That this House notes that the UK has just recently experienced one of the coldest winter periods of the past century; is therefore alarmed by reports of the plight of local council tenants in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, many of whom are elderly, who were left without either heating or hot water in their homes during this period; finds it totally unacceptable that the local authority, Mansfield District Council, both failed to correct the latest breakdown to its district heating system and has since refused to supply relevant information under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to local tenants who on advice wish to consider challenging the local authority's failure to perform its statutory duty fully to maintain the system at least once every four years; and calls on the Minister responsible immediately to take the action necessary to require Mansfield District Council to explain its failures and to release the information requested to its tenants forthwith.

That this House notes that the UK has just recently experienced one of the coldest winter periods of the past century; is therefore alarmed by reports of the plight of local council tenants in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, many of whom are elderly, who were left without either heating or hot water...

That this House notes the proposal by the Executive of Kings College London as part of its budget review process to abolish the Chair of Palaeography, the only one of its kind in the United Kingdom; further notes the fundamental importance of palaeography to a broad and interdisciplinary scholarly community; considers that without the development of palaeographic skills, millions of documents would be rendered inaccessible, thus depriving the nation of its full historical legacy; and therefore urges Kings College London to consider very carefully any proposals in respect to this prestigious and important Chair.

That this House notes the proposal by the Executive of Kings College London as part of its budget review process to abolish the Chair of Palaeography, the only one of its kind in the United Kingdom; further notes the fundamental importance of palaeography to a broad and interdisciplinary scholarly community;...

That this House mourns with great sadness the untimely passing of Dr Ashok Kumar, Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, and formerly Langbaurgh; acknowledges the immensely high regard in which he was held in his beloved constituency and in both Houses of Parliament, across political divides; recognises the warmth he radiated to all he met; remembers the modesty he exhibited despite his formidable and highly impressive scientific record both in industry and academia; holds in awe his unsurpassed credentials in local campaigning; and notes that hon. Members and constituents will remember Ashok as a man of honour and integrity, and as someone motivated solely by a strong sense of duty and public service, who will be missed on the Commons benches but never forgotten.

That this House mourns with great sadness the untimely passing of Dr Ashok Kumar, Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, and formerly Langbaurgh; acknowledges the immensely high regard in which he was held in his beloved constituency and in both Houses of Parliament, across political divides; recognises...

That this House congratulates the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the right hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen, and the Minister for Communities, the hon. Member for Stevenage, for their wholehearted support for the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill; notes that the Bill had the support of the Official Opposition and the Liberal Democrats; hopes that the Bill will pass through this House in this Session; and therefore calls on the Government to ensure that the Bill is brought before this House before the end of this Parliament and, if necessary, included in negotiations over wash-up arrangements.

That this House congratulates the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the right hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen, and the Minister for Communities, the hon. Member for Stevenage, for their wholehearted support for the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill; notes that the Bill had the support of...

That this House supports the proposals in the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill to stop vulture funds profiteering from the debts of heavily indebted poor countries; and calls for Government time to be allocated for the remaining stages of the Bill on 18 March 2010.

That this House supports the proposals in the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill to stop vulture funds profiteering from the debts of heavily indebted poor countries; and calls for Government time to be allocated for the remaining stages of the Bill on 18 March 2010.

That this House opposes the increased demonisation of Muslims in sections of the media; expresses its deep concern at the recent visit to the House of Lords by the far-right politician Geert Wilders; condemns the English Defence League demonstration outside Parliament in support of Geert Wilders and its slogans and placards inciting hatred, such as its demand for the closure of the East London Mosque, that will only lead to a climate of fear, division and disharmony; welcomes the participation and contribution of Muslims in British society, including in politics; and believes that the full participation of all communities in the forthcoming general election is in the interests of democracy.

That this House opposes the increased demonisation of Muslims in sections of the media; expresses its deep concern at the recent visit to the House of Lords by the far-right politician Geert Wilders; condemns the English Defence League demonstration outside Parliament in support of Geert Wilders and its slogans and...

That this House recognises the importance of World Tuberculosis Day on 24 March 2010; notes with concern the continued rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases globally, resulting in nearly 5,000 deaths a day and the increase of TB in the UK, particularly among vulnerable, marginalised populations; further notes that TB-HIV co-infection and TB drug resistance is fuelling the epidemic; and calls on the Government to ensure the maximum effectiveness is achieved through its efforts in the UK and overseas to combat this preventable and curable disease.

That this House recognises the importance of World Tuberculosis Day on 24 March 2010; notes with concern the continued rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases globally, resulting in nearly 5,000 deaths a day and the increase of TB in the UK, particularly among vulnerable, marginalised populations; further notes that TB-HIV co-infection...

