That this House believes that community groups, charities and other not-for-profit organisations should be exempt from being required to pay value added tax on the installation of high speed broadband cabinets which they have funded.

That this House believes that community groups, charities and other not-for-profit organisations should be exempt from being required to pay value added tax on the installation of high speed broadband cabinets which they have funded.

That this House remains extremely concerned about the treatment of minorities in Iraq and parts of Syria by ISIL (also known as Daesh), and in particular the persecution of Yezidi women who have been brutally targeted since August 2014 and continue to be held in ISIL captivity in large numbers as part of ISIL's ruthless attempts to eliminate non-Arab and non-Sunni Muslims in the area; is appalled by the evidence of abuses against these women including enslavement, torture and tape; notes the recently released Report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights which concludes that the acts committed by ISIL against the Yezidi minority might constitute genocide; also notes the traumatising effects of these abuses, which have caused some women and girls to commit suicide; and calls on the Government and its international partners to increase humanitarian efforts to protect Yezidi women, and minority communities more generally, in the region, to do more to locate and release women held captive, to improve protection and facilities for those women who have been released or have escaped, and to assist in gathering evidence for use in future prosecutions of the perpetrators.

That this House remains extremely concerned about the treatment of minorities in Iraq and parts of Syria by ISIL (also known as Daesh), and in particular the persecution of Yezidi women who have been brutally targeted since August 2014 and continue to be held in ISIL captivity in large numbers...

That this House notes with alarm the series of events that have led to Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed being removed from office, arrested, convicted of terrorism charges and sentenced to 13 years in prison; further notes the widespread shock at images of President Nasheed being dragged along the ground into court, at being informed of his being denied fair legal representation and due right to appeal, and at his witnesses being rejected before they were heard; further notes abuses of legal processes, including judges acting as witnesses for the prosecution, and other witnesses being led by judges or coached by police; further notes that many of President Nasheed's colleagues and supporters have also been arrested; further notes that, since the arrest of President Nasheed, the live broadcast feed from the debating chamber has been cut so the public have little knowledge of what is happening within Parliament; further notes reports from Maldivian parliamentarians, stating that various serious constitutional abuses have taken place very recently, including that committees have been peremptorily set up to pass legislation to restrict political involvement; further notes with alarm reports from Maldivian parliamentarians that the handful of women Maldivian parliamentarians are now being verbally abused and threatened on the floor of the debating chamber; further notes that President Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically-elected president, is a champion of non-violent, peaceful democracy; believes that any allegations against him should be considered openly, and with due respect for justice and legal process, which has not yet been the case; and calls on the Government to make these demands of the Maldivian government, and to take all reasonable steps to encourage the re-establishment of democracy and the rule of law throughout the Maldives.

That this House notes with alarm the series of events that have led to Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed being removed from office, arrested, convicted of terrorism charges and sentenced to 13 years in prison; further notes the widespread shock at images of President Nasheed being dragged along the ground into...

That this House welcomes the Save the Oxford English Dictionary campaign founded by Abbie Maguire, which calls for the Oxford English Dictionary to remain in printed form; notes that the Dictionary, first published in 1884, is the largest dictionary of English in the world and should be treated as a historical artefact; further notes it follows a fine pedigree of British writers and innovators who composed some of the first recorded books of words in English, Latin, German and French and we should be honouring their work as opposed to erasing their influence from physical editions of the Dictionary; believes that Britain is famous for its rich and diverse heritage and that to deny the Dictionary a printed edition is to deny the future a glimpse into our past; supports the idea that to improve literary skills in Britain it is vital dictionaries be kept in print as resources for learning or curiosity; considers that all English literature is intrinsically linked to the Dictionary by its provision of standardisation in language; further considers it vital that everyone, including future generations, should have access to a work that inspired what we currently read; and further believes that world-renowned English writers such as William Shakespeare, whose linguistic inventions can be found in the Dictionary, should be kept alive in our culture through what we choose to preserve in its original form.

That this House welcomes the Save the Oxford English Dictionary campaign founded by Abbie Maguire, which calls for the Oxford English Dictionary to remain in printed form; notes that the Dictionary, first published in 1884, is the largest dictionary of English in the world and should be treated as a...

That this House condemns the anti-trade union activities of UK-listed National Express PLC in its operations in the US, largely ignoring the safety concerns raised by employees and parents alike when transporting children to and from school; notes that these practices contrast with those of competing companies such as First Student; further notes that investors representing two per cent of National Express Group stock have filed a resolution calling on the company's board to initiate an independent investigation into management denial and violation of Durham Schools Services workers' freedom of association rights; and calls on all National Express shareholders to seek clarification on this issue from the board of directors and to vote for the resolution on this issue at the forthcoming AGM on 6 May 2015.

That this House condemns the anti-trade union activities of UK-listed National Express PLC in its operations in the US, largely ignoring the safety concerns raised by employees and parents alike when transporting children to and from school; notes that these practices contrast with those of competing companies such as First...

