Session 2014-15
House of Commons
22nd 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
254 SCRUTINY OF NOMINEES FOR EU COMMISSIONER 14:7:14
20That 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
26That 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.
257 MEFLOQUINE HYDROCHLORIDE 14:7:14
18That 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
16That 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
46That 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
4That 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
9That 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
11That 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.
264 DAILY MAIL COVERAGE OF CABINET RESHUFFLE 16:7:14
12That 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
15That 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
14That 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
10That 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
17That 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
10That 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
14That 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
13That 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
12That 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
25That 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
8That 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.
275 2014 OPEN WINNER RORY MCILROY 21:7:14
8That this House notes that the 2014 Open was won by Rory McIlroy, continuing the amazing recent form of Northern Ireland's golfers in winning a series of the greatest golfing tournaments in the world; and acknowledges that this latest win comes just weeks after Royal Portrush has been confirmed as a venue for The Open in a few years' time, which should allow the greatest players in the world from locations other than Northern Ireland to perform at the 21st century's home of golf.
276 VALUATION OF STERLING 21:7:14
2That this House, noting the launch of the Pound Campaign, a non-partisan group to initiate debate on the effects of the UK exchange rate on British manufacturers and exporters, recognises that exporting is vital for Britain and fundamental to generating sustainable UK economic growth; further recognises the need to boost and strengthen manufacturing to rebuild a healthy broad-based economy; notes the persistence and scale of the UK trade deficit on goods and that Britain has not had an overall trade surplus since 1983 as a result; further notes the link between the level of UK exchange rate and the profitability of manufacturing and exporting for UK-based companies; and therefore calls on the Government to investigate the impact of the current rise in the exchange rate of the pound on the sustainability and profitability of UK-based manufacturers and exporters.
277 GOVERNMENT POLICY ON DERELICT AND ABANDONED BUILDINGS 21:7:14
3That this House recognises the devastating effect that derelict and abandoned buildings can have on a community, both commercially and on its landscape; notes that such sites can pose a serious health and safety risk, especially as an attraction to homeless and younger people; further notes the effect of land banking as a barrier to regeneration and to sustainable development; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to allow local planning authorities to tackle sites in their communities including allowing an administration charge to be levied against property owners to cover costs of safeguarding and assessing the site and to introduce a land value tax on vacant sites, similar to that already imposed in Denmark and discussed in the Barker Review 2003, in line with the value of business rates which would be payable if a permitted development had already taken place.
278 NEWPORT NATO DECLARATION 21:7:14
3That this House hopes that the Newport Declaration from the NATO summit to be held in South Wales in September 2014 will include a realistic non-triumphalist assessment of NATO's role in Afghanistan and a welcome for the new strengthened unity of NATO nations in resisting the belligerence of President Putin's incursions into neighbouring states.
279 INQUIRY INTO CHILD ABUSE AND THE CROWN DEPENDENCIES 21:7:14
4That this House, being conscious of the numerous cases of previously concealed child abuse in which individuals have been able to use their status as public figures to deter victims and to prevent or disrupt investigations of their crimes, and being conscious that in some cases abusers, and those who have concealed abuse, have been able to use their positions in public office and the institutions of the state such as Parliament and Government to shield them and their wrongdoing from proper, lawful scrutiny, recognises that the dangers of such cover-ups occurring are even greater in small, quasi-self-governing communities than at national level, where, even though checks and balances are more extensive, child abuse and cover-ups by the well-connected have still occurred; notes that a local public inquiry in Jersey into child abuse, the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, has not gained the confidence of all victims and witnesses; and calls on the relevant UK authorities, the Secretary of State for Justice, the Crown and the Privy Council, in exercise of their responsibilities and powers to ensure good governance, the rule of law and proper administration of justice in the Crown Dependencies, to empower the overarching UK inquiry into child abuse to include the Crown Dependencies.
