Session 2014-15
House of Commons
11th November 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
454 PUBLIC SERVICE PENSIONS (S. I., 2014, No. 2848) 30:10:14
159That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (England) Regulations 2014 (S.I., 2014, No. 2848), dated 23 October 2014, a copy of which was laid before this House on 28 October, be annulled.
455 AIR PASSENGER DUTY FOR CHILDREN 3:11:14
29That this House believes that the UK's air passenger duty is acting as a barrier to allowing hardworking families to take holidays abroad, when the majority already have to pay a premium due to school term-time restrictions; and calls on the Government to reduce the financial impact on hardworking families by scrapping the air passenger duty applicable to children.
456 CLOSURE OF AL-AQSA MOSQUE 3:11:14
10That this House condemns the closure of Haram al-Sharif and the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem by Israeli authorities in yet another attack on Palestinians and Arabs; considers this action to be totally unjustified and highly provocative; believes that the move has nothing to do with security but amounts to further persecution of Palestinians and Arabs wishing to pray at the holy site; notes that Israel continues to press ahead with its illegal settlement programme and will build 1,000 Jewish-only housing units in occupied East Jerusalem, in flagrant breach of United Nations' resolutions and criticism by its biggest supporter and contributor, the US; is convinced that these actions clearly demonstrate that Israel has no interest in a peaceful and negotiated settlement; and urges the Government to protest in the strongest terms to its counterpart in Israel and to convey its support to the Palestinian authorities.
459 US-UK MUTUAL DEFENSE AGREEMENT 3:11:14
37That the Amendment, done at Washington on 22 July 2014, to the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the government of the United States of America for Cooperation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defense Purposes (Cm. 8947), a copy of which was laid before this House on 16 October 2014, should not be ratified.
460 OCCUPATIONAL CANCERS 3:11:14
28That this House notes with concern the huge human and financial cost of occupational cancers, with an estimated 8,000 lives lost and around 13,500 new cases registered each year in Britain and a national economic cost the Health and Safety Executive puts at double-figure billions annually; further notes the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health's No Time to Lose campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of this significant health issue, suggests solutions to tackle the problem and helps businesses to deliver effective prevention programmes; and calls on the Government to support proactive regulator activity in this area, more research and the creation of a national carcinogen exposure database.
462 ROAD SAFETY WEEK 2014 3:11:14
34That this House notes that five people are killed and 61 seriously injured on UK roads every day; further notes that the only acceptable number of deaths and serious injuries on UK roads is zero; congratulates Brake, the road safety charity together with sponsors RSA and Specsavers, on coordinating Road Safety Week from 17 to 23 November 2014 as a focus of efforts to reduce casualties; further notes that thousands of community groups, schools, emergency services and companies will be holding events as part of that Week to raise awareness about road safety; further notes that the campaign this year calls on all road users to look out for each other, acknowledging that streets are shared spaces that require mutual tolerance and respect, and drivers especially exercising care, consideration and patience to protect those on foot and on bikes; and calls on policymakers to promote this vision and take positive steps to make it a reality by reducing speeds and making roads safer for walking and cycling.
465 ILO CONVENTION ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AT WORK 3:11:14
31That this House notes the UN Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November 2014; further notes with concern that gender-based violence is present in every society in the world and that globally one in three women will be beaten or sexually abused in their lifetime and that this occurs everywhere, even in the workplace; further notes that while some International Labour Conventions, particularly No. 111 on gender equality and Convention No. 189 and Recommendation No. 200, refer to the issue of violence against women, they do not adequately address all forms of gender-based violence at work including prevention and protection of affected workers; and calls for the Government to take action on the UN Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women by giving its support to the creation of a new ILO Convention specifically on gender-based violence at work and by requesting that this be on the agenda of the next meeting of the ILO Governing Body.
