Session 2014-15
House of Commons
12th January 2015
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
652 REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (S. I., 2014, No. 1870) 18:12:14
14That the Representation of the People (Variation of Limits of Candidates' Election Expenses) Order 2014 (S.I., 2014, No. 1870), dated 14 July 2014, be revoked.
659 AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT INITIATIVE 5:1:15
28That this House congratulates the Austrian government on its call to all states to identify and pursue effective measures to fill the legal gap for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons and its pledge to co-operate with all stakeholders to achieve this goal; notes that this pledge was made at the end of the Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons held in Vienna on 8-9 December 2014 and attended by 157 states including the UK; applauds the contribution of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent to the conference and the participation of civil society led by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons; agrees that no national or international response capacity exists that would adequately respond to the human suffering and humanitarian harm that would result from a nuclear weapon explosion in a populated area; supports the states led by Austria now calling for work to begin on crafting a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons; and urges the UK Government to participate fully in this new and multilateral initiative.
660 DETENTION OF SHEIKH ALI SALMAN IN BAHRAIN 5:1:15
21That this House is appalled at recent human rights abuses in Bahrain, most notably the multiple charges that have recently been brought against the Bahrain Opposition Al Wefaq leader Sheikh Ali Salman; believes that unjust arrests and detentions are part of an ongoing campaign by the Bahrain authorities to continue to undermine human rights; and calls on the Government to take action to encourage the release of unjustly-held Bahraini citizens, including Sheikh Ali Salman.
661 PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS 6:1:15
24That this House is aware that many people with mental health problems find it difficult to work because of the impact of their condition and the lack of appropriate support and understanding from employers and that currently nearly half of those receiving employment and support allowances are claiming primarily because of their mental health condition; believes that many people with such health problems want to and many are able to return to work with the right kind of help; recognises that current Government-funded schemes are currently failing this group with three times more without this condition being helped back into work; praises the mental health charity MIND, which has highlighted this fact; and calls on the Government to take people suffering from such conditions out of the current back to work schemes and instead create a new individual programme which understands the needs of this group of unemployed people that provides them with the personalised and specialist support they need.
As an Amendment to Sir Alan Meale's proposed Motion (People With Mental Health Problems):
1Line11, at end add 'and examine the procurement process which disadvantages local specialist employment support services like Northern Rights, a not for profit community interest company with a proven track record of helping people in East Durham with disabilities and mental health problems to overcome barriers to work through tailored one to one support; and commends Northern Rights for working with the most challenging cases who are not catered for or have been failed by the Work Programme and large scale training providers.'. 8:1:15(a1)
662 NHS WALK-IN CENTRES 6:1:15
26That this House believes that it is unacceptable to shut accident and emergency (A&E) departments when patients have nowhere else to seek treatment; notes that NHS walk-in centres played a major role in reducing the numbers of patients attending A&E; and calls on the Government to encourage clinical commissioning groups right across the country to reintroduce walk-in centres.
668 EGYPTIAN CRACKDOWN ON THE GAY COMMUNITY 7:1:15
10That this House condemns in the strongest possible terms the arrest of 26 men in Cairo by the Egyptian government on the charge of debauchery; notes with concern the stigma the ensuing trial will place upon the men involved, causing detriment to their careers and families; believes that this latest arrest is part of a worrying trend of human rights abuses resulting in the restriction of basic rights and freedoms of the gay community in Egypt; recognises the alarming implications that such action has for human rights and freedom within wider Egyptian society; and calls on the Government to work with international partners and all relevant aspects of civil society to do everything in its power to press the Egyptian government to take urgent action in order to guarantee the fundamental human rights of all Egyptian citizens regardless of sexuality, gender, ethnicity or creed.
669 BANGLADESH AND THREATS TO DEMOCRACY 7:1:15
7That this House regrets that the leader of the Bangladesh Opposition, Begum Khaleda Zia, has now been interned in her political office by armed police, that the television station ETV has been closed by the Bangladesh government, that there was an attack on the National Press Club, and that live ammunition has been fired at opposition demonstrations; believes that these actions are not the actions of a democratic government, but instead a government aiming to suppress any opposition; calls for the Bangladeshi government to enter into discussions with opposition groups towards having a further election on a free and fair basis; and calls for the UK Government to use its influence to ensure that Bangladesh moves back towards a society based upon democracy and the rule of law.
