40 ingested motions from United Kingdom introduced in 2012. Year filters use the introduced date shown on each card. Walk years back as far as this source still publishes.
That this House is concerned that the disgraced General Petraeus, when he was the top US commander in Afghanistan, allowed lobbyists Frederick and Kimberly Kagan unique access to secret information and private meetings; notes that the Kagans used these privileges to advocate substantive changes in the US war plan, including a harder-edged approach that intensified war activity; is alarmed at reports that they repeatedly campaigned against peace initiatives; concludes that the Kagans' activity served the commercial interests of their defence contractors' paymasters; and believes their lobbying added to NATO and Afghan casualties killed in avoidable conflicts fomented in the commercial interest of US defence companies.
That this House is concerned by the UK National Screening Committee's (NSC) decision not to introduce routine screening of pregnant women for group B streptococcus; notes that every year hundreds of newborn babies suffer death and disability due to group B streptococcus infection and the numbers of reported cases in the UK has continued to rise by 23 per cent between 2003 and 2011; further notes the decline in group B streptococcus infection in babies where countries routinely screen; acknowledges the widespread support for screening during the NSC consultation with over 95 per cent of respondents in favour; recognises that at the Royal College of Midwives conference 75 per cent of midwives agreed that a routine offer of screening should be introduced; and calls on the UK National Screening Committee to reconsider this decision and follow the example of countries such as the US, Argentina, France, Kenya and Slovenia who support screening of group B streptococcus.
That this House is deeply concerned by the continued detention and mistreatment of Vietnamese citizens Doan Huy Chuong, Do Thi Minh Hanh, and Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung who have recently been sentenced to between seven and nine years' imprisonment on national security charges for helping to organise workers at a shoe factory in Vietnam; notes with concern that very serious concerns have been raised regarding the conduct of their trials including that the Vietnamese government prevented the three from having the benefit of legal counsel during their trial; deplores the continued hard labour which they face; expresses the firm belief that their continued imprisonment violates their right to freedom of expression and association as protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and calls on the Government to take all possible measures to press for the immediate and unconditional release ofDoan Huy Chuong, Do Thi Minh Hanh, and Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung.
That this House recognises that in a pan-European survey of the chemical industry's reputation the UK has come first in overall reputation and is at the top of a series of measures including product transparency, safe use, energy efficiency and economic impact; and congratulates the sector which adds £80 million every day to the UK economy, £20 billion a year, and its representative body the Chemical Industries Association on its work within local communities and its contribution to the UK.
That this House is concerned by the findings of The Postcode Penalty, a new report from Citizens Advice Scotland, which shows that at least one million Scots are being hit with surcharges, late delivery and even being refused delivery when they buy goods online, because of where they live; notes that consumers in Scotland's island communities pay a postcode penalty of nearly 19 for delivery, a mark up of over 500 per cent, and consumers across the Highlands are charged an extra 15; further notes that of all the surcharges levied by the 534 retailers that Citizens Advice Scotland investigated, more than 70 per cent applied to consumers in Scotland, indicating that Scots are disproportionately affected by poor delivery practices; further notes that this problem affects businesses as well as consumers; calls on retailers to change their delivery policies to ensure fair, affordable and understandable delivery for consumers wherever they live; applauds Royal Mail forits universal service obligation which ensures a fair price for post and parcels across the whole of the UK; and congratulates the Scottish CAB Service forits campaign to secure a fairer deal for consumers.
That this House awaits with interest developments following discussions between police and the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield at the gatesto Downing Street in September 2012; invites the Press Complaints Commission, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the advisers to Sir Brian Leveson and the BBC and other broadcasters to review their coverage and reporting of that incident; believes there are lessons to be learned, including on the corroboration of media reports with CCTV recordings; and looks forward to public debate when possible on these matters.
