That this House notes with concern that less than half of disabled people of working age are in work and that disabled people are more tha twice as likely as non-disabled people to have no qualifications; supports the Shaw Trust's Break the Chains campaign; believes that it is right to provide opportunities and support for disabled people to move from welfare to work through programmes such as the New Deal for Disabled People and Workstep; and calls on the Government to reinvest benefit savings to expand these programmes so that increasing numbers of disabled people can be supported into work.

That this House notes with concern that less than half of disabled people of working age are in work and that disabled people are more tha twice as likely as non-disabled people to have no qualifications; supports the Shaw Trust's Break the Chains campaign; believes that it is right to...

That this House joins with the Andrea Adams Trust and Amicus in highlighting Ban Bullying Day on 27th October; congratulates the Department of Trade and Industry and Amicus' jointly funded project, Working Together for Dignity at Work, launched in Parliament on 27th October; applauds Amicus for publishing a guide for honourable Members advising constituents about workplace bullying; welcomes these initiatives to encourage best practice in dealing with workplace bullying; and hopes that all the projects will be successful and will ensure that many more employees experience dignity at work, free from bullying and harassment.

That this House joins with the Andrea Adams Trust and Amicus in highlighting Ban Bullying Day on 27th October; congratulates the Department of Trade and Industry and Amicus' jointly funded project, Working Together for Dignity at Work, launched in Parliament on 27th October; applauds Amicus for publishing a guide for...

That this House welcomes the Action for Blind People and the Royal National Institute for the Blind campaign report, Beyond the stereotypes: Blind and partially sighted people and work; expresses concern at the report's findings that only one in four blind and partially sighted people of working age are actually in work (unchanged from ten years ago), and that interventions designed to assist disabled people into work are generally not supporting blind and partially sighted people; is disappointed that nine out of ten employers believe that blind and partially sighted people are either 'difficult' or 'impossible' to employ and that only three per cent. of small businesses are aware of the October extension of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and calls on the Government to ensure that all employment services and programmes take account of the specific needs of blind and partially sighted people, to promote the Access to Work scheme amongst employers, to increase the resources available to cope with the increased demand resulting from the extension of the Act in October and to promote greater awareness amongst employers of their new duties and responsibilities under the Act.

That this House welcomes the Action for Blind People and the Royal National Institute for the Blind campaign report, Beyond the stereotypes: Blind and partially sighted people and work; expresses concern at the report's findings that only one in four blind and partially sighted people of working age are actually...

That this House expresses great concern that the 46 recommendations for improving health and safety at work contained in the HSC strategy statement, Revitalising Health and Safety, published in June 2000 have still not been implemented; is concerned that as a result many more employees have had to take time of sick, have been injured, have suffered permanent disablement and some have been killed at work; believes the failure to implement the recommendations in full has put hundreds of thousands of employees at greater risk of illness or injury; and consequently urges the Government to act speedily to address these concerns.

That this House expresses great concern that the 46 recommendations for improving health and safety at work contained in the HSC strategy statement, Revitalising Health and Safety, published in June 2000 have still not been implemented; is concerned that as a result many more employees have had to take time...

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 is alarmed that significant numbers of term-time-only paid education staff in UK schools are currently discriminated against in terms of their pay and employment conditions at work; believes such inequalities in public service employment contracts to be both unfair and unacceptable; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to persuade all local education authorities to introduce as soon as possible a fairer and more equitable system for those workers forthwith.

That this House is alarmed that significant numbers of term-time-only paid education staff in UK schools are currently discriminated against in terms of their pay and employment conditions at work; believes such inequalities in public service employment contracts to be both unfair and unacceptable; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government...

That this House cherishes Christmas Day as a special day, particularly for families and children, and welcomes the campaign by USDAW, the shop workers' union, on behalf of 2.6 million shop workers of the United Kingdom; regrets that many shops remain open on Christmas Day because employers put undue pressure on shop workers to abandon their family responsibilities on this important religious and public holiday; notes that the vast majority of shop workers are parents who should be able to spend Christmas with their children; also notes that current law offers no protection to such workers when Christmas Day does not fall on a Sunday; further notes that Christmas is an extremely busy and stressful period for shop workers and believes that they deserve at least one day off; and calls on the Government to protect shop workers on Christmas Day.

