That this House is concerned by the rise in gas prices over recent months and the competitive disadvantage which is resulting for British businesses; is further concerned about the effect of such price rises are having on people who suffer from fuel poverty; understands that the cause of the rise in gas prices is largely due to international instability in the markets; notes that the United Kingdom's indigenous gas supplies are starting to diminish and that the UK will become a net importer of gas by 2006; believes that further upwards pressure on gas prices could occur because of the increasingly international nature of supplies; regrets that the European energy markets are not liberalised; calls upon the Government to explain where future gas supplies will come from after 2006; urges the Government to press for a greater degree of liberalisation in European markets; and further calls on the Government to take all necessary steps to secure sufficient gas supplies for the United Kingdom.

That this House is concerned by the rise in gas prices over recent months and the competitive disadvantage which is resulting for British businesses; is further concerned about the effect of such price rises are having on people who suffer from fuel poverty; understands that the cause of the rise...

That this House notes that uterine fibroids is the most common gynaecological condition in the UK; further notes that hysterectomy is frequently used as treatment for fibroids and its symptoms; recognises that there are alternative treatments for fibroids, including less invasive interventions, which offer shorter recovery times; and applauds the work of the Fibroid Network Charity, which is raising awareness of fibroids and campaigning for the provision of information, choice and equal access to treatment for women with this condition.

That this House notes that uterine fibroids is the most common gynaecological condition in the UK; further notes that hysterectomy is frequently used as treatment for fibroids and its symptoms; recognises that there are alternative treatments for fibroids, including less invasive interventions, which offer shorter recovery times; and applauds the...

That this House is concerned that wholesale forward gas prices in the UK have more than doubled and are significantly higher than in continental Europe; notes that UK intensive industrial energy users are at a serious competitive disadvantage and understands that the high price of wholesale gas impacts on their profitability and the long term viability of tens of thousands of jobs in UK manufacturing; recognises that the wholesale gas price influences domestic consumer prices and that large wholesale rises will results in increasing levels of fuel poverty; believes that continued rising gas prices will lead to fuel switching, resulting in higher levels of carbon-dioxide emissions; appreciates the importance of enabling intensive industrial energy users to plan and manage business risk effectively and is concerned that to date there has been no adequate explanation for the large movement in gas prices; acknowledges that UK industry wants a level playing field with continental Europe but no special favours; and therefore calls upon the Government to take immediate steps to restore a viable forward market in gas and for Ofgem and the Department for Trade and Industry to investigate urgently the structure and competitiveness.

That this House is concerned that wholesale forward gas prices in the UK have more than doubled and are significantly higher than in continental Europe; notes that UK intensive industrial energy users are at a serious competitive disadvantage and understands that the high price of wholesale gas impacts on their...

That this House welcomes the efforts made by Her Majesty's Government to tackle poverty and inequality in 2005; further welcomes the support given by the United Kingdom Government in helping further economic and international development in the Caribbean; notes that changes to trade rules to ensure trade justice are vital to achieving poverty reduction; notes with concern that current proposals by the European Commission for changes to the banana and sugar trade regimes could, if implemented as proposed, have a disastrous effect on the economies and livelihoods of vulnerable Caribbean economies; welcomes the considerable efforts being made by the countries of the Caribbean in modifying their economies and industries to reflect changes to the European sugar and banana trade regimes; further calls upon the Government to press for urgent changes to the European Commission's proposals on sugar and bananas for the ACP countries; calls on the Government to support changes to amend the immediate price fall in favour of a gradual phasing in of any changes to sugar and banana prices in such a manner as to enable Caribbean economies time properly to adjust to the new price structure and the economic transformations that will follow; and further calls upon Government, in the case of sugar, to seek alternative options and mechanisms with the European Commission that ensure that appropriate financial resources are made available promptly and efficiently to industry in the Caribbean before, during and after whatever extended transitional period is agreed to.

That this House welcomes the efforts made by Her Majesty's Government to tackle poverty and inequality in 2005; further welcomes the support given by the United Kingdom Government in helping further economic and international development in the Caribbean; notes that changes to trade rules to ensure trade justice are vital...

That this House is concerned that so many homes in the UK have not been fitted with smoke alarms; notes that, during 2002, only 27 per cent. of the 65,000 dwelling house fires attended by fire brigades throughout Britain had a working smoke alarm and that a substantial proportion of the 430 people who died and the 13,500 who were injured in those dwelling house fires could have been saved if a smoke alarm had given earlier warning; urges the Government to legislate to require smoke alarms to be fitted and efficiently maintained in all domestic properties, calls on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to ensure that smoke alarms are fitted in all council house large scale voluntary transfers to housing associations and arms length management organisations as a condition of transfer and to require their fitting in all social and council housing; further urges insurance companies to require smoke alarms; commends the campaign to highlight this issue, backed by Frank Bruno, and launched in Grimsby by Frank Lewis, two of whose family died in a fire in his house on Boxing Day 2002 and who could have been saved by a smoke alarm; and considers that his efforts to secure the universal fitting of smoke alarms will avert similar tragedies in the future.

That this House is concerned that so many homes in the UK have not been fitted with smoke alarms; notes that, during 2002, only 27 per cent. of the 65,000 dwelling house fires attended by fire brigades throughout Britain had a working smoke alarm and that a substantial proportion of...

That this House calls on the Chinese Government immediately to release from detention and incarceration all Falun Gong practitioners held for the peaceful practice of their beliefs, to permit the resumption of public and private Falun Gong practice, to remove all mention of superstitious sects, secret societies and evil religious organisations (Article 300) from the PRC Criminal Law, to abolish the inherently arbitrary re-education through labour system and to allow anyone who has been deprived of his liberty the right to a court hearing and process; further calls on the Chinese Government to re-issue invitations to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and the Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom to visit China on terms consistent with their mandates, to permit domestic and foreign observers to attend all trials including those of Falun Gong practitioners as provided for under international human rights standards, and to implement the recommendations of the UN Committee against Torture; and urges the Chinese Government to revise regulations that effectively censor the media and the internet and that interfere with the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information in accordance with international human rights standards.

That this House calls on the Chinese Government immediately to release from detention and incarceration all Falun Gong practitioners held for the peaceful practice of their beliefs, to permit the resumption of public and private Falun Gong practice, to remove all mention of superstitious sects, secret societies and evil religious...

That this House supports Breast Cancer Care and the Royal College of Nursing's Time to Care report and campaign to improve access to breast care nurses for people affected by breast cancer; agrees that breast care nurses represent best practice in cancer care and provide an invaluable service; is concerned at the report's findings that there is a growing shortage of breast care nurses in the UK; is further concerned that increasing demands on time and the growth in the number of breast cancer patients are making it progressively more difficult for breast care nurses to give patients the information and support that they need; and calls on the Government urgently to review the current number of breast care nurses and to establish a recruitment and retention strategy to ensure that there are sufficient breast care nurses for the future.

That this House supports Breast Cancer Care and the Royal College of Nursing's Time to Care report and campaign to improve access to breast care nurses for people affected by breast cancer; agrees that breast care nurses represent best practice in cancer care and provide an invaluable service; is concerned...

That this House expresses concern at current proposals to define a pint of beer as not less than 95 per cent. liquid; notes that the Campaign for Real Ale, the Trading Standards Institute and the Local Authority Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services believe that this proposal will result in the proposed 5 per cent. tolerance being added to the existing deficiency threshold normally applied by enforcement agencies before considering prosecution action, which will result in licensees being able to serve pints of substantially less than 95 per cent. liquid; further notes that short measure costs consumers over ??400 million annually, HM Treasury over ??54 million annually in lost excise revenues and brewers ??133 million in lost beer sales; and therefore calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to protect consumers from short beer measures by defining a pint of beer as 100 per cent. liquid.

