That this House notes with regret that sports clubs which do not own their own facilities and which rent venues privately are liable to pay value added tax (VAT) on the hire costs despite European legislation allowing for it to be charged at a reduced rate; further notes that every European Union member state other than the UK charges VAT at the reduced rate in respect of such clubs; recognises the importance of promoting and supporting sports in the community and for young people; and calls on the Government to demonstrate its commitment to investing in sport by allowing sports clubs to hire venues at a rate of reduced VAT.

That this House notes with regret that sports clubs which do not own their own facilities and which rent venues privately are liable to pay value added tax (VAT) on the hire costs despite European legislation allowing for it to be charged at a reduced rate; further notes that every...

That this House notes that the UK inland waterways are a national treasure which have significantly improved in recent years; shares the Government's view that the waterways nevertheless need new investment; further notes that nearly half of the money that British Waterways needs to maintain the network comes from its property portfolio; further notes that funding cuts in British Waterways' grant-in-aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs mean that the shortfall British Waterways faces in the money it needs to properly fund its waterways is increased to about ??40 million; believes the inland waterways should be treated as a national park; supports the Save our System 2010 campaign launched by the Inland Waterways Association; and further notes that the funding shortfall should be reinstated and the property portfolio protected so that it can provide a secure funding stream to ensure that the inland waterways can continue to be enjoyed by millions in years to come.

That this House notes that the UK inland waterways are a national treasure which have significantly improved in recent years; shares the Government's view that the waterways nevertheless need new investment; further notes that nearly half of the money that British Waterways needs to maintain the network comes from its...

That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to investigate proposals around portable licences for circus entertainment; is, however, extremely disappointed at the Government's rejection of many of the other excellent recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report on the Licensing Act 2003, including an exemption for small venues, better consistency between local authorities, the hybrid proposal for licensing lap dancing establishments and the scrapping of Form 696; celebrates the cultural value of live performances as an integral part of the creative sector; and therefore urges the Government to reassess its position and to take note of the recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report which are supported by the unions representing live performers and entertainers throughout the UK.

That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to investigate proposals around portable licences for circus entertainment; is, however, extremely disappointed at the Government's rejection of many of the other excellent recommendations of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report on the Licensing Act 2003, including an exemption for small venues,...

That this House believes that there is compelling evidence to show that extending daylight saving time and creating an extra hour of daylight in the evening will bring significant environmental, economic and road safety benefits for all parts of the UK; recognises research conducted by Cambridge University showing that an extra hour of daylight will reduce carbon emissions by up to two per cent. by limiting the daily spike of energy consumption; notes the United States Energy Policy Act 2005 which has brought forward the date the clocks go back by three weeks resulting in a reduction in total US energy consumption; acknowledges research conducted by the Policy Studies Institute showing that an extra hour in the evening will extend the British tourist season by 35 per cent. creating between 60,000 and 80,000 jobs; recognises the NAO report that shows road accidents increase by 10 per cent. in the four weeks following the clocks changing in October and that 57 per cent. of all road accidents involving children happen between 3 pm and 7 pm in the evening; and calls on the Government to introduce a three year trial period in order to make better use of daylight hours and energy resources and assess the advantages of different systems including Single Double Summer Time.

That this House believes that there is compelling evidence to show that extending daylight saving time and creating an extra hour of daylight in the evening will bring significant environmental, economic and road safety benefits for all parts of the UK; recognises research conducted by Cambridge University showing that an...

That this House congratulates the bingo industry on the contribution it makes to leisure and the economy in the UK; is concerned about the loss of 4,000 jobs in the bingo industry since 2003; calls on the Treasury to work closely with the bingo industry to preserve this popular leisure activity; and urges the Government to work closely with the industry to consider the future impact of the increase in bingo duty from 15 per cent. to 22 per cent., whilst the duty has remained at 15 per cent. for online versions of the game and for football pools.

