That this House supports the necessary changes to further education as outlined in the Tomlinson report; calls on the Government to support changes in 14 to 19 education provision; urges the Government to equalise funding per student across both schools and colleges; and calls for the necessary state funding to be provided to ensure that students do not, once again, foot the bill for years of under-investment in the sector.

That this House supports the necessary changes to further education as outlined in the Tomlinson report; calls on the Government to support changes in 14 to 19 education provision; urges the Government to equalise funding per student across both schools and colleges; and calls for the necessary state funding to...

That this House notes with grave concern the assessment made by the Chair of the Greater Manchester Police Authority in his letter of 21st January to the Home Secretary that, without additional police grant, the authority will be forced to move operational police officers from front line service into essential support roles currently staffed by civilians and will be unable to train or equip PCSOs for their extra powers; further notes that the police's existing high levels of performance will be seriously undermined; and therefore calls on the Home Secretary to give a clear assurance to the people of Greater Manchester that he will guarantee a level of funding that will at the least permit the current level of operational policing on the streets to be maintained throughout the coming financial year.

That this House notes with grave concern the assessment made by the Chair of the Greater Manchester Police Authority in his letter of 21st January to the Home Secretary that, without additional police grant, the authority will be forced to move operational police officers from front line service into essential...

That this House notes the vital role played by carers throughout the UK; recognises that much of the work performed by an estimated six million carers goes unnoticed with only minimal financial support; welcomes the package of measures included in the National Strategy for Carers; and calls on the Government to look urgently into increasing financial support for carers, encouraging carers to take up the ??660 in unclaimed benefits that are open to them, and further improve the means of support and assistance for carers.

That this House notes the vital role played by carers throughout the UK; recognises that much of the work performed by an estimated six million carers goes unnoticed with only minimal financial support; welcomes the package of measures included in the National Strategy for Carers; and calls on the Government...

That this House deplores recent announcements by leading universities that they are to close, or freeze recruitment to, some departments because of funding problems; notes that the universities of Durham, Swansea, Cambridge, King's College London, Queen Mary and Westfield College London, Reading and Exeter are each considering at least one major department closure; regrets that departments awarded a Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 4 star rating receive less than half the funding that 5 star rated departments receive; notes that some Exeter University students part way through their degrees will have to complete their studies at other universities or suffer a reduced standard of teaching as departments are winding up; calls on the Government urgently to review the RAE star rating system and its impact on funding; and urges the Government to take practical steps to ensure that students whose departments are closed part way through their degree course do not suffer.

That this House deplores recent announcements by leading universities that they are to close, or freeze recruitment to, some departments because of funding problems; notes that the universities of Durham, Swansea, Cambridge, King's College London, Queen Mary and Westfield College London, Reading and Exeter are each considering at least one...

That this House asks the Secretary of State for Health to undertake an urgent review of NHS funding for children's hospices with a view to reducing the gap which currently exists between NHS funding for children's hospices and adult hospices.

That this House asks the Secretary of State for Health to undertake an urgent review of NHS funding for children's hospices with a view to reducing the gap which currently exists between NHS funding for children's hospices and adult hospices.

That this House notes with concern that after several years of planning the proposed private finance initiative (PFI) deal to upgrade and replace school buildings in 37 Norfolk schools has collapsed; further notes that plans to reorganise the education system enabling children in 75 schools to start high school at 11 years will be delayed by at least two years as a result; expresses serious concerns about the amount of public money wasted as a result of this collapse; welcomes the independent review into what went wrong; and calls on the Government to reassess the current reliance on PFI as a means of financing public sector infrastructure projects, taking particular note of new research commissioned by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants which finds that PFI can be an expensive way of financing and delivering public services.

That this House notes with concern that after several years of planning the proposed private finance initiative (PFI) deal to upgrade and replace school buildings in 37 Norfolk schools has collapsed; further notes that plans to reorganise the education system enabling children in 75 schools to start high school at...

That this House celebrates the patient, clinical and economic benefits resulting from the use of medical technologies, as outlined in the Medical Technology Group's paper, Making the Economic Case for Medical Technology; regrets the low use of these technologies in the NHS, as compared with other industrialised countries; recognises the NHS financial reform measures outlined in the Government's Payment by Results paper, in particular the introduction of Healthcare Resource Groups (HRGs) as a tool for categorising patient treatments into standard groups according to common diagnoses and medical procedures; supports the idea the HRGs should allow a more manageable way of allocating funding for specific types of medical conditions, but hopes that the new HRG system will be quick to react to the introduction of new and innovative medical technologies, thereby offering broad and rapid patient access to treatments which play an important role in facilitating patient choice.

That this House celebrates the patient, clinical and economic benefits resulting from the use of medical technologies, as outlined in the Medical Technology Group's paper, Making the Economic Case for Medical Technology; regrets the low use of these technologies in the NHS, as compared with other industrialised countries; recognises the...

