That this House welcomes the Government's attendance at the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons conference in Vienna on 8 to 9 December 2014; congratulates the Austrian government on its success in continuing to drive dialogue on nuclear weapons and the need for nuclear disarmament; and urges the Government to publish research on the effect of the detonation of a UK Trident warhead, as a contribution to a global dialogue on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons and for presentation at the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in April and May 2015.
That this House is extremely concerned about the arrest and detention of high-profile anti-slavery campaigner and 2014 Presidential election runner-up, Biram Dah Abeid, and a number of campaigners and members of the Haratin minority in Mauritania engaged in peaceful protests against contemporary forms of slavery in the country in November and subsequently charged with multiple offences; is dismayed to hear allegations of the detainees' mistreatment, including sleep deprivation, denial of medical care and not being allowed family visits and of some detainees having been forced to sign false confessions; notes that Mauritania is consistently ranked as having the highest rate of slavery in the world, despite slavery being criminalised in 2007; and calls on the Government to raise these cases and related issues with the Mauritanian government and to work with its EU partners in the country to bring an end to slavery and landowners' exploitation of marginalised sections of society and to push for much needed land reforms.
That this House notes that despite the publication of the Bahrain Commission of Inquiry Report in 2011 which chronicled torture and extrajudicial killing regrets that many violations of human rights continue; is shocked that there are 3,000 political prisoners, children in detention, citizenship removed from activists and arbitrary arrests amongst the many violations of human rights independently reported; and calls on the Government to make the strongest possible representations to the government of Bahrain and to refuse all arms and crowd control equipment exports to Bahrain.
That this House admires the nobility of spirit and political judgment of former President Nelson Mandela; recalls the wisdom of his final speech as President of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations General Assembly on 21 September 1998; further recalls that the very first resolution of the General Assembly, adopted in January 1946, sought to address the challenge of the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction; further recalls the document submitted by the non-aligned states to the UN General Assembly in 1998 entitled Towards a Nuclear Weapon Free World: The Need for a New Agenda; agrees with Mr Mandela's call that all members of the UN should seriously consider this important resolution and give it their support; backs Mr Mandela's view expressed in his speech on 21 September 1998 that the question of whether these terrible and terrifying weapons of mass destruction are needed should be asked, even if such a question were to sound naive to those who had elaborated sophisticated arguments to justify their refusal to eliminate such weapons; and believes that the Government should take all steps to deliver the elimination of all nuclear weapons of mass destruction as demanded by President Mandela.
Bill· Private Members' Bill (under the Ten Minute Rule)Bill 1301open
A Bill to provide for the regulation of letting agents; to protect tenants’ deposits; to require the enforcement of environmental and energy-efficiency standards in private-sector rented accommodation; to amend the law on secure tenancies; to provide for fair rent to be applicable to all rented accommodation; to require landlords not to discriminate against people in receipt of state benefits; to require local authorities to establish a private rented sector office; and for connected purposes.
Bill· Private Members' Bill (under the Ten Minute Rule)Bill 1146open
A Bill to provide for the regulation of letting agents; to protect tenants’ deposits; to require the enforcement of environmental and energy-efficiency standards in private-sector rented accommodation; to amend the law on secure tenancies; to provide for fair rent to be applicable to all rented accommodation; to require landlords not to discriminate against people in receipt of state benefits; to require local authorities to establish a private rented sector office; and for connected purposes.
That this House is deeply concerned at reports of the killing of oil workers in Kazakhstan who have been protesting about their living conditions and the poverty of their region; condemns the actions of the government of Kazakhstan in using troops, mass arrests and isolation tactics; calls on that government to adhere to international human rights conventions and International Labour Organisation statutes; and calls on the Government to make robust protest toits Kazakh counterparts to prevent further loss of life.
