That this House is appalled by the compromise proposal for the Transport Regulation put forward by the Irish presidency last week; notes that it is a retrograde step and weakens the current legislation in some key areas; further notes that the Irish proposal provides no limit on journey times, no decrease in maximum temperatures, and no reduction in stocking densities; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to oppose this proposal and encourage other member states to oppose it and to push for an eight-hour limit on journey times, a significant reduction in stocking densities and definitive maximum temperatures in which animals can be transported and the requirement that rest periods of more than two hours be taken outside the transport vehicle at approved staging points.

That this House is appalled by the compromise proposal for the Transport Regulation put forward by the Irish presidency last week; notes that it is a retrograde step and weakens the current legislation in some key areas; further notes that the Irish proposal provides no limit on journey times, no...

That this House is deeply concerned that the total number of UK seafaring ratings has declined from 30,000 ratings in 1980 to less than 10,000 in 2003; regrets that the decline has continued since the introduction of the Government's tonnage tax regime; notes that the proportion of British officers is also declining and has fallen by more than 27 per cent. in the last three years; believes that the decline in UK seafarers cannot be allowed to continue if this country is to retain a core of essential maritime skills; abhors the fact that ship owners who have benefited massively from millions of pounds of public subsidy through the tonnage tax regime have failed to arrest this decline in British jobs; notes that in its current form the tonnage tax has not generated significant training and employment opportunities for UK seafaring ratings and officers; and calls on the Government to use the current Inland Revenue review to introduce a firm link between the concession and the increased employment of UK seafaring ratings and officers on UK registered ships.

That this House is deeply concerned that the total number of UK seafaring ratings has declined from 30,000 ratings in 1980 to less than 10,000 in 2003; regrets that the decline has continued since the introduction of the Government's tonnage tax regime; notes that the proportion of British officers is...

That this House notes the significance of the ferry industry to many of the UK's ports; acknowledges the thousands of British jobs it supports and the importance of consumers having fair and clear travel choices; calls on airlines to ensure that all prices in print and website advertising are inclusive of taxes to avoid consumer confusion; calls on advertising regulators to ensure that airline advertisements conform to existing regulations to ensure a level playing field between airlines and other travel options; and calls on consumers and the travel industry to remember that ferries frequently offer a more convenient and pleasurable method of travel to continental Europe.

That this House notes the significance of the ferry industry to many of the UK's ports; acknowledges the thousands of British jobs it supports and the importance of consumers having fair and clear travel choices; calls on airlines to ensure that all prices in print and website advertising are inclusive...

That this House notes that 2003 is the 15th anniversary of the strike by P&O seafarers in Dover who fought for 14 months to retain conditions of service and protect safe manning standards in the wake of the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster; recalls that P&O's response, in breach of ILO Convention 87/9 was to sack the whole workforce of some 2,000 people without options of redundancy or recompense; believes that the strikers were unfairly dismissed; notes that the then opposition front bench and the Labour Party Conference supported the sacked seafarers in their efforts to gain justice and compensation; records that most of the proposals to cut crews which caused the strike were not adopted; applauds the tenacity of the sacked seafarers for their sustained campaign; recognises that other groups of victimised workers have been granted compensation; and calls on the Labour Government to help redress the wrongs and injustices which were imposed on the sacked P&O seafarers under the protection of previous Tory Governments.

That this House notes that 2003 is the 15th anniversary of the strike by P&O seafarers in Dover who fought for 14 months to retain conditions of service and protect safe manning standards in the wake of the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster; recalls that P&O's response, in breach of...

That this House notes that the export of live sheep and lambs for slaughter on the continent resumed in July 2002 after the foot and mouth crisis; is alarmed that thousands of animals are now being shipped out through the Port of Dover every week; is concerned that many of these animals are sent on journeys of 50 hours or more to southern Europe, during which many suffer greatly due to factors such as overcrowding, lack of water and proper ventilation on some vehicles, extreme heat in summer and the sheer length of the journeys; believes that there is an economically viable future for UK sheep farmers without live exports through an increase in meat exports and an increase in the sale to UK consumers of the light lambs which are traditionally exported live; urges UK supermarkets to pay a fair price to UK farmers for these light lambs; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to do all it can to bring the export of live farm animals to an end.

