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...