That this House congratulates Sir David Attenborough and the BBC on the spectacular Blue Planet 2 series; notes that, with the fifth largest marine estate in the world, the UK and its Overseas Territories are custodian to the largest coral atoll on earth, globally significant populations of albatross, whales and turtles, and a quarter of the penguins on the planet; calls on the Government to sign the Blue Belt Charter; further calls on the Government to ensure that the UK remains a leading force within those international bodies concerned with greater protection of the Polar Regions, the UN process for establishing Marine Protected Areas on the High Seas, and within the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations; and calls on the Government to reaffirm its leadership in ocean conservation by working with the governments of the Overseas Territories to deliver on Blue Belt pledges to, establish a 500,000 km2 fully protected Marine Protected Area around the South Sandwich Islands in 2018, deliver on the commitment to establish a fully protected Marine Protected Area in at least 50 per cent of Ascension Island's waters in 2019, support the establishment of a locally-led marine protection regime throughout the waters of Tristan da Cunha by 2020 and strengthen the development of the locally-led marine protection regime throughout the waters of St Helena.

That this House congratulates Sir David Attenborough and the BBC on the spectacular Blue Planet 2 series; notes that, with the fifth largest marine estate in the world, the UK and its Overseas Territories are custodian to the largest coral atoll on earth, globally significant populations of albatross, whales and...

That this House notes that in a pan-European survey of the chemical industry’s reputation the UK is ranked second highest by both opinion leaders and the general public; further notes that the UK is ahead of its main competitor countries and is at the top of a number of measures, including product transparency, safe use and research transparency; notes the sector is the largest exporter of manufactured goods with annual exports of close to £50 billion and invests approximately £4 billion in capital and research and development each year; congratulates the sector on energy saving whereby every tonne of greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted by the chemical industry enables over two tonnes of GHG emissions savings; and further congratulates its representative body, the Chemical Industries Association, on its work within local communities and its contribution to the UK.

That this House notes that in a pan-European survey of the chemical industry’s reputation the UK is ranked second highest by both opinion leaders and the general public; further notes that the UK is ahead of its main competitor countries and is at the top of a number of measures,...

That this House notes that the 18 water companies in England, Scotland and Wales retained excess profits of £1.2 billion over the last five years; further notes that UNISON is campaigning to get all water companies to sign up as Living Wage employers; applauds South East Water, Scottish Water, Northumbria Water and Yorkshire Water for becoming accredited Living Wage employers with the Living Wage Foundation; and calls on the remaining companies to engage with UNISON and the Living Wage Foundation to commit to paying all those directly employed, as well as those indirectly paid to provide services, the Living Wage, which is only £8.25 per hour outside London and £9.40 per hour inside London.

That this House notes that the 18 water companies in England, Scotland and Wales retained excess profits of £1.2 billion over the last five years; further notes that UNISON is campaigning to get all water companies to sign up as Living Wage employers; applauds South East Water, Scottish Water, Northumbria...

That this House recognises the campaign for a new transport route between Sheffield and Manchester, run over many years by various groups and stakeholders in Sheffield, Manchester and the High Peak; further recognises that an underground route would protect the Peak District National Park while at the same time providing a long-term solution to the issue of poor transport links between the two cities; believes that such a route should incorporate both road and rail options in order to maximise the economic benefits to be gained; and calls on the Government to announce its support for this solution as an essential part of the infrastructure required to make the Northern Powerhouse project a success.

That this House recognises the campaign for a new transport route between Sheffield and Manchester, run over many years by various groups and stakeholders in Sheffield, Manchester and the High Peak; further recognises that an underground route would protect the Peak District National Park while at the same time providing...

That this House supports the formation of Rail in the North All Party Parliamentary Group; recognises that the North of England is highly dependent on its railways to support jobs and economic growth; recognises that there has been significant under investment in the North's railways compared to other parts of the country; further recognises that the most pressing issue relates to increasing rail rolling stock in the North to meet demand; further recognises that the Northern Hub strategy put forward by Network Rail will address significant capacity constraints in the North and deliver over 4 billion in benefits; notes that overall public spending on transport in the North is 262 per head compared to 641 per head for London; further notes that the overcrowding on peak hour trains into the main urban centres is above 50 per cent. in many cases; further notes that Northern Rail has received less than five per cent. of the trains promised in the 2007 rail White Paper and that the Inter City Express Programme has been put on hold; and calls on the Government to recognise the importance of railways for the North's economy and to provide the North with its fair share of rail investment to support private sector led economic recovery and growth.

That this House supports the formation of Rail in the North All Party Parliamentary Group; recognises that the North of England is highly dependent on its railways to support jobs and economic growth; recognises that there has been significant under investment in the North's railways compared to other parts of...

That this House recognises the importance of local bus services in tackling congestion in urban areas, in contributing to carbon reduction and in providing a lifeline service in rural areas and for households without access to a car; notes that the Government's own calculations suggest that if Government BSOG (Bus Services Operator Grant) support for bus services were to be withdrawn, substantial fare increases, service reductions and job losses would follow; and calls on the Government to continue to support bus services by retaining BSOG.

