House of Commons
9th February 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

749 NAMING OF PIETER SCHELTE VESSEL 2:2:15
Grahame M. Morris
Sir Bob Russell
Liz McInnes
Mr Mike Hancock
Graeme Morrice
John Hemming
*12
Mr Jim Hood

That this House notes that Shell UK Ltd has awarded the Swiss-based Allseas Group SA the contract for the removal, transportation and load-in to shore of the topsides of three of its Brent platforms that are situated on the UK Continental Shelf; further notes that Allseas will use its newest vessel the Pieter Schelte for the task; further notes that the vessel operates under a Panamanian flag of convenience and is named after the Company owner Edward Heerema's father who served as a Waffen SS officer and was jailed for war crimes at the end of the war; further notes that events were recently held throughout the UK to commemorate the Holocaust and crimes committed against humanity during the war; believes that communities throughout the UK will be outraged that a vessel named in honour of a Nazi officer is to be utilised in the North Sea; and calls on the UK and Scottish Governments to protest to Allseas Group SA and Shell UK Ltd with the demand that until such times as there is a change of name, this vessel does not operate.

754 WAGE INEQUALITY 3:2:15
Iain McKenzie
Steve Rotheram
Graeme Morrice
Mark Durkan
Mr Dennis Skinner
Liz McInnes
*10
Mr Jim Hood

That this House notes that the average FTSE 100 CEO is now paid 143 times as much as their average employee; recalls that as recently as 1998 this ratio was only 47 to 1; further notes that in some cases in the UK this ratio is now as high as 800 to 1; is aware that this is happening at a time when average wages are little better than stagnant; is concerned that such inequality damages the social fabric and indeed democracy itself; believes that such inequalities, which have only recently developed, have no economic justification; further notes that the High Pay Centre has called for a debate on more radical measures to address the widening income discrepancy in the UK, including introducing a maximum pay ratio and appointing workers' representatives to company boards; commends Switzerland for offering its people a vote, in November 2013, on capping executive pay at 12 times what the lowest-paid worker at a company received; and urges the Government to consider measures that would reduce such gross inequalities in the future.

755 CANCER CHARITIES IN THE UK 3:2:15
Sir Alan Meale
Mr David Crausby
Jim Sheridan
Mr Ronnie Campbell
Ian Mearns
Graeme Morrice
*22
Mr Jim Hood Mr Mike Hancock

That this House notes that every two minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer; further notes that within an individual's lifetime risk of cancer is predicted to rise in the future; further notes that the UK's cancer survival rates still lag behind best performing countries in Europe making it vital that we do more to improve outcomes for patients; praises the work of charities such as Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support for the sterling work they do in this field; and calls on the Government to give such charities whatever help necessary to aid them in their efforts.

756 MEANS TESTING FOR FEMALE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 3:2:15
Andy McDonald
Jeremy Corbyn
Jim Shannon
Steve Rotheram
Mr Ronnie Campbell
Mark Hendrick
*16
Mr Stephen Hepburn Mr Mike Hancock

That this House believes all women suffering domestic violence should have the right to safe accommodation when at risk of harm; notes that employed women are means tested at the point they attempt to access accommodation resulting in some women having to self-fund their time in refuges; further notes that domestic violence often includes financial abuse that prevents some women from having access to money; believes women's immediate safety should be prioritised above their ability to access private funds at a time of personal crisis and serious risk of physical harm; further believes that the Government's call to end violence against women and girls: strategic vision should recognise the risks posed by means testing employed women; and calls for the means testing for eligibility of public funding to include an assessment of the economic impact of abusive and controlling relationships.

758 HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN BURUNDI 3:2:15
Jeremy Corbyn
Martin Horwood
John Mann
Jim Shannon
Mr Ronnie Campbell
Mark Durkan
*15
Mr Mike Hancock

That this House expresses deep concern about the arrest of Bob Rugurika, Burundian journalist and director of the African Public Radio (Radio Publique Africaine), on several criminal charges, including conspiracy to murder, following his interview of a man claiming to have participated in the recent murder of three Italian nuns and who implicated senior state officials in the crime; calls for his immediate release and for all charges against him to be dropped; further calls for charges pressed in May 2014 against prominent human rights defender Pierre Claver Mbonimpa following comments he made on the radio about allegations that youth groups affiliated with Burundi's ruling party were receiving arms and military training, and which include threatening state security, to be dropped; is alarmed by the enduring deterioration of the political climate, the increasing clampdown on political dissent and fundamental freedoms and the subsequent risk of destabilisation of Burundi, ahead of the elections planned later this year; and further calls on the Government to make firm and direct representations and to press for continued, strong representations by the EU and the UN on the matter of these arrests and on the issue of the persistent intimidation and harassment of political opponents, journalists and human rights activists in Burundi.