That this House congratulates the bingo industry on the contribution it makes to leisure and the economy in the UK; is concerned about the loss of 4,000 jobs in the bingo industry since 2003; calls on the Treasury to work closely with the bingo industry to preserve this popular leisure...

That this House welcomes the Ramblers' second annual Get Walking Day on 30 May 2009, offering thousands of people in England, Scotland and Wales the opportunity to enjoy a short walk with the Ramblers; applauds the Get Walking Day goal to inspire families and individuals of all ages to go for a walk and to continue walking regularly; notes that doctors agree that moderate exercise like walking helps protect people from many illnesses and conditions including obesity, depression, heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, the most common type of diabetes and many cancers; recognises that walking for a total of 30 minutes a day, or 60 minutes for children, meets the Chief Medical Officer's minimum recommendations for physical activity; is alarmed that 70 per cent. of adults and 40 per cent. of children do not meet the target, with serious consequences for public health; further notes that the cost to the NHS of obesity alone will rise to ??10 billion a year by 2050 if current trends continue; believes that walking is the easiest form of exercise for the greatest number of people and that almost everyone can do it, anywhere and at any time, for free, with no special equipment or training; and urges hon. Members to support Get Walking Day and to encourage people to join in by going for a local walk.

That this House welcomes the Ramblers' second annual Get Walking Day on 30 May 2009, offering thousands of people in England, Scotland and Wales the opportunity to enjoy a short walk with the Ramblers; applauds the Get Walking Day goal to inspire families and individuals of all ages to go...

That this House recognises the importance of allotments within the local community; notes local authorities' statutory obligation to provide land for allotments is not being met; further notes that demand from the public for allotments exceeds current provision and is increasing; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative proposals to deliver an increase in the volume of land provided by local authorities for allotments.

That this House recognises the importance of allotments within the local community; notes local authorities' statutory obligation to provide land for allotments is not being met; further notes that demand from the public for allotments exceeds current provision and is increasing; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislative...

That this House is appalled that Rossendale Borough Council is considering closing a substantial number of leisure and sporting facilities in the Valley, including the swimming pools at Haslingden and Marl Pits and the Bacup Leisure Hall, which will cause enormous hardship and inconvenience to Rossendale residents, particularly the elderly, the young and the disabled; questions the attempt by Rossendale Borough Council to lay the blame for this at the door of the Rossendale Leisure Trust and to fail to consider the Trust's exciting plans for a sports village, despite the fact that external assessments have concluded that the Trust performs strongly in financial management and community delivery; notes that the council has failed to take up the Government's scheme for free swimming for the over 60s and under 16s and spends ??1 per head less than the Lancashire average on sport and leisure; calls upon the Minister for Local Government to intervene to ensure that a proper consultation is carried out on the future of sporting and leisure facilities in Rossendale with a view to ensuring affordable access to all; and urges him to insist that the council co-operates with the Leisure Trust to seek a sensible way forward and, if they do not, to urgently reassess the status of the council as a Good Performing Council.

That this House is appalled that Rossendale Borough Council is considering closing a substantial number of leisure and sporting facilities in the Valley, including the swimming pools at Haslingden and Marl Pits and the Bacup Leisure Hall, which will cause enormous hardship and inconvenience to Rossendale residents, particularly the elderly,...

That this House acknowledges the tremendous contribution that the Workingmen's and other social clubs have made to their communities; congratulates the Winlaton New West End Social Club on recently celebrating its 90th anniversary; recognises that it is a hub of activity for many groups in the local area, including the local history society, a camera club and a metal detector club; further appreciates that many of the sporting activities associated with social clubs are also based in Winlaton, including football, bowls, golf and angling; looks forward to the centenary celebration at the club; and wishes all the staff, officials, and members at the club all the best for the future.

That this House acknowledges the tremendous contribution that the Workingmen's and other social clubs have made to their communities; congratulates the Winlaton New West End Social Club on recently celebrating its 90th anniversary; recognises that it is a hub of activity for many groups in the local area, including the...

That this House notes the growing support for the campaign for lighter evenings; recognises that by moving to a system of Single and Double Summer Time the UK would have lighter evenings and time parity with our European neighbours which would provide considerable road safety, health, business, leisure and energy usage advantages; further notes that the campaign has the support of organisations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, the Child Accident Prevention Trust and the Automobile Association; and calls on the Government to introduce a trial period in order to make better use of daylight hours and energy resources and assess the advantages.

That this House notes the growing support for the campaign for lighter evenings; recognises that by moving to a system of Single and Double Summer Time the UK would have lighter evenings and time parity with our European neighbours which would provide considerable road safety, health, business, leisure and energy...

That this House welcomes the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group's Community Pub Inquiry Report; believes that Britain's community pubs are an undervalued resource, the unsung heroes of their neighbourhoods, with livelihoods increasingly under threat; is concerned that 36 pubs close every week in the UK; recognises the proposals set out by the group, including halting any further rises in beer duty, lowering tax on pump drawn ales as opposed to canned or bottled beer, removing many of the regulatory burdens that affect pubs, improving targeted rate relief, working with local authorities to make diversification plans simpler, quicker and more affordable and improving targeted funding for training to help licencees develop necessary business skills; and calls on the Government to seriously consider the inquiry's recommendations as a matter of urgency in order to halt the alarming number of pubs closing every week.

That this House welcomes the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group's Community Pub Inquiry Report; believes that Britain's community pubs are an undervalued resource, the unsung heroes of their neighbourhoods, with livelihoods increasingly under threat; is concerned that 36 pubs close every week in the UK; recognises the proposals set out...

That this House supports Proud of Pubs Week 2008, organised by The Publican magazine; recognises the importance of local pubs to communities throughout the United Kingdom; encourages publicans to show their pride in their businesses by reaching out to their communities and taking part in different activities during the week; further encourages the public to visit their local pub and support an important community resource; and believes that this initiative is particularly important given the difficult situation many community pubs find themselves in and the challenges they face.

That this House supports Proud of Pubs Week 2008, organised by The Publican magazine; recognises the importance of local pubs to communities throughout the United Kingdom; encourages publicans to show their pride in their businesses by reaching out to their communities and taking part in different activities during the week;...

That this House notes with concern the proposed closures of cr??ches in public swimming pools and leisure centres in Edinburgh as a result of financial cutbacks imposed by the Liberal Democrat/SNP administration on Edinburgh City Council; notes that these cr??che facilities are a well-used community resource that enable many parents and carers to swim, use gyms or take part in exercise classes; regards such closures as totally at variance with the stated commitment of both UK and devolved governments to promote fitness and public health; and urges Edinburgh City Council to reverse this decision.

That this House notes with concern the proposed closures of cr??ches in public swimming pools and leisure centres in Edinburgh as a result of financial cutbacks imposed by the Liberal Democrat/SNP administration on Edinburgh City Council; notes that these cr??che facilities are a well-used community resource that enable many parents...

That this House notes with concern that the Circus Working Group disregarded substantial amounts of evidence on the welfare of animals in circuses as a result of the methodology imposed by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; believes that the report of the Chair of the Circus Working Group fails to provide reliable information on this subject; and urges the Government to maintain its commitment to ban the use of wild species in travelling circuses and to restrict and limit the use of domesticated species under a strict, accountable and open licensing system.

That this House notes with concern that the Circus Working Group disregarded substantial amounts of evidence on the welfare of animals in circuses as a result of the methodology imposed by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; believes that the report of the Chair of the Circus...

