That this House notes with concern that some outsourced providers of public sector contracts are failing to pay their employees on the same terms and conditions as those carrying out the same work directly for the public sector; believes that all employees carrying out public sector work should have parity of pay and conditions whether employed directly or by an outsourced employer; further notes that some private sector contractors are failing to pay the living wage to their employees; further notes that employment terms and conditions drive low pay and that low pay contributes to poverty in the UK; and calls on the Government to ensure all public sector contracts which are outsourced to private sector providers include measures to ensure that workers are given parity of terms and conditions with workers carrying out the same or similar work directly for the public sector.

That this House notes with concern that some outsourced providers of public sector contracts are failing to pay their employees on the same terms and conditions as those carrying out the same work directly for the public sector; believes that all employees carrying out public sector work should have parity...

That this House believes that further education colleges are central to improving the nation's skills; shares the concerns of those working and studying in further education regarding the recently announced 24 per cent cuts to non-apprenticeship adult education funding in England; recognises that this will have a devastating effect on the sector and will shut the door on those sections of the community that rely on adult education the most; and therefore urges the Government to rethink this spending reduction which could threaten the future prospects of hundreds of thousands of people across the country.

That this House believes that further education colleges are central to improving the nation's skills; shares the concerns of those working and studying in further education regarding the recently announced 24 per cent cuts to non-apprenticeship adult education funding in England; recognises that this will have a devastating effect on...

That this House condemns the murder of Bengali US citizen, freethinker, writer and blogger Avijit Roy in Dhaka on 26 February 2015, believed to be carried out by an Islamist group which has claimed responsibility; notes that the recent blockade and general strikes by BNP/Jamaat-e-Islami has led to several deaths from arson attacks and violence which is putting a Muslim-majority secular democratic country in grave danger; calls on the Government to assist Bangladesh in any way possible to help with the crime investigation and curtailing the rise of Islamism; further calls on the Bangladeshi government to show restraint in dealing with genuine peaceful demonstrations and protests; and expects the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to demonstrate support for the Bangladesh secular and democratic constitution by engaging in urgent talks to restore order, especially among their supporters, and to appeal for calm in the difficult weeks ahead.

That this House condemns the murder of Bengali US citizen, freethinker, writer and blogger Avijit Roy in Dhaka on 26 February 2015, believed to be carried out by an Islamist group which has claimed responsibility; notes that the recent blockade and general strikes by BNP/Jamaat-e-Islami has led to several deaths...

That this House notes with concern the situation faced by 550,000 British pensioners living overseas, primarily in Commonwealth countries, who are currently deprived of annual state pension uprating adjustments by the Government's frozen pension policy; believes that there is a positive incremental solution of partial uprating, involving introducing annual uprating to all currently frozen pensions going forward, but from their current rate only; further notes that partial uprating would cost just £37 million and carry no legal risks of historic back payment claims; further notes that partial uprating would benefit all currently frozen pensioners immediately by ending the real terms year-on-year decline of their state pensions; further notes that partial uprating would remove the frozen pension problem completely for future retirees; further notes that this would remove a significant current barrier to pensioner emigration from the UK, offering significant consequential savings that would more than cover the upfront costs, even in year one; and calls on the Government to implement partial uprating as an affordable and practical means to offer dignity in retirement to all British pensioners, based on their historic contributions, not place of residence.

That this House notes with concern the situation faced by 550,000 British pensioners living overseas, primarily in Commonwealth countries, who are currently deprived of annual state pension uprating adjustments by the Government's frozen pension policy; believes that there is a positive incremental solution of partial uprating, involving introducing annual uprating...

That this House welcomes the Work and Pensions Committee inquiry into Benefits sanctions policy beyond the Oakley Review; notes the large amount of compelling evidence from the PCS union, charities, welfare advisers and academics showing that the current sanctions regime is excessive, punitive and failing; is concerned that sanctions are not a last resort, as their use and severity have both escalated dramatically and that they hinder rather than enable claimants to get work; and urges the Government to instigate a far-reaching independent review of sanctions and their effects and to suspend the 2013 stricter benefit regime at least until such time as such a review has been completed.

That this House welcomes the Work and Pensions Committee inquiry into Benefits sanctions policy beyond the Oakley Review; notes the large amount of compelling evidence from the PCS union, charities, welfare advisers and academics showing that the current sanctions regime is excessive, punitive and failing; is concerned that sanctions are...

That this House deplores the cuts to the further education budget which will impact severely on Bradford College and on other colleges throughout the country; notes that 24 per cent is to be cut from that budget in the next financial year; believes that crucial stepping stones back into learning for many people, including those who missed out on qualifications at school and those who need to update skills and retrain, will be removed; further notes that since 2009 student numbers have fallen by one million and the University and College Union believes a further 400,000 will go with the next round of cuts; and calls on the Government to reverse this appalling loss and to boost further education and people's life chances by not only retaining but increasing the present sums spent on this crucial arm of education.

That this House deplores the cuts to the further education budget which will impact severely on Bradford College and on other colleges throughout the country; notes that 24 per cent is to be cut from that budget in the next financial year; believes that crucial stepping stones back into learning...