That this House considers that pleural plaques caused by negligent exposure to asbestos constitute actual harm; calls on the Government to reassess its stance on access to compensation for people suffering pleural plaques caused by exposure to asbestos and allow sufferers to sue their employers where there is proven negligence; and further calls on the Government to adopt the position taken in Scotland whereby sufferers may bring a claim under civil law for compensation where their condition was caused by the negligence of the employer.
That this House pays tribute to the life of Lancashire Baronet Sir Timothy Kimber, who sadly passed away on 4 December 2012; notes all of the charity work Sir Timothy undertook as High Sheriff of Lancaster, as President of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and as Chairman of the Lancaster Boys and Girls club; further notes the high example he set to others through his charity work; and sends its condolences to his family at this sad time.
That this House congratulates the Charity Commission for denying charitable status to the Exclusive Brethren sect; notes the sect's doctrine of separation which has divided families and excludes Brethren from society to the extent that members refuse to live in semi-detached houses for fear of contamination from non-Brethren; and is appalled by the definition of their faith expressed by their leader Bruce Hales that the whole principles of the world have to be scorned, disdained and hated and that members of the sect have to develop an utter hatred of every feature of the world to avoid being sucked in and seduced by it.
That this House is concerned by the way that some ambulance trusts are meeting the A19 target; notes that the definition of the A19 target is the total number of category A calls which resulted in a fully equipped ambulance vehicle, able to transport the patient in a clinically safe manner, arriving at the scene of the incident within 19 minutes irrespective of location in 95 per cent of cases; further notes that this target was set for the transportation of category A patients and is being claimed routinely on the arrival of any rapid response vehicle (RRV) including cars; recognises that in most cases category A patients are the most critically ill or injured, and as such, most likely to need rapid transport; further recognises that most of these patients are unable to be transported in a car; calls on the Government to encourage ethical behaviour from ambulance trusts, including the East of England Ambulance Trust, which is manning RRVs over ambulances in order to achieve targets; further recognises that this has created delays and poor clinical outcomes for patients, particularly stroke patients in Norfolk; further calls on the Government to give clearer direction to all ambulance trusts, for the benefit and protection of vulnerable patients and to reflect the nature of the target, which is to record the percentage of calls for which the actual transportable resource arrives within 19 minutes; and further calls on the Government to review this matter urgently so that the A19 target can only be met by the actual transporting resource.
That this House notes with deep regret and sadness the recent death of Tony Stock, the victim of one of the most outrageous miscarriages of justice of modern times; congratulates the Criminal Cases Review Commission for referring Tony's conviction for the robbery of a Tesco supermarket in Leeds in 1970 to the Court of Appeal for an historic second time; regrets that the Court of Appeal has on four separate occasions failed properly to engage with the overwhelming body of evidence establishing Tony's innocence and quash his conviction to enable him to clear his name before his death; and encourages his solicitor, Glyn Maddocks, and other long time supporters to continue to work to achieve posthumous justice for Tony and his family.
That this House welcomes the Ninth Report of the Home Affairs Committee, Drugs: Breaking the Cycle; notes its belief that there is now, more than ever, a case for a fundamental review of all UK drugs policy; and calls on the Government to act on its recommendation for the establishment of a Royal Commission to consider the best ways of reducing the harm caused by drugs and by taking evidence from treatment providers such as the Drugs, Alcohol and Justice Cross-Party Parliamentary Group.
That this House condemns the recent comments by Google's chairman Eric Schmidt that he is proud of his company's tax avoidance, calling it capitalism, which demonstrates contempt for the UK Government and its taxpayers; and therefore calls on the Government to review its approach to corporation tax avoidance working alongside other affected countries, including making it a priority of the G8 presidency.
That this House deplores recent initiatives by the British Government, after a 10-year boycott, to court the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, who played a major role in the 2002 pogrom of Muslims which left hundreds dead; notes that the state government continues to refuse to repatriate the remains of the four British tourists murdered then; further notes that Modi was denied a visa to Britain on the grounds that he was `responsible for or directly carried out... particularly severe violations of religious freedom'; demands that the Government reiterates that Modi will not be allowed to visit Britain; and instructs the British High Commissioner in India to sever relations with him.