466 SEED SOVEREIGNTY 4:11:14
33That this House notes that access to seed resources is central to small-scale farmers' ability to maintain resilient and productive livelihoods; further notes that, in facing the effects of climate change and changing global market forces, it is essential that poor farmers in Africa and elsewhere are supported to access and develop sustainable, productive and affordable seed resources through community-controlled initiatives; further notes that just three corporations now control 53 per cent of the global seed market, whilst farmers are experiencing dangerous levels of the debt and vulnerability as such corporations come to control their seed supply; further notes that UK aid is currently supporting initiatives such as the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition that promote plant variety protection laws such as in Ghana that fail to protect poor and indigenous farmers and are likely to increase the market dominance of transnational seed corporations; further notes that the Department for International Development committed in 2005 to end policy conditionality for UK aid recipients, yet seed policy reforms required from some recipient states as part of aid commitments under the New Alliance appear in practice to undermine this commitment; and calls on the Government to support community-controlled initiatives to assist farmers to access sustainable, affordable and productive seed varieties instead of initiatives that increase corporate control of seed markets.
468 DEATH SENTENCE ON SHEIKH NIMR AL-NIMR 4:11:14
18That this House is deeply concerned about the death sentence by beheading and crucifixion passed by the Saudi authorities on Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr which is due to be carried out in the next few days; notes that Sheikh al-Nimr was detained in 2012 after backing mass pro-democracy protests in the Qatif district of eastern Saudi Arabia and was shot in the leg four times by police on arrest; joins with Amnesty International and other human rights organisations in believing that he was not given a fair trial; and calls on the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to use whatever pressure he can to prevail on the Saudi government to stop this barbarous killing and release al-Nimr who has already been held for two years.
469 MISSING STUDENTS IN GUERRERO, MEXICO 4:11:14
35That this House is shocked at the disappearance of 43 students from their college, Ayotzinapa, in Guerrero, Mexico on 26 September 2014; sends its sympathies and solidarity to their families and teachers; calls for the Mexican government and authorities to take all possible action to locate the missing students and bring to justice those responsible for their abduction; is deeply concerned that their disappearance comes after more than 25,000 people have disappeared in Mexico since 2006; acknowledges that the disappeared often include the very vulnerable such as poor migrants, indigenous people, peasants, children and women; highlights the concerns of UK parliamentarians, Amnesty International and other bodies regarding the human rights situation in Mexico as exemplified in a seminar held just last week organised by the APPG Mexico and APPG Human Rights and attended by Mexico's Deputy Ambassador and others; offers its support to all those in Mexico who stand up for human rights and justice against corruption and violence; calls on the Government to support further dialogue between UK parliamentarians, Mexican government officials, relevant Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and human rights organisations on human rights reform as a matter of the utmost urgency.
471 INEQUALITY IN POVERTY REDUCTION 4:11:14
30That this House notes Oxfam's latest report entitled Even it up: Time to end extreme inequality; further notes that the report highlights that, in 2013, seven out of 10 people lived in countries where economic inequality is worse than 30 years ago; further notes that the report states that extreme inequality is a barrier to poverty reduction, that economic inequality hurts everyone, and that it drives inequalities in health, education and life chances while compounding inequality between women and men; recognises that poverty and inequality are not inevitable but the result of policy choices; understands that a diverse range of people and organisations, from Pope Francis to the International Monetary Fund, are speaking out on the issue of inequality; further recognises the need for further discussions; welcomes the call from Oxfam that, with the right political and economic choices, this House can help reduce extreme economic inequality; further notes the recommendations in the report; and wishes Oxfam continued success with its campaign.
472 BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO 4:11:14
50That this House notes that Oxfam America, Human Rights Watch and the Farm Labour Organizing Committee (FLOC), being an affiliate of the US equivalent of the TUC, have highlighted onerous conditions faced by migrant farm workers in the tobacco fields of North Carolina and the American South, including exploitation, long hours, child labour and other human rights abuses; further notes that Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) is a major purchaser of the tobacco produced in those fields but refuses to grant freedom of association or workers representation to those workers, and that British American Tobacco plc (BAT) is the largest shareholder and a major customer of RAI; believes that only when migrant farm workers have a recognised organisation will their complaint about their working and living conditions be effectively addressed; further believes that BAT has a responsibility to ensure that its supply chain is free of human rights abuses and that FLOC's proposals to RAI can achieve that goal in the US; therefore calls on BAT to use its influence with RAI to reach an agreement with FLOC forthwith; further calls on the Government to ensure provisions within the Modern Slavery Bill would prohibit such human rights abuses; and further calls on the Government to raise these issues in trade discussions with US counterparts.