That this House is dismayed that ScotRail train services and also East Coast rail services into Scotland still discharge effluent onto railway tracks; is concerned that there is no formal or legal requirement to stop train operating companies from discharging toilet waste onto the track or to force rolling stock leasing companies to retrofit controlled emission toilets to those trains that currently discharge waste onto the track; believes it is utterly disgraceful that rolling stock and train companies are making billions in profits while railway track workers have to endure being splashed with effluent and passengers witness disgusting conditions; is further concerned about the impact on track workers' health and welfare; and calls for the UK and Scottish Governments to take immediate action to clean up UK rail routes.

That this House is dismayed that ScotRail train services and also East Coast rail services into Scotland still discharge effluent onto railway tracks; is concerned that there is no formal or legal requirement to stop train operating companies from discharging toilet waste onto the track or to force rolling stock...

That this House is delighted that the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square will be unveiled on 14 March 2015 by the Prime Minister and Indian Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley; congratulates the various stakeholders, including the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust, Councillor Robert Davies, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Built Environment of Westminster City Council and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who chairs the Gandhi Statue Special Advisory Board; applauds the hundreds of generous donors from the UK, India and around the world; notes that this is the third Mahatma Gandhi statue in the UK, the others being in Tavistock Square, London and Belgrave Road, Leicester; and believes the statue is an important testimony to Gandhi's powerful legacy and a very positive step for the relationship between the UK and India.

That this House is delighted that the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square will be unveiled on 14 March 2015 by the Prime Minister and Indian Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley; congratulates the various stakeholders, including the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust, Councillor Robert Davies, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the...

That this House notes the contribution of Sikh soldiers in the First World War when over 138,000 Indian troops fought in Belgium and France, many of them Sikh; recognises that more than one-quarter of these soldiers would become casualties; further notes that in March 1915, 100 years ago, Sikh troops along with counterparts from around the British Empire fought in the bloody battle of Neuve Chapelle and many made the ultimate sacrifice; further recognises that Sikh regiments lost nearly four-fifths of their men and three regiments stood at only 16 per cent of their original strength; and urges the Government to support the erection of a permanent monument in Central London to highlight and commemorate their brave actions and grave losses.

That this House notes the contribution of Sikh soldiers in the First World War when over 138,000 Indian troops fought in Belgium and France, many of them Sikh; recognises that more than one-quarter of these soldiers would become casualties; further notes that in March 1915, 100 years ago, Sikh troops...

That this House notes, on the occasion of the State Visit to the UK of the President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, that continued violations of internationally accepted labour rights take place on a daily basis in Mexico, many of which have been carried out in an attempt to crush the National Miners' and Metalworkers' Union of Mexico (SNTMMSRM); further notes that the US State Department's 2012 Human Rights Report concluded that the Mexican government did not consistently protect workers' rights in practice; condemns the continued use of protection contracts in which many thousands of workers are governed by illegitimate collective agreements that they have never ratified, were never consulted on and in many cases have never seen; further condemns arbitrary denials of trade union recognition, limitations on the right to strike, and serious health and safety problems in the mining and petroleum industries; believes the existence of free and independent trade unions is essential to the functioning of any democracy; and therefore calls on the Government to make representations to the Mexican government to carry out fundamental reforms to ensure that Mexican labour law respects and enforces international standards; and following the complete exoneration of SNTMMSRM General Secretary, Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, of all allegations against him, that the government of Mexico will guarantee his freedom, safety and wellbeing when he decides to return to Mexico.

That this House notes, on the occasion of the State Visit to the UK of the President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, that continued violations of internationally accepted labour rights take place on a daily basis in Mexico, many of which have been carried out in an attempt to crush...

That this House recognises that police officers often place themselves in the way of harm to protect their communities, sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice and leaving behind families and loved ones; believes that we have a moral and public duty to ensure all police widows and widowers are financially provided for for their lifetime; is deeply concerned that the Police Pension Regulations 1987 do not allow police widows or widowers the opportunity to marry or cohabit, without losing their right to a police widows' or widowers' pension for life; agrees with the Police Federation of England and Wales that it is morally and ethically wrong to make police widows and widowers and their dependants effectively choose between future financial security and the possibility of future personal happiness; welcomes the fact that the Police Pension Regulations 2006 allow new entrants or serving officers to transfer to a new scheme which permits their survivors to access benefits which are payable for life regardless of whether they remarry; regrets that nevertheless many police widows and widowers still remain disadvantaged by the Police Pensions Regulations 1987, and calls on the Government urgently to review the Police Pensions Regulations 1987 to ensure that the families of those who have served their community and been lost in the line of duty receive financial security regardless of their decision to remarry or cohabit.

That this House recognises that police officers often place themselves in the way of harm to protect their communities, sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice and leaving behind families and loved ones; believes that we have a moral and public duty to ensure all police widows and widowers are financially provided...

That this House agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General that there is a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza; fears the outbreak of further hostilities unless the situation improves dramatically; notes the considerable amount of British and other international aid required to keep Gaza from deteriorating further and to assist in the reconstruction of infrastructure and homes; regrets that the Israeli authorities continue to refuse access to British elected representatives to visit Gaza via Erez checkpoint; further notes that, given the dangerous security situation in the Sinai, the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing is the only viable entry point; and asks the Government to do everything in its power to persuade the Israeli authorities to permit parliamentary access into Gaza to assess the situation, the needs of the population and how British funds are being spent.

That this House agrees with the United Nations Secretary-General that there is a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza; fears the outbreak of further hostilities unless the situation improves dramatically; notes the considerable amount of British and other international aid required to keep Gaza from deteriorating further and to assist in...