That this House notes the tremendous achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution over the last 14 years in Venezuela under the leadership of Hugo Chavez; further notes that Hugo Chavez was recently re-elected for a fourth term as President of Venezuela; observes that former US President Jimmy Carter has declared that `of the 92 elections that we've monitored, I would say the election process in Venezuela is the best in the world'; regrets that the cancer which Hugo Chavez has been afflicted with has returned and that President Chavez has had to undergo further surgery in Cuba; and gives him every good wish for a successful fight against cancer and a rapid recovery to full health.
That this House welcomes the decision by the Tour de France organisers to select Yorkshire to host the Grand Depart of the Tour de France on 5 and 6 July 2014; notes that Leeds will be the official host city for the opening stages; pays tribute to Welcome to Yorkshire, Leeds City Council, other Yorkshire and Humber councils and the whole Back le Bid campaign for putting together such a strong bid and showcasing what Yorkshire has to offer; recognises that this will be the first time the Tour de France has visited the North of England and only its second time in the UK; further welcomes the significant economic boost this will give to Yorkshire as a result of the millions of visitors to the county during the Grand Depart as well as the opportunity to promote the county to two billion people from across the world watching on television; further notes that the announcement comes in the same year as the first ever British winner of the Tour de France; looks forward to one of the biggest and most prestigious sporting events in the world in the cities, towns and streets of Yorkshire; further recognises that this caps off an incredible year of sport for Yorkshire and the UK; and calls on UK Sport and the Government to fully support Le Tour de Yorkshire to assist in making this an event to be remembered for generations to come and a boost to the Yorkshire and UK economies and to cycling in Yorkshire and the UK.
That this House welcomes the decision that the Tour de France in 2014 will start in Leeds; congratulates those who worked so hard to secure this honour for Leeds and for Yorkshire; regrets that the planned route of the Tour de France at the moment does not include Bradford; believes that Bradford should be one of the cities through which the Tour de France should run as this will boost the city; and calls on those planning the route to include Bradford in the route.
That this House conveys its sincere and deepest sympathy to all those involved in the tragedy of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting; and assures the people of Newtown, Connecticut, that its thoughts and prayers are with them at this time of grief and tragedy.
That this House is saddened by the recent death of Ravi Shankar, world acclaimed sitar player, at the age of 92 years; recognises him as a pioneer of music who popularised new global styles and instruments by bringing Indian classical music to a new mass audience; notes the talent of Ravi Shankar as a musician who stayed true to Indian music; further notes the great complexity, skill and patience required in the lifelong mastering of the sitar; further notes that playing any musical instrument is a continual source of learning; further notes the significance of musical education in schools as a means by which to foster young talent and encourage such learning; continues to support musical education as an important part of the National Curriculum; and believes Ravi Shankar will continue to inspire younger generations as the main proponent of bringing one of the oldest forms of classical music to a mass audience.
That this House notes that despite having almost one-third of the UK coffee shop market, Starbucks has paid corporation tax only once in the past 15 years; calls for Starbucks and other multinational companies to be taxed on the real value of their production in the UK, not an arbitrary feel-goodamount and, failing this, for each individual outlet to be taxed on its profits, as is the expectation for businesses in Worksop and Retford such as Miss Poppy's Coffee Shop or The Bay Tree; and urges local authorities to refuse planning permission to Starbucks and other tax-avoiding companies until they agree to pay the same level of tax as their small business competitors each and every year.
That this House acknowledges the great effort by the Rt Hon Desmond De Silva QC and the sincerity of the Prime Minister's apology on behalf of the country to the family of the late Patrick Finucane; notes the depressingly large-scale collusion between state officials and loyalist killers revealed by De Silva; and calls for a full public inquiry into these events as being the only way to provide closure for the Finucane family, whose dignified campaign so moved the Prime Minister and the House, to reveal to the public and parliaments of both the Irish Republic and Great Britain the exact nature and extent of state collusion in loyalist murders.
