards, at a second hearing held when the contract details were leaked, accepted Lord Blencathra's assurance that although he had signed a contract for lobbying he had no intention of carrying out lobbying on behalf of the tax haven; congratulates The Independent and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism for publishing the secret contract that exposed an egregious breach of the rule that forbids legislators from hiring out their services; and further believes that the failure to suspend Lord Blencathra from the service of the Lords will further deepen public cynicism on the conduct of parliamentarians.
264 DAILY MAIL COVERAGE OF CABINET RESHUFFLE 16:7:14

That this House believes that the Daily Mail's coverage of the promotion of women to the Cabinet hits an all time low in terms of media sexism; further believes that women MPs across the political spectrum should be judged on their intelligence, expertise, track record, policies and skills rather than on their hair styles, body shape or where they buy their clothes; deplores the constant objectification and sexualisation of women by the media; and calls on the newly-appointed Equalities Minister to start an urgent dialogue with the industry to tackle the cumulative and discriminatory effect of media sexism, including training on how fairly to portray women and working with experts on equality and gendered violence to develop understanding of the impact of such coverage.
265 FARM ANIMAL CLONING AND OFFSPRING OF CLONES 16:7:14

That this House notes that scientific research shows that cloning entails serious health and welfare problems for both cloned animals and the surrogate mothers who carry them to birth; further notes that most cloned foetuses die during pregnancy or birth and many of those born alive die early in life from deficiencies in their cardiovascular, respiratory or immune systems; further notes that clones will primarily be used as elite breeding animals and it is their offspring that will be farmed for meat or milk; further notes that cloning will probably be used to produce copies of the highest yielding dairy cows and fastest growing pigs despite scientific evidence that traditional genetic selection has already led to major health problems for such animals; believes that the use of the offspring of clones on UK and other EU farms is likely to entrench the use of animals chosen for extreme production traits and risks perpetuating the health problems associated with such traits; and urges the Government to abandon its opposition to the European Commission's proposals for a ban on cloning and the sale of food from clones and to press the EU to also ban the use of the offspring of clones in EU farming and the sale of food from the offspring of clones or, at least, to require such food to be labelled to enable consumers to make informed choices.
266 CHINESE SKY LANTERNS 16:7:14

That this House expresses concern regarding the use of sky lanterns, also known as Chinese lanterns and their impact on livestock, crops and the environment; notes that Cleveland Fire Brigade recognises that the lanterns pose a serious fire safety hazard due to their uncontrolled and unpredictable flight paths; further notes the existence of a ban on their use in Spain as a result of damage to property and death or injury to livestock caused by discarded lanterns and increases pressure on the fire service, police and medical emergency services; and urges the Government to act swiftly.
267 NAMING OF LONDON SKYSCRAPERS 16:7:14

That this House notes with concern the proposed renaming of the City's tallest building, Heron Tower, to SalesForce Tower; believes that this renaming could set a precedent for any iconic building to be given a new name based on a sponsorship deal; further believes that such changes could seriously undermine the reputation of London as tourists and visitors see a skyline filled with buildings with frivolous names; and therefore calls on the City of London and other local authorities in the capital only to consider name changes that are appropriate, given the long history and traditions of both London and the wider UK.
268 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE UK 16:7:14

That this House recognises that the wider economy in the south east of England has for generations been much more resilient than the rest of the UK, particularly in times of recession; and calls on the Government along with each devolved legislature to commit to ensuring that as the economy improves, major infrastructural projects, educational issues targeting young people not in education or training, high speed broadband programmes and other projects are invested in across the UK to assist in the development of a more prosperous future for the entire nation.
269 AIREY NEAVE 16:7:14

That this House expresses dismay and concern at the Channel Four programme Utopia and its portrayal of Airey Neave in an extreme and unsavoury fashion; and instead salutes the courage and bravery of Airey Neave DSO, OBE, MC, who was murdered by the Irish National Liberation Army and adds its support to the Neave family at this time.
270 ABOLITION OF TRAVELLING CHEF ON FIRST GREAT WESTERN RAIL SERVICES 16:7:14

That this House is dismayed by plans by First Great Western to scrap Travelling Chef services; notes that the service is one of the last full in-train service available on UK trains and provides a range of breakfasts and other meals, served at the seat in First Class and available at the café for other passengers; is concerned that the cuts are taking place despite the fact that the franchise is highly profitable, on the back of public subsidy; further notes passengers greatly value the service provided by the staff and there has been no consultation with passengers on this issue; calls on the company to keep the Travelling Chef and consult with passengers on how services can be improved, instead of cut; further notes that the Government is considering making a direct award to First Great Western to extend its control of this franchise; and further calls on the Government to review this decision immediately, in the light of the company's intention to cut services and jobs.
271 SUPPORT FOR CHILD ARRANGEMENT ORDER APPLICANTS 16:7:14

That this House notes that the process of applying for and disputing child custody arrangements can be complex and that the process can be difficult for many parents; further notes that the process of applying for and disputing child arrangement orders often follows a relationship breakdown or a time of personal crisis and that this can present further difficulties for those involved; further notes that a poor understanding of the process can result in inadequate representation to the court and misinformed judgements; further notes the danger that an unsuitable person, such as an abusive ex-partner, may be granted a child arrangement order because the other parties involved do not sufficiently understand the process and do not well present the relevant information; further notes that it is important for there to be adequate support available for parents involved in such a dispute to ensure that the courts have all the necessary information to make an informed decision about the child's welfare; and calls on the Government to take steps to provide that proper support and legal advice can ensure that violent and abusive parents do not gain custody of the child.
272 ELECTRICALLY SELF-POWERED WHEELCHAIRS AND PAVEMENT SURFACES 17:7:14

That this House notes that in recent years the availability of electrically-powered wheelchairs has become greater; further notes that the sensitivity of such vehicles to irregularities in pavement surfaces is greater than those with a human being pushing them; further notes that this frequently gives rise to situations in which the wheelchair user involuntarily leaves the wheelchair, including the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley, potentially causing material harm to the user; and calls on the Government and local authorities to review standards in respect of pavement surfaces and the slope of footway crossings to reduce the hazard that arises from such difficulties.
273 UK GIRL SUMMIT 17:7:14

That this House welcomes the 22 July 2014 UK Girl Summit, organised by the Home Secretary and Secretary of State for International Development on behalf of the Prime Minister, with the aim of mobilising domestic and international efforts to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) within a generation; believes that girls and women have the right to live free from violence and discrimination and to achieve their potential; and supports efforts in the UK and abroad to end FGM and CEFM within a generation, including by securing new commitments from the private sector, faith leaders, other civil society organisations, governments and international organisations.
274 WORK OF THE SUPPORT GROUP JOEL IN BASSETLAW 17:7:14

That this House welcomes the work of the group Joel in Bassetlaw which helps families who have previously tragically lost a baby and supports them through their subsequent pregnancies and parenting; recognises the importance of support for these subsequent rainbow babies and their families; and calls on the Government to support the efforts of such groups in supporting families, promoting awareness of their cause and achieving charitable status.