That this House recognises the importance of local bus services in tackling congestion in urban areas, in contributing to carbon reduction and in providing a lifeline service in rural areas and for households without access to a car; notes that the Government's own calculations suggest that if Government BSOG (Bus...

That this House supports the principle that decisions on local transport issues are best decided locally; notes the intent of the Local Transport Act 2008 further to devolve transport decision-making via the Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) and Integrated Transport Authorities (ITAs); commends the six PTEs for the way in which they have provided long-term support and investment for local rail networks and for the responsible way in which they have used their franchise powers when allowed to do so by the Department for Transport; regrets that the Department for Transport's report, Future of Rail Franchising, failed to acknowledge in any way the potential future role of PTEs and ITAs in the specification and management of rail franchises; and expresses its concern that the consequence of this failure could be a lost opportunity to ensure that local heavy rail networks are fully integrated with wider public transport provision for the 11 million people who live in the metropolitan areas.

That this House supports the principle that decisions on local transport issues are best decided locally; notes the intent of the Local Transport Act 2008 further to devolve transport decision-making via the Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) and Integrated Transport Authorities (ITAs); commends the six PTEs for the way in which...

That this House congratulates the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on acquiring over 200,000 signatories to its campaign to end the illegal killing of birds of prey; recognises the depth of public support this shows for more action to be taken to protect birds of prey; further recognises the socio-economic benefits healthy bird of prey populations can bring to rural communities; notes that the shooting, poisoning and other destruction of magnificent species including hen harriers, golden eagles and peregrine falcons remains unacceptably common; acknowledges that such persecution represents a major impediment towards the recovery of such species to their historic levels; and calls on the Government to make ending the illegal killing of these iconic birds a greater priority.

That this House congratulates the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on acquiring over 200,000 signatories to its campaign to end the illegal killing of birds of prey; recognises the depth of public support this shows for more action to be taken to protect birds of prey; further recognises...

That this House acknowledges the bravery and the selflessness of UK Armed Forces personnel, who risk everything to defend the country and its values; feels great sadness and sympathy for the relatives of those who lose their lives in conflict; notes that there is a statutory right to bereavement leave but not on a paid basis; calls on the Government to introduce a legal right to paid bereavement leave for the close relatives of those who die in conflict; and further calls on the Government to issue guidance making it clear that these relatives should be given leave which reflects the very difficult and highly emotional nature of their loss.

That this House acknowledges the bravery and the selflessness of UK Armed Forces personnel, who risk everything to defend the country and its values; feels great sadness and sympathy for the relatives of those who lose their lives in conflict; notes that there is a statutory right to bereavement leave...

That this House notes the growing level of alcohol fraud in the UK through the non-payment of alcohol duty which is costing the UK Exchequer significant sums in lost revenue; further notes that this fraud is having a severe detrimental impact on the economic viability of legitimate UK traders and having negative impacts on public health as consumers are being sold cheap alcohol from illicit sources; and calls on HM Revenue and Customs to combat the growing scale of alcohol fraud in the UK, undertake robust enforcement action and implement stringent preventative measures to stop the continuation of the fraud.

That this House notes the growing level of alcohol fraud in the UK through the non-payment of alcohol duty which is costing the UK Exchequer significant sums in lost revenue; further notes that this fraud is having a severe detrimental impact on the economic viability of legitimate UK traders and...

That this House recognises that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is not working; notes with alarm that 5,221 victims needed hospital treatment last year as a result of dog attacks; further notes that 6,000 postal workers were attacked last year while going about their duty, and that five children have been killed in the last three years by dog attacks; considers that fresh legislation is needed to tackle the increasing use of dogs as weapons by gang members; believes that new dog control legislation is also required which puts the emphasis on the owner, not the dog or the breed, and which allows for early intervention by the police in order to prevent out of control dogs endangering people and animals alike, making use of devices such as control notices and dog control orders; further recognises that this approach should involve giving police the powers they need to take stringent action against the very worst cases of irresponsible dog ownership, including fines, imprisonment and the `three Ds' of disqualification orders, deprivation orders and destruction orders; further believes that the ability to prosecute the owners of dogs who attack and cause serious injury should be extended to cover attacks on private property, with appropriate protection for dog owners against attacks on trespassers and burglars; further recognises that legislation should be accompanied by increased resources for dog ownership education in order to increase responsible dog ownership; and calls on the Government to deal with this as a priority and for all political parties to make a manifesto commitment to dealing with this problem.

That this House recognises that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is not working; notes with alarm that 5,221 victims needed hospital treatment last year as a result of dog attacks; further notes that 6,000 postal workers were attacked last year while going about their duty, and that five children have...

