Session 2015-16
House of Commons
16th June 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
83 ACCOUNTABILITY OF NHS ENGLAND 8:6:15
17That this House is concerned that it has been six months since the threat of a legal challenge forced NHS England to suspend its scorecard system for deciding which drugs to fund; notes that this system was eventually scrapped completely and that a three-month consultation was launched on 27 January 2015 to come up with a new system; is extremely concerned NHS England has still not announced what the new process will be; is further concerned at repeated failures by NHS England during these six months to turn up to meetings or respond to correspondence in a timely or proper manner; expresses particular concern that a 27 March 2015 letter from the #fundourdrugsNOW campaign setting out very serious issues has still not received a proper response over eight weeks later despite the Life Sciences Minister requesting this letter and asking NHS England's Chief Executive, Simon Stevens, to 'respond in full'; expresses further concern at NHS England evading accountability when Ministers have repeatedly claimed the issues at hand are matters for NHS England; further expresses strong concern that 180 people with Morquio syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Tuberous sclerosis complex are being repeatedly let down; urges NHS England to respond in full, which it has so far failed to do; calls on Ministers to stand up for the 180 patients and urgently hold NHS England accountable; and further urges NHS England, at its upcoming 25 June 2015 meeting, to grant the interim funding campaigners have called for.
84 THE BIG RIDE FOR PALESTINIAN CHILDREN 8:6:15
26That this House salutes Red Spokes for organising The Big Ride, a sponsored bicycle ride by some 1,000 cyclists from Edinburgh to London to be held from 1 to 9 August 2015 to raise money for the Middle East Children's Alliance, a non-profit organisation which is dedicated to helping deprived children who are war victims in Gaza; and hopes that not only will this venture be financially successful but will draw increased attention to the plight of Palestinian children in Gaza and the West Bank.
85 SUPPORTING SCOTLAND'S CARERS 8:6:15
37That this House supports Scotland's 759,000 carers and thanks them, and the millions of unpaid carers across the UK, for the unwavering work that they do; recognises and gives its full support to Carers Week from 8 to 14 June 2015; congratulates third sector organisations, such as Carers Scotland, MND Scotland and Renfrewshire Carers Centre, for the crucial support that they provide to our carers; notes that, despite the extensive work of aforementioned organisations, there are a significant number of carers who remain unidentified and unsupported; condemns the Government for the devastating impact that the rollout of the Personal Independent Payment will have on carers and their families, with many losing the right to receive Carer's Allowance as a result of a change in the eligibility for the benefit; further supports calls for an increase in Carer's Allowance to match the current rate of Jobseeker's Allowance; and calls on the Government to abandon its commitment to proceed with a further £12 billion of cuts to the social security budget, as further cuts will only serve to exacerbate the devastating impact on the lives of people living with disabilities and the people who care for them, instead of providing support and ensuring dignity in living.
86 DIXONS CARPHONE IN WEDNESBURY 8:6:15
6That this House notes with grave concern Dixons Carphone's announcement that it intends to close its factory in Wednesbury and relocate the plant 90 miles away in Newark, leading to the loss of 500 jobs from the local area and £8 million from the local economy; further notes that this is on the back of Dixons Carphone reporting an increase in sales of 9 per cent; and supports the Communications Workers Union campaign calling on Dixons Carphone to reconsider its decision and keep Wednesbury working.
87 DETENTION OF MAJID ALI, CITY OF GLASGOW COLLEGE STUDENT 8:6:15
72That this House is deeply concerned by the detention of City of Glasgow student Majid Ali, who was last week sent to Dungavel Detention Centre; notes that Majid is due to be deported to Balochistan, in Pakistan, at 11.30pm on 9 June 2015; expresses concern that Majid will be in danger of physical harm, and even death, if he is deported, evidenced by the information that two close family members of Majid were murdered due to their political activities; affirms that the UK has a responsibility as one of the world's richest nations, to open our doors and our arms to those fleeing oppression and discrimination wherever they come from; further affirms that international treaties and laws oblige the UK to be of assistance to those who are in fear of their safety and life; calls on the Home Secretary to carry out an urgent review of this case and halt deportation; and further calls on the Government to make changes to the asylum process so that this type of situation can never happen again to anyone else.
