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The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons call upon the Government to take steps to instruct Stoke-on-Trent City Council that it may, as part of the BSF programme, have a "two-school solution" to the issue of the location of the new 20:20 Academy, thereby building a new school on the fields adjacent to Longton High School and continuing to use the Mitchell High School.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Hunting with Dogs
Michael Jabez Foster (Hastings and Rye) (Lab): I have been asked to present the petition of Mr. Kim Stallwood, a passionate animal welfare advocate, and some 4,000 of my constituents, bringing attention to proposals to bring back the barbaric blood sport of fox hunting. The petition states:
The Petition of residents of Hastings and Rye and others,
Declares that the petitioners believe that hunting with dogs is cruel; further declares that the Petitioners oppose the efforts of local Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Amber Rudd and the Conservative Party to have the ban repealed, further declares that the Petitioners support the Hunting Act 2004 and the Back the Ban campaign; and that the Petitioners support Michael Foster, MP for Hastings and Rye, in his campaign to keep hunting illegal.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons reject any proposal to legalise hunting with dogs.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Gypsies and Travellers (Security of Tenure)
Julie Morgan (Cardiff, North) (Lab): My first petition was organised by Cathay Birch.
Unlike other social tenants, Gypsies and Travellers on rented pitches have no rights to security of tenure, and both the European Court of Human Rights and the House of Lords have said that that amounts to a breach of human rights. The Government have recognised that, and have said that they will amend the law by including council sites in the Mobile Homes Act 1983. However, the Government have not had the time to introduce the necessary legislation.
The petition was signed by 608 people and states:
The Petition of Cathay Birch and others,
Declares that the European Court of Human Rights (in 2004) and the House of Lords (in 2008) have stated that the situation regarding the lack of security of tenure for Gypsies and Travellers on rented pitches amounted to a breach of Human Rights; that the Government said they would amend the law by including Council sites within the provisions of the Mobile Homes Act 1983; that the Government then released an e-mail to certain organisations on 10th February 2010 saying that they no longer had time to introduce the necessary amending powers; and that this has happened despite the fact that security of tenure could be introduced with a few simple sentences;
Further declares that the Petitioners believe the Government should take action now to resolve this breach of Human Rights by amending legislation to ensure Gypsies and Travellers on rented pitches have the same rights to security of tenure as other social housing tenants.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons call upon the Government immediately to bring forward proposals to amend the Act of Parliament pertaining to security of tenure of Gypsies and Travellers on rented pitches to ensure that security of tenure is given.
Proposed Eviction (Dale Farm and Hovefields, Essex)
Julie Morgan (Cardiff, North) (Lab): My second petition, to which there are 15 signatures, concerns the proposed eviction of Gypsy and Traveller families at Dale Farm and Hovefields by Basildon council. It was organised by Ann Dean. The families include invalid schoolchildren, some of whom have special needs, elderly people, and many who are living on their own land. The petition states:
The Petition of families at Dale Farm and Hovefields to be evicted, their supporters and others,
Declares that roughly 100 families at Dale Farm and Hovefields are to be evicted by Basildon Council in Essex at a cost of over £2 million; that most of the families to be evicted by Basildon Council have lived on their own land for about seven years, and they include invalids who will be separated from their Carers and school children, some of whom have Special Needs, who on the roadside will be deprived of their Human Right to Education; that this mass eviction will be carried out by a firm of Bailiffs whose brutality was condemned by the High Court, and therefore breaks the solemn signed undertaking by Basildon Council to the High Court, to only use Bailiffs of previous good conduct;
Further declares that the Petitioners believe Basildon Council is also breaking the terms and the purpose of sections 225 and 226 of the 2004 Housing Act, which say that every local housing authority must "prepare a strategy" to meet the "accommodation needs" of the "gypsies and travellers residing in or resorting to their area", whilst in fact Basildon Council says that any new pitches which it allows will not be reserved for local Travellers who are already residing in the area; that this contradicts their statement that the new pitches will be allocated by their housing policy as the 1996 Housing Act normally requires a "local connection"; that it also means that the local Travellers may have to live by the roadside although the 2004 Housing Act promised them legal pitches by 2011.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons debate this matter; and urge the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: to exercise his powers under s225 and 226 of the 2004 Housing Act and s 8 of the 1985 Housing Act (c. 68) to see that all local authorities, including Basildon, find enough affordable pitches for all their local Travellers; to urge all local authorities to show humanity by following the decision of the Court of Appeal in 2008 in the Wychavon case, by not evicting Travellers, especially those on their own land, until an alternative affordable site is available for them, as was intended by the 2004 Housing Act to happen by 2011; to ask local authorities to follow the High Court decisions v Basildon in 2000 and 2004 that even normal school children should not be evicted; to ask Basildon to follow the High Court in the Margaret Price case by not offering Homeless Travellers only bricks and mortar, but affordable pitches; and to ask Basildon not to evict the sick, or the elderly or break its undertaking to the High Court not to use Bailiffs of bad conduct.