280 BRITISH SUCCESS AT INTERNATIONAL BIOLOGY OLYMPIAD 21:7:14
9That this House congratulates the four students selected to represent the UK at the 25th International Biology Olympiad in July 2014 held in Bali in Indonesia, all of whom brought home medals; notes that over 5,000 students took part in the first round of this competition of which 120 students were selected for a further stage after which the top four students were selected from a shortlist of 16 at the British Biology Olympiad final held at the University of Warwick in April 2014; further congratulates the UK team of Adam Heath (Gold medal winner), Josh Dickerson (Silver medal winner), Dia Ghose (Silver medal winner) and Rebecca Peel (Bronze medal winner) on their outstanding success in this year's international competition; recognises that students in the UK can compete against the very best biologists in the world and come back as winners; and further congratulates the Society of Biology and the UK Biology Competitions Special Interest Group, together with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, for their key role in organising this competition.
281 IMPROVING MANAGEMENT IN THE UK 21:7:14
9That this House welcomes the launch of Management 2020, the report of the Commission on the Future of Management and Leadership, which was set up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Management and the Chartered Management Institute; further welcomes the Commission's recommendations to improve management and leadership across the UK to support long-term, sustainable economic growth; supports its recommendations to help embed employability in the education system and to encourage employers to report on how they are engaging with education, providing work experience and their targets for recruiting young people and those returning from career breaks; supports its call for new exchange networks to promote secondments and the exchange of ideas and people between business and education, Civil Service and business, small and medium-sized enterprises and multinationals; further supports the recommendations for employers, that they focus on how they define their social purpose, inspire and develop their people and grow the potential of the next generation; and calls on employers to use the Management 2020 Benchmarking Tool to assess their current performance and identify areas for improvement, to help create a Better Managed Britain.
282 CANNED HUNTING OF LIONS 21:7:14
10That this House notes that according to the Campaign Against Canned Hunting well over 8,000 lions are being bred in captivity to supply the canned hunting trade that entails captive-bred lions being kept in confined areas to be shot by paying hunters using rifles, bow and arrow and pistols; further notes that at least some of the funding for this barbaric practice is derived from UK volunteer agencies that are often unaware of the destiny of these lions; further notes that on 15 March 2014 people in 62 cities in 21 countries marched on the streets to protest against canned hunting; further notes that on 13 February 2014 a world summit was held in London to halt the illegal trade in wildife products; further notes that precedents for concrete action include the EU ban on imports of seal skins from Namibia and Canada because they are based on animal cruelty; calls on the Government to ensure that preservation of the UK's world wildlife heritage is given the high level priority that it so clearly deserves; and further calls on the Government to ban the import of African lion trophies and body parts.
283 SCHOOL HOLIDAYS 22:7:14
6That this House notes that across the country, parents will be preparing for the long summer school holiday by arranging and paying for additional childcare required as a result of having a long holiday block between July and September; further notes that the timing of this and some other school holidays is based on centuries-old traditions rather than the needs of children and their parents in modern Britain; further notes that children in receipt of free school meals and from other low-income households have been proven to fall behind their peers during the long summer school holiday, exacerbating the disadvantage they already experience; and therefore calls for the calendar of school holidays to be examined with a view to being amended to better serve children, young people and families.
284 DEATHS OF PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS 22:7:14
18That this House notes the widespread cross-party questioning of Israel's wholly disproportionate and brutal attack on the Palestinian people of Gaza as expressed in the Chamber on 21 July 2014; further notes that thousands of people marched in protest in London at this attack on 19 July 2014; further notes that an even greater number will attend another demonstration on 26 July 2014; further notes the Gaza weekend death toll of more than 150 Palestinians with a disproportionate number of women and children; further notes the repetitive Israeli media spin about targeting militants; acknowledges the strength of character of Palestinians and their medical workers including Dr Mads Gilbert who describes the situation vividly, 'the rivers of blood will keep running the coming night' and who calls upon leaders to spend 'just one night' in Gaza which would 'change history'; and calls on the Government to do everything in its power to end the slaughter of the Palestinian people.
285 70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BURMA CAMPAIGN 22:7:14
2That this House recognises with respect and gratitude all who fought in the war in Burma 70 years ago; notes that this was the longest land campaign of the Second World War; salutes the memory of nearly 40,000 British and Commonwealth Service personnel who died in the fighting, as well as the thousands more killed in captivity; and commends the work of The Not Forgotten Association, a tri-service charity for the wounded in keeping alive the memory of such sacrifices.
