That this House notes with grave concern Dixons Carphone's announcement that it intends to close its factory in Wednesbury and relocate the plant 90 miles away in Newark, leading to the loss of 500 jobs from the local area and £8 million from the local economy; further notes that this is on the back of Dixons Carphone reporting an increase in sales of 9 per cent; and supports the Communications Workers Union campaign calling on Dixons Carphone to reconsider its decision and keep Wednesbury working.

That this House notes with grave concern Dixons Carphone's announcement that it intends to close its factory in Wednesbury and relocate the plant 90 miles away in Newark, leading to the loss of 500 jobs from the local area and £8 million from the local economy; further notes that this...

That this House congratulates the four Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton and local business organisations and representatives for pioneering the special Black Country Day on 14 July of each year which reflects that region's distinctive dialect, food and humour as well as the anniversary of the introduction of the Newcomen steam engine in 1712 which made the Black Country the centre of the workshop of the world; and calls on residents, schools, businesses and organisations on that day to fly the Black Country flag which symbolises the region's historic chain-making and glass manufacturing industry, representing its glorious past and current resurrection as a manufacturing powerhouse.

That this House congratulates the four Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton and local business organisations and representatives for pioneering the special Black Country Day on 14 July of each year which reflects that region's distinctive dialect, food and humour as well as the anniversary of the...

That this House welcomes the fact that over two million UK workers are making monthly saving contributions into either Save As You Earn (SAYE) or Share Incentive Plan (SIP) all-employee share plans; notes that SAYE all-employee share plans have enjoyed cross party support since their introduction in 1980 as have SIPs since their introduction in 2000; further notes that the monthly maximum SAYE savings limit of 250 poundsper employee has not been increased since 1991 and that the annual SIP savings limit of 1,500 poundsper employee has not been increased since 2000; further notes that had these savings limits been increased in line with inflation they would stand at 450 poundsa month and 2,000 poundsa year respectively; and agrees with ifs ProShare, the not-for-profit voice of the UK employee share ownership industry in the UK, that the Government should therefore raise the monthly savings limits to 450 poundsa month for SAYE plans and 2,000 poundsa year for SIPs as well as ensuring they are both increased in line with inflation on an annual basis.

That this House welcomes the fact that over two million UK workers are making monthly saving contributions into either Save As You Earn (SAYE) or Share Incentive Plan (SIP) all-employee share plans; notes that SAYE all-employee share plans have enjoyed cross party support since their introduction in 1980 as have...

That this House notes with concern the high number of people not in education, employment or training but with optimism the contribution that small businesses make to the economy and the potential for more people to set up businesses and take on staff; welcomes the campaign by the Federation of Small Businesses to champion the UK's Real-Life Entrepreneurs supported by Young Enterprise, everywoman, Hereopreneurs, New Deal of the Mind, PRIME and Leonard Cheshire Disability; and calls on the Government to put in place the right environment for entrepreneurship to flourish.

That this House notes with concern the high number of people not in education, employment or training but with optimism the contribution that small businesses make to the economy and the potential for more people to set up businesses and take on staff; welcomes the campaign by the Federation of...

That this House welcomes Sheffield University's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) initiative, in partnership with Rolls-Royce and Boeing, to promote the development and expansion of high value manufacturing in the UK; further welcomes the active involvement of the Technology Strategy Board in the development of UK high value manufacturing technology innovation centres as a primary mechanism to improve manufacturing GDP from its current 12.5 per cent. to nearer the 20 per cent. + mark achieved by our major competitors; notes that this growth in manufacturing GDP would require the Government and other institutions to work in partnership with manufacturing industry for the purpose of long-term sustainable and affordable financing for high technology capital investment, tostrengthen and incentivise co-operation between academia and industry, to promote actions to strengthen the UK manufacturing supply chain and to encourage urgent investment into high-quality training and education, including engineering apprenticeships; and congratulates the AMRC on itstenth anniversary and hopesit will be as successful in the next decade.

That this House welcomes Sheffield University's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) initiative, in partnership with Rolls-Royce and Boeing, to promote the development and expansion of high value manufacturing in the UK; further welcomes the active involvement of the Technology Strategy Board in the development of UK high value manufacturing technology...

That this House welcomes the publication of the Mutuals Manifesto; supports the Manifesto's commitment to more businesses belonging to their customers, more community-led public services and more employee-owned firms; further notes that the nature of the recession has raised fundamental questions about how businesses are owned and the economy is structured; and calls on the Government to support and encourage the mutual sector and the aims of the Manifesto.

That this House welcomes the publication of the Mutuals Manifesto; supports the Manifesto's commitment to more businesses belonging to their customers, more community-led public services and more employee-owned firms; further notes that the nature of the recession has raised fundamental questions about how businesses are owned and the economy is...

That this House congratulates West Bromwich Albion Football Club on being promoted to the Premiership and pays tribute to the team and the manager, Tony Mowbray, not only on winning the title, but for doing so by playing open, attacking, entertaining football.

That this House congratulates West Bromwich Albion Football Club on being promoted to the Premiership and pays tribute to the team and the manager, Tony Mowbray, not only on winning the title, but for doing so by playing open, attacking, entertaining football.

That this House considers that in the light of the nationalisation of one failing buiding society, the help given to markets by the Bank of England's boost to interbank liquidity and the huge benefit given to the financial sector by the Bank's proposal to take on up to ??50 billion of unsaleable special purpose vehicles of bundled debt to help the banks, building societies and lending institutions escape the consequences of their own follies is disproportionate, and should be now balanced by ensuring that the financial institutions which have benefited so substantially from the effective privatisation of the great bulk of credit creation by their power to create money via credit cards, bank accounts, mortgages, loans, special purpose vehicles and other financial instruments thus ensuring that the seigniorage on money creation which once came to the people on public credit created by the minting and printing of money, now goes into bank profits are taxed on the credit they create to compensate the taxpayer for the fact that the 97 per cent. of credit creation arrogated by the private sector to use and abuse for its own profit and purposes, rather than the benefit of the public, has been so badly misused and has led to yet another financial crisis of the type financial flesh is all too frequently heir to.

That this House considers that in the light of the nationalisation of one failing buiding society, the help given to markets by the Bank of England's boost to interbank liquidity and the huge benefit given to the financial sector by the Bank's proposal to take on up to ??50 billion...

That this House congratulates the West Bromwich Building Society and its partner, the Mercian Trust, on launching the Awesum Challenge, an online free teaching resource designed to raise the mathematical attainment and financial literacy of eight to 11 year olds, further enhancing the skills and confidence of young people in handling money; and urges the Government to work with the West Bromwich Building Society, and other qualified institutions, in promoting financial education for young people.

That this House congratulates the West Bromwich Building Society and its partner, the Mercian Trust, on launching the Awesum Challenge, an online free teaching resource designed to raise the mathematical attainment and financial literacy of eight to 11 year olds, further enhancing the skills and confidence of young people in...

That this House congratulates friendly societies on their long-standing dedication to working within local communities and trades, to help people with limited financial resources to take personal responsibility for their financial well-being; recognises that access to long-term savings for many lower income households relies on a strong friendly society sector; and calls on the Government to act now to help friendly societies to extend their support to the less affluent by increasing the limit on payments into the Tax Exempt Savings Plan to at least double the current ??25 per month maximum.

That this House congratulates friendly societies on their long-standing dedication to working within local communities and trades, to help people with limited financial resources to take personal responsibility for their financial well-being; recognises that access to long-term savings for many lower income households relies on a strong friendly society sector;...

That this House congratulates all the projects that have reached the short list of the BIG Lottery Fund's The People's ??50 million contest; recognises that the BIG Lottery vote provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for people to make a real difference to their communities and the environment in which they live; in the light of this, calls upon hon. Members and the public to support The Black Country as an Urban Park project, where the targeted application of this money will provide a focus for transformation and participation for the one million people who live in the Black Country, an area at the heart of the nation's industrial heritage, including not only sites of global geological importance but also some of the poorest and most environmentally degraded in the country; and hopes that the BIG Lottery Fund can be used to support the area, which has not previously received Lottery funding on any scale like this and which would harness the ambition and active involvement of the people and communities who live there to create a superb natural and urban environment for the whole country to enjoy.

That this House congratulates all the projects that have reached the short list of the BIG Lottery Fund's The People's ??50 million contest; recognises that the BIG Lottery vote provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for people to make a real difference to their communities and the environment in...

That this House welcomes the Secretary of State's recent response to the Phase One revision of Regional Spatial Strategy Eleven (11); acknowledges and recognises the importance that her endorsement of the inspector's report will play towards the wider regeneration of the Black Country and the role of the four strategic centres of Brierley Hill, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton with strong supporting roles for the other town centres; recognises the crucial role that retail and office development plays in supporting the economic, physical and community regeneration of the area; and feels confident that the setting aside of long held divisions locally between the four Black Country boroughs and the building of strong partnerships to deliver a unity of vision is a clear and welcome example of the political will required to achieve the renaissance of the subregion.

That this House welcomes the Secretary of State's recent response to the Phase One revision of Regional Spatial Strategy Eleven (11); acknowledges and recognises the importance that her endorsement of the inspector's report will play towards the wider regeneration of the Black Country and the role of the four strategic...

That this House welcomes the work of the Black Country Consortium and congratulates the work done by Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils, together with their private, public and voluntary sector partners, in producing the Black Country Study, the first-ever long-term strategic analysis of the economic opportunities and challenges faced by the region and for the 30 year vision it has set out and the unity of purpose it has developed to address them; notes the fantastic opportunities the area presents for the new retail and office development that will play a crucial role in supporting the area's economic, physical and community regeneration; recognises that the expansion of economic activity in the four strategic centres of Brierley Hill, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton together with strong supporting roles and economic growth in the traditional town centres such as Dudley and Stourbridge is the best way of driving up prosperity across the region as a whole; and urges the region's political, local government, business and community leaders to continue building support for the Regional Spatial Strategy review currently underway and developing strong partnerships to increase employment, to raise educational standards, to boost skills in the work force, to retain the area's population and share of retail expenditure and to continue improving housing standards, environment and transport networks to secure the Black Country's renaissance.

That this House welcomes the work of the Black Country Consortium and congratulates the work done by Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils, together with their private, public and voluntary sector partners, in producing the Black Country Study, the first-ever long-term strategic analysis of the economic opportunities and challenges faced...

That this House congratulates Nationwide Building Society on its `Votes for Champions' scheme, raising money for athletes with disabilities through Disability Sport Events; notes that Nationwide will be making an additional donation to Disability Sport Events based on the number of members who vote at the building society's July Annual General Meeting; further notes that voting at the AGM gives eligible members a real opportunity to have their say in the running of their Society; further notes that the commitment to the communities in which they operate is a hallmark of building societies and financial mutuals, and that Nationwide's partnership with Disability Sport Events is an example of such commitment; and urges Nationwide members across the country to use their vote and contribute to this important cause.

That this House congratulates Nationwide Building Society on its `Votes for Champions' scheme, raising money for athletes with disabilities through Disability Sport Events; notes that Nationwide will be making an additional donation to Disability Sport Events based on the number of members who vote at the building society's July Annual...

That this House congratulates the All Party Parliamentary Weight Watchers Group on the success of the Weight Watchers Westminster Awards 2005-06, during which members lost a total of fifteen and a half stone and raised ??2,000 for charity; salutes the hon. Member for Portsmouth North and the hon. Member for East Hampshire on their winning efforts on behalf of Portsmouth Area Rape Crisis and The Rosemary Foundation; applauds the members of the Westminster staff weigh-in for losing a total of 19 stone and raising another ??2,000 for charity; welcomes the additional ??4,000 donated by Weight Watchers to the British Heart Foundation as part of the challenge; and commends the contribution of the All Party Parliamentary Weight Watchers Group to the health and fitness of hon. Members of both Houses.

That this House congratulates the All Party Parliamentary Weight Watchers Group on the success of the Weight Watchers Westminster Awards 2005-06, during which members lost a total of fifteen and a half stone and raised ??2,000 for charity; salutes the hon. Member for Portsmouth North and the hon. Member for...

That this House notes that of the 1,305,000 Child Trust Fund accounts reported by the Inland Revenue as opened at 5th January 2006, 567,000 have been lodged with friendly societies; recognises that this represents nearly 44 per cent. of all child trust funds to date; further notes that friendly societies are mutual organisations that offer investment and financial protection to people in all walks of life; commends their strong contribution to the delivery of this key policy to develop a regular savings habit among United Kingdom citizens; and calls upon the Government fully to appreciate the important contribution that friendly societies make when targeting tax incentives to encourage savings.

That this House notes that of the 1,305,000 Child Trust Fund accounts reported by the Inland Revenue as opened at 5th January 2006, 567,000 have been lodged with friendly societies; recognises that this represents nearly 44 per cent. of all child trust funds to date; further notes that friendly societies...

That this House congratulates the Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) on becoming the first insurance company in the world to launch an ethical engagement policy; notes that this will act as its guide for all future shareholder activism and campaigning; further notes the overwhelming mandate CIS has received from its customers to introduce this policy; wholeheartedly supports CIS policy of using its funds under management of more than ??20 billion to lobby businesses at every opportunity to improve their ethical and environmental performance; and applauds those companies that pro-actively adopt commendable initiatives.

That this House congratulates the Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) on becoming the first insurance company in the world to launch an ethical engagement policy; notes that this will act as its guide for all future shareholder activism and campaigning; further notes the overwhelming mandate CIS has received from its customers...

That this House welcomes the Britannia Building Society's acquisition of the Bristol and West's savings business and branch network from the Bank of Ireland for ??150 million; notes that this is the first major re-mutualisation in the United Kingdom, reversing the demutualisation trend in the late 1990s; further notes that Britannia will move into 65 towns and neighbourhoods where it is not currently present and Bristol and West's customers will become members and co-owners of Britannia; congratulates Britannia on its ongoing commitment to a branch network which provides increased access to consumers; and urges the Government to recognise that this is a further illustration of the important role that mutuals play in ensuring competition and value for money for the consumer.

That this House welcomes the Britannia Building Society's acquisition of the Bristol and West's savings business and branch network from the Bank of Ireland for ??150 million; notes that this is the first major re-mutualisation in the United Kingdom, reversing the demutualisation trend in the late 1990s; further notes that...

That this House recognises the invaluable service of Cruse Bereavement Care to bereaved people in the United Kingdom; applauds its vital contribution to the Asian tsunami effort by helping bereaved families returning to Heathrow Airport and families of British 9/11 victims; furthermore recognises its vital contribution to health care in the UK; is concerned that core funding for 2005-06 in England is currently ??30,000; and calls on the Government to support current applications for a substantial increase to this fund to enable Cruse to deliver its unique free counselling service for bereaved people in the UK.

That this House recognises the invaluable service of Cruse Bereavement Care to bereaved people in the United Kingdom; applauds its vital contribution to the Asian tsunami effort by helping bereaved families returning to Heathrow Airport and families of British 9/11 victims; furthermore recognises its vital contribution to health care in...

That this House pays tribute to the work and life of Madeleine Carroll, former West Bromwich born teacher and film actress and Bob Hope's 'favourite blonde' who starred as the leading lady in the 1935 version of the Thirty Nine Steps and 19 other films but who forsook her glamorous career to work for the Red Cross in US hospitals in France and Italy during the Second World War, following which she advocated the cause of dispossessed children as an employee of UNICEF;and believes furthermore that this Government should emulate both the French and US governments, who recognised her work by awarding her national honours during her life time, and give belated posthumous recognition of her contribution to the film industry and her personal sacrifices on behalf of international support for children.

That this House pays tribute to the work and life of Madeleine Carroll, former West Bromwich born teacher and film actress and Bob Hope's 'favourite blonde' who starred as the leading lady in the 1935 version of the Thirty Nine Steps and 19 other films but who forsook her glamorous...