 House of Commons |
Session 2005 - 06 Publications on the internet |
16 December 2005 |
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SUPPLEMENT TO THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGSPETITION FROM THE ISITFAIR COUNCIL TAX PROTEST CAMPAIGN 12th December 2005 To the House of Commons. The Petition of the Isitfair Council Tax protest campaign, Declares that the year-on-year, inflation-busting increases in Council Tax are causing hardship to many and take no account of ability to pay; further that the proposed property revaluation and re-banding exercise will make an already flawed system even worse. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons votes to replace Council Tax with a fair and equitable tax that, without recourse to any supplementary benefit, takes into account ability to pay from disposable income. Such tax to be based on a system that is free from any geographically or politically motivated discrimination, and that clearly identifies the fiscal and managerial responsibilities of all involved parties. And the Petitioners remain, etc. The House received further Petitions in these terms on the following dates:12th December; and 14th December. SUPPLEMENT TO THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGSPETITION FROM REDCAR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND THE REDCAR ROAD WEST ACTION GROUP 13th December 2005 To the House of Commons. The Petition of Redcar Business Association and the Redcar Road West Action Group. Declares that planning permission should be granted for the expansion of Tees Port. Not only does Tees Port have the deep port and skills that are needed for a deep container port but we as an area have a historical background connected with the Ports and have lost more industry over the years than that of the South. Furthermore the proposals to expand Tees Port would bring much needed jobs into the area The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to look favourably on the application by Tees Port to expand within the context of a national ports strategy that takes into account environmental costs, congestion and the needs of the North East. And the Petitioners remain, etc. SUPPLEMENT TO THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGSPETITION FROM CONSTITUENTS OF HARROGATE AND KNARESBOROUGH 14th December 2005 To the House of Commons. The Petition of over 5000 Constituents of Harrogate and Knaresborough and surrounding areas, Declares that Breast Cancer is a killer disease affecting thousands of women each year and that the life saving drug Herceptin is currently available to patients who are privately treated but will not be available to NHS patients until mid to late 2006. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Secretary of State for health to make Herceptin immediately available to all NHS patients who, in the opinion of their specialist clinician, would benefit from Herceptin. And the Petitioners remain, etc. SUPPLEMENT TO THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGSPETITION FROM RESIDENTS OF BRIDGEWATER AND OTHERS 14th December 2005 To the House of Commons. The Petition of Residents of Bridgewater and others Declares that the Royal Ordnance factory at Puriton should not be closed; that the jobs it provides are vital to the Sedgemoor economy and that the plant is vital to the nation's defences. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons call upon BAE and the Ministry of Defence to save the Royal Ordnance factory at Puriton. And the Petitioners remain, etc. SUPPLEMENT TO THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGSPETITION FROM RESIDENTS OF NORTH WEST LEICESTERSHIRE AND NEARBY AREAS 14th December 2005 To the House of Commons. The Petition of residents of North West Leicestershire and nearby areas, Declares that despite the present financial pressures on primary care trusts, their community hospitals must continue to play a key role in the provision of mental health services and closures of dedicated wards providing long-term residential care (or their amalgamation with other similar facilities elsewhere) should be avoided at all costs. Further declares that they strongly oppose any amalgamation of Coalville Hospital long term care services with Loughborough Hospital and any closure of CCH (Thringstone) Ward four. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Secretary of State for Health to ensure that there is adequate finance for the continued provision of high quality residential mental health care in local community hospitals and direct Charnwood and North West Leicestershire primary care trust to undertake all due consultation with families of patients in local long-term residential mental health care and take into account their needs and wishes in the review of mental health care provision. And the Petitioners remain, etc. SUPPLEMENT TO THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGSPETITION FROM VILLAGERS OF WESTONZOYLAND, SOMERSET 14th December 2005 To the House of Commons. The Petition of Villagers of Westonzoyland, Declares that Westonzoyland should have post boxes adequate to deal with the needs of 700 dwellings and many small businesses. The Post Office and adjacent post box closed on 23rd September. Since that date there has only been one very small box in Monmouth Road. This is some distance from the centre of the village and invariably full to overflowing with letters, long before the collection times. The Petitioners further declare that there is not another box within three miles in any direction and that the village urgently needs at least one large box, conveniently placed to the majority of residents. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to provide at least one large post box in the village of Westonzoyland, conveniently placed to the majority of residents. And the Petitioners remain, etc. SUPPLEMENT TO THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGSObservations by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the Petition [3rd November] from residents of Birkenhead and others in support of the Animal Welfare Bill. The Government welcomes the Petition from the residents of Birkenhead and others in support of the Animal Welfare Bill. The Government applauds the work of the RSPCA and the valuable role it provides in enforcement of animal welfare legislation, as well as in the promotion of responsible pet ownership. The Animal Welfare Bill does not give the RSPCA new powers of enforcement, which it does not seek but, once passed into law, will make a real difference to its ability, and that of other enforcers, to reduce animal suffering. It places on those who own or are otherwise responsible for animals a duty to ensure their welfare, so, when an animal is being treated contrary to its welfare needs, enforcers will be able to take preventive action even if it is not immediately suffering. The RSPCA has welcomed the Bill and said that it "will, once enacted, become the most far reaching improvement to the welfare of companion animals for almost a century". 8th December 2005 SUPPLEMENT TO THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGSObservations by the Deputy Prime Minister on the Petitions [27th October [two Petitions]; 28th October [two Petitions]; 31st October; 1st November; 2nd November; 3rd November [two Petitions]; 7th November [four Petitions]; 8th November; and 9th November [three Petitions]] from the Supporters of the Isitfair Council Tax protest campaign for a fair and equitable replacement for council tax. Accepts that above inflation increases in Council Tax do cause hardship to those on fixed incomes for whom council tax absorbs significant amounts of disposable income, but supports responsible control of Local Authority Expenditure and reasonable Council Tax increases. The Government reserves the right to cap excessive increases. Notes that proposed revaluation of domestic properties in England has subject to Parliament, been postponed, calls on Parliament to support that postponement, and notes that the Government has set up an Independent Inquiry, led by Sir Michael Lyons, to consider the detailed case for changes to the present system of local government funding and to make recommendations on any changes that are necessary and how to implement them. As part of his inquiry, Sir Michael is looking at how best to reform council tax to make it fairer and more sustainable. On 20th September the Government announced that it was extending the remit of Sir Michael's Inquiry so that he could consider local government funding in the context of the wider functions of local government and its future role and, in the light of this, postponing the revaluation of council tax in England. Sir Michael is due to report by the end of 2006. Sir Michael is aware of the sort of concerns that the IsItFair campaign and many others have expressed about how the current council tax system affects those on low and fixed incomes and the Government looks forward to receiving his recommendations. Requests that proposals for a workable fair local tax be forwarded and rejects the idea that local tax should be levied irrespective of wealth, including home ownership and supports a fair benefit system which takes into account both income and wealth. 14th December 2005
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