759 PETER GRESTE AND IMPRISONED EGYPTIAN JOURNALISTS 3:2:15
Jeremy Corbyn
Hywel Williams
Caroline Lucas
John McDonnell
Mr John Leech
Ian Lavery
*22
Mr Ian Davidson Mr Mike Hancock

That this House welcomes the release of Al-Jazeera journalist, Peter Greste, after 400 days in an Egyptian jail; commends the efforts of all those in Britain and internationally who have helped to raise the repression of journalists in Egypt, including the National Union of Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists; continues to urge the Egyptian authorities to release Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamad along with the 10 local journalists who remain imprisoned; remains deeply concerned about the treatment of domestic journalists who are being targeted, threatened and attacked by the Egyptian government simply for trying to do their jobs; and calls on the Government to continue to make representations to bring to an end this travesty of justice and freedom of the press.

761 DISABILITY MATTERS PROGRAMME 3:2:15
Geraint Davies
Ms Margaret Ritchie
Jim Shannon
Dr William McCrea
Steve Rotheram
Lady Hermon
*19
Mr Mike Hancock

That this House welcomes the launch of the Disability Matters programme, an innovative new programme aiming to tackle the inequalities that disabled children and young people face in their daily lives by providing free, practical online resources for those who work or engage with disabled children, young people and their families; calls on UK employers to support their workforce to be disability aware in light of a recent survey by the Disability Matters programme, which found that a quarter of British adults were not confident communicating with disabled children; notes that survey also found that 86 per cent of British adults say, if they had a disabled child, they would worry they would find it harder to get a job; and further notes that the Disability Matters programme will help everyone to reflect on their own attitudes and to improve their communication and problem-solving skills around the challenges and barriers that disabled people and their families face in their lives.

762 PASSENGER SAFETY AND PRIVATE HIRE INDUSTRY REGULATION 3:2:15
Grahame M. Morris
John McDonnell
Jeremy Corbyn
Ian Lavery
Kelvin Hopkins
Chris Williamson
*19
Mr Jim Hood Mr Mike Hancock

That this House is concerned that Smartphone apps such as Über are circumventing the law governing the taxi and minicab industry; supports the existing regulations whereby private hire vehicles (PHVs) may only pick up passengers when pre-booked rather than from a rank or in response to being hailed; recognises that such regulations provide passengers with important safety protections against unregulated drivers who have not undergone extensive criminal record and medical checks, or had to pass a formal taxi driving assessment like licensed taxi drivers; welcomes Transport for London's public opposition to any move to confuse the distinction between the two services; notes with concern that, in spite of this, Transport for London is failing to carry out its licensing and enforcement functions and is allowing PHVs to operate within the immediate hire market; believes that this is primarily due to the absence of a statutory definition of plying for hire; further believes that this will undermine public confidence in a safe and secure licensing regime and will ultimately undermine the viability of the current taxi service; and calls on the Government to bring forward urgent legislation which provides such a clear statutory definition to protect the distinction between taxis and PHVs.

763 BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION 3:2:15
Sir Alan Meale
Mr David Crausby
Jim Sheridan
Mr Ronnie Campbell
Ian Mearns
Ian Lavery
*21
Mr Mike Hancock [R]

That this House is aware of the work of the British Heart Foundation which continually promotes an understanding of heart defects and disease, particularly amongst the young in our society; applauds their efforts in raising enormous amounts of money to fund essential life-saving medical research; calls on the Government to positively respond to their magnificent efforts by matching this excellent organisation's 2015 total of funds raised.

[R] Relevant Interest declared
764 GLENCORE MINING 3:2:15
Ian Lavery
Jim Sheridan
Mr David Crausby
Grahame M. Morris
Ian Mearns
Mr David Anderson
*19
Ms Diane Abbott

That this House expresses concern at the actions of Glencore, the global mining company, with specific reference to the lockout of 450 workers at the Glencore-owned profitable Sherwin alumina plant in Gregory, Texas; further expresses concern that Glencore are being investigated by the US National Labor Relations Board with regard to unfair treatment of workers; notes that the Sherwin plant is being investigated by the US National Labor Relations Board under a charge of unfair labour practices; and urges Glencore to act to end the lockout by returning to negotiations with the workers.