90 UNFCCC CLIMATE CONFERENCE 2015 8:6:15
37That this House notes that the forty-second session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the June session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, will be held from 1 to 11 June 2015 in Bonn, Germany; believes that ongoing evidence from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that climate change is one of the most serious threats facing the world; further believes that climate change will have far-reaching effects on the environment, people and economies around the world; and calls on the Government to work constructively at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties Summit in Paris in December 2015 for a fair and binding global deal to reduce carbon emissions and support developing countries adapt to the impact of climate change.
91 UK AND THE NPT REVIEW CONFERENCE 8:6:15
25That this House notes that in the Government's Official Statement of 23 May 2015 on the conclusion of the 190-member state Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference that finished at the UN in New York on 22 May 2015, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the hon. Member for Bournemouth East said that NPT is vitally important for the international community as a whole and has played an unparallelled role in curtailing the nuclear arms race; further notes he asserted that despite the best efforts of the UK and others, this year's Review Conference was unable to agree a substantive outcome; points out that the failure arose because the UK disgracefully joined Canada in backing the US in blocking the final NPT Review Conference declaration because it promoted a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East as championed by Egypt; further notes with dismay the UK blocked the consensus agreement in support of Israel which opposes Egypt's proposals, even though Israel is not even a party to the NPT; and calls on the Government instead to join with 107 NPT member states who called in New York for a nuclear weapons ban, which is widely supported by civil society groups led by the International Campaign To Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
93 TRINITY MIRROR JOB LOSSES 9:6:15
19That this House expresses deep concern at the announcement by Trinity Mirror that it intends to cut 25 Midlands jobs as part of a newsroom restructure; further expresses concern at the impact of such a development on local accountability and democracy; notes the impact this will have on content with far fewer journalists employed to produce it; and urges Trinity Mirror to hold talks with the National Union of Journalists.
94 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PRIVATE COMPANIES DELIVERING PUBLIC CONTRACTS 9:6:15
32That this House believes that private companies delivering public contracts should be subject to freedom of information requests, because at a time when public spending is under increased scrutiny, it is more important than ever that spending is transparent; and further believes that it is imperative that any organisation using public funds is accountable to the taxpayer.
95 RECOGNITION OF PALESTINE 9:6:15
57That this House notes the comments of the Israeli Prime Minister that there will be no state of Palestine on his watch and that he has repeatedly made it clear that he will never countenance a fully sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza; further notes that the continued policy of settlement building undermines a two state solution; and calls on the Government to carry out the will of the House of Commons as expressed in the motion passed on 13 October 2014 and join the 137 countries across the world by recognising the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel so as to secure a negotiated two-state solution which is urgently needed to ensure peace in the region.
97 UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA, 21 JUNE 2015 9:6:15
12That this House supports the first International Day of Yoga, on 21 June 2015, adopted by the UN General Assembly; recognises that this event was formalised after diplomatic efforts by the Indian government, and following Prime Minister Modi's promotion of yoga to the General Assembly; notes that yoga has a deep spiritual meaning to millions of people, particularly in India, as well as mental and physical benefits; further notes that Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is taking yoga lessons in preparation for the event; and urges the Government to make similar efforts to promote the worldwide celebration.
99 REFUGEES CROSSING THE MEDITERRANEAN AND MARE NOSTRUM 9:6:15
44That this House urges the Prime Minister to recognise the fatal impact of the decision in 2014 to cancel Operation Mare Nostrum in October 2014, and the decision to replace it with the much more limited Operation Triton, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives of desperate refugees, exploited by traffickers; further urges the Prime Minister to do everything in his power to restore the full provisions of Mare Nostrum; and calls on him to review urgently the numbers of places available in the UK for refugees, particularly those who have relatives in this country, who are fleeing violence, persecution and suffering.
100 SUE RYDER DYING DOESN'T WORK 9 TO 5 CAMPAIGN 9:6:15
28That this House expresses support for Sue Ryder's campaign, Dying doesn't work 9 to 5 and believes that all dying people, their carers and families should have access to dedicated 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, palliative advice and support and co-ordination; further expresses concern that only eight per cent of clinical commissioning groups responding to the charity's freedom of information request ensure that there is comprehensive, which includes dedicated and immediately available, 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, expert emotional support, practical advice and co-ordination in the form of a dedicated palliative helpline and co-ordination service for both dying people and their carers; recognises that in order for people to be supported to die in a place of their choice, including their home, there must be comprehensive 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, expert support available; further recognises that carers of people at the end of life must have their needs for dedicated 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, support recognised; and urges the Government to ensure that there is improvement in end of life and palliative care in the UK and to ensure that more terminally ill people and their families can have a good end of life experience.