That this House expresses concern at current proposals to define a pint of beer as not less than 95 per cent. liquid; notes that the Campaign for Real Ale, the Trading Standards Institute and the Local Authority Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services believe that this proposal will result in the proposed...

That this House warmly congratulates the International Paralympic Committee on its decision, on 25th November, by 74 votes to 18 not permanently to ban learning disabled athletes from paralympic events; appreciates the strong defence of the rights of athletes with a learning disability presented by the British Paralympic Association at this meeting; urges the International Sports Federation for People with Intellectual Disability to continue to make progress on developing a robust verification and protest system to establish clear eligibility criteria for learning disabled athletes; calls on the International Paralympic Committee to work for the earliest reinstatement of athletes with learning disability into the paralympic family to ensure their participation in the Beijing Games in 2008; and further calls on the Government, UK Sport and sports national governing bodies to provide adequate and appropriate funding for the reintegration of learning disabled athletes into training programmes for the Paralympics.

That this House warmly congratulates the International Paralympic Committee on its decision, on 25th November, by 74 votes to 18 not permanently to ban learning disabled athletes from paralympic events; appreciates the strong defence of the rights of athletes with a learning disability presented by the British Paralympic Association at...

That this House notes that the new formula for Child Support Agency (CSA) maintenance calculations has now been in place since April 2003, which is more than enough time to stabilise the system; considers that existing cases have experienced a long and avoidable delay under the old rules; and calls upon Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions to instruct the CSA to take the necessary steps to bring in the new simplified and fairer method of assessment for all cases with immediate effect.

That this House notes that the new formula for Child Support Agency (CSA) maintenance calculations has now been in place since April 2003, which is more than enough time to stabilise the system; considers that existing cases have experienced a long and avoidable delay under the old rules; and calls...

That this House welcomes the United Kingdom Government's commitment to tackling African poverty in 2005; notes that changes in trade rules to ensure trade justice are vital to achieving poverty reduction in developing countries, particularly in Africa; notes with concern that current proposals by the European Commission for free trade areas with Africa through economic partnership agreements could lead to the liberalisation of 90 per cent. of African trade over 12 years, including agricultural products; further notes with concern that the European Commission is refusing to talk about its own Common Agricultural Policy in these talks; further notes that economic partnership agreements may undermine Africa's own regional trade integration; further notes that Europe is including issues in these talks that have been rejected by those African countries at the World Trade Organisation; and calls on the United Kingdom Government to lead the way for changes in the Commission's negotiating mandate to take account of these concerns and take an important step towards trade justice by fulfilling its own commitments to provide alternative forms of market access into the EU to those African countries which do not want to sign up to economic partnership agreements.

That this House welcomes the United Kingdom Government's commitment to tackling African poverty in 2005; notes that changes in trade rules to ensure trade justice are vital to achieving poverty reduction in developing countries, particularly in Africa; notes with concern that current proposals by the European Commission for free trade...

That this House congratulates the former Energy Minister, the honourable Member for Cunninghame North, for installing a micro wind generator on his own house; notes that this cutting edge technology is no more intrusive than a television satellite antenna dish and is expected to save an estimated 0.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide per house per annum, as well as reducing electricity bills by up to one third; and looks forward to measures to promote this and similar technologies being included in the micro-generation strategy now being drawn up by the Government under section 82 of the Energy Act 2004.

That this House congratulates the former Energy Minister, the honourable Member for Cunninghame North, for installing a micro wind generator on his own house; notes that this cutting edge technology is no more intrusive than a television satellite antenna dish and is expected to save an estimated 0.5 tonnes of...

That this House is extremely concerned about the unfair nature of the Disabled Facilities Grant means test, particularly for families with disabled children; notes that many families who need to make vital adaptations to their home are often forced into massive debt by having to pay for the full cost of adaptations themselves or are unable to carry out the work, leaving their home inaccessible for their child; believes this situation is unacceptable; welcomes the ODPM's current review of the Disabled Families Grant and urges the Government to follow the recent decision to abolish the means test in Northern Ireland; and further believes that such a move would greatly improve the quality of life for many disabled children and their families.

That this House is extremely concerned about the unfair nature of the Disabled Facilities Grant means test, particularly for families with disabled children; notes that many families who need to make vital adaptations to their home are often forced into massive debt by having to pay for the full cost...

That this House welcomes the Road Safety Bill and Government proposals to come down hard on drink drivers, uninsured drivers, and those who continue to use mobile phones while driving; is dismayed, however, at the intention to reduce penalties for exceeding speed limits, when all evidence proves that even at 30mph pedestrians have only a 50 per cent. chance of survival and that even minor speeding on roads other than motorways can mean the difference between death, disability or a chance of full recovery; regrets that there has been no report on the consultation on penalties conducted in 2000, which had over 1000 responses, and no report on the consultation on graduated fixed penalties; is particularly dismayed at not mention of a change of law, which would at last address the injustice of the careless driving charge being applied to culpable road deaths and injuries, which has been such a problem for so many years and which is a major concern for many honourable Members and their constituents as supported by the Bill by the honourable Member for South Dorset and the call for a radical overhaul of the law on driving offences by the Transport Committee in its recent report; and appeals to Her Majesty's Government to introduce those steps that will truly address road danger and bring an end to the continung slaughter on UK roads.

That this House welcomes the Road Safety Bill and Government proposals to come down hard on drink drivers, uninsured drivers, and those who continue to use mobile phones while driving; is dismayed, however, at the intention to reduce penalties for exceeding speed limits, when all evidence proves that even at...

That this House notes that the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) binds signatories not to transfer to any nation any agents, toxins, weapons and equipment of biological and toxin warfare and provides that any nation finding another signatory in breach of this undertaking may lodge a complaint to the Security Council; understands that the Riegle Report to the US Senate has published evidence that the US sold biological materials including Bacillus Anthracis, Clostridium Botulinum, Histoplasma capsulatum, Brucella, Melitensis and Clostridium Perfringens to various agencies of the Iraqi Government pursuant to export licenses issued by the US Department of Commerce, in quantities set out in the Report and at the time when the US was fully aware of the Iraqi biological warfare programme and that these exports have been fully documented and are also set out in the 23rd September 2002 edition of Newsweek and by Senator Robert Byrd in speeches in the Senate on 20th and 26th September 2002; requests the Government to exercise its power to report these sales to the Security Council of the United Nations in the light of its commitment in the April 2002 Green Paper, Strengthening Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention that, those at every level responsible for any breach of international law relating to the use of such weapons will be held personally accountable because compliance with the BTWC is an issue the international community cannot avoid; and urges the Prime Minister either to lodge the necessary complaint with the Security Council of the UN or change his stated policy after an appropriate public announcement and discussion.

That this House notes that the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) binds signatories not to transfer to any nation any agents, toxins, weapons and equipment of biological and toxin warfare and provides that any nation finding another signatory in breach of this undertaking may lodge a complaint to the...

That this House welcomes the recent parliamentary launch of the pamphlet, Carers and Learning: Something for You; notes that this is the first significant public information initiative to explain one of the principal purposes of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004; congratulates Carers UK and NIACE, the adult learners body, on this excellent publication; and expresses the hope that millions of carers will be able to avail themselves of educational, training, leisure and work opportunities enabled by this new legislation for England and Wales.

That this House welcomes the recent parliamentary launch of the pamphlet, Carers and Learning: Something for You; notes that this is the first significant public information initiative to explain one of the principal purposes of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004; congratulates Carers UK and NIACE, the adult learners body,...