That this House warmly welcomes the recent inauguration of the Centre for Kurdish Progress' national awards for the most successful Kurds in Britain as a sign of the growing importance and vibrancy of the Kurdish Diaspora in the UK; notes that the award categories include business, role model, social responsibility, art, press and publication, student society and young entrepreneur; congratulates the right hon. Member for Cynon Valley and Gary Kent, Director of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, for their awards for extraordinary contributions to the Kurdish cause and the hon Member for Stratford on Avon, who won the most successful politician of the year award; and believes that such initiatives do much to help foster connections between Kurds and British people, who appreciate the positive role that Kurds play in resisting the genocidal and misogynistic activities of the so-called Islamic State.

That this House warmly welcomes the recent inauguration of the Centre for Kurdish Progress' national awards for the most successful Kurds in Britain as a sign of the growing importance and vibrancy of the Kurdish Diaspora in the UK; notes that the award categories include business, role model, social responsibility,...

That this House notes the Public Administration Select Committee meeting of 25 February 2015 where the Secretary of State for Health referred to the document he uses to hold NHS England to account, the Framework Agreement between the Department of Health and NHS England; also notes that the Health Secretary went on to say in reference to the document that if NHS England is failing on that, we can hold them accountable on that; further notes that paragraph 4.11.3 of the Framework Agreement says if the Secretary of State considers that NHS England is significantly failing in its duties and functions he is able to intervene and issue directions to NHS England; also notes the cross-party Early Day Motion 819 thus far signed by 61 hon. Members; reiterates its strong concern at NHS England's bureaucracy blocking access to drugs to 180 patients with the ultra-rare diseases Morquio disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and tuberculosis sclerosis; further notes that this matter has been raised repeatedly with the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Health Secretary and Life Sciences Minister; further notes that Ministers are constantly saying that resolving this situation is a matter for NHS England; however is dismayed at the lack or urgency on the part of NHS England; therefore calls on the Health Secretary to immediately intervene as the Framework Agreement allows him to and announce interim funding for the drugs these 180 patients urgently need.

That this House notes the Public Administration Select Committee meeting of 25 February 2015 where the Secretary of State for Health referred to the document he uses to hold NHS England to account, the Framework Agreement between the Department of Health and NHS England; also notes that the Health Secretary...

That this House notes that G4S issued an invitation to Frances Crook, the Chief Executive of the Howard League, to visit HM Prison Oakwood; further notes that the Director of Custodial Services at the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Ian Blakeman, decided that the visit would not be appropriate at the time given Ms Crook's comments about private prisons, and informed G4S that it should withdraw the invitation; expresses great concern that NOMS should seek to prevent this visit, especially given that G4S specifically invited Ms Crook; and calls on the Government to ensure NOMS allows the visit to take place and encourages scrutiny of the justice system.

That this House notes that G4S issued an invitation to Frances Crook, the Chief Executive of the Howard League, to visit HM Prison Oakwood; further notes that the Director of Custodial Services at the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Ian Blakeman, decided that the visit would not be appropriate at...

That this House notes with alarm the lack of a free and open democratic process in Bangladesh, and in particular the recent disappearance of Salah Uddin Ahmed, spokesperson and joint-secretary of the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP); further notes that there have been many other disappearances, including that of BNP leader Elias Ali in 2012, who has still not been located; further notes that Human Rights Watch has said that the Bangladesh government has a history of failing to investigate the enforced disappearance of opposition members; further notes that there are repeated allegations of extrajudicial killings by the Bangladeshi authorities, especially by the Rapid Action Battalion; and calls on the Government to put pressure on the Bangladesh government to ensure that free and fair elections take place promptly in Bangladesh, that disappearances and extra-judicial killings are ended and that freedom of expression is protected in Bangladesh.

That this House notes with alarm the lack of a free and open democratic process in Bangladesh, and in particular the recent disappearance of Salah Uddin Ahmed, spokesperson and joint-secretary of the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP); further notes that there have been many other disappearances, including that of BNP...

That this House expresses its shock that Carmen Aristegui, one of Mexico's independent journalists, has been dismissed for her work in the MVS Noticias (news); notes that Ms Aristegui's four-hour daily programme is very popular and often exposes corruption and human rights abuses; further notes that the targeting of such journalists is wholly unacceptable and can only have a very negative impact on journalism and indeed on fundamental rights of free speech and freedom of expression in any democratic country, let alone one struggling to rebuild its reputation following recent negative publicity surrounding the deaths of 43 students; calls on the Government and the international community to raise their concerns about this case with the relevant authorities; congratulates Carmen Aristegui and her team for the excellent work they have done to date and over many years; and encourages them to continue with the excellent contribution they are making to an evolving democratic Mexico.

That this House expresses its shock that Carmen Aristegui, one of Mexico's independent journalists, has been dismissed for her work in the MVS Noticias (news); notes that Ms Aristegui's four-hour daily programme is very popular and often exposes corruption and human rights abuses; further notes that the targeting of such...