101 VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS 9:6:15
40That this House believes that the Government should play a leading role at the UN summit in September 2015 and strongly urge its international colleagues to adopt a specific target to reduce the level of violence against children as part of the new Sustainable Development Goals; notes that UNICEF has highlighted that nearly two-thirds of homicides around the world involve the killing of people under the age of 19; further notes that 60 per cent of the world's children continue to experience physical punishment; and urges the Government to make this one of its key priorities, along with climate change, education and healthcare to leave a better world for the next generation.
102 SMALL SCALE HYDRO POWER 9:6:15
30That this House notes the successful development of small scale hydro supported via Feed-in-Tariff, with 177 MW of small scale hydro now available in Scotland, which represents 75 per cent of UK capacity; recognises the importance of this additional clean energy generation at a time of tightening electricity capacity margins and concerns over climate change; further notes the benefits to the renewable energy and construction sectors in terms of protecting jobs in these sectors; further notes that hydro has the lowest lifetime cost of all renewable technologies; shares the concerns of Scottish Renewables and the British Hydropower Association about the impact of the proposed deep cuts to the Feed-In-Tariff for small scale hydro; further notes the consistent representations made on this issue by the Scottish Government over the last year; and urges the Government to reconsider its plans and instead ensure a more planned and gradual reduction in support for small scale hydro, thus ensuring this popular and clean source of electricity is maximised.
103 CAFFÈ NERO AND CORPORATION TAX 9:6:15
39That this House is dismayed that despite making over £20 million of profit last year, Caffè Nero has not paid a penny in corporation tax; and calls on the directors of Caffè Nero to remedy this situation urgently.
104 ROYAL MAIL COMMEMORATION OF SCOTLAND'S HISTORY 9:6:15
46That this House marks the 50th anniversary of Royal Mail's modern Special Stamp programme; notes that 2,663 Special Stamps have been issued since July 1965 and have represented, in each year, the ever evolving society and culture of the nation; welcomes the publication of the most recent Special Stamps, which feature, among other things, the image of an old Glasgow tram, a symbol of the great city's rich and industrial heritage; further notes other Scottish towns and villages featured on the Special Stamps, including Edinburgh Castle, the Beano of Dundee, Dunblane's famous son, Andy Murray, Abbotsford's Sir Walter Scott, St Andrews beautiful golf course and Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, of Ayrshire; and commends Royal Mail for this initiative and looks forward to further celebrating Scotland's history on Royal Mail's stamps.
105 CARERS WEEK SCOTLAND 2015 10:6:15
46That this House welcomes Carers Week 2015; understands that Carers Week is an annual awareness campaign, which takes place between 8 and 14 June 2015 and is supported by six national charities, Carers Scotland, Carers Trust Scotland, MS Society Scotland, Macmillan Cancer Support, Independent Age and Age UK; notes that, by raising awareness of carers at a national, regional and local level, the week hopes to improve the lives of carers and the people they care for; further notes that Carers Week 2015 will see the launch of carer-friendly communities, which will aim to build communities that support carers in looking after their loved ones well, while recognising that they are individuals with needs of their own; understands that there are over 759,000 carers in Scotland with half of those struggling to make ends meet and 80 per cent stating that caring has a negative impact on their health; and believes that every effort should be made to ensure that carers receive all the support they require to continue their valuable service to the people that they care for.
106 THE BIG SHAVE OFF 10:6:15
40That this House praises the efforts of Paul Kehoe, one of the House's doorkeepers and a servant of the House for 37 years, in supporting The Big Shave Off in order to raise funds for charities involved with autism, Alzheimer's, Cancer UK, Help the Heroes and prostate cancer; is impressed by the luxuriant growth on his head, upper lip and chin and recognises that he has been the butt of good humour from hon. Members during his time of growth and expansion; looks forward to his moment of relief when The Big Shave Off takes place on 17 June 2015; urges colleagues to support Paul's fundraising efforts; and recognises that several hon. Members support the Movember campaign every year, but is not surprised that one of the House's staff has, as always, gone the extra mile on behalf of others.