That this House welcomes the announcement from the Scottish Executive proposing legislation to end smoking in all enclosed public places in Scotland; congratulates the First Minister Jack McConnell for putting health at the top of Scotland's political agenda; notes the cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament for ending smoking in enclosed public places; further notes that no-one has the right to damage the health of others; and therefore calls on Her Majesty's Government to go further than the Choosing Health White Paper recommendations and introduce similar comprehensive legislation for the UK.

That this House welcomes the announcement from the Scottish Executive proposing legislation to end smoking in all enclosed public places in Scotland; congratulates the First Minister Jack McConnell for putting health at the top of Scotland's political agenda; notes the cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament for ending smoking in...

That this House notes with concern the massive increase in the cost of public liability insurance over the last three years and the negative impact this is having on traditional community events throughout the country; notes that in one case in Edinburgh, an insurance quote of ??14,500 was given to the Corstorphine Fair from the same company that quoted just ??1,000 two years ago; recognises that the cost of insurance is now jeopardising the future of a number of fundraising and community events, including Christmas events; rejects the main excuse put forward by insurance companies that the increased premiums are required because of the rise in international terrorism; and therefore calls on the Government to look into this issue as a matter of urgency to ensure these events, which are so important to local communities, are able to continue.

That this House notes with concern the massive increase in the cost of public liability insurance over the last three years and the negative impact this is having on traditional community events throughout the country; notes that in one case in Edinburgh, an insurance quote of ??14,500 was given to...

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 recalls with deep regret the death of 12 year old Amy Houston in a road traffic accident a year ago; notes that the driver of the vehicle had already been twice banned from driving; believes that the sentence of four months' imprisonment which he received was woefully inadequate; believes that there should be a separate offence of causing death with a vehicle whilst disqualified from driving, and that such an offence should carry with it a serious custodial sentence; welcomes the publication of the Government's Road Safety Bill; and calls on the Government to incorporate such a change into the Bill.

That this House recalls with deep regret the death of 12 year old Amy Houston in a road traffic accident a year ago; notes that the driver of the vehicle had already been twice banned from driving; believes that the sentence of four months' imprisonment which he received was woefully...

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 expresses its deep concern that the leader of Burma's democracy movement, Nobel Prize winner Aung Sun Suu Kyi, has now spent more than nine years under house arrest; notes that there are currently serious questions about her personal security; abserves that, despite Burma's military dictatorship announcing several initiatives to move towards democracy, prospects for democracy in Burma are as distant as ever; further notes that there has not been a single democratic political reform in the past 15 years; calls for the immediate release of Aung Sun Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Burma; and calls on the Government immediately to put Burma on the agenda of the United National Security Council.

That this House expresses its deep concern that the leader of Burma's democracy movement, Nobel Prize winner Aung Sun Suu Kyi, has now spent more than nine years under house arrest; notes that there are currently serious questions about her personal security; abserves that, despite Burma's military dictatorship announcing several...

That this House notes the comments made by the Transport Secretary to BBC News on Monday 22nd November implying that rural rail services were in the business of carting fresh air around the country; believes that this constitutes a potentially serious threat to the long-term future of rural rail services; is concerned that these comments coincided with the Community Rail Development Strategy published the same day; welcomes those proposals in the strategy aimed at increasing passenger volume on rural lines; but calls on the Government to make a long term commitment to rural rail line services as part of an integrated strategy for the rail and transport network, aimed at reducing road traffic and pollution by promoting greater availability and use of public transport.

That this House notes the comments made by the Transport Secretary to BBC News on Monday 22nd November implying that rural rail services were in the business of carting fresh air around the country; believes that this constitutes a potentially serious threat to the long-term future of rural rail services;...

That this House notes that, according to official statistics, over one million children in Britain are homeless or in housing which is either overcrowded or unfit for human habitation; notes that all the available research indicates that this can have devastating effects on their health, education and future prospects; and welcomes Shelter's Million Children campaign, highlighting the plight of these children and supports its call to end bad housing for the next generation of children.

That this House notes that, according to official statistics, over one million children in Britain are homeless or in housing which is either overcrowded or unfit for human habitation; notes that all the available research indicates that this can have devastating effects on their health, education and future prospects; and...

That this House strongly condemns the illegal imprisonment of Mr Roy Bennett MP (Zimbabwe) by the Parliament of Zimbabwe and calls upon the Parliament of Zimbabwe to release Mr Bennett forthwith.

That this House strongly condemns the illegal imprisonment of Mr Roy Bennett MP (Zimbabwe) by the Parliament of Zimbabwe and calls upon the Parliament of Zimbabwe to release Mr Bennett forthwith.

That this House congratulates Daniel Barenboim, Israeli conductor, on is determination to continue the work of the charitable foundation which he founded with the late Edward Said, his new initiative in opening a kindergarten in Ramallah for four to five year olds to attend music classes and his determination to forge links between Israeli and Palestinian children; and hopes that the Israeli Government and the newly elected Palestinian President follow his example to encourage peaceful co-operation between Israel and Palestine.

That this House congratulates Daniel Barenboim, Israeli conductor, on is determination to continue the work of the charitable foundation which he founded with the late Edward Said, his new initiative in opening a kindergarten in Ramallah for four to five year olds to attend music classes and his determination to...

That this House is aware that on 3rd December 1984 poisonous gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal, India; notes that Amnesty International has reported that 7,000 people died in the immediate aftermath, that a further, 15,000 have died of related diseases since 1984, and that 100,000 people still suffer from chronic and debilitating illnesses as a consequence of the leak; further notes that Union Carbide was guilty of storing this ultra hazardous gas without regard to proper safety arrangements, that no individuals, including in management, have been brought to account for the leak and its consequences, and that neither Union Carbide nor the subsequent purchaser Dow Chemicals has done enough to clean up the site or compensate the victims; further notes that toxic wastes still pollute the environment and contaminate the water that communities in the area depend on, that the 1989 deal between the Indian Government and Union Carbide of ??470 million in exchange for an end to legal proceedings was not in the best interest of victims and the successful claimants have only received a pittance in compensation, that thousands of claims remain outstanding, and that the Reserve Bank of Inda has pocketed ??330 million of the ??470 million which should have been paid to survivors; and believes that not enough has been done in the last 20 years to ensure there is no repeat of a Bhopal disaster in either the developing or developed world and that the findings and judgment of the Permanent People's Tribunal on Industrial Hazards and Human Rights, disclosed on 2nd December 1994, still represents the best analysis and recommendations for law changes and enforcement in individual states and internationally to avoid any recurrence.

That this House is aware that on 3rd December 1984 poisonous gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal, India; notes that Amnesty International has reported that 7,000 people died in the immediate aftermath, that a further, 15,000 have died of related diseases since 1984, and that 100,000...

That this House appreciates the constructive work that joint pre-legislative scrutiny committees can perform in helping to scrutinise and improve draft legislation; and looks forward to them continuing to perform this valuable function to an even greater extent in the future.

That this House appreciates the constructive work that joint pre-legislative scrutiny committees can perform in helping to scrutinise and improve draft legislation; and looks forward to them continuing to perform this valuable function to an even greater extent in the future.

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 the latest Sentio-Norstat opinion poll in Norway which shows that 10 years after the Norwegian vote not to join the European Union 48.5 per cent. of Norwegians are now in favour of EU membership compared to 40.2 per cent. who are opposed; further notes that 60 per cent. now predict Norway will join the EU by 2014; concurs with the head of the Norwegian EU delegation that it is becoming increasingly difficult to advance the interests of countries like Norway who are in the European Economic Area but remain outside the EU; repudiates the arguments of those who want the UK to renegotiate its relationship with the EU along Norwegian lines; and believes that such a move towards associate membership would consign the UK to the sidelines of Europe, affected by EU decisions but having no say over them.