That this House supports UK Uncut Legal Action's initiative to challenge HM Revenue and Customs in the High Court so thatits alleged decision to let Goldman Sachs off its unpaid tax is quashed and the 10 to 20 million that Goldman Sachs owes is given back to the taxpayer; asserts that it is undeniably in the public interest that this important case should go through the UK courts in order to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness; notes that whilst the National Audit Office investigation into tax disputes is welcome, a legal review is the only process that can result in both the declaration that the Goldman Sachs tax deal was unlawful and potentially quash the deal, meaning that the millions lost could be returned to the public purse; further notes that an estimated 25 billion is lost annually to tax avoidance by corporations and the super-rich; maintains that tax justice and the eradication of tax havens are therefore crucial to achieving fairness and equality in the UK and around the world and provide an alternative to the economics of austerity; and calls on the Government to make a concerted effort to clamp down on tax avoidance in order to raise the income the UK needs to protect services currently under threat from the cuts programme and set an international standard for tax justice.
That this House recognises the deep concern amongst human rights lawyers and experts ontorture across Europe about the 15-year sentence handed down by the Rabat court sitting at Sal to the dual Belgian-Moroccan national Ali Aarrass after a trial that appears to have ignored all due process, relied solely on torture evidence, and which took place a year after the Spanish authorities ignored an instruction by the UN Human Rights Committee not to extradite him to Morocco while the Committee was considering his case; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to follow the lead of the Bar Human Rights Committee, Freedom From Torture and a number of distinguished Queen's Counsel to make urgent representations to the Moroccan government to secure justice for Mr Aarrass and his family.
That this House expresses deep concern at the conduct of the recent elections in Democratic Republic of Congo; notes that the respected Carter Centre found that the election results announced by the Electoral Commission lacked credibility and that in a detailed analysis from its 26 teams covering 10 provinces, expressed a number of concerns including the process at Mulemba Nkulu voting staions in Katanga which reported 99.46 per cent. turnout with 100 per cent. of the votes going to President Kabila; further notes that the EU observer mission expressed concern that 17 per cent. of votes were cast from missing persons' registers, twice the number recorded in 2006; further notes the United Nations Stabilisation Mission observed that there were `significant irregularities' in the counting and tabulation of votes; and therefore, in view of the widspread concerns and protests throughout the country, questions the legitimacy of the elction process and whether the result is a genuine expression of the wishes of the people of Democratic Republic of Congo.
That this House welcomes the decision by the European Parliament to reject the extension of the fishery agreement with Morocco because of the exploitation of the disputed waters off the Western Sahara Coast; and hopes that there will be no further agreements between the EU and Morocco that allow any exploitation of the natural resources of the Western Sahara until such time as the people have been able to exercise their right of self determination.
That this House is alarmed at the re-arrest of Ebrahim Madodi from the Vahed Trade Union Syndicate in Tehran; calls for his release and that of fellow trade unionist, bus workers' leader, Reza Shobabi immediately; and supports the rights of independent trade unionists in Iran to represent their members without the threat of imprisonment.
That this House acknowledges the most recent European Parliament resolution on the situation in the Western Sahara, which calls on the European Commission to monitor the human rights situation in Western Sahara and regularly to send missions to that territory.
That this House recognises that the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is an historic defender of the rights and welfare of the most vulnerable people in the community; is concerned at plans threatening 177 jobs after it was announced that jobs would relocate from London to Birmingham withno relocation expenses for staff; believes that this represents a threat of compulsory redundancy for OPG staff with many years of experience; is alarmed that the costs of this ill-advised transformation programme are likely to be picked up by vulnerable people including those with mental health problems; and urges the Government to intervene to stop these plans and listen to proposals put forward by the Public and Commercial Services Union to move the OPG into the same building as the Court of Protection and cut the cost of the newly-proposed Chief Executive's office.