That this House supports WWF's Earth Hour 2010; notes the event's record of persuading one billion people worldwide to sign up to switch off their lights for an hour at 8.30 pm on 27 March 2010; congratulates those individuals, organisations, businesses and local authorities which have already pledged to take part; further notes that many British landmarks, including Canary Wharf, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and the London Eye will switch their lights off; and calls on the House authorities to ensure that the Palace of Westminster and all other buildings on the Parliamentary estate take part by switching off external floodlights and non-essential internal lighting.

That this House supports WWF's Earth Hour 2010; notes the event's record of persuading one billion people worldwide to sign up to switch off their lights for an hour at 8.30 pm on 27 March 2010; congratulates those individuals, organisations, businesses and local authorities which have already pledged to take...

That this House is firmly opposed to the proposed dairy unit in Lincolnshire housing up to 8,100 cows that will be kept indoors for most of the year; notes that the cows are likely to produce extremely high milk yields; further notes that the key finding of a 2009 scientific opinion by the European Food Safety Authority is that breeding for high milk yield is the major factor causing poor welfare to cows; believes that cows should be farmed in pasture-based systems as these enable them to express natural behaviours and are associated with lower levels of lameness; further believes that the proposed unit is taking UK dairy farming in the wrong direction and that the way forward lies in the use of healthy robust herds with lower milk yields but higher net margins for farmers due to lower culling rates, lower heifer replacement costs and higher sale prices for their calves and cull cows; and urges retailers and producers of dairy products not to source milk from such large-scale intensive dairy units where cows receive only minimal grazing.

That this House is firmly opposed to the proposed dairy unit in Lincolnshire housing up to 8,100 cows that will be kept indoors for most of the year; notes that the cows are likely to produce extremely high milk yields; further notes that the key finding of a 2009 scientific...

That this House recognises that the workforce in the not-for-profit sector plays a vital role in the delivery of services; believes that it is highly dedicated to the quality of care and provision for users and that its skills and professionalism must not be undermined by the decisions of commissioners; further believes that poor contracts are causing excessive overtime in order to maintain services, resulting in high levels of stress, family breakdown, ill health and a poor working environment, including workplace bullying and a lack of attention to duty of care; further believes that short term funding only leads to job insecurity, poor pension opportunities and the inability to plan and to be strategic; further believes that cuts in funding have led to a poorly trained and developed workforce; congratulates Unite on its campaign to ensure that the needs of the not-for-profit workforce are not forgotten; and calls on the Government, local authorities and other funders to ensure that contracts are properly funded on the principle of best value and not low cost, to ensure that the funding period is extended to between five and 10 years, and to take urgent measures to support the workforce.

That this House recognises that the workforce in the not-for-profit sector plays a vital role in the delivery of services; believes that it is highly dedicated to the quality of care and provision for users and that its skills and professionalism must not be undermined by the decisions of commissioners;...

That this House commends the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) UK Branch in bringing together right hon. and hon. Members, Clerks and Serjeants at Arms from across the Commonwealth and beyond to mark both Commonwealth Day and International Women's Day on 8 March 2010; celebrates the achievements of women to date and encourages the further empowerment of women in the 21st century; recognises the importance and need for debate, international parliamentary outreach, capacity building and parliamentary strengthening; and praises the CPA UK 59th Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedures on 8 to 19 March 2010 as a benchmark forum for interaction between right hon. and hon. Members and parliamentary staff, strengthening relations between parliaments and learning from each other.

That this House commends the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) UK Branch in bringing together right hon. and hon. Members, Clerks and Serjeants at Arms from across the Commonwealth and beyond to mark both Commonwealth Day and International Women's Day on 8 March 2010; celebrates the achievements of women to date...

That this House recognises the bravery, dedication and sacrifice of members of the armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq; applauds the recent review and enhancement of the Armed Forces' Compensation Scheme; and calls on the Government to amend the qualifying date of 6 April 2005 to 1 January 2001, which marks the beginning of the war on terror, that ensures equality of treatment for personnel injured in Iraq and Afghanistan and thereby honours its duty of care to this loyal and dignified group of service men and women and their families.

That this House recognises the bravery, dedication and sacrifice of members of the armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq; applauds the recent review and enhancement of the Armed Forces' Compensation Scheme; and calls on the Government to amend the qualifying date of 6 April 2005 to 1 January 2001, which...

That this House applauds the work and contribution made by the voluntary sector in the North West of England; notes with admiration the dedication and commitment of all those in the voluntary sector; believes that they are the unsung heroes working at the heart of communities helping some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the North West; recognises the increased demand for the services and support provided by the voluntary sector during the economic downturn; and calls on the Government and local authorities in the North West to engage with the voluntary sector and provide any additional support to help voluntary organisations meet the demand for their services and to put in place measures to ensure the voluntary sector in the North West can grow and flourish for the benefit of all those in the North West, particularly those in greatest need.