That this House notes the latest Sentio-Norstat opinion poll in Norway which shows that 10 years after the Norwegian vote not to join the European Union 48.5 per cent. of Norwegians are now in favour of EU membership compared to 40.2 per cent. who are opposed; further notes that 60...

That this House congratulates the crofting community of Pairc in the Western Isles for its historic vote to use its right under the Scottish Land Reform Act to make a compulsory purchase of the 25,000 acre Pairc Estate; commends the Pairc Community Trust and the Scottish Community Land Unit for the responsible way they managed the consultation process and the ballot; applauds the Labour Government for having launched the land reform process in January 1999 through its Green Paper, and the Scottish Parliament for having passed the Land Reform Act in January 2003; and hopes that many other communities in the Highlands and Islands will take similar advantage of their new rights under the Act, so fulfilling the vision of sweeping land reform in the Scottish Highlands and Islands first articulated by radical politicians such as Keir Hardie and the crofting MPs, Dr Roderick MacDonald, Charles Fraser MacKintosh, Dr Gavin Clark, Alexander Sutherland and Donald MacFarlane, more than 100 years ago.

That this House congratulates the crofting community of Pairc in the Western Isles for its historic vote to use its right under the Scottish Land Reform Act to make a compulsory purchase of the 25,000 acre Pairc Estate; commends the Pairc Community Trust and the Scottish Community Land Unit for...

That this House believes that a convincing case for the introduction of identity cards and a national database has not been made, that they have no discernible benefit, that the introduction of identity cards will fundamentally change the relationship between the citizen and the state, diminish personal privacy and threaten civil liberties, and that identity cards area solution in search of a problem; and calls upon the Government to abandon any plans for their introduction.

That this House believes that a convincing case for the introduction of identity cards and a national database has not been made, that they have no discernible benefit, that the introduction of identity cards will fundamentally change the relationship between the citizen and the state, diminish personal privacy and threaten...

That this House believes the Government should reconsider its proposals for national identity; emphasises that it is essential to be clear on the specific uses for which the card is intended; believes that present proposals are catch-all purposes rather than practical possibilities since it is impossible to combine an identity card, an entitlement card, a passport, a weapon against terrorism, and a regulator of immigration and asylum; feels that the Government should specify whether it should carry information about rights to work, pensions, benefits or NHS treatments; regrets the Government's efforts to stampede support by using fears of terrorism and asylum seekers, neither of which could be controlled by it, and requires a fuller explanation of what biometric information the card will carry, how the information will be stored, checked, and read, and whether and when new technology will outdate information or methods; in light of recent debacles with Government computer projects, warns that the same expensive mistakes are likely on a much bigger scale with a national ID card; and therefore suggests that the Home Secretary should place the proposal in a deep Home Office drawer, rather than an overloaded Government in-tray.

That this House believes the Government should reconsider its proposals for national identity; emphasises that it is essential to be clear on the specific uses for which the card is intended; believes that present proposals are catch-all purposes rather than practical possibilities since it is impossible to combine an identity...

That this House calls upon the Prime Minister, in concert with the US Administration and the Iraqi Interim Government, immediately to institute a dedicated body to gather, collate and publish the number of Iraqi civilians killed and injured as a result of coalition forces' actions since 20th March 2003; and believes that such a body should incorporate procedures employed by Iraq bodycount and those US and Iraqi health experts whose findings detailing 100,000 civilian deaths was published by the Lancet on 30th October 2004.

That this House calls upon the Prime Minister, in concert with the US Administration and the Iraqi Interim Government, immediately to institute a dedicated body to gather, collate and publish the number of Iraqi civilians killed and injured as a result of coalition forces' actions since 20th March 2003; and...

That this House backs the UK's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games; congratulates the bid team, led by London 2012, in submitting a first class bid to the International Olympic Committee; celebrates the fact that the Games would bring about tremendous benefits to the whole of the UK by boosting sport at all levels, creating jobs and opportunities for UK plc, boosting tourism, regenerating one of the most deprived areas of the UK, inspiring a generation to embrace sport and physical activity and in so doing helping to improve our nation's health; notes that the Games would provide an opportunity to showcase UK arts and culture to a global audience; and notes that the Games would instil a fantastic sense of pride throughout Britain in hosting the best Games the world has ever seen.

That this House backs the UK's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games; congratulates the bid team, led by London 2012, in submitting a first class bid to the International Olympic Committee; celebrates the fact that the Games would bring about tremendous benefits to the whole of...

That this House notes with great concern that the number of Samaritans volunteers has fallen by 3,000 compared to five years ago; further notes in 2003 there were 4.8 million contacts made to Samaritans, 97 per cent. of which were by telephone, visits to the branch, e-mail and letters; congratulates the 203 branches operated by approximately 18,500 unpaid volunteers for their hard work and dedication; and calls on both central and local government to give as much support to this excellent organisation as possible.

That this House notes with great concern that the number of Samaritans volunteers has fallen by 3,000 compared to five years ago; further notes in 2003 there were 4.8 million contacts made to Samaritans, 97 per cent. of which were by telephone, visits to the branch, e-mail and letters; congratulates...

That this House is alarmed at the enormous number of landmines still to be cleared throughout the world; notes the significant contribution made by the UK to date towards the eradication of anti-personnel landmines; congratulates those musicians, non-governmental organisations and other campaigners who have kept this in the public mind; is deeply concerned that the UK is not doing enough to assist mine-affected countries to clear mines within their own territory; believes that the UK should be doing more to meet its own obligations under the Ottawa Treaty in order to set a better example to other states' parties; and therefore calls upon the Government to increase funding for mine action activities over the next five years and to channel funds directly to demining operators in order to do so.

That this House is alarmed at the enormous number of landmines still to be cleared throughout the world; notes the significant contribution made by the UK to date towards the eradication of anti-personnel landmines; congratulates those musicians, non-governmental organisations and other campaigners who have kept this in the public mind;...

That this House notes with deep regret the testimony given to the Home Affairs Select Committee investigation into terrorism and community relations by Mr Jagdeesh Singh in which he suggested that the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden allowed itself to be used as a base for violent and terrorist activities; considers this allegation to be totally without foundation and abhorrent to a community which has itself suffered a terrorist attack on its mother temple in Gandhinagar, India where many monks and two British citizens were shot and killed; and further considers that this allegation has caused profound offence to the wider Hindu community in the UK and is damaging to good community relations and urges the Select committee to invite representatives of the Swaminarayan community to give testimony before the Committee that will establish a more accurate picture of the work for positive community relations that the Swaminarayan Temple is engaged in.

That this House notes with deep regret the testimony given to the Home Affairs Select Committee investigation into terrorism and community relations by Mr Jagdeesh Singh in which he suggested that the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden allowed itself to be used as a base for violent and terrorist activities; considers...

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 deplores the continuing problems at the Child Support Agency; notes the recent resignation of Doug Smith, the CSA's former Chief Executive; recognises that since May 2003 the Government has consistently refused to set a date for when old cases will be transferred to the new system; is concerned that hundreds of thousands of children are missing out on money to which they are entitled; believes that sorting out the current problems would be a vital step in tackling child poverty; agrees with the Prime Minister that the current performance of the Agency is unacceptable; notes that Ministers continue to fail to acknowledge their role in the current problems and accept responsibility; and calls on Ministers to set out a timetable for action, including a full response to the recent recommendations of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, so that people can understand when the problems will be eliminated.

That this House deplores the continuing problems at the Child Support Agency; notes the recent resignation of Doug Smith, the CSA's former Chief Executive; recognises that since May 2003 the Government has consistently refused to set a date for when old cases will be transferred to the new system; is...

That this House urges Her Majesty's Government to defer approving the extradition to the United States of any British subjects until such time as the United States Senate ratifies the Extradition Treaty of March 2003; further calls upon the Government to amend the Extradition Act 2003 (Designation of Part 2 Territories) Order 2003 and replace it with a new Order which requires the United States to supply prima facie evidence to accompany its extradition requests to the United Kingdom as the UK has to do in relation to an extradition from the US; and further calls upon the Government to amend the Extradition Act 2003 to reflect the terms of Article 7 of the European Convention of Extradition on Place of Commission.

That this House urges Her Majesty's Government to defer approving the extradition to the United States of any British subjects until such time as the United States Senate ratifies the Extradition Treaty of March 2003; further calls upon the Government to amend the Extradition Act 2003 (Designation of Part 2...

That this House calls on the Government to implement unilaterally, if necessary, a tougher sanctions regime against Robert Mugabe, his financial backers and those who oppress innocent people in his name; expresses frustration at those governments which openly and covertly provide support to the Government of Zimbabwe; further notes that the continued lack of urgent international action to protect the people of Zimbabwe from the policies of selective starvation; welcomes the efforts of food charities who deliver aid to those who are starving, irrespective of their tribal or political background; condemns the recent clamp-down on non-governmental organisations; deplores the unchecked slide into ethnic cleansing; and calls upon the Government to work to establish an international coalition to bring pressure to bear on Mugabe and to raise itself from inertia and deal effectively with Robert Mugabe to provide a better future for all Zimbabweans.

That this House calls on the Government to implement unilaterally, if necessary, a tougher sanctions regime against Robert Mugabe, his financial backers and those who oppress innocent people in his name; expresses frustration at those governments which openly and covertly provide support to the Government of Zimbabwe; further notes that...

That this House looks forward to the publication of the Office of Fair Trading audit of supplier contracts with supermarkets under the Code of Practice; recognises that the OFT report into the Code, published in February 2004, concluded that it had failed to effectively protect suppliers from unfair trading practices; agrees with the analysis of the failure of the Code set out in EDM 94 (Food Supply Code of Practice); notes with concern that the adverse effects are felt most by small and family farmers in the UK and overseas, by small independent retailers and by people without access to private transport; and calls on the Government to draw up a new strengthened and legally-binding Code of Practice with clear terms for which it is the duty of a regulatory authority to proactively monitor; to monitor and publish reports on other aspects of the grocery market; and to review the need for a Food Trade Ombudsman.

That this House looks forward to the publication of the Office of Fair Trading audit of supplier contracts with supermarkets under the Code of Practice; recognises that the OFT report into the Code, published in February 2004, concluded that it had failed to effectively protect suppliers from unfair trading practices;...

That this House notes with the deepest regret the death on 16th November of Sir Robert Cooper CBE who undertook a wide range of public duties in Northern Ireland including being a founder member of the Alliance Party, its joint Political Chairman, West Belfast member of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1973 and to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975, a participant in the Sunningdale talks and Minister of Manpower Services in the power sharing executive; further notes that he was Chairman of the Fair Employment Agency for Northern Ireland from 1976 to 1989, Chairman of the Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland from 1990 until 1999 and was also a member of the Secretary of State's Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights from 1976 to 1999, received a knighthood for services to equal opportunities in 1998 and that he also served as the Chairman of the Integrated Education Fund, from September 2000 to July 2004 where he took over the development campaign to increase the number of integrated school places available to children in Northern Ireland and was also a Governor of Lagan Integrated College which both his children attended; and believes that his years of selfless political and public service will be remembered with fondness and gratitude by many, regardless of their political affiliations.

That this House notes with the deepest regret the death on 16th November of Sir Robert Cooper CBE who undertook a wide range of public duties in Northern Ireland including being a founder member of the Alliance Party, its joint Political Chairman, West Belfast member of the Northern Ireland Assembly...

That this House believes that the Government's targets for cutting carbon dioxide emissions require a step-change in the take-up of renewable energy; notes that while Government policies promote renewable electricity generation, little is done to promote the renewable generation of heat through technologies such as biomass, including biogas, solar heating and ground source heat pumps; further notes that energy used for heat is responsible for a third of our carbon emissions, that renewable heat technologies could cut these emissions, help tackle fuel poverty in remote areas of the country, increase fuel security, and provide new markets for the farming and forestry industry; and calls on the Government to extend the renewables obligation to support renewable heat, as recommended by the Royal Commission on Environment Pollution.

That this House believes that the Government's targets for cutting carbon dioxide emissions require a step-change in the take-up of renewable energy; notes that while Government policies promote renewable electricity generation, little is done to promote the renewable generation of heat through technologies such as biomass, including biogas, solar heating...

That this House congratulates The Tree Council for organising National Tree Week, which this year is taking place from 24th November to 5th December in which groups all over the country will be preparing tree planting events; congratulates The Tree Council for promoting the planting and conservation of trees; recognises the fantastic achievements of The Tree Council, Trees for Cities, the Woodland Trust and other associated organisations working towards a cleaner and greener Britain; notes that Britain is still one of the least-wooded countries in Europe; and further notes that such publicity campaigns are key for raising awareness to the benefits of woodlands and trees.

That this House congratulates The Tree Council for organising National Tree Week, which this year is taking place from 24th November to 5th December in which groups all over the country will be preparing tree planting events; congratulates The Tree Council for promoting the planting and conservation of trees; recognises...

That this House believes that, as shown by recent high-profile cases in Amber Valley, Rotherham, Ceredigion and Tower Hamlets, criminals are reaping significant rewards from large-scale meat crimes and often going unpunished; is concerned that these criminals are undeterred because of the inadequate penalties currently available under the Food Safety Act and the difficulties associated with bringing successful prosecutions for conspiracy to defraud; and believes that, for these reasons, a new legal offence is required applying to those who introduce unfit meat into the human food chain and those who trade in it and that this offence should be associated with penalties which are sufficiently severe to deter callous criminals who are indifferent to human and animal health, the reputation of the farming industry and the bio-security of the United Kingdom.

That this House believes that, as shown by recent high-profile cases in Amber Valley, Rotherham, Ceredigion and Tower Hamlets, criminals are reaping significant rewards from large-scale meat crimes and often going unpunished; is concerned that these criminals are undeterred because of the inadequate penalties currently available under the Food Safety...

That this House deplores the racial abuse of England players in the recent friendly played against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid; praises the conduct of the England team, in particular Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermaine Jenas and Jemaine Defoe for responding in such a dignified manner in spite of unspeakable provocation; welcomes the decision of the Minister for Sport and Tourism to write to the Spanish Government expressing the nation's outrage at this incident; calls upon football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA to ensure that countries face severe sanctions when racial or religious abuse at international matches is not stamped out by the national governing bodies; agreed that racism has no place in football whatsoever and reaffirms its support for the Let's Kick Racism out of Football initiative; applauds community outreach schemes run by many British clubs which use football to help unite communities; urges the FA, the Premier League, the Professional Footballers' Association and the Football Foundation to renew efforts to promote ethnic minority involvement in football club training and management structures.

That this House deplores the racial abuse of England players in the recent friendly played against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid; praises the conduct of the England team, in particular Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermaine Jenas and Jemaine Defoe for responding in such a dignified...

That this House takes note of Protocol No. 14 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, amending the Control system of the Convention, Cm. 6370, presented to Parliament on 15th November, in the last Session of Parliament; and requests that her Majesty's Government does not ratify it until the Joint Committee on Human Rights has considered and reported on its implications.

