Session 2014-15
House of Commons
28th 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
695 SOCIAL SECURITY (S. I., 2014, No. 3270) 15:1:15
13That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I., 2014, No. 3270), dated 10 December 2014, a copy of which was laid before this House on 15 December, be annulled.
697 HEALTH CARE AND ASSOCIATED PROFESSIONS (S. I., 2014, No. 3139) 15:1:15
4That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Nursing and Midwifery Council (Fees) (Amendment) Rules Order of Council 2014 (S.I., 2014, No. 3139), dated 26 November 2014, a copy of which was laid before this House on 1 December, be annulled
709 IMMIGRATION RULES MINIMUM INCOME THRESHOLD 19:1:15
44That this House condemns the arbitrary nature of the minimum income threshold in the Immigration Rules; notes that the requirement for citizens to be earning at least £18,600 for their non-EU family members to be able to migrate to the UK unfairly discriminates against those who live in areas of the country with lower wages, and those who may have an income below £18,600 but are still able to accommodate a family member, such as pensioners; further notes a study by Middlesex University which found that the financial requirement costs the Government money due to the loss of migrants' economic activity; and calls on the Government to introduce more flexibility into the financial threshold to ensure that families are not unnecessarily kept apart.
710 FALLING MILK PRICES 20:1:15
30That this House notes with great concern the negative consequences that falling milk prices are having on British dairy farmers; wishes to call to attention that the number of dairy farmers in the UK has been halved in the last 10 years, from over 20,000 to under 10,000 farmers, due to the falling price of milk coupled with the rising costs of production; further notes that dairy farmers are now only receiving around 20 pence per litre of milk sold, down from 33 pence last year, a level which is much less than the cost of production; and calls on the Government to take steps to ensure that companies selling milk raise milk prices to sustainable levels that ensure the continued existence of Britain's dairy farmers.
711 LIFTING OF EU INDIAN ALPHONSO MANGO BAN 20:1:15
20That this House is delighted that EU member states have voted to lift the ban on Indian Alphonso mangoes after a nine month campaign; congratulates the team from Fruity Fresh and traders in the city of Leicester for their superb work in the campaign; is grateful for the Prime Minister's welcome assistance to this campaign; notes that deliveries of Alphonso mangoes to Number 10 Downing Street can now recommence; and calls on member states across the EU to allow trade to resume as soon as possible.
712 COMMEMORATION OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISPLACEMENT OF KASHMIRI PANDITS FROM JAMMU AND KASHMIR 20:1:15
25That this House commemorates with deep sadness the 25th anniversary of the attack in January 1990 by cross-border Islamic militants on the population of Jammu and Kashmir; expresses its condolences to the families and friends of all those who were killed, raped and injured in this massacre and also condemns the desecration of the holiest sites in Jammu and Kashmir; further expresses its concern that the Kashmiris who fled to save life and limb have still not secured justice for the atrocities committed against them; deplores those sponsoring such cross-border terrorist attacks and demands they cease immediately; and notes that the international principle of the responsibility to protect obliges individual states and the international community to take effective measures to prevent the commission of genocide and crimes against humanity as seen against the Kashmiri Hindu community.
713 RACEHORSE WHIPPING 20:1:15
10That this House notes that racehorses are routinely beaten with a whip under rules set by the industry's regulatory body, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA); further notes that these rules explicitly sanction this violent treatment in order that jockeys may encourage racehorses to improve their chances of winning, even though evidence indicates that whipping for this purpose is counter-productive; further notes that no other animal can be legally beaten in such circumstances and that a 2014 YouGov poll found that 70 per cent of all respondents oppose racehorses being whipped; recognises that, for genuine purposes of safety where other methods have failed to bring a horse under control, a whip can be legitimately employed, as is the case in Norway; and calls on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that the BHA's rules are amended to forbid use of the whip for encouragement or for equivalent reasons.
714 CHANGE TO RULES ON SUBMITTING NEW EVIDENCE IN ASYLUM CASES 20:1:15
27That this House expresses concern that the Home Office has made a rule change, due to be enforced on 26 January 2015, so that asylum seekers who have been refused leave to remain will have to submit evidence in person in Liverpool regarding their case, regardless of where they are living; notes that asylum seekers who have been refused leave to remain can under current arrangements present evidence at a local centre; further notes that this means it is more affordable for charities, other organisations and individuals to help pay for an asylum seeker's travel fare or volunteer to take somebody who cannot use public transport due to a disability or other reasons; expresses further concern that the rule change will make it much harder for asylum seekers to present evidence which may be crucial to correctly resolving their case; and urges the Government to abandon this rule change and ensure that people seeking protection in the UK are able to present evidence relating to their case.