766 PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS 4:2:15
Sir Alan Meale
John McDonnell
Kelvin Hopkins
Liz McInnes
Jeremy Corbyn
Mr David Anderson
*8
Mr Stephen Hepburn

That this House is aware that the Government’s own statistics show that the average primary school teacher works for at least 60 hours per week, a workload which has increased by 10 per cent since 2010, with many of those employed in this field considering leaving their profession; notes that much of this increase is connected with high levels of administration and accountability programmes which deflect teachers away from their tasks of educating children in their care; and calls on the Government to respond to teaching trade unions who recently advocated an eight-step programme in response to the Education Department’s Workload Challenge survey.

767 LLANERCH COLLIERY DISASTER 6 FEBRUARY 1890 4:2:15
Paul Murphy
John McDonnell
Sir Peter Bottomley
Andrew George
Mr Dennis Skinner
Jim Shannon
*11
Mark Durkan

That this House notes that 6 February 2015 commemorates the 125th anniversary of the explosion at the Llanerch Colliery, Abersychan, Pontypool, when 176 men and boys lost their lives; and takes this opportunity to pay tribute to those thousands of people who have sacrificed their lives in the coal mining industry in this country.

768 FIREFIGHTER AND POLICE PENSIONS 4:2:15
John McDonnell
Sir Peter Bottomley
Andrew George
Mr Dennis Skinner
Jim Shannon
Kelvin Hopkins
*18
Mr George Howarth Mr Stephen Hepburn Mr David Winnick Fiona O'Donnell Mark Durkan Mrs Louise Ellman Austin Mitchell Mr Dave Watts

That this House notes that public service firefighters and police officers who retired in a period from 1998 to 2006 were significantly and knowingly disadvantaged by the failure by the Government Actuary's Department, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Home Office to secure up-to-date actuarial valuations in respect of pension entitlements surrendered on retirement; further notes that maladministration in this matter was established in 2008; further notes that since then the Government Actuary's Department has acted in bad faith by adopting delaying tactics, including a dubious and failed legal challenge to the authority of the Pensions Ombudsman, thereby causing lengthy and unnecessary delay to the resolution of this matter and occasioning a situation whereby many of those affected have not or will not live sufficiently long to see this injustice corrected; and calls on the named departments to accept the imminent ruling by the Pensions Ombudsman and take immediate steps to pay any recommended awards.

772 HEARING LOSS 4:2:15
Sir Alan Meale
Mr David Crausby
Ian Lavery
Mr Ronnie Campbell
Ian Mearns
Mr Dennis Skinner
*17
Jim Fitzpatrick Annette Brooke

That this House is aware that hearing loss is a serious health condition which can and often does have a significant adverse impact on people's health, wellbeing and quality of life, with at present an estimated 10 million people in the UK with such a health prognosis facing the risks of developing other conditions such as dementia or depression; recognises that NHS audiology services provide vital support for people who suffer hearing loss and related adverse conditions, allowing them to retain their independence, maintain relationships and stay in employment, giving them the essential support to help them cope; notes the World Health Organisation's predictions that by 2030 adult onset hearing loss will be in the top 10 disease burdens in the UK; acknowledges the forthcoming publication of the National Action Plan on Hearing Loss; but calls on the Government to request the NHS to commission NICE to prioritise the immediate development of a hearing loss clinical guideline to establish and maintain quality standards for patients suffering hearing loss.

773 GLOBAL DIVESTMENT DAY 4:2:15
Caroline Lucas
Dr Julian Huppert
Jeremy Corbyn
Andrew George
Sir Andrew Stunell
Mark Durkan
*6

That this House welcomes the growing fossil fuel divestment movement in the UK, consisting of universities, churches, institutions, pension holders and other individuals demonstrating climate leadership by withdrawing financial support from the fossil fuel industry; further welcomes Global Divestment Day taking place on 13 and 14 February 2015; recalls that in June 2014 British Medical Association members voted to end investments in the fossil-fuel industry and increase investment in renewable energy, because of the serious health threat posed by unmitigated climate change; notes the Unhealthy Investments report from UK health-based non-governmental organisations, which calls for other health organisations to end investment in the 200 largest publicly-listed fossil fuel companies, over a period of five years; acknowledges the work of Carbon Tracker in highlighting financial risks of investment in high-carbon assets and the carbon bubble; further notes that the Governor of the Bank of England is among numerous high-profile figures agreeing that the vast majority of fossil fuel companies' reserves cannot be burned if the internationally agreed goal of limiting global temperatures to below two degrees above pre-industrial levels is to be achieved; considers that hon. Members have a responsibility to demonstrate leadership on climate change; and calls on the Trustees of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Scheme to quantify and review the Fund's investments in fossil fuel industries in light of both their contribution to advancing climate change and the risks facing those industries from effective climate regulation.