That this House believes that children in the UK and abroad must be protected from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse; further believes that the phenomenon of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children in travel and tourism is a worldwide problem that must be tackled on both a national and international basis; further believes that greater efforts must be made to encourage international co-operation and information sharing about child sex offenders; is deeply concerned that British sex offenders travel abroad to commit offences of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse against vulnerable children in a range of different circumstances; notes that the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse makes specific provisions for preventing travelling sex offenders from sexually exploiting and abusing children abroad; further notes that the Convention contains measures to encourage co-operation between states in preventing and combating sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, with the overarching aim of promoting mutual legal assistance in investigating and prosecuting offenders; welcomes the fact that the Government signed the Convention on 5 May 2008; and calls on the Government to ratify and implement the Convention immediately.
That this House is concerned that bus passengers are being levied with grossly excessive and unchecked fare increases; notes recent figures from the Department for Transport showing the average UK bus fare increase was over 32 per cent in the last five years, when the inflationary rise was 18 per cent; is further concerned that in the last year alone hard pressed bus passengers have been hit by a 6.5 per cent fare increase, over twice the rate of inflation; further notes that over 1,300 bus services have been reduced or cut since May 2010, mainly as a result of cuts to public subsidy and local authority funding to the bus industry; further notes research by the RMT union that operating profits at bus companies increased on average by over seven per cent in each of the last five years, including a 7.6 per cent increase in 2011; is dismayed that despite buses accounting for two thirds of public transport journeys, including lifeline services for school children, pensioners and jobseekers, Government policy has ensured that bus operators can still make significant profits through fare rises and service cuts; and calls for an urgent review of bus policy, including whether the interests of passengers and communities could be better served by promoting the regulation and public ownership of bus services.
That this House raises concerns about the decision taken by Cumbria Waste Management, a company owned by Cumbria County Council, to severely cut back operating hours of household waste recycling centres (HWRC) across the country; notes with unease that 25 waste management workers face redundancy as part of the plans; further notes that in South Lakeland residents will see a 74 per cent reduction in operating hours at the HWRC at Ambleside, a 37 per cent reduction in the opening hours of the centre at Canal Head in Kendal and a reduction of 42 per cent in opening hours at Grange-over-Sands; fears that these cuts will lead to a severe drop in recycling across the country as well as an increase in fly-tipping, which is harmful to the environment; and calls on Cumbria County Council to reconsiderits proposals before implementation in early 2013.
That this House recognises the unique achievements of Second Lieutenant Walter Tull (1888-1918) who had a notable football career and was only the second black man to play football professionally in the UK; notes that he joined the Footballers Battalion when war was declared in 1914, and served with distinction for the entire duration of the war; further notes that he was the only non-white man to become a combat officer in the British Army; further notes that he was killed in an attack on the German trenches at Favreuil in 1918; and urges the Government to honour him posthumously with the Military Cross.
That this House welcomes the report Time to Care, published by UNISON, which highlights the vital role that homecare workers perform for some of the most vulnerable people in society; recognises how poor terms and conditions for the homecare workforce can have a large impact on their ability to provide a good level of care to service users; expresses concern that 79.1 per cent of homecare workers surveyed in the report said they have to rush their work or leave a client early to get to their next visit on time, and that 58 per cent were not reimbursed for their travel time between clients, meaning they are often paid less than the national minimum wage for their working day; believes that urgent changes must be made to the way in which homecare services are funded, commissioned and delivered to address these concerns; and calls on the Government to encourage all local authorities commissioning homecare services to sign up to the Ethical Care Charter, which establishes improved terms and conditions for homecare workers including the payment of the living wage, travel time and an adequate time allowance for homecare visits.