That this House cherishes Christmas Day as a special day, particularly for families and children, and welcomes the campaign by USDAW, the shop workers' union, on behalf of 2.6 million shop workers of the United Kingdom; regrets that many shops remain open on Christmas Day because employers put undue pressure...

That this House welcomes the success of the national minimum wage in giving protection to millions of workers across the United Kingdom; and urges the Low Pay Commission to extend the minimum wage to young full-time and part-time workers by including 16 and 17 year olds in the legislation at the earliest opportunity.

That this House welcomes the success of the national minimum wage in giving protection to millions of workers across the United Kingdom; and urges the Low Pay Commission to extend the minimum wage to young full-time and part-time workers by including 16 and 17 year olds in the legislation at...

That this House welcomes the unanimous decision by the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries to refuse their recommendation in the annual Good Toy Guide, a publication valued by educationalists, toy manufacturers, retailers, parents and children, to any product, the manufacture of which employs child labour; hopes this example by a highly respected organisation, dedicated to the welfare of children and families, will encourage others and ensure that all children have the right to play.

That this House welcomes the unanimous decision by the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries to refuse their recommendation in the annual Good Toy Guide, a publication valued by educationalists, toy manufacturers, retailers, parents and children, to any product, the manufacture of which employs child labour; hopes this example...

That this House welcomes the first ever investigation into pregnancy discrimination which has been launched by the Equal Opportunities Commission; notes with concern that the EOC helpline receives more calls from women facing problems at work because of pregnancy than on any other subject; further expresses alarm that women have been demoted, disciplined or sacked simply for having a baby; strongly believes that the United Kingdom economy needs the skills and experience of pregnant women in the workplace and women returning from maternity leave; and calls on the Government to act upon the findings of the investigation to put a stop to pregnancy discrimination.

That this House welcomes the first ever investigation into pregnancy discrimination which has been launched by the Equal Opportunities Commission; notes with concern that the EOC helpline receives more calls from women facing problems at work because of pregnancy than on any other subject; further expresses alarm that women have...

That this House regrets that the Government has dropped proposals to amend Section 9 of the Race Relations Act; further notes that this would have made it illegal for shipowners to discriminate on the pay of seafarers from different countries serving on United Kingdom-flagged ships; further notes that the maritime union UNUMAST has said this move could result in the red ensign being turned into a flag of convenience and that, the Government is failing to ensure decent working and living conditions on United Kingdom ships; further notes that pay as low as 77p per hour has been uncovered on United Kingdom registered ships; and calls on the Government to work with NUMAST to introduce effective mechanisms to protect the growing number of foreign seafarers serving on British ships.

That this House regrets that the Government has dropped proposals to amend Section 9 of the Race Relations Act; further notes that this would have made it illegal for shipowners to discriminate on the pay of seafarers from different countries serving on United Kingdom-flagged ships; further notes that the maritime...

That this House congratulates the United Nation's International Labour Organisation on its success since it was established in 1919 in working to end child exploitation; notes that 250 million children work each day 8.4 million are trapped in slavery, trafficking, prostitution and pornography and 1.2 million are illegally taken across borders and forced to work in appalling conditions resulting in the deaths of 22,000 being killed each year in work-related accidents; and urges the Government to increase its support and resources to the International Labour Organisation.

That this House congratulates the United Nation's International Labour Organisation on its success since it was established in 1919 in working to end child exploitation; notes that 250 million children work each day 8.4 million are trapped in slavery, trafficking, prostitution and pornography and 1.2 million are illegally taken across...

That this House condemns the decision of Royal Mail to transfer the movement of mail from rail freight to other modes of transport by the end of the summer with a direct threat to 500 rail jobs and other jobs at dedicated rail terminals, depots and loading facilities; believes that this decision is short-term and ill conceived and represents a direct challenge to the Government's own policy of increasing the use of freight on rail; notes with dismay the increased congestion on Britain's already over busy road network which will result in an extra 30.5 million lorry miles and the release of an additional 15 thousand tonnes of pollutants per annum; believes that the decision not only undermines the Government's own transport policy but also its environmental and employment objectives; and calls upon the Government to immediately review the decision of Royal Mail in view of its consequences for congestion, the environment, jobs and the rail industry.