473 NATIONAL ISLAMOPHOBIA AWARENESS MONTH 2014 5:11:14
16That this House expresses its full support for National Islamophobia Awareness Month in November 2014; is deeply concerned at October 2014 figures from the Metropolitan Police that anti-Muslim hate crime had risen 65 per cent in the previous 12 months; notes that these are only figures for London and is concerned at the wider possible picture around the country; further notes Teesside University's research published in June 2014 that the majority of victims tend to be women; stands with the British Muslim community in total opposition to such attacks, particularly from extremist individuals and far-right groups; commends the work of the Tell MAMA project run by the Faith Matters charity to monitor anti-Muslim hatred; further notes recent comments from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, that we are seeing an upsurge in racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic comments; strongly condemns all such comments and acts, whether occurring online or physically; warns against demonisation of minority communities that may perpetrate such attitudes, such as sweeping generalisations of an incredibly diverse community or assigning collective blame because of the actions of some individuals; strongly commends grassroots organisations, mosques, scholars and university Islamic societies positively engaging and empowering young British Muslims; urges better monitoring of religiously aggravated hate crime with only 24 out of 43 police forces in England and Wales currently doing this; and calls for strengthening the cross-government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group and supporting the Muslim Council of Britain in its work as the democratic voice of the 2.8 million-strong British Muslim community.
474 TERM TIME ABSENCE AND THE NAHT GUIDANCE 5:11:14
5That this House welcomes the production of Guidance for Head Teachers on the way in which decisions should be made about term time absence requests; believes that the u-turn from the Government in accepting the merits of having such guidance is also to be welcomed; notes, however, the excessive overcrowding that is now happening at certain holiday sites in the UK and the hazards that arise at these places for young children; further believes that policy decisions should be evidence-driven and notes the Government evidence that indicates that a small amount of absence for primary school children for holidays slightly improves their achievement level at Key Stage 2; further believes that further progress is needed in staggering holiday periods to avoid conflict; calls for Ofsted not to place unreasonable pressures on schools to refuse requests for holiday absence; believes that parents are primarily responsible for the care of children and the state should avoid intervening without research evidence to just this; and further calls for the focus on absence to shift from ordinary families to those cases of persistent absence where there is research evidence that the absence is causing harm to the child's education.
477 MIGRANTS AND THE MEDITERRANEAN SEARCH AND RESCUE 5:11:14
5That this House utterly condemns the shameful decision by the Government not to support European search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean; notes that 400 migrants a day are pulled from the waters and that at least 2,500 more are known to have drowned so far this year while many more deaths go unrecorded; points out that Britain was militarily involved in some of the countries from which refugees flee, like Iraq and Libya; considers the justification given by the Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Baroness Anelay of St Johns, that funding rescue missions might 'pull' migrants into attempting crossings is both wrong and morally indefensible; believes that the real reason is the toxic nature of the current immigration debate fostered by UKIP which has made the concept of EU rescue patrols politically unacceptable; and calls on the Government to reverse this inhumane and contemptible decision which has placed party politics over the deaths of desperate people and join with other EU countries in saving thousands of men, women and children from drowning at sea.
479 THE NEED FOR NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES 5:11:14
6That this House is deeply concerned that there will be one million fewer affordable homes in 2018 than there were in 1980, while the population has grown by seven million people; notes that there are 1.68 million households on social housing waiting lists in England and Wales; points out that rents are being subsidised through housing benefit by almost £24 million a year, or about 30 per cent of the entire UK welfare bill; and urges the Government to fuel a massive social house-building programme amounting to around three million affordable homes by 2030, which would not only provide the needed housing but would substantially cut the welfare bill.
480 ASIYA BIBI 5:11:14
16That this House deeply regrets that the death sentence passed on Asiya Bibi four years ago under Pakistan's blasphemy law has not been lifted; notes with concern that hundreds of other victims of these laws, including the Briton Mohammad Asghar, are still languishing in jails under threat of death by fellow prisoners and prison guards; denounces the repeated patterns of deliberate and false accusations of blasphemy by private individuals who then use it as an excuse to broadcast the hate material from the mosques, and attacking whole non-Muslim communities; and calls on the Pakistani government to ensure the safety of their non-Muslim citizens.
