That this House acknowledges the problems in the higher education sector and the continuing uncertainty for universities and their students in relation to future finance arrangements; recognises that any future system of university finance must resolve current funding issues as well as being fair to students; is especially concerned that the Government should set out its plans for the future openly, and not rely on leaks as it has done up to now, and remove the uncertainty which affects parents and young people; and calls on the Government to stand by its manifesto pledge that 'We will not introduce top-up fees and have legislated to prevent them'.

That this House acknowledges the problems in the higher education sector and the continuing uncertainty for universities and their students in relation to future finance arrangements; recognises that any future system of university finance must resolve current funding issues as well as being fair to students; is especially concerned that...

That this House notes that it has been over five months since the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of Christine Goodwin's case for the right to respect for private and family life, the right to marry and to found a family in relation to her status as a transsexual person; and calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to give transsexual people full rights and legal recognition, without delay.

That this House notes that it has been over five months since the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of Christine Goodwin's case for the right to respect for private and family life, the right to marry and to found a family in relation to her status as...

That this House welcomes the efforts made by universities to widen participation in higher education as demonstrated by Universities UK's report 'Social Class and participation in Higher Education: From Elitism to Inclusion 2'; and supports the university sector's views that it is vital to fund such work properly to ensure not only the recruitment but also, crucially, the retention of students from non-traditional backgrounds.

That this House welcomes the efforts made by universities to widen participation in higher education as demonstrated by Universities UK's report 'Social Class and participation in Higher Education: From Elitism to Inclusion 2'; and supports the university sector's views that it is vital to fund such work properly to ensure...

That this House notes that the average student debt on graduation exceeds ??10,000; further notes that students on longer degree courses face larger accumulative debts; also notes the BMA's annual survey of medical students' finances for 2000-01, which found that average final year debt for medical students increased by 23.6 per cent. on the previous year to ??13,350 and that over 40 per cent. of final year students had debts of over ??15,000; believes that people from all backgrounds should have an equal opportunity to benefit from higher education, but is concerned that debt and fear of debt act as a significant disincentive, particularly for those from lower-income backgrounds; further believes that the introduction of tuition fees and the abolition of maintenance grants has significantly worsened the situation; congratulates the partnership administrations in Scotland and Wales for taking firm steps to reform student finance and widen access to higher education; and calls on the Government to follow their example by abolishing tuition fees and restoring maintenance grants for the poorest students across the United Kingdom.

That this House notes that the average student debt on graduation exceeds ??10,000; further notes that students on longer degree courses face larger accumulative debts; also notes the BMA's annual survey of medical students' finances for 2000-01, which found that average final year debt for medical students increased by 23.6...

That this House believes the provision of local news by journalists in their local community is very important; is concerned about Granada's losses of ??69 million - largely as a result of its disastrous investment in OnDigital - and media reports of the proposed closure of the Meridian Newbury Newsdesk that would result in the loss of the nightly news programme for the economic powerhouse of the South East and the Thames Valley; notes that Reading and its hinterland receive a very poor service from BBC South; and is further concerned that these proposals from Granada would not only contravene their licence terms but result in a massive gap in news services to one of the most important parts of the United Kingdom.

That this House believes the provision of local news by journalists in their local community is very important; is concerned about Granada's losses of ??69 million - largely as a result of its disastrous investment in OnDigital - and media reports of the proposed closure of the Meridian Newbury Newsdesk...

That this House supports the goals of widening access and increasing participation in higher education and ending student hardship; also welcomes the Government's plans for reviewing student finance with these goals in mind; and therefore, in common with the National Union of Students, urges the Government to introduce grants for low-income students and end the current system of tuition fees.

That this House supports the goals of widening access and increasing participation in higher education and ending student hardship; also welcomes the Government's plans for reviewing student finance with these goals in mind; and therefore, in common with the National Union of Students, urges the Government to introduce grants for...

That this House is deeply concerned at the dwindling numbers of postgraduates going into higher education teaching; recommends the recognition and implementation of the National Union of Students, National Postgraduate Council and Association of University Teachers' Employment Charter for Postgraduates Who Teach; calls on the Government to offer protection and recognition to postgraduates who teach; and recommends that the current system of Research Council funding for postgraduates be reviewed to maximise opportunities for postgraduate study.

That this House is deeply concerned at the dwindling numbers of postgraduates going into higher education teaching; recommends the recognition and implementation of the National Union of Students, National Postgraduate Council and Association of University Teachers' Employment Charter for Postgraduates Who Teach; calls on the Government to offer protection and...