That this House expresses support for the findings of the report The Forgotten Millions: reforming social care services for people living with neurological conditions recently published by the health and social care charity, Sue Ryder; further expresses concern that only 10 per cent of the local authorities who responded to the charity's survey have an agreed commissioning strategy for people with neurological conditions, that only five per cent of responding local authorities know how many individuals with any neurological condition they care for and that only six per cent of local authorities categorise all specific neurological conditions; and supports the recommendations made by the charity that in order for the problems highlighted by the report to be addressed there is a need for strong leadership at a national and local level, that robust data collection must take place, that the postcode lottery of service provision must end and that the nationally-recognised standards of care and support for people with neurological conditons must be introduced.
That this House notes that on 5 December 2012 Michele Bicknell walked across Morecambe Promenade with her small Jack Russell dog off its leash in order to get to the beach and was then stopped by an official from Lancaster City Council who demanded she paid an 80 fine; further notes that when Miss Bicknell refused to pay - due to alack of signage - the council official pursued her with a colleague and two police officers; believes that it was a waste of police and council time to chase Miss Bicknell; further believes the council must display common sense in applying dog control orders; calls on the council to rescind this fine in the name of common sense, stop wasting resources harassing responsible dog owners and put up better signage; and further calls on them to stop calling the police unless absolutely necessary as it costs the hard pressed taxpayer money.
That this House recognises the significant and deepening problem of food poverty in communities across the UK and notes the important role that hon. Members can play in championing the issue both within Parliament and within their own constituencies; further recognises the critical role that leading food charity FareShare plays by working with the food industry and community groups to address food poverty by making good use of surplus food fit for human consumption; calls on community leaders including local councillors to show leadership on the issue and work with FareShare, hon. Members, community groups and the food industry to alleviate levels of food poverty; and further calls on responsible food businesses to recognise the important role that they can play in alleviating food poverty by working with FareShare to utilise food surpluses.
That this House is alarmed at attempts by the Government to politicise the Civil Service; notes that the Prime Minister personally overruled the appointment of David Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, who had been selected as the new permanent secretary of the Department for Energy and Climate Change; is surprised at the claim of the Minister for the Cabinet Office that some top civil servants have deliberately obstructed plans that Ministers want to be implemented; recalls that many past failing governments, in mid-term, blamed civil servants for government ineptitude; and asserts the prime need for the independence of the Civil Service to provide stability and moderation in government.
That this House notes that in the updated National Strategy for Carers the Government pledged an additional £400 million to the NHS to enable more carers to take well-earned breaks from their caring responsibilities; further notes that there are over six million carers in the UK who are vital to its national system of care and support and that last year, primary care trusts (PCTs) were required to publish plans and budgets on supporting carers in line with the Carers' Strategy and that although some have done so, many have not fulfilled their duties; supports the report recently published by Carers Trust which details the lack of transparency and accountability for carers in terms of how PCTs are supporting them; agrees with Carers Trust that carers could be better supported if clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) worked with local authorities, carers and local carers organisations to refresh local carers strategies and to ensure carers benefit from the funding made available to the NHS up until 2015; and finally calls on the Government and the NHS Commissioning Board to ensure CCGs work in partnership with others to identify clear and accessible ways to present information on how they are supporting carers and allocating funding for carers' breaks.
That this House notes that Bradford City Football Club has been through some very difficult times in recent years including two periods of administration; further notes that, despite this, the club has maintained a very large and loyal fan base and is now extremely well-managed thanks, above all, to the joint chairmen Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes; further notes that Bradford City FC has a wonderful stadium at Valley Parade now known as the Coral Windows Stadium; further notes the remarkable performance of the team in beating Premiership side Arsenal in the League Cup now known as the Capital One Cup; congratulates the team, its manager Phil Parkinson and everyone involved in this fabulous success; and wishes the Bantams every success for the future.