That this House congratulates Macmillan Cancer Relief on the successful launch of its exciting new Better Deal campaign to get a better deal for people dealing with cancer, especially from the benefits system; notes that three quarters of people surveyed by Macmillan who have had a cancer diagnosis say they suffered financially as a result; further notes that, for some people affected by cancer, money worries are second only to pain as a cause of stress; welcomes Macmillan's resolve to champion these issues and campaign with people struggling to meet the unexpected extra costs resulting from the debilitating effects of treatment, including travel to hospital, hospital car parking and higher heating bills; supports Macmillan's call for the Government to ensure that every cancer patient is offered specialist benefits and advice at diagnosis and to change the law to improve cancer patients' access to disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance (AA); and calls on the Government to stop cancer spreading to people's finances and to act urgently to ensure that the DLA and AA schemes are fast, fit for purpose and fair for people dealing with cancer.

That this House congratulates Macmillan Cancer Relief on the successful launch of its exciting new Better Deal campaign to get a better deal for people dealing with cancer, especially from the benefits system; notes that three quarters of people surveyed by Macmillan who have had a cancer diagnosis say they...

That this House notes the recent ballot held by FBU in which 74 per cent. voted to keep the political fund; further notes that under legislation introduced by the Conservative Government in 1984, trade unions wishing to contributed to political parties or engage in other political activities must establish a political fund; further notes that each union must ballot their members every 10 years on whether to retain this fund; recognises that all individual union members have the right to opt out of paying into a political fund should they so choose; is concerned that this trade union bears an excessive financial burden in order to fulfill its natural role of representing its members' interests; believes that in light of the FBU members' recent overwhelming vote in favour of retaining the union's political fund the Government should abolish the legislation that puts such excessive burdens on trade unions.

That this House notes the recent ballot held by FBU in which 74 per cent. voted to keep the political fund; further notes that under legislation introduced by the Conservative Government in 1984, trade unions wishing to contributed to political parties or engage in other political activities must establish a...

That this House congratulates the Gloucester Clubhouse on its work for adults with severe and enduring mental ill health; supports the vocational, educational and social services provided by clubhouses throughout Britain; notes that many of the core beliefs and functions of Clubhouse are mentioned in the recent report on Mental Health and Social Exclusion by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; recognises that clubhouses will be able to provide even better services if they have greater funding and support from central Government and local authorities; and calls on the Government to work with the National Clubhouse Association and individual clubhouses to ensure that modernising mental health services remains a priority.

That this House congratulates the Gloucester Clubhouse on its work for adults with severe and enduring mental ill health; supports the vocational, educational and social services provided by clubhouses throughout Britain; notes that many of the core beliefs and functions of Clubhouse are mentioned in the recent report on Mental...

That this House believes companies should report on their environmental and social impacts; notes that since 1997 Ministers have repeatedly encouraged such reports as a key plank of the Government's proposals for modernising company law; notes that the Prime Minister has made it clear that such reports should be produced, with a public challenge to all FTSE 350 companies in October 2000 (which over half of those companies failed to meet); and therefore believes that companies have had ample notice of the introduction of the mandatory Operating and Financial Review, scheduled for 1st January 2005, and that this implementation date should not be delayed because without a set of standardised non-financial indicators UK companies will continue to fail to identify, disclose and manage their social and environmental performance.

That this House believes companies should report on their environmental and social impacts; notes that since 1997 Ministers have repeatedly encouraged such reports as a key plank of the Government's proposals for modernising company law; notes that the Prime Minister has made it clear that such reports should be produced,...

That this House notes that the Association of Police Authorities and the Association of Chief Police Officers are alarmed at the possibility of a national shortfall in police funding in 2005-06; is concerned that funding levels are sufficient to maintain existing police services; recognises that there will be additional pressure on police finances to implement new crime reduction initiatives; anticipates that unlike in earlier years police authorities will be unable to bridge the funding gap with large percentage rises in the council tax precept; and therefore urges the Government to provide an adequate national funding settlement for police services in 2005-06 and beyond.

That this House notes that the Association of Police Authorities and the Association of Chief Police Officers are alarmed at the possibility of a national shortfall in police funding in 2005-06; is concerned that funding levels are sufficient to maintain existing police services; recognises that there will be additional pressure...

That this House welcomes the Global Conflict Prevention Pool as an initiative, the aims of which include reducing the number of people around the world whose lives are affected by violent conflict and, ultimately, of cutting the number of conflicts that occur; notes that there is great potential for development of this cross-departmental approach and urges the highest priority for non-military solutions to conflicts that could become violent in line with the UK's responsibilities under Article 1 of the United Nations Charter; is convinced that preventing conflict is more cost-effective than resolving it, especially by military intervention, and that non-military approaches, including reduction of poverty, are effective ways to eliminate the causes of terrorism; recalls that Martin Luther King said that 'True peace is not the absence of war; it is the presence of justice, equity and a non-violent social order'; calls therefore for the Joint Pools budget for 2004-05 to be at least double that for 2003-04, namely to ??250 million, less than 1 per cent. of the total Ministry of Defence budget, to build upon the successes in this area alongside an increased emphasis on peace; and calls for the appointment of a minister dedicated to ensure focus and accountability for building peace.

That this House welcomes the Global Conflict Prevention Pool as an initiative, the aims of which include reducing the number of people around the world whose lives are affected by violent conflict and, ultimately, of cutting the number of conflicts that occur; notes that there is great potential for development...