That this House congratulates the Daily Mirror on its Scrap the Fees campaign; believes that tuition fees and the removal of student grants act as a disincentive to young people who want to go to university and are therefore incompatible with the Government's target of 50 per cent. of young people entering higher education by 2010; notes that the abolition of fees and restoration of grants in Scotland has resulted in more Scottish students applying to Scottish universities and fewer applying to other UK universities; is alarmed that average student debt on graduation is expected to increase from ??6,507 last year to ??10,000 this year; and calls on the Government to follow the example of the Scottish Executive in scrapping fees and restoring student grants.

That this House congratulates the Daily Mirror on its Scrap the Fees campaign; believes that tuition fees and the removal of student grants act as a disincentive to young people who want to go to university and are therefore incompatible with the Government's target of 50 per cent. of young...

That this House notes that there are many small businesses suffering as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak outside as well as inside those areas designated 'highly infected', and that inadequate government grants over several years have left many local authorities without the resources to afford business rate relief unless it is refunded by central government; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to widen the scope of the Rural Task Force's proposals for business rate relief so that all councils are appropriately refunded.

That this House notes that there are many small businesses suffering as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak outside as well as inside those areas designated 'highly infected', and that inadequate government grants over several years have left many local authorities without the resources to afford business rate...

That this House condemns the proposed ??10 million bonus for Chris Gent, Chief Executive of Vodafone AirTouch; calls on shareholders to reject the payment of this obscene amount of money; and urges Vodafone AirTouch to use that money instead to research the potential harmful side effects associated with mobile phone use.

That this House condemns the proposed ??10 million bonus for Chris Gent, Chief Executive of Vodafone AirTouch; calls on shareholders to reject the payment of this obscene amount of money; and urges Vodafone AirTouch to use that money instead to research the potential harmful side effects associated with mobile phone...

That this House notes the Environment Agency's recent prosecution of AWE Aldermaston for unauthorised discharges of radioactive substances; believes that a full independent public inquiry is the only way to allay local fears about possible risks to public health and the environment, to assess the way forward in dealing with the problem of residual build-up of radioactive waste that is present on the site, and also to assess what risks there are as a result of the activities currently carried out by AWE; and calls on the Government to implement such an inquiry immediately.

That this House notes the Environment Agency's recent prosecution of AWE Aldermaston for unauthorised discharges of radioactive substances; believes that a full independent public inquiry is the only way to allay local fears about possible risks to public health and the environment, to assess the way forward in dealing with...

That this House expresses its concern that widows are worse off under this Government; notes that the Government is continuing to implement policies which will increase means testing, remove income from widows only six months after bereavement, and increase their tax bill; further notes that the cumulative effect of the Government's policies combines to remove over half a billion pounds from widows; welcomes the attempt to provide equality within the system for widowers but notes that this could have been introduced on a cost neutral basis.

That this House expresses its concern that widows are worse off under this Government; notes that the Government is continuing to implement policies which will increase means testing, remove income from widows only six months after bereavement, and increase their tax bill; further notes that the cumulative effect of the...

That this House notes that widow's entitlement to an additional pension on the basis of her husband's SERPS contributions will be halved if her husband dies after 6th April 2000; further notes that the DSS leaflet on Retirement Pensions (NP45) was only amended to include this information in Spring 1996, 10 years after the changes were introduced by the previous Conservative administration, and that up to two million people may have been given misleading advice by the DSS as a result; is concerned that the DSS was still writing to enquirers as recently as the end of last year without telling them about the forthcoming halving of entitlement; notes the Government's action on pensions mis-selling, which placed the onus on private companies to contact all those who may have been affected and to advise them of their right to compensation; and calls on the Government to apply the same standards to itself in respect of SERPS entitlement.

That this House notes that widow's entitlement to an additional pension on the basis of her husband's SERPS contributions will be halved if her husband dies after 6th April 2000; further notes that the DSS leaflet on Retirement Pensions (NP45) was only amended to include this information in Spring 1996,...

That this House does not approve the draft Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 4th March.

That this House does not approve the draft Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 4th March.

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that the draft Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 4th March, be not made.

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that the draft Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999, which were laid before this House on 4th March, be not made.

That this House congratulates Her Majesty's Government on its proposals for welfare reform which will encourage those who can work to enter employment, while offering greater security to those who cannot; welcomes efforts to concentrate public funds on those with severe disablement; in particular welcomes the extension of disability living allowance to severely disabled children under five years of age, recognising the significant mobility costs met by parents in ensuring the adequate development and socialisation of such children; supports the principle that there should be a fairer balance state and individual in sharing the cost of capacity; notes the concerns within disability groups regarding the possible effects these changes may have on the genuinely disabled; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to give consideration to a more generous set of arrangements for those recipients of incapacity benefit who draw upon occupational pensions.