That this House notes the findings of the International Atomic Energy Agency-Iran work plan of 27th August and the IAEA's report of 15th November clarifying and clearing a number of major outstanding issues in relation to Iran's past nuclear activities; notes the judgement of the recent US National Intelligence Estimate that Iran does not have an active nuclear weapons programme at present; is strongly concerned about the continued threats of a military attack against Iran which could start another catastrophic war in the Middle East; urges immediate, direct and unconditional negotiations between the US and Iran on all points of dispute; and calls on the Government to oppose publicly any military intervention by the US and/or Israel in Iran.
That this House notes the financial pledges of around £7.4 billion from 90 countries to be made to Palestine in the follow-up to the formal re-launch of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations last month in Annapolis; notes with considerable alarm Israel's overnight extrajudicial killings of 12 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank in a series of air attacks, bringing the number of extrajudicial killing operations launched since September 2000 to at least 256, killing at least 612 Palestinians; and calls upon the Government to apply what pressure it can to ensure Israel ceases these extrajudicial killings which have become symbolic of its disregard for international law in Articles 6 and 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
That this House congratulates the people of Venezuela on their successful elections for a national assembly; notes that in successive ballots the people of Venezuela have voted for social justice and better links with other Latin American countries; and calls upon the international community to respect the wishes of the people and cooperate with the Government of Venezuela.
That this House congratulates Evo Morales on his success in the Bolivian election; notes his campaign was dominated by the demand that oil and gas reserves should benefit the people of the country and a rejection of new liberal economies; and trusts the international community will respect the wishes of the people and co-operate with the new government.
That this House welcomes the decision by a Santiago court that former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet, is to stand trial for atrocities committed during his 17-year regime in Chile; resents his countless efforts to plead ill health when faced with each legal hurdle in the campaign to bring him to justice; and congratulates all those surviving victims and campaigners who continue to work toward ensuring that he is tried for crimes committed during Operation Condor, a conspiracy of the 1970's South American dictatorships to kill opponents and bury their bodies in each other's countries, including the torture of 27,000 people and the killing of some 3,000 political activists from 1973 to 1990.
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Extradition Act 2003 (Multiple Offences) Order 2003 (S.I., 2003, No. 3150), dated 4th December 2003, a copy of which was laid before this House on 11th December, be annulled.
That this House notes the positive developments on Bahrain over the past three years, including the release of political prisoners, the return of exiles and the repeal of the State Security Law; welcomes the ending of the state of emergency that had been in force since the suspension in 1975 of some articles of the 1973 constitution and the dissolution of the elected parliament; takes account of the promises given by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa prior to the public endorsement of the National Charter on 14th February 2001; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to assist the process of reform in Bahrain by providing models of good governance, which exclude gracious acts and decrees not sanctioned by law, permit the removal of governments by popular elections, promote equality of opportunity in employment and access to public services, grant citizenship only on the basis of the law and refrain from using public funds to promote the interests of one sector of society.
That this House notes that teachers working in schools in inner and outer London and the fringe areas do invaluable work; further notes that the current cost of living allowances paid to these teachers are too low; acknowledges the difficulties experienced by many head teachers in dealing with staff resignations due to lack of affordable accommodation; notes the burden placed on school budgets by the high cost of supply teachers to fill the resulting vacancies; and calls on the Government to recognise the key status of teachers by paying them allowances comparable with other vital workers such as the police, and relative to the high cost of living in London and the fringe areas.
That this House is appalled at the decision of Islington Council, controlled by the Liberal Democrats, to sell buildings occupied by local voluntary and community groups to property speculators; is concerned that this plan, introduced without consultation with anyone, will lead to the loss of buildings and possible closure of groups, including the Factory Community Centre, the Turkish Education Group, Turkish Women's Group, Turkish Cypriot Elderly Group, Islington People's Rights, the Mobile Repair Service, the Advisory Service to Squatters, Islington Voluntary Action Council, NITRO Theatre Group, Ghana Union, SPOD Disability Charity, Clerkenwell Green Association, Palace and Castle Learning Disability Charity, Clerkenwell Green Association, Islington Training Network, North London Bangladesh Welfare Association, the Maya Centre and Storage Facilities for Chapel Market Traders; and calls upon Islington Liberal Democrats to support the local community, not property speculators.