670 DEFENCE OF JOURNALISTS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 8:1:15
34That this House expresses its heartfelt sympathy to the families of those journalists, police and others who were assassinated or injured at the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo on 7 January 2015; notes that this attack took place on press day, thereby increasing the casualty list and the potential damage to press freedom; considers that the perpetrators of this heinous crime must swiftly be brought to justice; further notes the bravery of individuals who work in this field despite many of them coming under attack previously, and that in carrying out their jobs they uphold the invaluable and historical right to free speech and freedom of expression which are both integral elements of democracies; acknowledges the solidarity that is being shown around the world on behalf of the victims and their colleagues in standing together in defence of civil liberties at this time; and offers its support to the NUJ in the UK and the International Federation of Journalists for their work in defending the rights of all journalists to do their job without fear of threats, intimidation and brutal murder.
671 FUEL PRICE INQUIRY 8:1:15
8That this House recognises that the UK globally has the highest diesel price, third highest petrol price and in the Western world has the highest fuel duty; believes that with the global price of oil dropping rapidly to $50 a barrel, prices at the pumps should be decreasing in line with the fall however this is not the case; further believes that an investigation into domestic fuel prices is needed; notes the increasing discrepancy between petrol and diesel prices and calls on the Government and the Competition and Markets Authority to launch an inquiry both into the disparity between petrol and diesel prices as well as how the retail price is set; acknowledges the hard work that FairFuelUK has done on this issue and recognises that its campaign now has one million supporters; and hopes that such an inquiry will identify who profits from oil prices, who determines the price of oil at the pumps and why the price of fuel at the pumps does not reflect the global oil price.
672 SERVICE OF THE MARATHA INFANTRY IN THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS 8:1:15
6That this House recognises the incredible sacrifice and service of the Maratha Infantry during the First and Second World Wars; notes the awards for gallantry made to soldiers from these Infantry battalions who served whilst India was under British rule; and applauds their service and wishes them and their relatives well in the future.
673 EFFECT OF THE LEGAL AID, SENTENCING AND PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS ACT 2012 ON INSOLVENCY LITIGATION 8:1:15
9That this House notes the recent report by Professor Peter Walton on the likely impact of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 on insolvency litigation; further notes that Professor Walton's empirical evidence shows that from April 2015 the Act will have a negative impact on creditors, including the taxpayer and businesses, as well as the public interest; notes concerns from business groups representing creditors, including the Institute of Credit Management and the British Property Federation; is concerned that more than £160 million owed to businesses and the taxpayer each year could remain with directors or third parties that have wrongly, negligently or fraudulently taken money out of a business as a result of the Act; and calls on the Government to review the legislation before it comes into force in April 2015.
674 HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY 12:1:15
9That this House notes that on 27 January 2015 the UK will observe Holocaust Memorial Day, the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, where an estimated 1.1 million people were murdered; commemorates the six million victims of the Holocaust; further notes that the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2015 is Keeping the Memory Alive; further notes the significance of 2015 as it marks 70 years since the end of the Holocaust and the liberation of the concentration camps; pays tribute to the commitment of Holocaust survivors who share their experiences with young people across the country; acknowledges the importance of the Holocaust Educational Trust's work in schools across the UK and in particular the Lessons from Auschwitz project, which has so far given over 25,000 students and teachers the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau; also pays tribute to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for organising the 2015 national Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration; further notes that a Holocaust Educational Trust Book of Commitment will be placed in the corridor between the Members' Cloakroom and Members' Staircase; and urges all right hon. and hon. Members to sign that Book and observe the day, so that the appalling events of the Holocaust are always understood by future generations.
675 NON-PAYMENT OF DAIRY FARMERS 12:1:15
4That this House notes with grave concern that more than 1,000 British dairy farmers will not be paid for their milk from 12 January 2015 because of a financial crisis at the dairy co-operative First Milk; further notes that all farmers' payments will be delayed by a fortnight; further notes that NFU said in December that the number of dairy farmers had dipped below 10,000 for the first time, a 50 per cent fall since 2001; further notes that pint for pint, milk is now cheaper than mineral water in most supermarkets and that the recent milk price cuts, from most processors, have had a significant impact with some farmers now facing their lowest milk price since 2007, at around 11.4p per litre; further notes that farm costs remain about 36 per cent higher than they were eight years ago and the single largest cost component of a dairy farm, animal feed, is more than 50 per cent higher than 2007 levels; supports farmers in their attempts to work together to secure a better deal from large processors and retailers; calls on the Government to enable farmers to work collectively; urges First Milk to speak to its suppliers; and further urges Ministers to take action against processors and retailers who unfairly offer very low prices which severely disadvantage farmers.
676 DISCUSSION OF BAN ON INDIAN MANGO IMPORTS AT EU STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING ON 19 AND 20 JANUARY 12:1:15
4That this House welcomes the decision by the EU Health and Food Safety Commission to allow discussion and possible revision of the importation ban on certain fruits and vegetables originating in India; notes that this opportunity follows a positive report from the EU Food and Veterinary Office on quality control improvements in India; further notes this ban has had a devastating impact on businesses in the UK and India; and calls on the Government to vote in favour of overturning the ban on 19 and 20 January.
677 LAMBETH COLLEGE INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE 12:1:15
1That this House notes with grave concern the continuation of the long-running industrial dispute at Lambeth College, provoked by the college management's attack on staffing provision and employment conditions, including cuts in sick pay and holiday entitlements, which has resulted in the disruption of the education of the students since April 2014; and calls on the college management to enter into serious negotiations with UCU, the local trade union, to resolve this dispute constructively and allow the college to focus once again on its provision of high-quality education and training, thus avoiding jeopardising its current Ofsted status.
678 NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY 2015 12:1:15
1That this House welcomes Bite The Ballot's second annual National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) on 5 February 2015, supported by Open Society Foundations, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Unbound Philanthropy, Hogan Lovells LLP and others, which aim to encourage 250,000 new electors to join the electoral register; praises the NVRD 2014 campaign which encouraged over 50,000 people to register to vote at a cost per registration of £0.25; acknowledges the Government's commitment to get more young people and other under-represented groups to register during the transition to Individual Electoral Registration; further welcomes the move to online registration and that over 36 million people have been successfully matched and automatically added to the new register; believes that with millions of voters still missing from the register, in order to deliver its commitment to maximising registration, the Government must now do more to encourage, support and promote the NVRD annual day of action that involves youth clubs, community groups, educational establishments and businesses across the UK registering people to vote; recognises that this initiative is supported by the APPG on Voter Registration and the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee, with unanimous all-party support from members of both Houses and the devolved legislatures; and strongly urges the Government, the Cabinet Office, the Electoral Commission, local authorities, valuation joint boards and local electoral registration officers to fully recognise the importance of NVRD in creating an engaged and inspired young electorate.
679 ACCESS TO LEGAL AID 12:1:15
8That this House welcomes the legal challenge by Rights of Women on the lawfulness of the Government's changes to access to legal aid which prevents victims of domestic abuse from accessing legal aid for family cases, even where there has been violence or ongoing risk of violence; notes that legal aid is a lifeline for victims of domestic abuse; further notes that legal aid enables victims to escape abusive relationships, protect their children and manage their financial situations; further notes that two women are killed each week as a result of domestic abuse; and calls on the Government to enable victims of domestic abuse to access legal remedies so they can safely leave violent relationships.
680 AIRBUS A350 XWB 12:1:15
1That this House congratulates Airbus and its launch customer Qatar Airways on the entering into service of the Airbus A350 XWB, the aircraft with already 778 orders; notes that this will help secure over 10,000 jobs at Broughton and Bristol and many more in the supplier chain including Rolls Royce and small and medium-sized enterprises; further notes that this is one of the quietest and most fuel-efficient aircraft in service; and recognises that this demonstrates the best of British design and manufacturing.