That this House congratulates Her Majesty's Government on its proposals for welfare reform which will encourage those who can work to enter employment, while offering greater security to those who cannot; welcomes efforts to concentrate public funds on those with severe disablement; in particular welcomes the extension of disability living...

That this House deeply regrets the refusal of successive governments to recognise service in the Suez Canal Zone from 8th October 1951 to 19th October 1954 for a general service medal; and calls on the Government to reconsider its decision and in particular to recognise the service of the following: K. Cross, J. McQueen, J. Mutch, W. Swarbrick, G. Williams, J. Bushell, A. Keay, H. Whitehead, R. Barnes, D. Bentley, W. Bentham, R. Stewart, K. Smallwood, A. McDonald, D. Allen, L. Drew, T. Jackson, W. Mathieson, D. Flemming, T. Morrison, J. Friberg, J. Doughty, J. McDonald, P. Round, R. Thompson, K. Fell, A. Darlington, B. Quinn, J. Wiseman, J. Morgan, J. Cress, J. McKinney, Mrs R. Kinder, B. Hill, G. Kay, G. Roberts, J. Colbeck, R. Brown, R. Davies, C. Cottam, K. Gannon, T. Roberts, C. Withers, J. Wilkes, G. Norman, G. Davies, C. Martin, E. Lockwood, N. Bamford, R. Davies, A. Stevenson, J. Doyle, H. Whitehead, R. Steward, C. Booth, H. Jones, H. Pickles, A. Harbison, Mrs V. Murphy, R. Ward, A. Creevy, E. Taylor, R. Hunt, G. Wilson, R. Thorne, P. McNaughton, J. Friberg, J. Waite, R. Hewlett, D. Gilchrist, D. Baker, A. Dunbar, P. Waters, R. Owens, S. Cogal, S. Allen, K. Roddis, J. Chandler, D. Verlander, P. Tee, G. Teasdale, B. Rowley, W. Goodsir, L. Starkie, S. Whiffin, T. Hardy, R. Hunt, G. Woodward, G. Mayling, S. Skelly, W. Laidcaw, M. Petfield, G. Gardiner, D. Kerr, W. Worth, H. Rowe, G. Gaskell, F. Richards.

That this House deeply regrets the refusal of successive governments to recognise service in the Suez Canal Zone from 8th October 1951 to 19th October 1954 for a general service medal; and calls on the Government to reconsider its decision and in particular to recognise the service of the following:...

That this House notes that hospitals in England and Wales voluntarily reported 2,364 incidents of MRSA in 1997, compared with just 342 reported incidents in 1992; notes that MRSA is not a notifiable disease and that, where individual hospitals record infection with MRSA by case, these figures are likely to be much higher; believes that the Government must take urgent measures to limit the further development of these resistant strains; and calls on the Government to publish all research on MRSA carried out so far, and in particular to publish their response to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee Report, Resistance to Antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents, as soon as possible.

That this House notes that hospitals in England and Wales voluntarily reported 2,364 incidents of MRSA in 1997, compared with just 342 reported incidents in 1992; notes that MRSA is not a notifiable disease and that, where individual hospitals record infection with MRSA by case, these figures are likely to...

That this House notes the work of the Green Lanes Environmental Action Movement, and the safety and environmental implications of the use of vulnerable green lanes used by motorised vehicles for recreational purposes; further notes the Countryside Commission's flawed proposals to classify all roads-used-as-public-paths as byways on which motorised traffic would be permitted; and calls on the Government to re-examine the law in relation to the use of green lanes as part of its work on access to the countryside, recognising that there are designated and appropriate areas for the use of recreational off-road motor vehicles.

That this House notes the work of the Green Lanes Environmental Action Movement, and the safety and environmental implications of the use of vulnerable green lanes used by motorised vehicles for recreational purposes; further notes the Countryside Commission's flawed proposals to classify all roads-used-as-public-paths as byways on which motorised traffic...

That this House urges the Government not to abandon the automation of post offices to pay benefits by swipecard; further urges the Government to ensure that the system introduced by ICL is adaptable for other Government services and to deploy this powerful facility against benefit fraud; seeks an acceleration of the timetable to adapt the remaining post offices; and calls on the Government to balance the interests of post offices, especially in rural areas and claimants of social security benefits in achieving the most effective and secure system.

That this House urges the Government not to abandon the automation of post offices to pay benefits by swipecard; further urges the Government to ensure that the system introduced by ICL is adaptable for other Government services and to deploy this powerful facility against benefit fraud; seeks an acceleration of...