286 CONTINUED FEMICIDE OF WOMEN IN IRAQI-KURDISTAN 22:7:14
2That this House notes with grave concern that honour killing and suicide has become a phenomenon that is considered the biggest threat to women's lives and health in the Kurdistan region of Iraq; further notes that as a result many women are killed or have committed suicide while to date there has been no more than 10 convictions as illustrated in official statistics and the observance of International Human Rights agencies; acknowledges that there exists huge ignorance and disinterest in the prevention of such atrocities against women; further notes that areas for improvement include the allocation of a reasonable budget to tackle violence against women, more shelters and services to support and protect women, a just system in which perpetrators can be tried or proper attempts to implement the anti-DV Law that has been in force since 2011, the abolition of legislation that discriminates against women causing more violence for example allowing polygamy for men, rights of divorce belonging to men, unequal inheritance, punishing women for adultery, abortion and similar; further notes that allowances are made for tribal deals on honour killing cases which often prevent justice from prevailing and result in zero convictions; further notes that more focus is required on the widespread existence of child marriage and traditional bride exchanges between families; and urges the Government to raise these points with its counterpart in Iraqi-Kurdistan with a view to protecting women and young girls to ensure their safety and to allow this newly developing region to acquire the respectable acceptance of the international community.
287 RAIL LINK FOR LEEDS-BRADFORD AIRPORT 22:7:14
1That this House notes that Leeds-Bradford International Airport (LBIA) has been poorly served for years in terms of being connected to other towns and cities in the wider region; further notes that the Leeds City Region, with an economic output of £55 billion in 2013, has the largest city region economy outside London; believes that a rail link will provide global connectivity for local businesses and help the Leeds City Region remain a vibrant and competitive area; further notes that the highly successful Grand Depart of the 2014 Tour de France showed the world what Yorkshire has to offer; further notes that this is likely to lead to further business from abroad and tourism visits, particularly with Yorkshire winning the title of Europe's Leading Destination in 2013, beating the likes of Berlin, London and Madrid; further notes that LBIA's passenger throughput is expected to reach 5.1 million in 2016 and support 3,400 full-time equivalent jobs; welcomes comments by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for aviation, the hon. Member for Scarborough and Whitby, on a recent visit that a rail link is obviously desirable; and encourages him to provide a further boost for local jobs and the regional economy by setting out a timescale for his plans.
288 YORKSHIRE DAY AND YORKSHIRE WEEK 2014 22:7:14
1That this House welcomes Yorkshire Week to celebrate all that God's Own County has to offer; notes that Yorkshire Day was first celebrated on 1 August 1975, the 216th anniversary of the Battle of Minden, where British troops defeated the French and first wore the now-famous white rose in tribute to their fallen comrades; further notes that some of the biggest names in British history have originated from Yorkshire; further notes that Britain's film and cultural scene has been boosted thanks to Yorkshirewomen and men; congratulates Yorkshire on producing some of the country's finest sporting talents across rugby league and union, football, cricket and cycling; further notes that this recently culminated in Yorkshire hosting what Tour de France organisers called the grandest Grand Départ the Tour has ever seen; also welcomes Yorkshire's contribution in producing world-class musical talent; commends its breath-taking countryside landscapes, historic breweries and unique cuisine including the famous Yorkshire pudding; hopes the organisers and people partaking of it have a highly successful and enjoyable Yorkshire Day and Week; and wishes the county and its people many more years of success in every arena.
289 NATIONAL ROAD VICTIM MONTH 22:7:14
2That this House commends the national road safety charity RoadPeace for organising National Road Victim Month every August to remember those killed or injured on our roads; notes that August is a particularly poignant month since the first person ever killed in the UK by a car, Bridget Driscoll, died on 17 August 1896; further notes that there is an increased risk of children being injured or killed while on holiday from school and encourages increased caution; further notes that, according to Department for Transport figures for the year ending June 2013, there were 1,730 deaths and a further 21,800 serious injuries on UK roads; therefore supports the Secretary of State for Justice in launching a full review of all driving offences and penalties and announcing tougher punishments; and calls on the Government to go even further and suspend licences of those on bail for criminal driving offences, ensure driving bans do not run concurrently with prison sentences, and bring forward proposals to create a new offence for drug driving.