716 NHS PAY DISPUTE 21:1:15
14That this House registers its concern about the ongoing pay dispute in the NHS in England and the resultant protracted industrial unrest in the health service; notes that current NHS non-medical pay policy and the resultant dispute is damaging the health service both directly, as a consequence of disruption through industrial action and indirectly, through morale, motivation and staffing issues; urges the Secretary of State for Health to engage in urgent discussions with the NHS trade unions about how future pay and rates should be structured with a view to resolving the current pay dispute, delivering the flexible workforce implied by NHS England's Five Year Forward View and addressing the growing gap between NHS pay and costs; and encourages the Secretary of State for Health to reverse plans to prevent the NHS Pay Review Body from making recommendations for pay for non-medical health staff for 2015-16, to recognise that in addition to meeting the NHS's efficiency savings over the last four years pay restraint has been a significant factor in staff shortages and morale issues in evidence in the health workforce, to re-think current plans to repeat last year's pay policy of no cost of living increase to over 60 per cent of NHS staff and to make a 2015-16 pay settlement for NHS staff which reflects the current and forecast levels of inflation as well as the 10 per cent average gap between pay and costs.
717 ANDREA GADA AND VISA DECISIONS 21:1:15
20That this House expresses its condolences to the family of five year old Andrea Gada, who was killed in a traffic accident in Eastbourne before Christmas 2014; notes its disappointment in the Home Office's decision to refuse a temporary visa for her grandparents and aunt to travel from Zimbabwe to attend her funeral in the UK; regards this decision as cruel and unkind; acknowledges that the Prime Minister promised to discuss the issue with the Home Secretary in Prime Minister's Questions on 14 January 2015, HC Deb, Official Report, column 864; and requests that the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary urgently intervene and reverse this decision.
718 HUMAN RIGHTS IN AZERBAIJAN 21:1:15
22That this House condemns the widespread human rights abuses carried out by authorities in Azerbaijan, which have escalated with the recent spate of politically motivated arrests of independent journalists and human rights defenders; calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Khadija Ismayilova, Leyla Yunus, Intigam Aliyev, Rasul Jafarov, Anar Mammadli and other political prisoners in the country; is appalled by reports of mistreatment and torture of some of these prisoners, in particular Leyla Yunus; notes that these arrests have taken place in the context of a broader crackdown, as the authorities have worked to systematically eliminate criticism and dissent; is further concerned by the closing down of Radio Free Europe's offices in Baku; further notes the strong statement made by the UK Government in response to these arrests; and calls on the UK Government to make further representations about these and related matters.
719 RESTRICTIONS ON PRESS FREEDOM IN TURKEY 21:1:15
28That this House is concerned about widespread reports of state censorship, and the firing, imprisonment and wiretapping of journalists in Turkey; notes that about 20 journalists were arrested in a series of dawn raids in Turkey in mid-December 2014; further notes that one of the journalists arrested in December, television presenter Sedef Kabas, is facing a prison sentence of up to five years for a tweet about a corruption probe involving high profile names; welcomes the statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations that the latest crackdown is against the European values and standards Turkey aspires to be part of; calls on Turkish authorities to remove the travel bans imposed on the journalists, drop all criminal charges against them and release all other journalists behind bars in the country; and further calls on Ministers in the UK Government to raise these concerns with their counterparts in Turkey.
720 PUBLIC FLOGGING OF RAIF BADAWI IN SAUDI ARABIA 21:1:15
33That this House condemns the sentence of public flogging, a fine and a 10 year prison sentence imposed on Raif Badawi in Saudi Arabia for freely expressing his views on the internet; is dismayed that he was given 50 lashes on 9 January 2015 in Jeddah; understands that despite postponement on medical grounds, Saudi authorities intend to carry out further flogging each week until he has received 1,000 lashes; strongly supports his right to freedom of expression; is appalled by the use of corporal punishment in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere; notes with concern Saudi Arabia's practice of holding prisoners of conscience; calls on the UK Government to take stronger action to ensure that this barbaric punishment is stopped immediately; and further calls on it also to work with its international partners to encourage the Saudi authorities to overturn his conviction and ensure his release.