That this House is deeply disappointed that the World Conference Against Racism held in Durban in August failed to address the issue of caste discrimination and related forms of discrimination based on work and descent; recognises the positive contribution to the Conference of Dalit representatives from India and of affected peoples from several other countries in providing testimonies of systematic discrimination on the basis of work and descent; expresses concern that the EU did not express clear and unified support for the paragraph on 'discrimination by work and descent' in the Draft Programme of Action, at the conference; welcomes the European Parliament's call for EU member states to 'investigate to what extent its policies contribute to the abolition of caste-discrimination and the practice of untouchability in India'; calls on the UK Government to prioritise caste discrimination in its development and human rights programmes in the relevant countries; urges the United Kingdom Government to ensure that discrimination by work and descent continues to be raised with the appropriate governments, including at the regular EU/India 'summits' and other bilateral occasions; and, looks forward to the day when caste discrimination will be eradicated once and for all.
That this House welcomes the release of documents concerning US relations with Chile, which are being deposited in the National Archives in Chile; believes that the uncovering of the truth concerning military oppression in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay is best served by the release of all documents held by other governments; and accordingly calls on the British Government to waive the thirty year rule and publish all documents it holds concerning relations with Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay during the years of their military dictatorships and any other documents relating to Operation Condor.
That this House deplores the ongoing campaigns of violent discrimination against the Dalits, who are born at the bottom of India's caste system, supports the Indian Government's continuing efforts to end caste discrimination through legislative initiatives such as the Prevention of Atrocities Act; expresses its concern at the apparent inability of the Indian judiciary to deal effectively with high caste militia violence aimed at Dalits, such as the seven Dalit victims in Kambalapalli, Karnatatra in March 2000; urges the Government to support the Dalit peoples through focussed development programmes; and welcomes the excellent contribution to this of the International Dalit Solidarity Network.
That this House is appalled at the deaths of Damilola Taylor in Peckham and Abdi Hamza in Islington, both of whom were stabbed to death within yards of their own homes and whose young lives have been so cruelly taken; and hopes that those responsible are brought to justice and that the problems of violence and anti-social behaviour are urgently addressed in inner city communities.
leave out from 'reading;' to end and insert '; and looks forward to its speedy passage into law and thus achieve the harmonisation of the age of consent.'.
That this House welcomes the decision of the Prime Minister that he will meet the family of Robert Hamill who, in 1997, was kicked to death in Portadown town centre and in the presence of armed RUC officers; and joins the Irish Government, the United States Congress International Relations Committee and Amnesty International in calling upon him to establish an independent judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Robert Hamill's death as soon as possible.
That this House notes the victory of Laurent Gbagbo from the Ivorian Popular Front in the presidential elections of 22nd October in the Ivory Coast; notes also that these elections were carried out in accordance with the constitution adopted after the referendum in July 2000; condemns the actions of outgoing President General Robert Guei in refusing to accept the legitimate will of the Ivorian people by declaring himself elected as president; deplores the human rights violations of his military regime, including the extra-judicial killings and terror which have taken place since his coup d'etat of 24th December 1999; calls on Her Majesty's Government to press for an independent judicial inquiry so that those responsible for these violations are brought to justice; and urges Her Majesty's Government to ensure stability in the region by strengthening the new administration of Laurent Gbagbo with financial assistance and co-operation to restore confidence in the Ivorian economy.