That this House condemns the decision of Royal Mail to transfer the movement of mail from rail freight to other modes of transport by the end of the summer with a direct threat to 500 rail jobs and other jobs at dedicated rail terminals, depots and loading facilities; believes that...

That this House notes that while Iraqi women have suffered enormously under Saddam Hussein's regime as victims of political rape and torture, as mothers unable to provide for their children and as wives who lost their husbands, nonetheless they make up more than 20 per cent. of the Iraqi workforce holding a range of professional and technical jobs, and are not subject to any state religious laws or dress code; observes that while the Iraqi parliament was a sham, almost 20 per cent. of its members were women; further notes that in Northern Iraq Kurdish women travel freely, hold high level economic and political positions including as judges and regional government ministers; believes that in post conflict situations women are particularly vulnerable to violence and rape and are frequently excluded from the political forums set up by the international community; expresses concern that there appears to be no significant involvement of women in US plans to consult on an Iraq Interim Authority and that the UK has appointed a male cleric to oversee the running of Basra; and calls on the Government to listen to the views of Iraqi women's organisations in London who have called for a secular democracy with at least 40 per cent. women and 40 per cent. men to be included in the Iraqi Interim Authority, for a gender balanced team to draw up the new constitution (as was done in South Africa) and for a new legal code that would guarantee the rights of women in post Saddam Iraq.

That this House notes that while Iraqi women have suffered enormously under Saddam Hussein's regime as victims of political rape and torture, as mothers unable to provide for their children and as wives who lost their husbands, nonetheless they make up more than 20 per cent. of the Iraqi workforce...

That this House notes that the ninth annual Carers Week is being held from 9th to 15th June; notes also that it is now estimated that three in five people in the UK become carers at some time in their lives and that carers annually save the Exchequer over ??57 billion, the equivalent of the cost of the NHS; welcomes this year's Carers Week theme of opportunities; further notes that four million of the UK's seven million carers work full-time or part-time, often juggling their different roles with considerable difficulty and that many other carers also wish to take up employment or learning opportunities; believes that carers deserve the support and services that will enable them to have access to such opportunities, that the main barriers for many carers include lack of flexibility in the workplace, that many day-care services are available only for limited periods of the day, that there is a lack of funding for replacement and short-term breaks, that there is an absence of evening and weekend services in a supposed 24-hour society and that childcare services frequently do not cater for disabled children; and calls for these issues to be addressed by policy-makers at all levels.

That this House notes that the ninth annual Carers Week is being held from 9th to 15th June; notes also that it is now estimated that three in five people in the UK become carers at some time in their lives and that carers annually save the Exchequer over ??57...

That this House warmly welcomes Ready, Willing and Disabled, Scope's report on employment of disabled people; notes that negative attitudes are still a major barrier to disabled people gaining employment; is concerned by the report's finding that 11 per cent. of employers interviewed would not employ a disabled person because their clients or customers would not want to be served by a disabled person; is encouraged by some examples of extremely good practice in attracting, recruiting and training disabled people; commends the Government on its excellent Access to Work Scheme; and calls for the Government to continue to promote Access to Work to employers.

That this House warmly welcomes Ready, Willing and Disabled, Scope's report on employment of disabled people; notes that negative attitudes are still a major barrier to disabled people gaining employment; is concerned by the report's finding that 11 per cent. of employers interviewed would not employ a disabled person because...

That this House supports the National Union of Students' LGB campaign, End Legislative Discrimination Now; welcomes the Government's review of partnership rights for same sex and unmarried couples; urges the Government to end the discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual employees by fully implementing the EU Directive to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace; and calls on the Government to fulfil its commitment to abolish Section 28.

That this House supports the National Union of Students' LGB campaign, End Legislative Discrimination Now; welcomes the Government's review of partnership rights for same sex and unmarried couples; urges the Government to end the discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual employees by fully implementing the EU Directive to outlaw discrimination...