That this House notes with growing concern the ever-increasing rate at which bingo clubs are closing across Great Britain; regrets the associated loss of an important social amenity - especially for elderly people - in communities where bingo clubs close; regrets the substantial loss to the economy of duties, income tax, National Insurance contributions, business rates and capital investment associated with bingo club closures; regrets the loss of employment, with more than 3,500 jobs lost in the last five years; notes that bingo is the only form of gambling to be subject to both 17.5 per cent. VAT and 15 per cent. gross profits tax; and urges the Government to take the earliest opportunity, Budget 2008, to minimise the number of further club, job and amenity losses in the future through the abolition of VAT on bingo revenues.

That this House notes with growing concern the ever-increasing rate at which bingo clubs are closing across Great Britain; regrets the associated loss of an important social amenity - especially for elderly people - in communities where bingo clubs close; regrets the substantial loss to the economy of duties, income...

That this House notes with concern the practice of Ticketmaster who sell tickets for events such as opera and theatre; recognises that the advertised price of tickets does not include a booking fee levied on each ticket in addition to another charge per ticket when customers collect their tickets; expresses concern that some companies only sell tickets through Ticketmaster leaving consumers with no alternative but to pay these additional fees; and calls on Ticketmaster to advertise clearly the additional prices they charge when advertising the price of tickets so that consumers are not misled.

That this House notes with concern the practice of Ticketmaster who sell tickets for events such as opera and theatre; recognises that the advertised price of tickets does not include a booking fee levied on each ticket in addition to another charge per ticket when customers collect their tickets; expresses...

That this House notes that it is nearly 10 years since the Football Task Force Report was published with recommendations on improving facilities at football stadia allowing disabled fans a parity of access and enjoyment at football games in this country; notes that since then, a number of clubs across the leagues have made significant improvements and their disabled fans now enjoy better facilities; regrets that there is still a considerable deficit in facilities and services for disabled supporters at most professional league clubs; and calls on all football clubs to measure their disabled supporter facilities against the Accessible Stadia Guide and Football Task Force recommendations and make a commitment to reach an equality of supporter experience for all football fans as set out in the National Association of Disabled Supporters Blueprint.

That this House notes that it is nearly 10 years since the Football Task Force Report was published with recommendations on improving facilities at football stadia allowing disabled fans a parity of access and enjoyment at football games in this country; notes that since then, a number of clubs across...

That this House condemns the decision by the Video Appeals Committee to overturn the ban on the sale of the video game Manhunt 2; notes that the predecessor to this game, Manhunt, was linked to the death of Leicester school boy Stefan Pakeerah; congratulates the Culture, Media and Sports Committee on its inquiry into the effects of video games; and calls on the British Board of Film Classification to seek a judicial review of the Video Appeals Committee's decision.

That this House condemns the decision by the Video Appeals Committee to overturn the ban on the sale of the video game Manhunt 2; notes that the predecessor to this game, Manhunt, was linked to the death of Leicester school boy Stefan Pakeerah; congratulates the Culture, Media and Sports Committee...

That this House recognises the importance of encouraging people to grow their own produce; further notes the level of demand for allotments amongst people of all ages; realises that in many areas there is a shortage of land for allotments despite the fact that local authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide allotments for local residents; and calls on the Government to ensure that all local authorities honour this statutory obligation in relation to allotments.

That this House recognises the importance of encouraging people to grow their own produce; further notes the level of demand for allotments amongst people of all ages; realises that in many areas there is a shortage of land for allotments despite the fact that local authorities have a statutory responsibility...

That this House notes with concern the release of a video game vest accessory that simulates the sensation of being shot; believes that this device may glorify the gun violence that is a prevalent and serious problem in Britain; brings attention to the study by the University of Missouri-Columbia demonstrating the clear link between the playing of violent video games and the greater propensity to commit aggressive acts; notes the condemnation of this vest accessory by the campaign group Mothers Against Guns; and seeks assurance from the Government that such devices are not a danger to people who are not medically fit.

That this House notes with concern the release of a video game vest accessory that simulates the sensation of being shot; believes that this device may glorify the gun violence that is a prevalent and serious problem in Britain; brings attention to the study by the University of Missouri-Columbia demonstrating...