That this House notes that 26th August 2000 is the 25th anniversary of the dismissal of Bahrain's Parliament and the suspension of its constitution; recognises the importance of 26th August 1975 in the history of the people of Bahrain in their struggle for democracy and the rule of law; is gravely concerned that, 25 years on, Bahrain's Parliament and constitution remain suspended; supports the people of Bahrain who are calling for the restoration of their constitution and democratically-elected assembly; is also concerned at the continuing human rights violations in Bahrain as documented in the Annual Report of Amnesty International; particularly deplores the arrest of minors and women, the systematic torture and general ill-treatment of detainees, the forcible exile of Bahraini citizens, and the unfair trials conducted by the State Security Court; regrets the Bahraini Government's refusal to enter into dialogue with the members of the Committee for Popular Petition for the restoration of Bahrain's Parliament and constitution; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to urge the Bahrain Government to enter into dialogue with the members of the Committee, to put an end to all human rights violations in Bahrain, and to allow freedom of expression, of press, of association and freedom of assembly.
That this House congratulates all those who attended the Defend Council Housing lobby on 19th July; and notes the strength of feeling against transfers.
after 'sites' insert 'and the opportunity provided by using some part of development sites for allotments and calling on Railtrack to lease appropriate land for the same purpose.'.
after 'development' insert 'believes that in some cases the non-development of sites can lead to the creation of much-needed open spaces and wildlife refuges;'.
That this House deplores proposals by Islington Council's Liberal Democrat administration to withdraw totally its funding of Islington Irish Centre; notes that the borough's Irish community, the second largest in London, has made a massive contribution to all aspects of life in Islington and elsewhere over many decades; notes also that successive studies have shown the borough's Irish population suffers disproportionate levels of deprivation; commends Islington Irish Centre for providing a wide range of welfare, social, cultural and educational services, particularly to older and vulnerable members of the community, at a fraction of what these services would otherwise cost Islington Council; believes that the Centre's closure would be a major blow to older Irish people who rely heavily upon its services; acknowledges that this was the generation which, among many contributions, helped rebuild London after wartime devastation and staffed the newly created National Health Service, and that many endured discrimination and prejudice upon their arrival in London, strongly believes they should not have to do so at the end of their lives; believes that Islington Irish Centre's ú83,000 annual grant represents excellent value for money; and therefore joins the Irish Ambassador to the United Kingdon and the Federation of Irish Societies in calling upon Islington Council to restore immediately its funding of Islington Irish Centre.
That this House notes the official visit to the United Kingdom of the Prime Minister of Australia and the celebrations to mark Australia Week 2000; acknowledges the close ties between the peoples of the United Kingdom and Australia as Commonwealth partners, in war and peace, in trade, sport and professional co-operation; however, also notes that the Aboriginal and Islander peoples of Australia have little to celebrate, that their life expectance is 17 years less than other Australians and their infant mortality rate is twice as high; acknowledges the oppression and injustices inflicted on Aboriginal peoples and apologises for the suffering caused by past British policies; further acknowledges current discrimination and disadvantage suffered by Aboriginal peoples in health, education, job opportunities and provision of public services; and therefore calls on the Governments and peoples of Australia to mark the Centenary of Federation by committing themselves to redress that discrimination and disadvantage, and to recognise the special status and rights of Aboriginal peoples as the indigenous peoples of Australia.
That this House welcomes the Secretary of State for Defence's answer to a parliamentary question on 3rd July in which he stated that 'Our current assessment is that there is no significant threat to the UK from weapons of mass destruction'; also welcomes the recent statement by the US State Department which acknowledged that North Korea, Iran and Libya, who were the rationale behind the National Missile Defence project 'are no longer rogue states'; further welcomes the compelling arguments which have been advanced by a number of honourable Members in support of their opposition to the NMD; notes the widely reported public criticisms by France, Germany and Italy of the NMD; also notes that Mr Pedersen, the Foreign Minister of Denmark, has said that it would not be Denmark's policy to use Thule radar station, which is an essential component of the NMD; deeply regrets the failure by the present Labour Government to take an unequivocal position on the NMD; is concerned that the US is determined to go ahead with the system, despite its profound implications for the future of the nuclear disarmament process; urges Her Majesty's Government to recognise the increasing swell of cross party and public anxiety about the NMD and its implications for international peace and security; and calls for an early debate before any decision is made about the use by US of the ground radar station at Fylingdales in Yorkshire, which is integral to the NMD.
leave out from 'members' to end and insert 'and therefore calls for the restoration in full of the condition, suspended in 1974, and adherance to all international standards on human rights.'.