That this House notes that judicial review is a mechanism whereby citizens can take action to ensure that public authorities act in accordance with the will of Parliament; recognises with sadness that at times public servants and public authorities act in ways which are not in accordance with the law and hence such a remedy is necessary; further recognises that there is a procedural problem whereby misconceived judicial reviews are used to hold up substantial projects; further notes that aiming to price out applications for judicial review would be contrary toBritish tradition as expressed in Article XXIX of Magna Carta 1297; and calls, therefore, for the Government to take a balanced perspective in any changes to the procedures of judicial review to ensure that protection remains from arbitrary and oppressive actions by public authorities for ordinary people.
That this House regrets the decision not to go ahead now with the consecration of women bishops by the Church of England Synod; and urges the Church to bring forward legislation again at an early date.
That this House is concerned by the ongoing attacks against the Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority in Burma; notes that attacks have now begun against the Kaman Muslim ethnic minority; further notes that police, state security and national Burmese Army soldiers are reported to be taking part in some of the attacks; isfurther concerned by President Thein Sein's request for international assistance in deporting all Rohingya from Burma which gives encouragement to alleged mobs carrying out the attacks; calls on the Government to support the placement of UN-mandated international observers in Rakhine State; further calls on the Government to work to ensure unrestricted humanitarian access is granted to all Rohingya areas, to support a United Nations Commission of Inquiry into the violence, and to encourage the government of Burma to repeal or amend the 1982 citizenship law which deprives the Rohingya of citizenship.
That this House notes the recent arrest of the Acting General Secretary of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) Mr Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as he was leaving the central office of the Party to attend a meeting with the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Mr Robert Blake at the residence of the BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia; further notes this is part ofa pattern of arrests and harassment of senior political figures in the BNP, including Mr Alamgir, in advance of the elections in 2014; further notes that there appears to be a deteriorating human rights situation in Bangladesh as tensions rise in advance of the elections; expresses its profound concern about these developments; and calls on the Foreign Secretary to urge the Bangladesh government to do all in its power to reverse this situation and to ensure that the road to the elections in 2014 is marked by a new spirit of respect for all political trends and that the run up to the elections and the elections themselves are conducted on a level playing field and are free, fair and participatory.
That this House congratulates Lothian Buses on its recent success at the Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) Awards 2012; notes that the company was among 34 companies shortlisted this year; values the awards as a way to recognise businesses which achieve measurable reductions in their environmental impacts; welcomes and applauds the reductions to environmental impacts which Lothian Buses has achieved through sustainable transport approaches such as the use of hybrid vehicles; and encourages other companies to follow the example set by Lothian Buses to contribute to a greener community.
That this House is concerned about the effect of rising energy prices on the ability of people to keep warm in winter and therefore supports the provisions of the Energy Efficiency and Reduction in Energy Costs Bill introduced on 11 December 2012; notes that the provisions of the Bill are very similar to Clause 13(2) of the Family Justice (Transparency, Accountability and Cost of Living) Bill that failed to receive a Second Reading on 26 October 2012; further notes that the Minister said during the debate on that Bill that `my hon. Friend makes an interesting suggestion about the use of Building Regulations... use of regulations is one of the options that the Department's officials areexploring...' (26 October 2012, Official Report, column 1254); and urges the Minister responsible for building regulations to respond positively to this new Bill.
That this House notes the impact of the proposed changes in council tax benefit and the likely effect on councils like Birmingham City Council, which has the largest caseload of citizens currently in receipt of council tax benefit by a considerable margin; believes that Birmingham's ability to support the most vulnerable in society will be severely affected by these changes; calls on the Secretary of State to recognise that the combination of the haste with which thelocal schemes are being introduced and the fact that benefits will be cut by 10 per cent will hit the poorest sections ofour community hardest; and further notes that the most deprived families in Birmingham and elsewhere could face bills of around 300, even if the local authority succeeds in protecting households where there is a pensioner or disabled person, and other low-income households will be asked to pay 24 per cent of the full council tax bill, as a result of these changes.