That this House is aware that between 1987 and 1995 British Coal did not pay any employer contributions into the UK industry Mine Workers Pension Schemes (MPS) which benefited them as employers by approximately £1.136 billion; notes that when its representatives and others voted to consequently close the schemes, they also took the decision to allow 50 per cent of any surpluses to be taken by the Government which it is calculated will result eventually in the Government receiving in excess of £8 billion from both the MPS and its associate the BCSSS pension scheme, a scenario forecast by its own actuaries in 1995 and compounded later by their actions between 2002 and 2005 when the fund was used to cover a coal industry deficit for that period estimated as being worth a further £390 million, which it then recovered with interest amounting to £540 million, after which it then added a further £229 million as representing 50 per cent of the remaining surpluses at that time; finds this depletion of those funds in this way extraordinary, particularly as the industry was facing financial problems and merely was borrowing its own money; and calls on the Government to carry out an urgent review of those practices and the use of those pension assets in such an unacceptable manner.

That this House is aware that between 1987 and 1995 British Coal did not pay any employer contributions into the UK industry Mine Workers Pension Schemes (MPS) which benefited them as employers by approximately £1.136 billion; notes that when its representatives and others voted to consequently close the schemes, they...

That this House loudly applauds the Count Them In campaign launched by the Royal British Legion, Poppy Scotland and others to highlight the lack of gathered knowledge on members of our armed forces, their communities, where they live and their needs; wholeheartedly supports the objective to include new questions in the next national census so that the nation can learn and thereafter better meet the needs of our serving personnel, veterans and their families; and calls on the Government to immediately take steps to gather this essential information in recognition of the contributions and sacrifices made by those citizens on our behalf.

That this House loudly applauds the Count Them In campaign launched by the Royal British Legion, Poppy Scotland and others to highlight the lack of gathered knowledge on members of our armed forces, their communities, where they live and their needs; wholeheartedly supports the objective to include new questions in...

That this House is aware that a petition containing over two million signatures, representing approximately 3,500 citizens in every parliamentary constituency in the UK and supported by a wide array of patient groups, was recently handed into 10 Downing Street concerning proposed cuts to local pharmacy services; notes that the petition urged the Government to rethink its deeply unpopular strategy; and believes that the Prime Minister should reassess this matter and instruct her Ministers at the Department of Health to sit down with community pharmacy representatives to find ways forward to ensure that patients do not lose the advice, care and support which local pharmacies provide and instead help deliver improvements which will relieve pressure on general practices which will relieve pressure on general practices and other parts of the health care system for the good of all involved, especially those who rely upon their local services.

That this House is aware that a petition containing over two million signatures, representing approximately 3,500 citizens in every parliamentary constituency in the UK and supported by a wide array of patient groups, was recently handed into 10 Downing Street concerning proposed cuts to local pharmacy services; notes that the...

That this House recognises the importance of farm animal welfare and opposes any postponement of the planned EU-wide ban on conventional battery cages for laying hens due to come into force in January 2012 and the UK ban on beak trimming of laying hens due to come into force in January 2011; supports those local authorities which no longer use eggs gathered from such caged hens, or which have committed themselves to ending their use or purchase in the near future; and calls on the Government to help establish new higher standards of animal welfare for farm animals by the setting of coterminus criteria linked to food procurement policies in the public sector.

That this House recognises the importance of farm animal welfare and opposes any postponement of the planned EU-wide ban on conventional battery cages for laying hens due to come into force in January 2012 and the UK ban on beak trimming of laying hens due to come into force in...

That this House places on record its gratitude and satisfaction to the staff of the House of Commons for their hard work and commitment in servicing the needs of honourable Members, guests and employees on the Palace precincts; is alarmed over reports which indicate that Refreshment Department staff on lower grades are allowed 14 days per year less holiday entitlement than either their managers or staff in other departments; and calls for this anomaly to be rectified at the earliest opportunity.

That this House places on record its gratitude and satisfaction to the staff of the House of Commons for their hard work and commitment in servicing the needs of honourable Members, guests and employees on the Palace precincts; is alarmed over reports which indicate that Refreshment Department staff on lower...