483 EAST LANCASHIRE CAMRA 5:11:14
14That this House notes the success of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) as a campaigning organisation; further notes that this success is built on its membership and the strength of its branch network; further notes that in 2014 East Lancashire CAMRA celebrates its 40th anniversary, along with having one of its branch members, Stephen Dilworth, as the landlord of the national CAMRA Pub of the Year, The Swan with Two Necks; and congratulates John Webster, the Chairman of East Lancashire CAMRA and its membership on its 40th anniversary.
485 CAP PAYMENTS AND BULLFIGHTING 5:11:14
11That this House is aware that under the current Common Agriculture Policy, annual payments are being made to farmers from EU countries that breed bulls for use in bullfights; notes that this provision is estimated at approximately £110 million per year, with £13.5 million alone from the proportion of the UK budget; believes that bullfighting for fiestas is abhorrent as it involves the torture of animals in public display, a practice which flies in the face of Britain's own Animal Welfare Act 2006 and of the European Convention on animals kept for farming purposes, which specifically states that animals should not suffer pain, injury or distress; believes that such financial allocations are a clear violation of these laws; and calls on the Government to immediately cease such payments forthwith.
487 PROPOSAL FOR UK POLICY ON DRONE USE 6:11:14
10That this House welcomes the Birmingham Policy Commission on The Security Impact of Drones: Challenges and Opportunities for the UK, chaired by Professor Sir David Omand, which was published on 22 October 2014; notes that the exploitation of drones to the UK's benefit is held back by a lack of central direction; stresses the need for policy on the use of drones articulating the UK position on application of international human rights and humanitarian law in complex conflicts; calls on the Government to distinguish UK practice, and protect UK personnel, from inadvertent complicity in the targeted killing of suspects outside traditional battlefields by the US; invites the Government to disclose the guidance issued to staff, and safeguards in place, to ensure that shared intelligence cannot be used for targeted killing contrary to UK law; and further calls on the Government to implement these recommendations forthwith.
488 YOUTH SERVICES 6:11:14
24That this House believes that all young people across the UK should have access to a statutory funded, wide-ranging and universal youth service with ring-fenced funding from central government which is delivered by local authorities working closely with schools and youth voluntary organisations; notes the importance of youth services being delivered by professionally qualified youth workers, who offer young people the benefit of wide-ranging information, advice, guidance and support; recognises that a statutory funded, wide-ranging and universal youth service will deliver not only a safe and secure environment for young people to thrive, but in addition, embed critical life skills that enable young people to positively contribute to society both socially and economically; additionally recognises that for many young people, especially the most vulnerable and those from disadvantaged communities, the provision of a statutory funded, universal and wide-ranging youth service will support their journey into further and higher education, employment or training; further believes that a statutory funded, wide-ranging and universal youth service will constitute value for money in that such a service will lead to many young people not having to access higher tiered and more costly interventions later in their lives; and further believes that responsibility for youth services within central government should rest with the Department for Education.
489 BBC AND RWANDA 6:11:14
3That this House is dismayed at the BBC's production of the genocide denial programme entitled, This World - Rwanda's untold story; recognises the central place the programme now occupies in the activities of genocide denialists; urges the BBC to conduct an immediate inquiry into the editorial and managerial decisions which led to the airing of the programme on BBC2 on 1 October 2014; further urges the Director General of the BBC, a member of the House of Lords, to act personally and transparently to deal with this matter of profound political significance and social injustice; and commends the campaigning efforts of Professor Linda Melvern et al to this end.
490 CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 6:11:14
12That this House commends the work undertaken by YoungMinds which indicates that two-thirds of local authorities in England have reduced their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) budget since 2010; notes that one local authority, in response to YoungMinds' inquiry, confirmed that there had been a cut in its spending of 41 per cent since 2010; further notes that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines advise that families should get CAMHS diagnostic assessment within three months of referral; and further notes that across the country this target is being missed, with families reporting that in some cases they are waiting years for effective support and advice.
492 DISCLOSURE OF CONVICTIONS HELD ABROAD 6:11:14
4That this House notes that the criminal convictions held by EU citizens that are revealed by a Disclosure and Barring Service check are only those held in central records in the UK; is concerned that this does not therefore include convictions held abroad of foreign nationals; further notes that it is not obligatory for an employer to require an employee to provide a certificate of good conduct from their home country; and therefore calls on the Government to introduce and enforce the obligatory disclosure of any previous convictions held by EU and other foreign-born citizens upon application for a job in the UK.
493 PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM EXPLOITATION THROUGH SEX TOURISM 6:11:14
11That this House believes that children across the world must be protected from sexual exploitation; recognises that the phenomenon of sex tourism is a problem which must be tackled both by the country where the crime is committed and, where the perpetrator is a British national, by the UK; notes particularly the known vulnerability of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, India and Brazil to this crime; commends section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which provides for the prosecution of extra-territorial crimes; further notes that the Government signed the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, which contains measures to encourage co-operation between states on the issue of sex tourism; commends the work of the National Crime Agency, Serious Crime Agency and Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in combating sex tourism, but notes the lack of prosecutions in this area despite the provision in law; further recognises that more must be done; and calls on the Government to fulfil its obligations under this law to prosecute cases of sex tourism, to ensure that British nationals do not act with impunity, and to protect vulnerable children from sexual exploitation.
494 VOTING AGE 16 7:11:14
12That this House believes that the time is right to lower the voting age to 16; recognises the contribution to society made by 16 and 17 year olds which is currently unrecognised in respect of their democratic rights and that many youth-led organisations have been campaigning for the voting age to be reduced, and that lowering the voting age could play a huge role in helping people engage with the political process, in establishing and embedding good voting behaviour for future, and would make citizenship lessons in school all the more relevant; and therefore calls on the Government to legislate to lower the voting age to 16 for all public elections in the UK.
495 MUSLIM SUPPORT FOR THE POPPY APPEAL 2014 10:11:14
6That this House recognises the contribution of many Muslim soldiers to victories in both world wars; welcomes the efforts being made in the Muslim community to encourage the wearing of poppies in remembrance of all those who paid the ultimate price for freedom; notes the design and launch of a new poppy headscarf for Muslim women to wear in support of this cause; appreciates that these efforts will undoubtedly enhance community relations; and believes they will also help to counter the deplorable actions of a small number of extremists, who in no way represent the views of the overwhelming majority of Muslims, who have symbolically burned the poppy in the name of Islam in recent years.
496 FIRST WORLD WAR CHAPLAINS 10:11:14
9That this House recognises the courage and bravery of the chaplains in the First World War; notes that the chaplains preached the Gospel, taught sound Christian moral values and faithfully cared for the soldiers; and recalls with gratitude that 185 chaplains laid down their lives in the war.
497 BUS DRIVERS' HOURS 10:11:14
14That this House notes that bus drivers work four hours more but are paid 14 per cent less a week than the average UK worker; further notes the two different sets of regulations applying to bus drivers, domestic and European, limit driving to 5.5 hours and 4.5 hours respectively before legal entitlement to a break; believes that the current mix of bus drivers' hours regulations prevents effective enforcement and forces bus drivers to work longer than is either safe or healthy; supports the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers' Union campaign for European regulations on drivers' hours to cover all commercial journeys by passenger carrying vehicles in the UK; and calls on the Government to reform bus drivers' hours regulations to ensure that bus drivers are legally entitled to a break after 4.5 hours of continuous driving, with no reduction in pay, which would be a significant step toward ending the culture of excessive working hours for low pay that has taken root since deregulation of the UK bus industry in 1985 when bus drivers' pay was seven per cent above the average weekly wage.
498 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL 10:11:14
5That this House recognises the significance of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall; notes that before the momentous events of 9 November 1989 at least 138 people were killed trying to flee to West Berlin; further notes that there are many victims of the Stasi who still suffer from the trauma caused by their mistreatment at the hands of the East German Secret Police; believes that the dissidents in East Germany who bravely protested against the oppressive GDR regime dealt a decisive blow for freedom by exposing the realities and contradictions of life under Communist rule; and calls on the Government to increase its efforts to promote freedom and democracy throughout the world.