107 SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY PUBLIC HOUSES 10:6:15
25That this House recognises and values the social and economic contribution of British beer and community pubs, which support almost 900,000 jobs and contribute £22 billion to UK GDP; believes that well-run pubs are an important community meeting place and the best place to enjoy alcohol responsibly; notes that more than 1,100 candidates supported the Campaign for Real Ale's beer and pub pledges ahead of the 2015 General Election, committing to support well-run community pubs, promote Britain's breweries and represent pub-goers and beer drinkers; welcomes this genuine cross-party consensus on the need to protect community pubs and breweries; and therefore encourages the Government to implement a package of measures to support community pubs and real ale.
108 CERVICAL SCREENING AWARENESS WEEK 10:6:15
36That this House welcomes Cervical Screening Awareness Week 2015, which runs from 15 to 21 June 2015 and is led by Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust; notes that the week aims to highlight the importance of cervical screening and how attending a screening appointment can help to prevent cervical cancer; further notes that the UK has a cervical screening programme that saves 5,000 lives a year, however nearly three women still die from cervical cancer every day; understands that over 22 per cent of women still do not attend their cervical screening; believes that, with eight women diagnosed with cervical cancer every day, raising public awareness of cervical screening is a priority; further understands that almost two-thirds of women aged 50 to 64 do not know that HPV causes cervical cancer and that women in this cervical screening age group are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage cervical cancer than other eligible age groups; recognises 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.
109 VOTES FOR 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS 10:6:15
38That this House welcomes the study by the University of Edinburgh which states that 67 per cent of people aged 16 and 17 years old would participate in an election if given the chance to do so; notes that this compares favourably with figures released in the same study which suggested that the expected participation level would be 39 per cent in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; and further recognises that through the independence referendum young people in Scotland have experienced a level of civic engagement and debate which should be encouraged by ensuring that in all future elections and referenda the franchise should be extended to all 16 and 17 year olds throughout the UK.
110 SUMMER FOOTBALL IN SCOTLAND 10:6:15
23That this House encourages the Scottish Football Association (SFA) to open and lead a public debate on the concept of summer football in Scotland to help assess where the strengths and weaknesses of such a proposal might lie; and further encourages the SFA to hold early talks with all league representative bodies, individual clubs and fans groups to take evidence to help inform that debate.
112 HUMAN RIGHTS IN ERITREA 10:6:15
29That this House strongly condemns the serious and systematic human rights violations committed by the Eritrean government, as detailed by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, which published a hard-hitting report last week; expresses its concern that the Eritrean government has created a pervasive climate of fear, causing hundreds of thousands of refugees to flee the country; deplores the evidence of Eritrea's use of compulsory, slavery-like national service, adoption of a shoot-to-kill policy at its borders, systematic stifling of dissent and complete failure to uphold the rule of law; notes that some of the violations found by the Commission may amount to crimes against humanity; is dismayed that it appears to have taken the recent migrant crisis in the Mediterranean for the international community to acknowledge the terrible suffering of the Eritrean people; and calls on the Government to condemn these violations in the strongest possible terms, to observe the Commission's request for the international community to offer protection to Eritreans fleeing the country and to work with the international community to address the appalling human rights situation in Eritrea.
113 CASE OF RAIF BADAWI IN SAUDI ARABIA 10:6:15
29That this House is appalled that the sentence handed down last May against Saudi blogger and activist Raif Badawi, of flogging, to be administered very harshly in public, with 50 lashes scheduled once a week for 20 weeks, as well as 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of one million riyals, has been upheld by the Saudi Arabia Supreme Court; notes that no further judicial appeal is possible and that his flogging may resume on 12 June 2015; deplores this cruel and inhumane punishment which seriously injured Mr Badawi when he was given 50 lashes in January 2015 and poses a serious risk to his life; continues to strongly support his right to freedom of expression and that of all Saudi Arabian citizens; and calls on the Government to strongly condemn the use of this barbaric punishment and to press King Salman bin Abdulaziz to grant Mr Badawi clemency and allow him to join his family in Canada.
114 A CHRISTIAN COLONY IN LAHORE 10:6:15
22That this House condemns the unprovoked attack by a mob on a Christian colony in Lahore; and calls on the government of Pakistan to ensure that the perpetrators of violence are brought to justice, to punish those who incite mobs to attack Christian properties and to take measures to protect Christian neighbourhoods.