That this House takes note of Protocol No. 14 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, amending the Control system of the Convention, Cm. 6370, presented to Parliament on 15th November, in the last Session of Parliament; and requests that her Majesty's Government does not...

That this House condemns the racism displayed during the England football team's international friendly in Madrid on 17th November; is appalled by continued incidents of racist chanting at Premiership matches, as recorded at Blackburn on 21st November; agrees that no sportsperson should have to conduct their activities under the threat of racist intimidation or abuse; supports the Football Association in its efforts to stamp racism out of football's culture; and calls on the government to use its influence in the EU to ensure this issue is taken as seriously by other states as it is in the Uk.

That this House condemns the racism displayed during the England football team's international friendly in Madrid on 17th November; is appalled by continued incidents of racist chanting at Premiership matches, as recorded at Blackburn on 21st November; agrees that no sportsperson should have to conduct their activities under the threat...

That this House congratulates thje Government on reducing the minimum age for eligibility for the mobility component of disability living allowance, and, therefore, Motability, from five to three years, in 2001; appreciates that this change has benefited many families with disabled children who are three and four years old; acknowledges, however, that some severely disabled children under the age of three need the continual availability of large items of special equipment such as pump feeding or respiratory aid systems; welcomes innovations in posture protecting seating and standing technology for earliest years' use in conditions like cerebral palsy, which can reduce pain, improve physical development and obviate the need for later surgery; recognises that the weight, size and rigidity of this equipment often makes it impossible to take the child in an unadapted family car or by public transport; and therefore calls on the Government to make the mobility component of disability living allowance available to families where best care of a disabled child under three years requires the use of exceptional vehicle space or a specially adapted vehicle.

That this House congratulates thje Government on reducing the minimum age for eligibility for the mobility component of disability living allowance, and, therefore, Motability, from five to three years, in 2001; appreciates that this change has benefited many families with disabled children who are three and four years old; acknowledges,...

That this House notes that the Government's targets for producing electricity from renewable sources are 10.4 per cent. by 2010 and 15.4 per cent. by 2015 with an aspiration of 20 per cent. by 2020; notes that most industry experts believe that the achievement of these targets is extremely unlikely; and calls upon the Government to explain how it plans to reach these higher targets given the present low capacity of renewable generators.

That this House notes that the Government's targets for producing electricity from renewable sources are 10.4 per cent. by 2010 and 15.4 per cent. by 2015 with an aspiration of 20 per cent. by 2020; notes that most industry experts believe that the achievement of these targets is extremely unlikely;...

That this House is concerned about the security of supply of energy in the medium term; that the UK's indigenous gas supplies are running down and that it is forecast to be a net importer of gas from 2006; is further concerned that the coal industry is under threat from environmental constraints, that a significant amount of coal burned now is imported; that the present renewables target, which is only 4.9 per cent., is barely being met; and that the decommissioning of nuclear power stations will begin in 2008 yet the Government refuses to make a decision on the future of the nuclear power industry; and call upon the Government to open a full and transparent debate on the future of UK energy supplies.

That this House is concerned about the security of supply of energy in the medium term; that the UK's indigenous gas supplies are running down and that it is forecast to be a net importer of gas from 2006; is further concerned that the coal industry is under threat from...

That this House welcomes energy efficiency initiatives which are likely to reduce household fuel poverty and lower the use of power; regrets the lack of progress being made by the Government in this field; is concerned that neither the moral nor the financial case for reducing usage has been made by the Government; believes that there should be an expansion of power efficiency schemes available to a wider cross section of the public; and calls upon the Government to set out how it intends to achieve this.

That this House welcomes energy efficiency initiatives which are likely to reduce household fuel poverty and lower the use of power; regrets the lack of progress being made by the Government in this field; is concerned that neither the moral nor the financial case for reducing usage has been made...

That this House acknowledges the benefits that mobile communications bring; but recognises the high level of concern in many communities regarding mobile phone masts particularly near schools; welcomes the independent report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mobile Communications following submissions of written and oral evidence from key stakeholders; calls on the Government to implement in full the 19 recommendations made in the Report, in particular the recommendations previously made by Sir William Stewart that permitted development rights to be revoked for the erection of all base stations; and in order to increase confidence in the planning system calls on the government to revise PPG8 and to make a statement about improved consultation on pre-development and pre-application proposals for telecommunications installations.

That this House acknowledges the benefits that mobile communications bring; but recognises the high level of concern in many communities regarding mobile phone masts particularly near schools; welcomes the independent report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mobile Communications following submissions of written and oral evidence from key stakeholders;...

That this House offers its full support to the family of Daniel Morgan in calling for a public inquiry into the circumstances of his murder in South East London in 1987; notes that after 17 years and four separate police investigations, no individual has been tried or convicted of the crime; regrets that the police investigations have failed to make up for the serious failings of the initial investigations in 1987-88 and 1988-89; expresses deep concern that the central allegations have not been addressed or resolved by any of the four investigations, namely that police officers were involved in the crime and conspired to frustrate the initial investigation; believes that the resolution of these questions are matters of concern not only to the family but to the police service and the wider public; and therefore calls upon the Government to set up a public judicial inquiry into the circumstances of Daniel's murder and the allegations of police involvement that have arisen from it.

That this House offers its full support to the family of Daniel Morgan in calling for a public inquiry into the circumstances of his murder in South East London in 1987; notes that after 17 years and four separate police investigations, no individual has been tried or convicted of the...

That this House notes that Iran has stated it is suspending its uranium enrichment programme in line with the agreement negotiated by Britain, France and Germany; welcomes the constructive approach taken by Her Majesty's Government in co-ordination with our major EU partners, and congratulates all participants on the outcome; further notes that Iran's statement has been welcomed by Mohamed El Baredei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and that the UN watchdog is now checking to confirm activity has ceased; is aware that the United States Administration continues to press for the matter to be referred to the UN Security Council; believes multilateral negotiations like those conducted by the EU trio are the best means to secure a peaceful resolution of complex issues and should therefore be continued; and urges Her Majesty's Government to resist any attempts at escalation or departure from dialogue and multilateral diplomacy.

That this House notes that Iran has stated it is suspending its uranium enrichment programme in line with the agreement negotiated by Britain, France and Germany; welcomes the constructive approach taken by Her Majesty's Government in co-ordination with our major EU partners, and congratulates all participants on the outcome; further...

That this House regrets the exclusion from the 2004 Paralympic Games of all learning disabled athletes as a result of a dispute between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Sports Federation for People with Intellectual Disability about verification procedures; believes that people with learning disability should be able and entitled to compete at the highest level of sport; is deeply concerned that, at its Extraordinary General Meeting on 25th November, in Cairo, the International Paralympic Committee may permanently ban all learning disabled athletes from participating in the Paralympic Games; recognises that funding for disability sport is dependent on participation in the Paralympic Games; calls on both the International Paralympic Committee and the International Sports Federation for People with Intellectual Disability to work constructively to find a way of testing learning disability and its impact on sporting capacity that is mutually acceptable; and urges the UK Government to use its influence to help secure a satisfactory agreement that will see learning disabled athletes once more eligible to compete in the Paralympic Games.

That this House regrets the exclusion from the 2004 Paralympic Games of all learning disabled athletes as a result of a dispute between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Sports Federation for People with Intellectual Disability about verification procedures; believes that people with learning disability should be able and...