290 NEW GENERATION TRANSPORT TROLLEYBUS SCHEME 22:7:14
1That this House notes the £173 million New Generation Transport (NGT) trolleybus scheme promoted by Metro and Leeds City Council; feels that it is not the best option for improving public transport in Leeds; is concerned that NGT may not provide value for money in the long run due to shorter life expectancy of rolling stock, as one of the key aims of the project was reducing the number of people driving on the A660 corridor; is further concerned at NGT plans which imply that the reduction in car usage would be minimal; is particularly concerned, given plans to secure a legacy from the 2014 Tour de France going through Leeds, that NGT would pass along the most-cycled route in Leeds and that the NGT business case projects a decrease in cycling; further feels that scheme has been imposed on Leeds after the Labour government decided in 2007 that Leeds could only have a bus-based solution; therefore demands the public inquiry be allowed to consider not whether NGT should go ahead or not, but what the best public transport solution is for Leeds; while welcoming the government investment, also demands the £173 million be allowed to be used for the alternative decided on; further feels that ultimately Leeds must have parity with major cities such as Manchester, Sheffield and European counterparts; and therefore urges the Department for Transport and Leeds City Council to consider the views of local residents and urgently rethink their plans.
291 GIRL SUMMIT 2014 22:7:14
1That this House welcomes the international Girl Summit held on 22 July 2014; notes that the Female Genital Mutilation is a criminal, horrifying and inhumane practice; congratulates the Prime Minister on this initiative; acknowledges the work done by the community campaigners such a Leyla Hussein; hopes that outstanding work done by the hon. Member for Battersea which started with the establishment of the APPG and FGM, continues; and urges the Government to adopt in full the recommendations of the Home Select Affairs Committee to eradicate this horrific abuse for good.
292 NICE DRAFT GUIDELINE ON OBESITY 22:7:14
1That this House acknowledges the draft guideline, Identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in children, young people and adults, on 11 July 2014, by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on obesity; recognises that the advice set out by the report is to widen the range of people who would be eligible for weight loss surgery on the NHS to those recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and a BMI of 30 or over; believes that surgical solutions to obesity and diabetes should be offered as a very last resort in the most extreme cases, not as a simple solution offered to the masses; finds that prevention is better than cure and that monitoring sugar intake and leading an active and healthy life could not only save patients from potentially life threatening health conditions but would save the NHS billions of pounds of unnecessary expenses; and calls on the Government to increase efforts to tackle obesity and diabetes through sport and healthy eating to ensure that bariatric surgery does not become an easy answer to weight problems for hundreds of thousands of people.
293 SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT 22:7:14
1That this House notes that Dr Malcolm Macdonald, of the Strathclyde Space Institute at Strathclyde University, has stated in a report on the space sector that Scottish independence could be said to be worth £15-20 million per year to the sector in the medium term, and the long-term size and scale of the sector may be of the order of £100 million, almost triple the current size; welcomes recognition that RAF Lossiemouth and Kinloss Barracks with its runway are excellently placed to be locations for a future spaceport and have been included in a shortlist of sites; and calls on the Government to work with the Scottish Government, local authority and other public agencies to maximise the potential of this opportunity.
294 TUITION FEES AND THE FUNDING OF EDUCATION 22:7:14
1That this House notes the introduction and rapid increase in tuition fees in further and higher education since 1998 and acknowledges with concern the findings of the Third Report of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee session 2014-15, on Student Loans; further notes that tuition fees and associated marketisation have decisively failed to create a sustainable funding system for universities; further notes that, in order to fund tution fees, the Government can now expect to loan in excess of £10 billion per year, much of which it will never recover; further notes the extreme negative impact of fees and privatisation on the stability of universities and colleges, access to education, student poverty and the conditions of academic and other staff; further notes that the number of people studying part-time has dropped by 40 per cent since the tripling of home undergraduate tuition fees in 2010; further notes that tuition fees no longer exist in Germany; believes that the choice being presented to the public, between an inaccessible and debt-driven market and a free system open only to a social elite, is no choice at all; believes further that progressive taxation is the only fair and workable way to fund education; supports the conclusions of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee's report that an overhaul of the system is needed; calls for an urgent review of education funding led by those who work and study in education; and further calls for the abolition of all tuition fees in further and higher education.