774 TACKLING ANTI-SEMITISM 9:2:15
John Mann
Mr Graham Brady
Sir Andrew Stunell
David T. C. Davies
Mark Durkan
*5

That this House notes the publication of a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Semitism; welcomes the cross-party nature of the report and the positive engagement of a wide range of stakeholders in the process; further welcomes the inquiry panel's action plan to address the concerns of the Jewish community, such as enhancing police and other relevant guidance, encouraging responsible public debate and language, enhancing inter-communal co-operation and raising awareness through education; and further calls on the Government, police forces, the Crown Prosecution Service and social media platforms to work on tightening their existing frameworks on combating anti-Semitism in line with the report and to respond fully to the recommendations of the inquiry.

775 TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS FRANCHISE DIRECT SERVICES BETWEEN EDINBURGH AND LIVERPOOL 9:2:15
Mark Lazarowicz
*1

That this House notes the Government's intention to publish the Invitations to Tender for the new TransPennine Express franchise in the first quarter of 2015; calls for changes to be included in the specifications for the TransPennine Express franchise to increase capacity on services between Scotland and North West England; further notes that all journeys between Edinburgh or Glasgow and Liverpool currently require changing trains, and in some cases stations; and calls for the new franchise specifications to include direct services between these major population, economic and cultural centres.

776 ANDARGACHEW TSIGE 9:2:15
Jeremy Corbyn
Mark Durkan
*2

That this House congratulates Mr Andargachew Tsige on his 60th birthday; regrets that this is being spent in prison in Ethiopia; is aware that Mr Tsige, who is a British citizen, was tried in absentia, sentenced to death and later illegally removed from Yemen to Ethiopia, where he is now being held incommunicado at an undisclosed location; acknowledges that only two British consular visits have been permitted; is shocked that the Ethiopian government has refused requests by British parliamentarians, including his constituency MP, the hon. Member for Islington North, to visit him; and calls on the Government to put all possible pressure on the Ethiopian government to secure his immediate release.

777 PARKING ON PRIVATE LAND APPEALS AND PARKING DISCOUNTS 9:2:15
John Hemming
*1

That this House notes that appeals can be made in respect of parking on private land to an independent body; further notes, however, that certain parking organisations will not give discounts for early payment to people who appeal to the Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA); and believes that this is unjust and that the clock that calculates whether or not a payment has been made early should start ticking when POPLA concludes that a parking charge is due.

778 BARNET UNISON CARE WORKERS PAY DISPUTE 9:2:15
John McDonnell
*1

That this House notes with grave concern the continuation of the long-running industrial dispute between Barnet Council and Your Choice Barnet (YCB), a local authority trading company 100 per cent owned by the London Borough of Barnet, which provides services for adults with disabilities; further notes that this dispute relates to an imposed 9.5 per cent pay cut imposed on low paid care workers on 1 April 2014; further notes that the pay cut imposed on the YCB care workers comes just a year after YCB workers saw over 30 per cent of their colleagues made redundant due to a restructure and all shift allowances were removed; believes there is excessive use of agency and casual staff meaning the regular staff carry an extra workload in familiarising casual staff with the work to be done; and calls on the London Borough of Barnet to enter into serious negotiations with YCB, Barnet UNISON the local trade union, to resolve this dispute constructively and allow YCB to focus once again on its provision of high-quality services for adults with disabilities.

779 CHIMNEY COLLAPSE AT VEDANTA RESOURCES BALCO OPERATIONS IN CHHATTISGARH STATE, INDIA 9:2:15
John McDonnell
*1

That this House expresses its grave concern that the London-listed mining company, Vedanta Resources, has yet to account for the circumstances in which at least 40 workers died when an under-construction chimney suddenly collapsed at its Balco operations in Chhattisgarh state, India in September 2009; deplores the fact that Vedanta took steps to suppress publication of the official Indian judicial report into the event, which ascribed primary responsibility for the disaster to Vedanta; and notes that an English version of this report was released in August 2014 and a copy presented to the board of Vedanta at its annual general meeting, but that no response has yet been given by the company to the many serious allegations contained within it.

Prepared 10th February 2015