115 AIR PASSENGER DUTY 10:6:15
11That this House recognises the economic importance attached to reduced air passenger duty (APD); notes the recent decision by the government of the Irish Republic to sell its stake in Aer Lingus to AIG, British Airways' parent company; acknowledges that this commercial decision could place Dublin as a major hub airport within these islands, with its added advantage of lower Irish APD, thus impacting on longer haul destinations by all other large airports throughout the UK; and calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to recognise the massive potential business, tourism and financial loss which this development entails and reduce APD accordingly at the earliest opportunity.
117 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS 10:6:15
26That this House welcomes the progress made by the Home Office in the last Parliament to allow Freedom of Information requests for animal experiment project licences subject to the normal safeguards of commercial and academic confidentiality and safety; and supports the call on the Government by Cruelty Free International to implement this reform during the current session.
118 PUBLICATION OF ANIMAL EXPERIMENT RESULTS 10:6:15
27That this House welcomes the requirement that all clinical trial results should be published; and calls on the Home Office to require and facilitate a similar arrangement for animal experiments, subject to the normal safeguards of commercial and academic confidentiality and safety, to enable researchers to avoid duplication and allow public discussion of the merits of the research.
119 EAST RENFREWSHIRE SCHOOL SPORTS 11:6:15
26That this House congratulates the pupils and staff of St Ninian's, Woodfarm and Williamwood High Schools, and Uplawmoor, Kirkhill, Carolside and Netherlee Primary Schools, on their great success in achieving Sport Scotland School Sport Award Gold status.
120 HOME INTERNATIONAL FLY-FISHING COMPETITION 11:6:15
17That this House recognises the achievement and congratulates the team manager, Angus Shepherd, the team captain, Paul Garner and the Scottish team on recording a historic win on Rutland Water in England; notes that the competition has been contested since 1928 and has taken place every year since, apart from during World War Two; further notes that the teams comprise of the four home nations' top fly-fishing anglers who make up the 14-man teams; further notes that the target fish is a brown or rainbow trout and the match, as always, was highly competitive but fished in a friendly, respectful manner; highlights that Scotland prevailed with 66 fish to England's 61, Ireland's 45 and Wales with 43 fish; and records this event as the first time a visiting country has prevailed at England's premier water.
121 TREATMENT OF THE ROHINGYA IN BURMA 15:6:15
19That this House notes that the continuing persecution of the Rohingya people in Burma has caused and continues to create a humanitarian disaster in the area; further notes that the Muslim Rohingya minority have been described as the most persecuted people in the world; further notes that they are subject to violence, murder, displacement and as a result many of them are forced to flee; further notes that the Burmese government's refusal to accept the Rohingya as full citizens alongside its failure to stop the toxic anti-Muslim rhetoric and propaganda has led to a situation that can only be described as ethnic cleansing; and further notes that this government along with the regional governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh must act decisively to force the Burmese authorities to take action to defend the Rohingya people and restore their basic human rights and freedoms as a matter of the utmost urgency.
122 THE ISLE OF ISLAY PIPE BAND 15:6:15
19That this House congratulates the Isle of Islay Pipe Band on winning the Grade 3A UK Championships in Belfast on 13 June 2015; notes that this follows on from its success in winning the Grade 3A British Championships last month; and wishes the Isle of Islay Pipe Band every success for the remainder of the season.
123 HERITAGE LOTTERY FUNDING OF THE DAVID LIVINGSTONE CENTRE 15:6:15
18That this House welcomes the Heritage Lottery Fund's contribution to develop the David Livingstone Centre in Blantyre; recognises the cultural and historical importance of the Centre; further recognises the work of the David Livingstone Trust in maintaining Dr Livingstone's legacy; congratulates it on its recent award of Lottery funding; and supports its project to develop the Centre as a tourist destination and valuable education resource.
124 VAT REDUCTION FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY 15:6:15
10That this House recognises that local restaurants and public houses are facing very challenging conditions in the current economy and are being put under further pressure by the rise of large supermarkets that enjoy preferential value added tax (VAT) treatment; notes that these businesses lie at the heart of their local communities, economically and socially; further notes that 13 EU member states, including the Republic of Ireland, have introduced a reduced rate of VAT within their tourism and hospitality sectors for restaurants and public houses, and 22 have done so for hotel accommodation, and that such measures have had a positive impact; calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to undertake a review of similar sector-specific VAT reduction measures to help businesses in the UK; and further recognises that such a move would encourage growth in the wider economy, support job creation and generate investment in local businesses.