That this House applauds the work and contribution made by the voluntary sector in the North West of England; notes with admiration the dedication and commitment of all those in the voluntary sector; believes that they are the unsung heroes working at the heart of communities helping some of the...

That this House congratulates the local authorities responsible for the 199 proposals made under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 which have now been put forward by the Local Government Association to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for consideration; notes the high number of innovative proposals that focus on empowering communities and supporting further local engagement in the political process; recognises the key importance of encouraging public participation at the local level; and urges the Government to make an immediate commitment to publish the Action Plan required under section 4 of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 before the Easter adjournment.

That this House congratulates the local authorities responsible for the 199 proposals made under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 which have now been put forward by the Local Government Association to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for consideration; notes the high number of innovative proposals that...

That this House remembers with fondness and admiration the life, political leadership, authorship, trades unionism, journalism and unrivalled oratory of Michael Foot as one of the world's greatest socialists; fully supports his lifelong backing of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the necessity of a world without nuclear weapons; recalls that Michael Foot was proud to call himself an inveterate peacemonger; further recalls the sense set out in the Labour Party Manifesto for the 1983 General Election that was prescient and before its time in calling for the nationalisation of the banks; believes, had this sensible strategy by the then hon. Member for Ebbw Vale been supported, then the current economic crisis, arising from reckless and selfish behaviour of senior bankers, could have been avoided; further believes Michael Foot was a great internationalist and fighter for justice for the poor and dispossessed; and further believes that this nation would have been much better served if Michael Foot had led this country from 1983.

That this House remembers with fondness and admiration the life, political leadership, authorship, trades unionism, journalism and unrivalled oratory of Michael Foot as one of the world's greatest socialists; fully supports his lifelong backing of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the necessity of a world without nuclear weapons; recalls...

That this House shares the concern of the Royal College of Surgeons that NHS surgeons who have received enhanced clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau to treat child patients at their own NHS trust are being required by some other trusts to repeat the time-consuming Criminal Records Bureau checking process before being allowed to treat children at other hospitals, with consequent substantial delays in operations on children in need of specialist attention; and calls on the Secretary of State for Health to issue clear and binding instructions to trusts to end this practice immediately.

That this House shares the concern of the Royal College of Surgeons that NHS surgeons who have received enhanced clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau to treat child patients at their own NHS trust are being required by some other trusts to repeat the time-consuming Criminal Records Bureau checking process...

That this House notes with deep concern recent newspaper speculation that the BBC is considering closing its 6 Music and Asian Network radio stations; believes that both radio stations offer outlets for independent and non-mainstream music; further notes that both 6 Music and Asian Network reach out to audiences not otherwise well served by the BBC; congratulates 6 Music and Asian Network for acting as a source of talent for the BBC and other media; recognises that the BBC has a duty to represent and give a platform to minority interests that need a mainstream platform to develop and grow; and calls on the Government to encourage the BBC to continue its support for 6 Music and Asian Network for many years to come.

That this House notes with deep concern recent newspaper speculation that the BBC is considering closing its 6 Music and Asian Network radio stations; believes that both radio stations offer outlets for independent and non-mainstream music; further notes that both 6 Music and Asian Network reach out to audiences not...

That this House congratulates Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton on her 2,000 mile kayak along the Amazon to raise money for Sport Relief; notes her considerable position as a role model to young people and the magnificent example she sets; further notes the forthcoming verification by Guinness World Records of the two records set by Helen during her effort - longest solo journey by kayak and the longest distance travelled in a kayak in 24 hours by a woman; and further notes the work of Sport Relief in raising money to help transform the lives of poor and vulnerable people, both in the UK and all over the world.

That this House congratulates Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton on her 2,000 mile kayak along the Amazon to raise money for Sport Relief; notes her considerable position as a role model to young people and the magnificent example she sets; further notes the forthcoming verification by Guinness World Records of...

That this House notes that according to the Consumer Price Index the rate of inflation currently stands at 3.5 per cent. and that according to the Retail Prices Index stands at 3.7 per cent.; further notes that the basic state pension will rise by 2.5 per cent. in April 2010 but that additional state pension payments, including state earnings-related pension and state second pension are being frozen; is concerned that up to nine million pensioners will therefore see a significant fall in their real living standards as a result of the freezing of additional pension payments; further notes that the Department for Work and Pensions estimates that, compared with uprating additional pensions in line with the basic pension in April 2010, pensioners will lose over ??500 million per year for their rest of their retirement; and urges hon. Members to oppose the provisions of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2010.

That this House notes that according to the Consumer Price Index the rate of inflation currently stands at 3.5 per cent. and that according to the Retail Prices Index stands at 3.7 per cent.; further notes that the basic state pension will rise by 2.5 per cent. in April 2010...