That this House applauds the 7,000 people who marched through London on Saturday 24 June to support asylum rights; is distressed that this significant demonstration received no coverage on major television and newspapers; and call upon Her Majesty's Government to examine the poverty of many asylum seekers in the United Kingdom and to be far more critical of human rights abuses in the countries from which people seek asylum.
That this House values the contribution of the voluntary sector in helping to develop a harmonious and cohesive society; deplores the cuts now being threatened to Islington's voluntary sector by the Liberal Democrat administration which is attempting to save ú1.4 million by cuts to community centres, ethnic organisations, advice agencies, luncheon clubs, youth facilities and pensioners' clubs; believes that these cuts will increase social exclusion and will result in huge losses to the borough because without core funding community centres will not be eligible for other financial support; and accordingly calls on the council to halt the programme of cuts and on the Government's social exclusion unit to report on the impact of the voluntary sector on community life.
That this House is horrified at the death of fifty eight asylum seekers in a lorry entering the United Kingdom from Belgium; sends its deepest sympathy to their families and friends; recalls the deaths of other asylum seekers trying to enter Europe with the deepest regret; and resolves to seriously examine the economic, social and political desperation that causes victims to attempt to flee to Europe, rather than looking for even more draconian measures against asylum seekers.
That this House welcomes the proposal of the Organisation of African unity at the end of the recent Proximity Talks in Algiers for an Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea; is of the view that this plan is the best hope for peace and stability in the region; notes that, according to the terms of the OAU proposal, both parties will agree to seek a resolution of the present crisis and any other dispute between them through peaceful and legal means in accordance with the principles enshrined in the charters of the OAU and United Nations, that both countries will commit to an immediate cessation of hostilities including the cessation of all armed air and land attacks, that the armed forces of both countries will withdraw to the positions held before fighting broke out on 6th May 1998 and that both parties will accept the deployment of a UN/OAU peacekeeping mission to monitor the cessation of hostilities and the redeployment of Ethiopian troops; welcomes the fact Eritrea has accepted the OAU proposal; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to use all its influence to persuade the Government of Ethiopia also to sign up to ensure a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
That this House views with alarm the Government's refusal to either fund or allow local authorities to borrow directly to invest in repairing council housing, the Housing Green Paper's aim to transfer 200,000 homes per year over 10 years, the support for PFI, even though it is an expensive way of financing public services, the terms attached to the 'arms-length housing companies' that make them unavailable to all but a handful of authorities and suggest that they will be so 'arms length' as to be effectively privatised, support for 'market forces' that will cause real financial hardship as council rents rise and the amount of money being spent by local authorities to win transfer ballots without equal resources to opponents preventing a fair debate; notes that the Government has recognised the injustice of this but had not yet stopped this tax or returned the money to fund housing repairs; believes that the experience of 'market forces' in housing has caused immense misery and poverty and necessitated that the provision of decent, affordable, secure and accountable housing be an essential component of the comprehensive welfare state and that this policy should be defended today; and resolves to join with council tenants, local authority trade unionists and others to ensure that further privatisation of council housing is halted to allow a proper debate including allowing local authorities to borrow directly and the long-term cost and other consequences of council housing privatisation.
That this House is alarmed that the Belfast Coroner has decided not to authorise an inquest into the death of Robert Hamill in Portadown because he is concerned for the safety of witnesses; and therefore calls upon the Secretary of State to hold a judicial inquiry into this tragedy as a matter of urgency.