Hunting with Dogs
Mr. David Anderson (Blaydon) (Lab): It gives me great pleasure to present a petition on behalf of Mrs. Shirley Milne, 519 residents of Blaydon, and others, which states:
The Petition of residents of Blaydon Constituency and others,
Declares that the Petitioners agree with a ban on hunting with dogs, and believe the ban should be enforced rigorously and effectively; further declares that the Petitioners are opposed to any efforts to overturn the ban and allow the re-introduction of hunting with dogs in the future.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons reject any proposal to legalise hunting with dogs and asks the Government to reaffirm its opposition to hunting with dogs.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Tamil People (Sri Lanka)
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): I am grateful to the House for its courtesy in allowing me to present so many petitions at the same time. The first reads as follows:
The Petition of the people of Croydon,
Declares that following the end of hostilities in Sri Lanka the detained Tamil people have been held against their will, without any freedom of movement in unsanitary IDP camps.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges HM Government to press the Sri Lankan government for the implementation of a thorough going release of Tamil people in IDP camps and the commencement of talks to bring home rule to Tamil lands to the benefit of all Sri Lanka.
Asylum Screening (Croydon)
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): The second petition reads as follows:
The Petition of the people of Croydon,
Declares that the decision to make Croydon's Asylum Screening Unit the only such in-land unit could result in an additional 3,650 asylum seekers coming to Croydon each year, and that this will take a financial toll on local services.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to bring in a bill to ensure that the costs of implementing and running this policy are met from central funds.
Crystal Palace FC
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): The petition states:
The Petition of football supporters,
Declares that The Football League should exercise discretion in its application of its rules that has led to the 10 point deduction from Crystal Palace FC, and notes that unlike other football clubs penalised after seeking administration Crystal Palace FC was placed in administration against its wishes, and notes that Lloyds Banking Group has an important role to play in returning Crystal Palace FC to profitable trading by working on the ownership of Selhurst Park being returned to the club.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to encourage The Football League to consider whether it should remove or reduce the points penalty meted out to Crystal Palace FC, and as a major shareholder in Lloyds Banking Group that it should ask the senior management of Lloyds Banking Group as to what action it is taking to reunite Selhurst Park with Crystal Palace FC so as to aid Crystal Palace FC in returning to profitable trading.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Bus Routes (Croydon)
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): The petition states:
The Petition of the people of Croydon,
Declares that they would support the introduction of a 24 hours a day service on the 64 bus route.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to encourage Transport for London in this proposal of a 24 hours a day 64 bus route.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Public Sector Employment (Croydon)
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): The petition states:
The Petition of the people of Croydon,
Declares that the Croydon economy depends on public sector employment.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to ensure that public sector positions are not transferred away from Croydon.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Incinerator (Croydon)
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): The petition states:
The Petition of the people of Croydon,
Declares that the construction of an incinerator on Beddington Lane, Sutton, would not be in Croydon's interests.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to take steps to investigate alternative sites for the incinerator or alternative means of disposing of waste in an environmentally friendly manner.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
GPs (Croydon)
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): The petition states:
The Petition of the people of Croydon,
Declares that having only three GPs on call from midnight to 8am covering 370,000 residents in Croydon is clearly inadequate and forces Croydon residents into more expensive care at A&E thus wasting public money.
The Petitioners therefore call upon the House of Commons to urge the Government to direct Croydon NHS to provide for more GP overnight coverage.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Diabetes Services (Croydon)
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): The petition states:
The Petition of the people of Croydon,
Declares that in Croydon there is good work being done to combat diabetes and that Croydon now needs more screening tests for diabetes; more albumin creative ratio checks and HbA1C tests for those already living with diabetes; and Government support for Croydon's services that combat the diabetic arterial diseases that can lead to amputations; and that with the right support amputations could be cut by 30% through better total care and public health education to allow for earlier intervention to stop amputations.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to support Croydon's services that combat the diabetic arterial diseases and to encourage health providers to make available more screening tests for diabetes and more albumin creative ratio checks and HbA1C tests for those already living with diabetes.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Housing (Croydon)
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): The petition states:
The Petition of New Addington residents,
Declares that much needed family homes are being shoe-horned into unsuitable former garage sites that compromise the visual amenity and environment of old and new residents alike, and that the local Council thus pays disrespect to New Addington.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to investigate whether value for money is being achieved from the housing grant paid to Croydon Council and to place improved conditions on quality of design and setting for new Council housing in the London Borough of Croydon.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Parliamentary Reform
Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind): I am very happy to take up the invitation of the petitioners in this last petition.
The Petition of the people of Croydon,
Declares that Andrew Pelling has served as an effective Member of Parliament for Croydon Central putting Croydon first and would serve Croydon well again if he were to be persuaded to stand for re-election in the upcoming General Election.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons uses the powers of the new Business Committee to table further debates on Parliamentary reform to allow discussion on the advantages of independence in the House.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund
Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn. -(Mr. Blizzard.)
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