721 ELECTORAL COMMISSION AND REGISTRATION 21:1:15
60That this House recognises that there were 7.5 million electors missing from the electoral register in 2010 and that no improvement has been made in registering these missing millions of voters over the past five years; notes this figure has now increased by the loss of one million young voters; further recognises that in the 2010 General Election the Electoral Commission set itself a very low target to register just 1.8 per cent of unregistered voters, totalling 142,000 people; further notes that the Electoral Commission 2014-19 Corporate Plan, page 16, continues with a lack of ambition as it is prepared to accept similar low levels of non-registraton of 7.5 million over the next five years; further notes that the Electoral Commission has failed to take effective action against electoral registration officers who repeatedly fail to implement their statutory duties; and further notes that the cumulative effect of this inaction and low ambition will have a negative effect on voter turnout and engagement in the General Election and leave off millions of voters when the new parliamentary boundaries are redrawn in December 2015.
722 ELECTORAL REGISTRATION AND COALITION GOVERNMENT 21:1:15
57That this House recognises the cross-party unity in implementing the Electoral Administration Act 2009 to introduce individual electoral registration (IER); notes that the timescale for its introduction was after May 2015; further notes that the reason for this long lead in time was to register the 7.5 million missing voters; further notes that this cross-party unity was shattered in 2010 when the Coalition Government brought forward the date for the introduction of IER; further notes that the stated reason for bringing forward the date for introduction of IER was public concern over electoral registration fraud; further notes that only one person had been successfully prosecuted for electoral registration fraud in the previous four years; further notes that the Government has failed to reduce the number of non-registered voters over the past five years; further notes that this figure has now been increased by an additional one million young people left off the new register; further notes that a possible additional 5.5 million voters could fail to be transferred to the new IER register; and further notes that the combined impact of these failures will have a detrimental effect on the General Election and a detrimental impact on the number of people excluded from the calculations in the new Parliamentary Boundary Review which starts in December 2015.
723 COCA COLA SPONSORSHIP OF THE LONDON EYE 22:1:15
11That this House is concerned with the public health implications of Coca Cola sponsoring a major landmark of the UK, the London Eye; notes the London Eye is clearly branded in Coca Cola livery and lit bright red; believes this prominent promotion of a high energy, high sugar product is irresponsible at a time of record child obesity, rotten teeth and diabetes levels; further notes this sponsorship deal comes after the commitment by the NHS to an evidence-based national health prevention strategy; and calls on the Government to intervene and review the implications of this decision.
724 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TACKLING OBESITY 22:1:15
5That this House supports the report from the Local Government Association entitled, Tackling the Causes and Effects of Obesity, which calls for a fifth of VAT raised on unhealthy foods to go back to councils to fund health and leisure facilities; believes this is an innovative measure to fund vital obesity prevention programmes to control rapidly rising levels of diabetes and heart disease; notes that these funds can be used to allow for fitness, swimming and other very useful exercise initiatives; and calls on the Government strongly to consider the recommendations of the report.
727 CHANNEL 4 IRISH FAMINE COMEDY 22:1:15
3That this House notes that the Great Irish Famine resulted in the deaths of one million people and the emigration of up to two million more, reducing Ireland's population by a quarter; recognises that these events have had an indelible impact upon Ireland, with the country's population still lower today than in 1845; further notes that Channel 4 is planning to create a comedy series called Hungry, about the Great Irish Famine; further notes with concern that the intended tone of this sitcom is to be similar to the Shameless comedy series, set in Ireland during the famine; believes that a tragedy of this magnitude represents inappropriate subject matter for such a sitcom; and calls on Channel 4 to reconsider its decision to produce this insensitive and potentially highly offensive comedy programme.
728 MENINGITIS B VACCINE 22:1:15
24That this House notes that it is two years since 22 January 2013 when a meningitis B vaccine was licensed for use in Europe, including the UK, and one year since the public letter signed by over 100 nurses, doctors and scientists which called for positive decisions on that vaccine; applauds all the efforts of the Meningitis Now campaign to ensure that vaccine's inclusion in the Routine Immunisation Schedule of the NHS; understands that time lost is lives lost and that this vaccine could prevent 82 per cent of cases of meningitis B and the lifelong damage and loss of life it tragically brings; expresses frustration at the continuing delays in securing its inclusion in the schedule; and appeals to the Government and Novartis to bring their negotiations on the vaccine to a positive resolution.