That this House congratulates Sheffield Wednesday FC on its decision to engage as its main sponsor The Children's Hospital in Sheffield; recognises the potential this creates for raising significant sums of money for a highly valued charity; notes that this partnership has already raised ??50,000 for the charity and that the first major business has announced a sponsorship deal which will benefit both partners; and calls on other professional clubs to follow Sheffield Wednesday's lead in forgoing sponsorship deals in order to build effective links with local charities and the communities they serve.

That this House congratulates Sheffield Wednesday FC on its decision to engage as its main sponsor The Children's Hospital in Sheffield; recognises the potential this creates for raising significant sums of money for a highly valued charity; notes that this partnership has already raised ??50,000 for the charity and that...

That this House welcomes the Ramblers' second annual Get Walking Day on 30 May 2009, offering thousands of people in England, Scotland and Wales the opportunity to enjoy a short walk with the Ramblers; applauds the Get Walking Day goal to inspire families and individuals of all ages to go for a walk and to continue walking regularly; notes that doctors agree that moderate exercise like walking helps protect people from many illnesses and conditions including obesity, depression, heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, the most common type of diabetes and many cancers; recognises that walking for a total of 30 minutes a day, or 60 minutes for children, meets the Chief Medical Officer's minimum recommendations for physical activity; is alarmed that 70 per cent. of adults and 40 per cent. of children do not meet the target, with serious consequences for public health; further notes that the cost to the NHS of obesity alone will rise to ??10 billion a year by 2050 if current trends continue; believes that walking is the easiest form of exercise for the greatest number of people and that almost everyone can do it, anywhere and at any time, for free, with no special equipment or training; and urges hon. Members to support Get Walking Day and to encourage people to join in by going for a local walk.

That this House welcomes the Ramblers' second annual Get Walking Day on 30 May 2009, offering thousands of people in England, Scotland and Wales the opportunity to enjoy a short walk with the Ramblers; applauds the Get Walking Day goal to inspire families and individuals of all ages to go...

That this House supports the opening of negotiations between Network Rail, National Grid and the Department for Transport regarding future uses of the Woodhead tunnels; believes that it would be a seriously retrograde step if the 1953 tunnel were to be lost for rail use at a time when the demand for new rail capacity is greater than ever; further believes that a new trans-Pennine link, based on the Woodhead line, would benefit the economy of the North to the tune of ??10 billion per annum; and calls on the Government to make Crossrail for the North a priority project alongside High Speed Rail Two.

That this House supports the opening of negotiations between Network Rail, National Grid and the Department for Transport regarding future uses of the Woodhead tunnels; believes that it would be a seriously retrograde step if the 1953 tunnel were to be lost for rail use at a time when the...

That this House recognises the importance of a highly-skilled workforce to the future of the UK economy; further recognises that manufacturing in the UK needs to retain its skilled workers in order to exploit the opportunities on offer when economic growth returns; understands that many skilled workers in manufacturing are being asked to work short-time and that this could put severe pressure on their finances; further recognises that for many skilled workers the only option may be to leave manufacturing and seek full-time employment elsewhere; calls on the UK Government to look at all options for helping manufacturers retain skilled workers in the current climate, including possible adjustments to the tax credit system; and demands that manufacturers continue to invest in the training budget and skills of their workforce in anticipation of potential growth of the UK's manufacturing base in the future.

That this House recognises the importance of a highly-skilled workforce to the future of the UK economy; further recognises that manufacturing in the UK needs to retain its skilled workers in order to exploit the opportunities on offer when economic growth returns; understands that many skilled workers in manufacturing are...

That this House congratulates The Wildlife Trusts for having developed a hundred Living Landscape schemes across the UK as part of a programme to help the natural environment adapt to climate change; acknowledges the importance of the services the natural environment provides to society such as pollution control, flood alleviation and improvements to our quality of life; recognises the contribution that these schemes make towards providing these services; calls upon the Government to put the natural environment at the heart of the Climate Change Bill's adaptation programmes and policies; and urges it to make changes where necessary to the full range of land use and land management policies that influence the natural environment's ability to adapt to climate change, land use planning, agricultural support systems, site protection systems, water and flood management.

That this House congratulates The Wildlife Trusts for having developed a hundred Living Landscape schemes across the UK as part of a programme to help the natural environment adapt to climate change; acknowledges the importance of the services the natural environment provides to society such as pollution control, flood alleviation...

That this House notes the importance of mountaineering to the UK in terms of its status as an elite sport; further notes that mountaineering, rock-climbing and other mountain-related activities such as hill-walking enjoy high levels of participation across the country, hence making a major contribution to the country's health and fitness agenda; recognises the critical role played in the development of mountain sports culture by organisations such as the British Mountaineering Council and the Alpine Club; further recognises the particular importance of the city of Sheffield to the UK's mountain sports culture given its status as a world-class centre of rock-climbing; and places on record its support for Sheffield's ambition to promote further its mountain sports culture as an essential part of its sports and recreation on offer.

That this House notes the importance of mountaineering to the UK in terms of its status as an elite sport; further notes that mountaineering, rock-climbing and other mountain-related activities such as hill-walking enjoy high levels of participation across the country, hence making a major contribution to the country's health and...