125 GASTROINTESTINAL STROMAL TUMOUR CANCER 15:6:15
10That this House supports the aims of GIST Support UK, the key charity specifically focused on combating gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST); acknowledges that GIST is a rare and awful form of cancer commonly found in the digestive system; and calls on the Government to ensure that the only effective third-line drug that treats GIST, the Stivarga form of the drug Regorafenib, remains accessible to patients in England as it is in Scotland to ensure English patients are not second-class citizens.
126 ANNIVERSARY OF ISRAELI BOMBARDMENT OF GAZA 15:6:15
13That this House recognises that 8 July 2015 will be the first anniversary of the start of the most recent and most devastating Israeli military operation in Gaza and resulted in, according to the UN, more than 2,000 deaths, 1,492 of them civilians and 551 of those, children; notes that there has been no meaningful reconstruction of Gaza which saw over 100,000 homes destroyed or severely damaged in last year's conflict, that children in particular have suffered the harshest of conditions and that no action has been taken to challenge the violations of international law as exemplified by the security wall, the ongoing occupation of the Palestinian territories, or the illegal blockade and separation of Gaza; calls on the Government to intensify its actions within the international community and towards the Israeli government to resolve the humanitarian and political crisis in Palestine; further calls for a more direct and stringent message to the Israeli government that progress on talks to reach a long-term and peaceful solution must be delivered within an agreed time frame; and calls on the Foreign Secretary to prioritise action through the UN Security Council for a meaningful UN resolution in this regard.
127 GLASGOW AIRPORT 15:6:15
24That this House congratulates Glasgow Airport, one of Europe's fastest growing airports, on its busiest May in seven years, after seeing 785,063 passengers travel through the airport last month; notes that this increase of 13.3 per cent in passenger travel has secured Glasgow Airport's 27th consecutive month of growth; further notes that the airport's success in May follows their busiest April on record; recognises the hard work of all of the staff at Glasgow Airport in securing this unprecedented growth; and supports the Scottish Government's commitment to cut Air Passenger Duty by 50 per cent, a reduction that will create nearly 4,000 jobs, add £1 billion to the Scottish economy by 2020 and support Scotland's airports to go from strength to strength.
128 GLOBAL TB 15:6:15
12That this House recognises the enormous human and economic cost of the global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic which claims 1.5 million lives a year and severely damages the health and wellbeing of nine million people every year; highlights the particular threat posed by Multi-Drug Resistant TB, which is the only major, airborne, drug-resistant infection; acknowledges the estimates by the independent Review of Anti-Microbial Resistance that MDR-TB could claim an additional 75 million lives worldwide by 2050 at a cost of $16.7 trillion; is concerned by high rates of TB in the UK, particularly in major urban centres; and calls for greater resources to be invested in tackling the disease abroad, in the UK, and in research and development of new treatments, diagnostics and vaccines.
129 PRISON OVERCROWDING 15:6:15
13That this House is appalled at the Government's admission of erroneous figures regarding the prison population and possible overcrowding; recognises that organisations such as the Justice Unions' Parliamentary Group, the Prison Officers Association, and the Howard League for Penal Reform have long warned the Government that prisons are dangerously full; notes with concern that the Ministry of Justice accepts that in some circumstances two or even three prisoners have been sharing a cell designed for one person; further notes the dangerous implications of an overcrowded prison estate for the safety of both inmates and staff; and calls on the Government to launch an urgent review to discover why the public have been misled on the issue of prison overcrowding and to ensure that this issue is tackled as a matter of priority to ensure that prisoners, staff and the public are safe.
130 YARL'S WOOD IMMIGRATION REMOVAL CENTRE 15:6:15
12That this House notes the work of and problems in Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre, and especially the poor treatment of women detainees by Serco; is concerned that despite this, Serco's contract has been renewed; calls on the Home Secretary to reassess the entire detention process so that radical changes to the current system can be made; and urges an end to the practice of indefinite detention immediately.