729 SYRIZA PARTY IN GREECE 22:1:15
21That this House welcomes the support for the Syriza party in Greece, which is committed to ending years of austerity and suffering on the Greek people; notes that there have been huge increases in unemployment with a consequent loss of health insurance for over one million workers as well as substantial wage and pension cuts, a crisis of public health and the erosion of basic rights; further notes that such a method has failed to reboot the Greek economy and the public debt in relation to gross domestic product which is now far greater than before that programme started in 2010; believes that the Greek people support a new path which will undoubtedly mean that there will be pressure on the new Government from some quarters not to deliver this change; states its confidence in a government that will face down such pressures and defend the democratic choice of the people of Greece; and applauds Syriza's immediate priorities to end the austerity programme, renegotiate the public debt so a proportion can be cancelled and link repayment or the remainder to economic growth and to address the humanitarian crisis with support for the poorest and to create a more equal, democratic and just society, supported by a sustainable economy.
730 CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION WEEK 2015 26:1:15
35That this House notes that 25 to 31 January 2015 is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, which is aimed at raising awareness of the causes and symptoms of cervical cancer and improving prevention efforts; further notes that eight women are diagnosed with, and three women die from, cervical cancer every day, despite the fact that it is largely preventable through HPV vaccination and cervical screening; further notes that, although all women aged 25 to 64 are invited to a free cervical screening test every three to five years, over 20 per cent, particularly those from disadvantaged areas, do not attend for screening; asks that relevant community and age-specific information is made available to women about cervical cancer symptoms, prevention and related issues; recognises what it considers to be the excellent work of Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust in supporting women and their families; and asks hon. Members, clinicians and policymakers to join the fight to eradicate cervical cancer.
731 EYE HEALTH RESEARCH 26:1:15
24That this House expresses concern that funding for eye health research has hit crisis point; notes that already more than 40 people lose their sight every day in Britain, currently less than two per cent of combined national medical research funding is spent on the eye and that some three million over 65s, equating to one in six elderly people, will have a degree of sight loss by 2050 that will have a significant impact on their daily lives; further notes that sight loss currently costs the UK economy £22 billion annually and many of the 3.8 million people living with diabetes are at serious risk of poor eye health; and calls on the Government to make eye health a higher priority in the UK.
732 OFFSHORE INDUSTRY CRISIS 26:1:15
14That this House is deeply concerned by the severity of the downturn in the UK offshore oil industry resulting from the slump in oil prices; is alarmed that the industry's short-term responses have included delay and cancellation of long-term projects, laying off workers, extending working hours and attacking conditions of service; is dismayed that some employers see this crisis as an opportunity to accelerate cost-cutting recruitment practices and reduce essential maintenance work in the sector; opposes such short-term responses to the crisis which jeopardise tens of thousands of jobs, essential skills, infrastructure integrity and capacity and future tax revenues from this vital sector; believes that the Government should start work with all affiliates, including the Scottish Government and the Inter Union Offshore Committee, to agree and implement measures that preserve the sustainability of operations, jobs, skills and investment as well as a robust safety regime in the North Sea for the long-term; and calls on the Government to launch a public inquiry into the offshore energy industry in the UK Continental Shelf.
733 GREEK ELECTION RESULT 26:1:15
23That this House welcomes the result of the general election in Greece and accepts the democratic will of the Greek people; wishes the new government well in its efforts to reduce the burden on its population that years of austerity have brought; urges the international community to work positively with the new government and recognise the will of the Greek people; believes that the austerity agenda being foisted on people across Europe and in the UK is ensuring that those least responsible for the financial crash are being forced to carry the heaviest burden; and further believes that it is now time to turn away from austerity and promote an economic system that puts the wellbeing of a nation's citizens before the desires and demands of those who created the economic mess in the first place.
734 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING SYSTEM 26:1:15
31That this House condemns the Government's unfair cuts to local authorities; notes that between 2010-11 and 2015-16 the councils covering the 10 most deprived areas of England as measured by the index of multiple deprivation are losing £782 on average per household while the councils covering the least deprived areas are losing on average £48; further notes that the Audit Commission has confirmed that councils in the most deprived areas have seen substantially greater reductions in Government funding as a share of revenue expenditure than councils in less deprived areas; and calls on the Government to introduce a fairer funding system for local government in the next local government finance settlement.
735 PROTECTION OF ABORTION SERVICES 26:1:15
13That this House is extremely concerned about the threatening and intimidating behaviour exhibited by anti-abortion activists targeting clinics; draws attention to the relentless protests outside the British Pregnancy Advisory Service Clinic in Blackfriars, where activists carrying enormous, disturbing and graphic posters are continuously menacing staff and patients; notes that activists are handing expectant mothers horrifying leaflets and filming conversations with members of the public without asking for consent; further notes that the activists have disguised their activities as prayer vigils, or as peaceful protests, but in reality they are taking advantage of the protections afforded to these activities; is concerned that police have not acted in fear of interfering with protesting rights; recognises that these groups are legally entitled to protest; feels that these particular protests are tantamount to harassment; and demands that the police act immediately to protect the clinic and enforce a buffer zone.