That this House notes neither Good Friday nor Christmas Day are included in the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 on the grounds that they are traditional days of rest and worship; further notes that the restrictions under the Sunday Trading Act 1994 do not apply to either of these important days in the Christian calendar; recognises that competitive pressures find many Christians in a position where they feel compelled to work on these days, and that many Christians view commercial activities on these days as showing a disregard and disrespect for their religion; and therefore calls upon Her Majesty's Government to review existing legislation relating to the holiest days in the Christian calendar and bring forward change that will protect Christians from being compelled to engage in commercial activities on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

That this House notes neither Good Friday nor Christmas Day are included in the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 on the grounds that they are traditional days of rest and worship; further notes that the restrictions under the Sunday Trading Act 1994 do not apply to either of these...

That this House believes a significant lack of education is allowing healthcare professionals and patients alike to become confused as to the best and most effective use of blood glucose monitoring for diabetes and that because the current primary care trust guidelines discourage the prescription of blood glucose strips for self-monitoring, it may become difficult for those in primary care to meet the National Institute for Clinical Excellence-recommended blood glucose target levels; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to ensure that blood glucose monitoring strips are not restricted for type II diabetes patients who are best placed to self-manage their condition.

That this House believes a significant lack of education is allowing healthcare professionals and patients alike to become confused as to the best and most effective use of blood glucose monitoring for diabetes and that because the current primary care trust guidelines discourage the prescription of blood glucose strips for...

That this House reiterates the reminder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) following the fighting in Fallujah, that complying with international humanitarian law in Iraq is an obligation and not an option; endorses the ICRC view that killing of non-combatants or those no longer fighting, torture of non-combatants and combatants and the taking of hostages whether Iraqi or foreign, are all prohibited for all parties to the conflict and under any circumstances; recognises that adequate medical care for the wounded, either friend or foe, must be provided and that there is a duty to help civilians caught up in fighting to obtain the basic food, water and health care; and reminds all parties to the Iraqi conflict that violation of these and other tenets of international humanitarian law must lead to those responsible being held accountable.

That this House reiterates the reminder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) following the fighting in Fallujah, that complying with international humanitarian law in Iraq is an obligation and not an option; endorses the ICRC view that killing of non-combatants or those no longer fighting, torture of...

That this House notes that the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive and the Medicinal Products for Human Use Directive have recently been passed into European law; believes that these Directives and the Food Supplements Directive together place unnecessary restrictions upon the choice exercised by British consumers of vitamins and minerals; further believes that many restrictions are for the sake of European harmonisation rather than public safety; notes the misgivings of the British food supplements industry over the prohibitive costs of compiling complex dossiers defending their products from bans, which have been estimated by the Government to be between ??80,000 and ??250,000 per product; further notes that the Government must now translate the directives into British law by producing new legislation; and calls upon the Government when framing domestic legislation, to address the concerns of consumers, who continue to use food supplements safely, and of manufacturers, who fear debilitating restrictions placed upon their business.

That this House notes that the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive and the Medicinal Products for Human Use Directive have recently been passed into European law; believes that these Directives and the Food Supplements Directive together place unnecessary restrictions upon the choice exercised by British consumers of vitamins and minerals;...

That this House recognises the suffering of those members of final salary schemes who have lost their pensions when their schemes were in wind-up and their need for urgent assistance; welcomes the provision of ??400 million for the Financial Assistance Schemes but is concerned that this is not a sufficient sum to provide the substantial assistance promised by the Government, asks the Government to consider pooling the assets of winding-up schemes, rather than purchasing annuities, and paying pensions on an ongoing basis, as will be the case with the Pension Protection Fund, so that costs to the Exchequer can be spread over a long period of time which would provide an affordable option without overburdening the public funds; notes that if the Financial Assistance Scheme lasts 20 years those people currently in their fifties will only be in their seventies when the Scheme runs out; further notes that estimates suggest that if the Government will commit to pay a sum of ??75 million a year, index linked, for 40 years into a central fund and pool all the assets of the schemes which have not yet bought annuities, promised pensions to non-retired members could be paid to at least the level of the Pension Protection Fund; calls on the Government to acknowledge that further resources will be required to fulfil the Government's desire to rectify this injustice and restore confidence in pensions; and finally urges the Government to settle this matter as soon as possible and in advance of a general election.

That this House recognises the suffering of those members of final salary schemes who have lost their pensions when their schemes were in wind-up and their need for urgent assistance; welcomes the provision of ??400 million for the Financial Assistance Schemes but is concerned that this is not a sufficient...

That this House congratulates the National Association of Pension Funds for its campaign to require leading companies to disclose in their annual reports the growing pay gap between executives and their employees; notes the impotence of remuneration committees, which set boardroom pay, in tackling the deteriorating situation; agrees with the National Association of Pension Funds that the widening pay gap betwen boardroom and shopfloor is divisive and demoralising, which in turn can damage corporate performance; is appalled that the chief executives of blue chip companies receive an average salary of ??579,000, which is 28 times more than the average UK worker; is even more appalled by the greed of the chief executives of FTSE 100 companies whose salary packages, including so-called bonuses and incentives, average 2.6 million; and urges the Government to introduce regulations in accordance with proposals from the National Association of Pension Funds so that salaries of executives and how they compare with the rest of the workforce are revealed in full.

That this House congratulates the National Association of Pension Funds for its campaign to require leading companies to disclose in their annual reports the growing pay gap between executives and their employees; notes the impotence of remuneration committees, which set boardroom pay, in tackling the deteriorating situation; agrees with the...

That this House notes with deep regret that years after the collapse of the Robert Maxwell companies due to the theft of the pension funds, some 1,400 former employees out of a total of 32,000 are still only receiving a fraction of the pensions which they paid into for many years; further notes that, following vigorous efforts of Parliament, a great deal of the funds were recovered by Lord Cuckney from city institutions; regrets that the distribution of the ??280 million raised which should have been sufficient to ensure every pensioner received their full entitlement was not as successful as might have been expected, leaving this particular fund in shortfall, whilst ??30 million of the monies collected to fully restore the pension funds were appropriated by HM Treasury; and therefore calls upon the Government, and in particular HM Treasury, to remit the ??30 million to the pension fund in order to raise their present pensions to what the former employees believe is their promised and rightful entitlement.

That this House notes with deep regret that years after the collapse of the Robert Maxwell companies due to the theft of the pension funds, some 1,400 former employees out of a total of 32,000 are still only receiving a fraction of the pensions which they paid into for many...

That this House supports the Right to Care Campaign; believes that the campaign grouping involving 20 major campaign groups, charities and trade unions, is testament to the depth of feeling surrounding the issue of long-term care felt by the members of these organisations and by many members of the public; notes that a petition of 100,000 signatures has been presented to 10 Downing Street; is concerned that distinguishing between personal and nursing care is impractical and unworkable; further believes that these differences in policy between regions of the United Kingdom are creating major disparities in the type and levels of care available to elderly and disabled people; welcomes the statement of the Royal Commissioners that called on the Government to reconsider its rejection of free personal care; and urges the Government fully to fund personal and nursing care that is free at the point of use for all who need long-term care; wherever they live, throughout the United Kingdom.

That this House supports the Right to Care Campaign; believes that the campaign grouping involving 20 major campaign groups, charities and trade unions, is testament to the depth of feeling surrounding the issue of long-term care felt by the members of these organisations and by many members of the public;...

That this House acknowledges the recent report by the Nationwide Building Society entitled Free Cash Machines Under Threat; recognises that UK financial institutions are currently charging more than ??60 million per annum to customers for withdrawing their own money via automatic teller machines and that the number of machines making such charges has increased by 40 per cent. this year alone; and calls upon every honourable Member to assist in highlighting this exorbitant and unnecessary charge to the public.

That this House acknowledges the recent report by the Nationwide Building Society entitled Free Cash Machines Under Threat; recognises that UK financial institutions are currently charging more than ??60 million per annum to customers for withdrawing their own money via automatic teller machines and that the number of machines making...