500 LABOUR SOLIDARITY WITH KURDS 10:11:14
8That this House notes the appeal from Labour Solidarity with Kurds for an urgent and significant increase in support to people defending the world against the vilest fascism of our age in the form of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS); further notes that this appeal supports the use of British jets in air strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq; asks that heavy weapons are dispatched to Kurdish forces in Kobani and in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; recognises that Kurds and Iraqis will play the most decisive role in ground operations, are not currently asking for the assistance of British and other western ground troops but that a global fight of this kind cannot rule this out in the future; acknowledges the strength of their appeal for increased aid to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to cope with the strain of over a million refugees from Syria and internally displaced people from Arab Iraq, and for the Iraqi government in Baghdad to end the economic blockade against the Kurdistan Region; and believes that such views should command support on the right, centre and left of the British political spectrum.
502 FUTURE OF DUTCH HOUSE PUBLIC HOUSE 10:11:14
2That this House is concerned about the number of public houses that are being closed to be demolished to make way for housing, or other forms of businesses, against the wishes of the neighbouring communities; welcomes the decision of the Royal Borough of Greenwich to reject the planning application from McDonald's to close the Dutch House Public House and turn it into a drive-through takeaway restaurant; congratulates the residents of the Horn Park estate on their successful campaign to keep the Dutch House open; recognises the importance of the Dutch House, which the local community have had registered as an asset of community value which is frequented by many local people, including groups of people with learning difficulties who have found the pub and its customers to be an extremely safe and welcoming environment; is extremely concerned that McDonald's application will generate an increase in the number of vehicles turning right across the A20 dual carriageway to gain access to the drive-through restaurant; urges the owners to maintain the site as a public house or to find a new owner that will maintain it for that purpose; further calls on McDonald's to accept the view of the local community and to remove their threat to the future of the Dutch House; and further calls on the Government to act to protect public houses from threats of this kind in the future.
503 COLOMBIAN PEACE PROCESS 11:11:14
7That this House believes that the peace talks underway between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) should continue unhindered; condemns a recently uncovered plot by far right groups to assassinate members of the FARC negotiating team working in Havana and members of Colombians for Peace; notes that the members of Colombians for Peace who are the target of the assassination plots are Piedad Cordoba and Dr Carlos Lozano, both also spokespersons of the Patriotic March; is dismayed that at this time of heightened insecurity and increased threats against those who are outspoken in trying to bring about peace in Colombia there have been cuts to personal security for those most threatened such as Piedad Cordoba and Dr Carlos Lozano; urges the Foreign Secretary to speak to the Colombian government to increase the security of those individuals as well as that of Senator Ivan Cepeda; calls on the Colombian government to condemn the uncovered assassination plots; and further urges the British Embassy in Bogota to publicly condemn the uncovered assassination plots.
504 ABORTION SERVICES IN BLACKFRIARS 11:11:14
2That this House is extremely concerned about the significant upsurge in anti-abortion activism targeting clinics; would like to draw attention to the ongoing protests outside the British Pregnancy Advisory Service clinic in Blackfriars where activists are staging large protests of over 20 people, a mix of men and women activists carrying graphic posters; is concerned that activists are also routinely entering the surgery, causing great distress to staff and patients and are specifically targeting the mother and baby clinic, handing expectant mothers graphic leaflets and that they are directly approaching women and passers-by, and filming conversations with members of the public without informing or asking for consent first; notes with concern that the practice now feels so intimidated that it has asked to close the service down; further notes that these protests are particularly concerning because they are obstructing women from receiving the medical help that they are entitled to; while recognising that these groups are legally entitled to protest, feels that they should not be allowed to harass those women who decide to seek this sort of treatment; and calls on the relevant authorities to take immediate action to stop the protestors from harassing patients and staff on a routine basis.
505 UK REPRESENTATION AT THE VIENNA CONFERENCE ON THE HUMANITARIAN IMPACT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS 11:11:14
3That this House welcomes the third conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna on 8-9 December 2014 and the international momentum to understand and further the humanitarian agenda; notes with concern the catastrophic and global consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, from initial blast, heat and radiation to climate disruption and nuclear famine over decades, and the need for international engagement from both nuclear and non-nuclear armed states to forge a dialogue on this issue; further notes that 145 countries attended the conference in Mexico earlier this year; further notes with regret that the UK and the four other nuclear-armed members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty-P5- have so far boycotted the previous two conferences; further notes that the US has now confirmed its attendance at the Vienna conference; and urges the UK to confirm its participation in the Vienna conference in December and play its part in shaping the discussion and initiative on the humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons.
506 CATALAN CONSULTATION ON INDEPENDENCE - 9 NOVEMBER 2014 11:11:14
1That this House congratulates the people of Catalonia for voting on a consultation on the political future of the country; celebrates that more than two million people exercised their right to vote on a consultation that passed without any significant incidents; notes that an overwhelming majority - 81 per cent of the turnout - voted for independence from Spain; condemns the fact that the consultation was suspended by the Spanish authorities; recognises the difficulties that had to be overcome by both the organisers and the 40,000 volunteers to deliver this consultation; considers that the UK, the EU and the wider international community should support an official referendum; invites the Spanish and Catalan governments to enter negotiations; and suggests both governments should emulate the successful Edinburgh Agreement between the UK and the Scottish Governments so that an official and legal referendum on independence of Catalonia is offered to the people of Catalonia without delay.
507 EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE RULING ON EU BENEFITS CLAIMANTS 11:11:14
1That this House welcomes the European Court of Justice ruling on 11 November 2014 which confirms that the UK has the sovereign right to restrict the benefits that can be claimed in this country by citizens of other EU member states; further welcomes the clarity the judgment provides on the restrictions the UK can place on those from other member states who attempt to claim benefits without seeking work; notes that the ruling confirms that the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU is not applicable to special non-contributory cash benefits; and therefore calls on the Government to strengthen restrictions on the benefits that can be claimed by EU citizens who come to the UK with no intention to find work.
508 JAILING OF DAVID TAM BAYOH IN SIERRA LEONE 11:11:14
1That this House condemns the jailing and beating of the campaigning radio journalist David Tam Bayoh in Sierra Leone, who criticised the Sierra Leonean government's Ebola response; notes that the country's state of emergency empowers President Ernest Bai Koroma to arrest any person without a court order and that Bayoh was arrested by an order signed by the President; further notes that Bayoh, who suffers from high blood pressure, is detained without charge in a hugely overcrowded jail; points out that around a third of the amount pledged by the EU to Sierra Leone to combat Ebola will come from the UK's £205 million aid package; and urges the Government to use its considerable influence with Sierra Leone to free Bayoh so that he and other journalists are free to work and keep track of the hundreds of millions in aid pouring into a country which ranks near the top of global corruption indexes.
509 RAILWAY STATIONS IN BRADFORD 11:11:14
1That this House believes that a new Bradford Central railway station would provide a 24-hour gateway to the city centre and join a district divided into two halves with two different rail stations; points out that such a station would be vital in stimulating business investment in the city, particularly if the proposed High Speed 3 route links to Bradford; notes that after some delay, Westfield is now building an extensive shopping mall in the city which will attract custom not only from Bradford but from West Yorkshire and further afield; further notes that Westfield designed and funded the new Shepherd's Bush station as part of its London development and that the company's Stratford shopping centre is also connected with a new station; and calls on the Government in partnership with Westfield, Bradford Metropolitan District Council and other relevant bodies to make available the funding to provide the new station and its infrastructure as a matter of urgency.
510 WEST YORKSHIRE AND ELECTED MAYORS 11:11:14
1That this House believes that a democratically-accountable elected mayor for West Yorkshire would provide substantial benefits to the area and would be the vehicle for vital economic regeneration and improvements to the infrastructure; understands that a metro mayor responsible for the five West Yorkshire districts of Bradford, Leeds, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield would have similar powers to those that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has proposed for Greater Manchester; notes that these powers include transport spending, bus services, health, housing, business support and the police; and calls on the Government to grant the necessary devolution of powers to West Yorkshire and to sanction the creation of the post of mayor.
511 WORLD DIABETES DAY 2014 11:11:14
1That this House notes that 14 November 2014 is World Diabetes Day which engages millions of people globally in recognising the escalating health threat that diabetes poses; further notes that every four minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with diabetes and consequently the NHS spends £1 million an hour on diabetes and its related complications; commends the 53 hon. Members who attended the Health Challenge and had a diabetes test on 15 October 2014 for Diwali at Westminster in support of diabetes awareness; and calls on hon. Members to show their support on 14 November 2014 by not eating sugar for 24 hours.