737 BRADFORD CITY FOOTBALL CLUB 26:1:15
7That this House congratulates the players and staff of Bradford City FC for providing probably the greatest upset in FA Cup history by defeating Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge; believes that while Jon Stead, Filipe Morais, Andy Halliday and Mark Yates were the scorers this was a magnificent team effort by all those involved, including the substitutes; further believes that considerable praise should be given to joint chairmen Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes for their stewardship of the club throughout difficult times; notes the remarkable transformation on the field under the managership of magnificent Phil Parkinson; understands that this will be a huge boost to the people of Bradford; and looks forward to the Bantams going all the way in the cup.
738 EUROPEAN MINI FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 26:1:15
15That this House marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the European Mini Football Championships by congratulating the UK Mini Football Association for ensuring the full involvement of teams in local, regional, national as well as European competitions via its membership of the European Mini Football Federation; notes the success of the England, Scotland and Wales teams at the recent European Mini Football Championships in Montenegro; and further notes the success of small sided football with 1.3 million people playing competitive mini football each week across the UK.
739 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND NET MIGRATION TARGETS 27:1:15
46That this House recognises the enormous cultural, academic and economic contribution that international students studying at UK universities make to the country; is concerned at the dramatic drop in students enrolling to study at UK universities from some of the UK's major international trading partners; believes that the public does not generally view international students to be migrants and does not wish to see their number reduced; and urges the Government to exclude university students from efforts to bear down on immigration including by removing university students from any target to reduce net migration.
740 THE WORKINGTON SOUTHERN BY-PASS 27:1:15
3That this House notes that the people of Harrington have been campaigning for a Southern By-pass for many, many years; further notes that recently hundreds signed a petition calling for work to be done to alleviate the traffic problems in the area; and calls on the Government to work with Cumbria County Council to realise the ambition of the people of Harrington and surrounding areas and build the Southern By-pass which is so desperately needed.
741 LIVE TELEVISION TRANSMISSION OF BRADFORD CITY CUP TIE 28:1:15
1That this House agrees with the joint chairman of Bradford City Football Club, Mark Lawn, that the BBC and BT Sport's decision not to show live the team's forthcoming FA Cup match against Sunderland or Fulham is ridiculous and that the broadcasters have shot themselves in the foot; points out City's win at Chelsea was voted the upset of all time by viewers of Match of the Day; notes that the Bantams have scored the most goals of any club in the Cup this season; further notes that the decision will deprive the Club of some £250,000 in revenue; believes that the decision also betrays a fundamental lack of knowledge about football and viewers' popular tastes; and urges the Sports Minister to impress on broadcasters the error of this decision and attempt to persuade them to change it.
742 BUS FARES IN LEICESTER 28:1:15
1That this House is concerned that First has increased bus prices in Leicester by an average of 10 pence a ticket; notes that these price hikes come during a huge fall in the price of crude oil; further notes that competitor company Arriva is freezing the price of all single bus tickets; supports bus usage as an environmentally beneficial and affordable alternative to driving; and calls on First to review its pricing structure in Leicester.
743 NHS DIABETES INFORMATION PRESCRIPTIONS 28:1:15
2That this House supports the NHS recommendation that GPs give diabetic patients A4 print-outs detailing necessary steps in managing their condition effectively; is concerned that only a third of people with diabetes have their condition under good control; commends innovative measures, like this one, taken by the NHS to improve that figure; and calls on the Government to consider further steps to assist patients in managing their conditions, such as recruiting more specialised nursing staff for community hospitals and GP surgeries.
744 PARLIAMENTARY SCRUTINY OF THE DRAFT HUMAN FERTILISATION AND EMBRYOLOGY (MITOCHONDRIAL DONATION) REGULATIONS 2015 28:1:15
7That this House expresses its support for families with inherited conditions such as mitochondrial disease; welcomes the ongoing work across the four administrations on the UK Rare Diseases Strategy; further expresses concern that the Government appears to want Parliament to endorse the draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015 before all preclinical safety checks recommended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have been properly concluded and peer-reviewed; notes that there has been a lack of consultative engagement with people in Northern Ireland regarding the regulations compared with the rest of the UK; calls on the Government to address the safety concerns raised by a range of eminent scientists; further calls on the Government to confirm with the European Commission and the European Court of Justice that the regulations are fully compliant with the Clinical Trials Directive and further to confirm their compliance with UK law; and further notes that a motion expressing concern about the regulations is being considered for full debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly.