That this House is appalled at proposals from the NHS Executive to sell off the Memorial Hall and Cenotaph within the grounds of Darlington Memorial Hospital; reminds those responsible that the Hall was built by public subscription to honour the local men who gave their lives for their country in the First World War and that it also contains the names of the men and women who died fighting for freedom during the Second World War; believes that the building and grounds must remain fully accessible to the public of Darlington so that they can properly pay their respects to the war dead of the town; and calls on the Government, in making any decision on the Hall and grounds, to take fully into account the strong feelings of attachment felt by the local community.

That this House is appalled at proposals from the NHS Executive to sell off the Memorial Hall and Cenotaph within the grounds of Darlington Memorial Hospital; reminds those responsible that the Hall was built by public subscription to honour the local men who gave their lives for their country in...

That this House congratulates the management and workforce of Kvaerner Cleveland Bridge Ltd in Darlington on its success in winning the ??100 million contract to build a major steel suspension bridge over the Yangtze River in China; believes that the contract reflects Cleveland Bridge's position as a world leader in the construction of long span suspension bridges; and looks forward to the company's further success in both world and domestic markets in the future.

That this House congratulates the management and workforce of Kvaerner Cleveland Bridge Ltd in Darlington on its success in winning the ??100 million contract to build a major steel suspension bridge over the Yangtze River in China; believes that the contract reflects Cleveland Bridge's position as a world leader in...

That this House welcomes the Home Affairs Select Committee's and the Law Commission's reports calling for the abolition of the year and a day rule on murder; expresses its concern at the Government's delay in scrapping an outdated law that merely serves to protect the guilty; and believes that the time has come to put the rights of the victims of crime first by introducing immediate legislative proposals for change.

That this House welcomes the Home Affairs Select Committee's and the Law Commission's reports calling for the abolition of the year and a day rule on murder; expresses its concern at the Government's delay in scrapping an outdated law that merely serves to protect the guilty; and believes that the...

That this House opposes the proposed privatisation of the administration of the Teachers' Superannuation Scheme; believes that privatisation will entail 1.1 million teachers' pensions losing the benefit of independent and impartial expert advice; notes that the Darlington-based Teachers' Pensions Agency is meeting its official performance targets; expresses concern that there is no guarantee about jobs remaining in Darlington if privatisation goes ahead; and calls upon Ministers to drop their proposals now.

That this House opposes the proposed privatisation of the administration of the Teachers' Superannuation Scheme; believes that privatisation will entail 1.1 million teachers' pensions losing the benefit of independent and impartial expert advice; notes that the Darlington-based Teachers' Pensions Agency is meeting its official performance targets; expresses concern that there...

That this House supports the creation of single tier most purpose local authorities as a means of strengthening local democracy and providing more responsive quality services; sees unitary tier local government as a building block towards elected regional government; believes that the local government review should take as its yardstick the wishes of local communities in determining the future shape of local authorities in this country; and calls for proper protection for employees affected by any proposed changes.

That this House supports the creation of single tier most purpose local authorities as a means of strengthening local democracy and providing more responsive quality services; sees unitary tier local government as a building block towards elected regional government; believes that the local government review should take as its yardstick...

That this House condemns the antics of the Stagecoach bus company in Darlington; notes that Stagecoach has broken its promise to give passengers free fares for a five week period; believes that Stagecoach dropped its free fares policy once it had achieved its objective of forcing Darlington Transport Company out of business; and calls for an urgent Office of Fair Trading inquiry into yet another example of Stagecoach's predatory practices.

That this House condemns the antics of the Stagecoach bus company in Darlington; notes that Stagecoach has broken its promise to give passengers free fares for a five week period; believes that Stagecoach dropped its free fares policy once it had achieved its objective of forcing Darlington Transport Company out...

That this House condemns the Northwick Park Hospital Trust in Harrow for its decision to introduce premium rate telephone charges for families wishing to ring their hospitalised relatives and patients wishing to watch television; believes that the hospital's contract with the Patientline Company amounts to a tax on the sick; and calls on the Secretary of State for Health to end this privatisation of patient services.

That this House condemns the Northwick Park Hospital Trust in Harrow for its decision to introduce premium rate telephone charges for families wishing to ring their hospitalised relatives and patients wishing to watch television; believes that the hospital's contract with the Patientline Company amounts to a tax on the sick;...

That this House expresses its sympathy with the people of Darlington who have been subjected to congestion, pollution and disturbance from a protracted bus war involving over 200 buses per hour running through the town centre; notes that the recent arrival of Stagecoach buses in the town offering free fares for a limited period led to the collapse of the 90 year old Darlington Transport Company; believes that once again Stagecoach is using its financial muscle to elbow its rivals off the road in an effect to create a private monopoly over bus services; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Transport to end the disaster of bus deregulation and the President of the Board of Trade to conduct a full-scale inquiry into the operating practices of Stagecoach.

That this House expresses its sympathy with the people of Darlington who have been subjected to congestion, pollution and disturbance from a protracted bus war involving over 200 buses per hour running through the town centre; notes that the recent arrival of Stagecoach buses in the town offering free fares...

That this House calls for an independent investigation into the appointment of Mr Peter Warry as acting Chief Executive of Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital Trust, where he formerly served as a non-executive director; notes that Mr Warry has no apparent health service management experience but does have a history of close involvement with the Conservative Party as a member of Mrs Thatcher's Downing Street Policy Unit and as the architect of Post Office privatisation proposals; believes that his appointment signifies an extension of the Tories jobs for the boys health policy to chief executive posts; and reminds Ministers that the National Health Service is not the plaything of one Party but a public service that should be accountable to the communities it serves.

That this House calls for an independent investigation into the appointment of Mr Peter Warry as acting Chief Executive of Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital Trust, where he formerly served as a non-executive director; notes that Mr Warry has no apparent health service management experience but does have a history...

That this House expresses its alarm at the recent wave of gun killings in the North East of England involving licensed firearms owners; believes that gun licences are too easy to come by and too difficult to revoke; urges the Home Secretary to conduct an urgent review of the gun laws better to protect public safety; and in particular seeks changes to the law that would impose a more rigorous test on those applying for gun licences, limit gun use to responsible adults who can demonstrate an absolute need for a licence, strengthen police powers to refuse or revoke gun licences and prevent, wherever possible, guns being stored in domestic premises where they are prone to theft and misuse.

That this House expresses its alarm at the recent wave of gun killings in the North East of England involving licensed firearms owners; believes that gun licences are too easy to come by and too difficult to revoke; urges the Home Secretary to conduct an urgent review of the gun...

That this House is concerned that the high cost of rent deposits demanded by private landlords is prohibitively expensive for many homeless people; believes that homelessness would be reduced by providing help for low income families to meet the cost of rent deposits; and urges the Government immediately to review the operation of the Social Fund and housing benefit to allow payments to be used for rent deposits.

That this House is concerned that the high cost of rent deposits demanded by private landlords is prohibitively expensive for many homeless people; believes that homelessness would be reduced by providing help for low income families to meet the cost of rent deposits; and urges the Government immediately to review...

That this House expresses its condolences to the family of Michael Gibson, who died on 30th August 1993, after a violent assault in Darlington town centre left him comatosed for 16 months; is horrified that Michael's assailant received a prison sentence of just two years because the existing definition of murder in England stipulates that a victim must die within 366 days of an assault taking place for a charge of murder to be brought; believes that this ancient law takes no account of advances in medical technology which can keep comatosed patients alive for many years; deplores the injustice suffered by the Gibson family; and calls for an urgent independent review of this law so that this House can decide on a new definition of murder.

That this House expresses its condolences to the family of Michael Gibson, who died on 30th August 1993, after a violent assault in Darlington town centre left him comatosed for 16 months; is horrified that Michael's assailant received a prison sentence of just two years because the existing definition of...

That this House expresses its condolences to the family of Michael Gibson who died on 30th August 1993 after a violent assault in Darlington town centre in April 1992 left him comatosed; is horrified that Michael's assailant received a prison sentence of just two years because the existing definition of murder stipulates that a victim must die within 366 days of an assault taking place for a charge of murder to be brought; believes that this ancient law takes no account of advances in medical technology which can keep comatosed patients alive for many years; deplores the injustice suffered by the Gibson family; and calls for an urgent independent review of this law so that this House can decide on a new definition of murder.

That this House expresses its condolences to the family of Michael Gibson who died on 30th August 1993 after a violent assault in Darlington town centre in April 1992 left him comatosed; is horrified that Michael's assailant received a prison sentence of just two years because the existing definition of...

That this House condemns the Government's failure to introduce a new council tax ban 'A minus' to enable people with disabilities living in Band A homes to claim a reduction in their bills; notes that homes in all other bands are entitled to such a reduction but that the majority of households in many parts of Britain have no such right because they have been placed in band A; believes that thousands of disabled people living in low cost housing are losing out through no fault of their own; and calls upon the Government immediately to end this penny-pinching discrimination against people with disabilities.

That this House condemns the Government's failure to introduce a new council tax ban 'A minus' to enable people with disabilities living in Band A homes to claim a reduction in their bills; notes that homes in all other bands are entitled to such a reduction but that the majority...

That this House expresses its concern about the effects of bus deregulation in Darlington and other towns and cities; is alarmed at the damage, disturbance and danger caused by up to 239 buses per hour in Darlington town centre; shares the anger of residents whose once quiet streets are being used as the battleground for a bus war between local firms; believes that the Transport Act 1985 encourages this bus free-for-all and that is has produced fewer passengers and higher fares; and calls for the ending of deregulation in the bus and coach industry by empowering local authorities to regulate bus services in the interests of residents.

That this House expresses its concern about the effects of bus deregulation in Darlington and other towns and cities; is alarmed at the damage, disturbance and danger caused by up to 239 buses per hour in Darlington town centre; shares the anger of residents whose once quiet streets are being...

That this House is aware of the additional financial pressure on poorer families as a result of the imposition of value-added tax on domestic fuel; recognises the social, environmental and economic benefits of work carried out under the home energy efficiency scheme; can see no justification for the requirement that claimants of the grant are obliged to make a contribution to the cost of this work out of their barely adequate incomes; and calls upon the Department of the Environment to resolve this problem by abolishing the client contribution element of the scheme, making the grant payable at a rate of 100 per cent. as is already the case for energy efficiency work done under the minor works grant.

That this House is aware of the additional financial pressure on poorer families as a result of the imposition of value-added tax on domestic fuel; recognises the social, environmental and economic benefits of work carried out under the home energy efficiency scheme; can see no justification for the requirement that...

That this House deplores the sacking of Daily Mirror political correspondence Andy McSmith; notes that this is the first known case of the sacking of a Daily Mirror political writer for no other reason than his close and long standing involvement in the Labour Party, that it follows the forced departure from the Mirror of its political editor, Alastair Campbell, and its leading investigative journalist, Paul Foot, and many more of the best known Mirror journalists, that, since the departure of Paul Foot, the Mirror has sacked Bryan Rostron, a staff member for nine years who worked on the Paul Foot page, and is in the process of sacking their colleague, Margaret Renn, who recently took over as Mother of the NUJ chapel, after the forced departure of the Father of Chapel, Trevor Davies, that the list of those sacked by the present management includes the former industrial editor, Terry Pattinson, leader writer, David Thompson, and many other journalists and print workers; considers that the banks who have become the owners of Mirror Group Newspapers through their business dealings with the late Robert Maxwell recognise that the Daily Mirror and other papers in the group have been valuable assets because of their appeal as popular, campaigning, Labour-supporting newspapers; and beleives that this commercial and political advantage is being squandered by the present management and is in danger of being lost forever.

That this House deplores the sacking of Daily Mirror political correspondence Andy McSmith; notes that this is the first known case of the sacking of a Daily Mirror political writer for no other reason than his close and long standing involvement in the Labour Party, that it follows the forced...

That this House remembers the promise made by the Prime Minister before the General Election that he would not put VAT on domestic fuel; notes the announcement of the Chancellor of the intention to impose VAT at 8 per cent. and then 17.5 per cent. on domestic fuel; notes that the bill for an average household is ??12 a week and that VAT will mean an extra ??2 a week; is particularly concerned about the effect on pensioners and others on low income; and calls on the Government not to break their election pledge and impose VAT on domestic fuel.

That this House remembers the promise made by the Prime Minister before the General Election that he would not put VAT on domestic fuel; notes the announcement of the Chancellor of the intention to impose VAT at 8 per cent. and then 17.5 per cent. on domestic fuel; notes that...

That this House expresses its concern that motorcycling in Britain and Europe is under threat because of the European Commission's proposal to impose a 100 Bhp limit on all new motorcycles; notes that there is no evidence linking road safety to the power of motorcycles; notes the proud history of skill, workmanship and craft that the British motorcycle industry has developed to produce among the safest and most admired motorcycles in the world; notes that the European Parliament has twice rejected the 100 Bhp limit and that the British Government's own transport and road research laboratories have found that engine capacity has little or no effect on accident risk; and calls on the Government to oppose the 100 Bhp limit in the Council of Ministers and protect the rights of British motorcyclists and manufacturers to enjoy motorcycling and continue to produce the best machines on the market.

That this House expresses its concern that motorcycling in Britain and Europe is under threat because of the European Commission's proposal to impose a 100 Bhp limit on all new motorcycles; notes that there is no evidence linking road safety to the power of motorcycles; notes the proud history of...

That this House recognises the importance of concessionary fare schemes for people with disabilities and the elderly; views with great concern the fact that local authorities throughout the country are having to cut their schemes in response to Government financial constraints; notes in particular the unfair financial treatment received by Darlington Council which has been compelled to review its concessionary fares scheme as a consequence; and believes that the Government should as a matter of urgency review its system of funding local Government services, make available immediate additional financial support to protect concessionary fare schemes, and in future, provide for a specific grant to fund properly such schemes.

That this House recognises the importance of concessionary fare schemes for people with disabilities and the elderly; views with great concern the fact that local authorities throughout the country are having to cut their schemes in response to Government financial constraints; notes in particular the unfair financial treatment received by...