131 IPCC REPORT ON ORGREAVE 15:6:15
42That this House strongly condemns the decision of the Independent Police Complaints Commission not to launch a full and comprehensive investigation into the behaviour of South Yorkshire Police at the Orgreave Coking Plant on 18 June 1984; believes there is no time limit to justice and furthermore that mining communities up and down the country deserve the truth; and calls for a wider public inquiry covering not only the policing of Orgreave but of the entire country during the 1984-85 Miners' Strike.
132 BIKE WEEK 2015 15:6:15
30That this House welcomes the promotion of cycling during Bike Week from 13-21 June 2015; congratulates those involved in the organisation of events; acknowledges this as the largest national cycling event in the UK; recognises the importance of promoting cycling as a convenient way to make everyday journeys; and endorses the social, health and environmental benefits of cycling.
133 FREE SCHOOL BUS TRAVEL IN GLASGOW 15:6:15
11That this House is deeply concerned at proposals to alter the qualifying distance for free bus travel by primary and secondary school children in Glasgow; understands that this will be implemented by the Labour-led City Council in August 2015 without any meaningful consultation with parents or communities, and that this will reduce free transport provision in the city from 3,214 qualifying children to just 1,383 children; notes that these cuts will impact detrimentally on families across the city, with areas such as Maryhill and Milton in the north of the city being disproportionately impacted, in part due to the City Council's previous school closure programmes which targeted the Maryhill area including the closure of St Agnes', Wyndford and St Gregory's primary schools; shares the belief of many parents that previous promises by the City Council which were made when schools were closed in recent years are now being reneged upon; shares the concerns of parents and communities that safe walking routes will still place children at additional risk, and that increased travel times may put at risk the attendance of children at school and increase the travel costs for families in deprived areas who see no alternative but to pay for commercial bus transport; and believes that the City Council should halt the plans to axe the free school bus provision and start a meaningful and respectful dialogue with parents, children and communities should it decide at any point in the future to reform free school transport arrangements within the city.
134 YULIN DOG MEAT FESTIVAL 2015 15:6:15
14That this House condemns the plans to go ahead with the Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2015 in Yulin, China; expresses deep concern at the cruel and inhumane manner in which dogs have been slaughtered in the past; notes the terrible conditions that dogs face prior to being killed as they are held in overcrowded cages without water; and urges the Chinese authorities to intercede to stop the festival from taking place.
135 RUGBY LEAGUE PARTICIPATION 15:6:15
7That this House welcomes the 7,300 strong increase in regular participation in rugby league as announced by Sport England; recognises the importance of sport and physical recreation for the British public; further welcomes all those new to playing the game of rugby league; believes this increase demonstrates the role rugby league plays in communities throughout the UK and is recognition of the game's inclusive and welcoming nature for people of any background, age, gender or ability; further welcomes versions of the game, touch, tag, wheelchair, masters, and 13-a-side, in this growth; and congratulates all involved in the game's administration for the increase.
136 IMPORTATION OF FOIE GRAS 16:6:15
2That this House deplores the production of foie gras, considering it cruel and unnatural to force-feed geese until it causes internal damage; welcomes the UK's continued ban on domestic production of this foodstuff; commends India on last year becoming the first country in the world to ban the import of foie gras; and calls on the Government to follow this example in making the UK the next country to ban the import of this most unpleasant product.
137 MCKINNON CUP DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIPS 16:6:15
24That this House recognises the value of promoting public speaking in developing confidence and self-worth and congratulates the students and staff of the schools of West Dunbartonshire, including St Peter the Apostle High School, Clydebank High School, Dumbarton Academy, Our Lady and St Patrick's High School and Vale of Leven Academy, as well as Hermitage Academy of Argyll and Bute who recently participated in the annual McKinnon Cup Debating Championships; recognises that the schools were all represented by outstanding students and especially congratulates the overall schools winner Jake Brough, the individual winner, and Caleb McGowan on winning the cup for the Vale of Leven Academy.
138 FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 16:6:15
4That this House congratulates all the women who are taking part in the FIFA Women's World Cup; is delighted to see female involvement in football attracting the media attention that it deserves; and wishes all of the participants the very best of luck in this great tournament.
CORRIGENDUM
In the Notices of Motions given on 15th June, on page 15, the name of Kirsten Oswald appeared incorrectly as the sponsor of Early Day Motion 130, Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre. The name of Kate Osamor should have appeared instead.