That this House notes that the export of live sheep and lambs for slaughter on the continent resumed in July 2002 after the foot and mouth crisis; is alarmed that thousands of animals are now being shipped out through the Port of Dover every week; is concerned that many of...

That this House notes that each year over two million farm animals are transported huge distances across Europe on journeys lasting 30 to 70 hours or more; welcomes the report adopted in November 2001 by the European Parliament which recommends that a maximum overall limit of eight hours should be placed on journeys to slaughter or for further fattening; notes that in a report on transport published in March the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare recommended that journeys should be kept as short as possible; and calls on her Majesty's Government to take the lead in pressing the United Kingdom's European Union partners to place a maximum limit of eight hours on the transport of farm animals to slaughter or for further fattening.

That this House notes that each year over two million farm animals are transported huge distances across Europe on journeys lasting 30 to 70 hours or more; welcomes the report adopted in November 2001 by the European Parliament which recommends that a maximum overall limit of eight hours should be...

That this House is concerned that following the end of foot and mouth disease, many farmers and traders wish to resume the export of live lambs and sheep for slaughter abroad; notes that prior to the FMD epidemic, the UK was exporting around 800,000 sheep a year through Dover to continental abattoirs, with many of the animals being sent all the way to Italy, Greece and Spain; is concerned that the animals suffer greatly during the long journeys to southern Europe, where all too often they are killed in abattoirs which use illegal slaughter methods; notes that around three-quarters of UK sheep exports are in meat form and accordingly urges sheep farmers not to re-start the live export trade but instead, through vigorous marketing on the continent, to convert the whole of UK sheep exports into a meat trade; and urges Her Majesty's Government to do all it can to ensure that the cruel live export trade does not resume, but it it does resume, to endeavour to bring it to an end.

That this House is concerned that following the end of foot and mouth disease, many farmers and traders wish to resume the export of live lambs and sheep for slaughter abroad; notes that prior to the FMD epidemic, the UK was exporting around 800,000 sheep a year through Dover to...

That this House applauds Age Concern's report 'Penalised for Being Ill' which illustrates the outdated and unfair rules which reduce state pension after six weeks in hospital; further reduce them after 52 weeks in hospital and also affects other benefits; notes that these rules cut income at a time when people are at their most vulnerable; understands that the rules can leave people in financial hardship and difficulty in meeting ongoing household costs; realises that there can be administrative problems with the adjustment and re-instatement of pensions and lead to further financial concerns and difficulties; and calls on the Government to undertake a full review of the rules concerning pensions and benefits cuts in hospital.

That this House applauds Age Concern's report 'Penalised for Being Ill' which illustrates the outdated and unfair rules which reduce state pension after six weeks in hospital; further reduce them after 52 weeks in hospital and also affects other benefits; notes that these rules cut income at a time when...

That this House welcomes Compassion in World Farming Trust's Action Plan for the reform of modern industrial agriculture; agrees with that Plan that the transport of animals on long journeys to slaughter within the UK must be ended, as must the export of farm animals for slaughter abroad; further agrees that the use of livestock markets should be reduced; supports the Plan's call for an end to the factory farming methods commonly found in the pig and poultry industries; welcomes the proposal that the Common Agricultural Policy's subsidies be redirected to help farmers move away from industrial agriculture; agrees that the World Trade Organisation rules must be reformed to end their detrimental impact on attempts to introduce a more humane, sustainable agriculture; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to ask the planned commission on farming and food to give serious consideration to Compassion in World Farming Trust's Action Plan for the reform of modern agriculture.

That this House welcomes Compassion in World Farming Trust's Action Plan for the reform of modern industrial agriculture; agrees with that Plan that the transport of animals on long journeys to slaughter within the UK must be ended, as must the export of farm animals for slaughter abroad; further agrees...