That this House notes growing concerns about the difficulties facing pensioners who are ill in accessing their pensions since the introduction of Post Office card accounts, the transfer to bank accounts and the closure of large numbers of post offices.

That this House notes growing concerns about the difficulties facing pensioners who are ill in accessing their pensions since the introduction of Post Office card accounts, the transfer to bank accounts and the closure of large numbers of post offices.

That this House notes the severe illness and deaths of haemophiliacs and some partners from HIV and hepatitis C, caused by the use of contaminated blood products and the potential for future deaths from vCJD; and supports the Haemophilia Society in its calls for an independent public inquiry into the contamination of haemophilia treatment since the 1970s, in particular the failure to make the UK self-sufficient in blood products, the failure in some parts of the UK to make a timely switch to virally inactivated treatment when this became available from 1985 and the failure to make timely provision of genetically-engineered recombinant Factor VIII and IX for all haemophiliacs.

That this House notes the severe illness and deaths of haemophiliacs and some partners from HIV and hepatitis C, caused by the use of contaminated blood products and the potential for future deaths from vCJD; and supports the Haemophilia Society in its calls for an independent public inquiry into the...

That this House recognises that endometriosis is a gynaecological condition which can cause infertility, extreme and constant pain and depression; further recognises that endometriosis is a relatively unknown condition despite the fact that up to two million women in the UK are sufferers; congratulates the work of the All Party Group on endometriosis in helping to highlight the condition; further recognises that the cause of endometriosis is, as yet, unknown; notes that there is no cure for the condition; further notes, with concern, that the Government has presided over a decrease in funding for research into endometriosis, from ??1.8 million per year in 1998-99 to ??1.2 million in 2001-02; and calls on the Government to do more to help those who suffer from the condition.

That this House recognises that endometriosis is a gynaecological condition which can cause infertility, extreme and constant pain and depression; further recognises that endometriosis is a relatively unknown condition despite the fact that up to two million women in the UK are sufferers; congratulates the work of the All Party...

That this House notes the great benefits to employees, employers and the economy as a whole of broad-based employee share schemes; and urges the International Accounting Standards Board and the Accounting Standards Board to take account in their work on new accounting standards of the impact of such standards on widely-based employee share schemes.

That this House notes the great benefits to employees, employers and the economy as a whole of broad-based employee share schemes; and urges the International Accounting Standards Board and the Accounting Standards Board to take account in their work on new accounting standards of the impact of such standards on...

That this House urges the Government soon to make clear what financial and other assistance it will make available to help individuals who lose their livelihoods or dwellings as a result of actions taken by hunts following the passage of the Hunting Act 2004.

That this House urges the Government soon to make clear what financial and other assistance it will make available to help individuals who lose their livelihoods or dwellings as a result of actions taken by hunts following the passage of the Hunting Act 2004.

That this House believes that the heroism of the sailors of the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy who took part in the Arctic campaign during World War Two should be recognised with a medal; regrets that the men who served in the severest of weather conditions, unlike any other in the war, whilst running the gauntlet of air and submarine attack, in order to maintain supplies to Russia on the Eastern Front have never been properly recognised; therefore supports the campaign being run by the Portsmouth News; and calls on the Prime Minister to require the Honours and Decorations Committee to recommend to the Queen that an Arctic star, or clasp, is created in order to finally recognise the unique contribution, and sacrifice, made by these veterens.

That this House believes that the heroism of the sailors of the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy who took part in the Arctic campaign during World War Two should be recognised with a medal; regrets that the men who served in the severest of weather conditions, unlike any other...

That this House recognises the widespread dissatisfaction amongst service personnel and their families at the conditions and allocation of service accommodation; recognises the high level of spending on empty properties and private rented properties by the Ministry of Defence; calls for a re-organisation of the way housing is managed and maintained; and further calls for a review of the contract between the Ministry of Defence and Annington Homes plc.

That this House recognises the widespread dissatisfaction amongst service personnel and their families at the conditions and allocation of service accommodation; recognises the high level of spending on empty properties and private rented properties by the Ministry of Defence; calls for a re-organisation of the way housing is managed and...

That this House values the important educational and cultural roles of heritage and conservation charities, many of which are independent museums; recognises that the existence and development of such bodies relies not only on the efforts of volunteers but also on admission charges; welcomes the vital financial assistance which Gift Aid has given tho them; is concerned that there are proposals to remove the Gift Aid provision on admission charges; and urges the Government to continue to allow these charities to benefit from Gift Aid without restriction to the existing conditions.

That this House values the important educational and cultural roles of heritage and conservation charities, many of which are independent museums; recognises that the existence and development of such bodies relies not only on the efforts of volunteers but also on admission charges; welcomes the vital financial assistance which Gift...

That this House believes that the costs of policing entertainment areas at night in towns and cities across the country should not entirely fall on the central or council taxpayer; further believes that provisions should be made to provide a mechanism for the general control of anti-social behaviour by individuals once they are away from the vicinity of licensed premises; and to this end, and working on the principle that the polluter should pay, urges the Government to grant local authorities mandatory powers in order to impose a levy on those premises whose customers cause such an unwanted burden on policing and clean up costs throughout the country.

That this House believes that the costs of policing entertainment areas at night in towns and cities across the country should not entirely fall on the central or council taxpayer; further believes that provisions should be made to provide a mechanism for the general control of anti-social behaviour by individuals...

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 believes that children who have multiple disabilities and complex health needs and their families have a need for short breaks either in the family home or in specialist residential settings; recognises the intense pressure placed on so many families who provide 24 hour care to children and young people with multiple disabilities; urges local authorities to ensure that such breaks are in adequate supply to meet the needs of the thousands of families and children who require such support; applauds the aims of the awareness campaign, Give us a Break!, set up by the Children's Trust, Tadworth, to highlight the need for short breaks in the UK; is encouraged by the reference to the need for short breaks in the recent National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services; and calls on the Government to fully consider how such breaks should be funded in the future.

That this House believes that children who have multiple disabilities and complex health needs and their families have a need for short breaks either in the family home or in specialist residential settings; recognises the intense pressure placed on so many families who provide 24 hour care to children and...

That this House welcomes the call by the Salvation Army and the Methodist Church that health warning labels should be attached to all alcoholic drinks; requests that the Government introduces legislation requiring the drinks industry to print cigarette-style health warnings on all products and advertisements, together with advice relating to weekly alcohol intake for men and women; notes that alcohol abuse remains a bigger killer than deaths caused through illegal drugs; believes that the drinks industry should take more responsibility for the harm alcohol causes, by contributing to the costs of prevention and treatment of problem drinking, including paying for the running of detoxification centres and community-based projects to support families affected by drink-related problems; and wishes the Government success with its National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.

That this House welcomes the call by the Salvation Army and the Methodist Church that health warning labels should be attached to all alcoholic drinks; requests that the Government introduces legislation requiring the drinks industry to print cigarette-style health warnings on all products and advertisements, together with advice relating to...

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 applauds the actions of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, which is now unilaterally clearing minefields within the United Nations buffer zone and in doing so is clearly showing its full support of the United Nations policy and the Ottawa convention on this important issue; notes that this work will take an estimated one year to complete and that some 2,300 mines will be cleared at a cost of 2.5 million euro; and calls on the Government to give the fullest support to the Republic of Cyprus Government in this programme, as the European Union and the United Nations are doing.

That this House applauds the actions of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, which is now unilaterally clearing minefields within the United Nations buffer zone and in doing so is clearly showing its full support of the United Nations policy and the Ottawa convention on this important issue; notes...