That this House notes with concern that government and train operating company plans for implementing the multibillion pound Intercity Express rolling stock programme which will ultimately be funded by the taxpayer and fare-payer could see significant staffing cuts on East Coast and Great Western services; is dismayed that new rolling stock being introduced from 2017 could have the buffet car removed, meaning that hot food and meals will only be available in first class whilst other passengers will be forced to rely on a trolley-only service for long, often crowded, journeys so more seats can be crammed onto inter-city services, and perturbed that this upstairs-downstairs catering service is under consideration when passengers already pay the highest rail fares in Europe; is alarmed that driver only operation is also proposed for this rolling stock which would downgrade the train guard's safety operational role and increase risks to passengers by restricting responsibility for safe operation of the train to the driver; further notes that passenger safety and service will be further jeopardised if the new rolling stock is used as cover for de-staffing stations, particularly train dispatch staff; further notes the threat to skilled maintenance workers' jobs in these proposals which would further impact on passenger safety and service and exacerbate the rail industry skills crisis; and calls on the Government to reject any contracts for East Coast and Great Western services which propose any such cuts to rail staff.

That this House notes with concern that government and train operating company plans for implementing the multibillion pound Intercity Express rolling stock programme which will ultimately be funded by the taxpayer and fare-payer could see significant staffing cuts on East Coast and Great Western services; is dismayed that new rolling...

That this House welcomes the announcement that the four surviving original copies of Magna Carta will be brought together for the first time in history in 2015 to mark the 800th anniversary of its issue; notes that Magna Carta is one of the world's most famous documents and that its principles are echoed in the British constitution and others around the world; congratulates the British Library, Lincoln Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral on uniting the original copies; further welcomes the chance for 1215 members of the public to see the manuscripts side-by-side in a special event; further welcomes the opportunity for scholars to see the documents together for the first time; and looks forward to the celebrations of Magna Carta's anniversary in two years' time.

That this House welcomes the announcement that the four surviving original copies of Magna Carta will be brought together for the first time in history in 2015 to mark the 800th anniversary of its issue; notes that Magna Carta is one of the world's most famous documents and that its...

That this House recognises the vital role of adult learning and the transformative effect it has on the economy, employers, social mobility and the lives of those who undertake it; welcomes the efforts of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, Universities UK, Birkbeck (University of London), The Open University, the CBI, the NUS and countless others in promoting these benefits during Adult Learners' Week; notes that the majority of adult learners study part-time; is concerned that new enrolments to part-time undergraduate courses in England largely declined in significant numbers between 2010-11 and 2012-13; and urges the Government to consider favourably the conclusions of Universities UK's review into part-time and mature higher education when it reports in October 2013.

That this House recognises the vital role of adult learning and the transformative effect it has on the economy, employers, social mobility and the lives of those who undertake it; welcomes the efforts of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, Universities UK, Birkbeck (University of London), The Open University,...

That this House notes that 18 November 2012 marked the 25th anniversary of the King's Cross Fire where 31 people lost their lives at King's Cross underground station; believes that the tragedy then and today's increasing passenger numbers and constant terrorist threat, demonstrate that it is essential for the underground to be properly staffed;opposes any proposals to de-staff stations and introduce automated trains; and supports the retention of the safety regulations, including minimum staff and training levels which were introduced in the aftermath of the King's Cross tragedy.

That this House notes that 18 November 2012 marked the 25th anniversary of the King's Cross Fire where 31 people lost their lives at King's Cross underground station; believes that the tragedy then and today's increasing passenger numbers and constant terrorist threat, demonstrate that it is essential for the underground...

That this House is deeply concerned at press reports that the Government is preparing to authorise cuts at 86 out of 90 London Midland railway ticket offices including the complete closure of ticket offices; is appalled that London Midland stands to profit 1.25 million a year while services to passengers suffer and rail workers lose their jobs; condemns this cash for closures which will threaten passenger safety and security at stations and will discriminate against people with disabilities; is further concerned that the closures will result in passengers paying more expensive fares as there will be no staff available to advise on the most appropriate ticket options; shares the view of rail experts that the closures will also be a false economy with fare revenues being lost through ticketless travel; notes that some 18,000 people, including passenger and disability groups and the local transport authority, have objected to the closure; and calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to use her powers to support London Midland passengers and rail workers and oppose these cuts.

That this House is deeply concerned at press reports that the Government is preparing to authorise cuts at 86 out of 90 London Midland railway ticket offices including the complete closure of ticket offices; is appalled that London Midland stands to profit 1.25 million a year while services to passengers...

That this House supports members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union in their industrial dispute with Rentokil Initial; applauds cleaners at the Eurostar terminals at St. Pancras International, who help maintain the UK's status as a major tourist destination, particularly during this Olympic year; notes that staff employed by Rentokil Initial to do this important job, who have not had a pay rise for four years, currently earn 6.76 per hour and have rejected a miserly 13 pence per hour pay rise; regards such poverty wages for cleaning staff maintaining the plush Eurostar terminal as a national scandal; believes that cleaners across the capital should be paid the London living wage of 8.30 per hour; further notes that cleaners working for other contractors on the Eurostar terminal earn around 8 per hour; is alarmed by testimony that Rentokil Initial has contracted a recruitment company that is recruiting workers to break the union's strike action; and calls on the Government to intervene in this dispute to persuade the employer to attend Advisory, Concilliation and Arbitration Service talks to resolve this pay dispute and to stop exploiting vulnerable workers.

That this House supports members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union in their industrial dispute with Rentokil Initial; applauds cleaners at the Eurostar terminals at St. Pancras International, who help maintain the UK's status as a major tourist destination, particularly during this Olympic year; notes that staff employed...

That this House expresses its concern over prospects of severe and disproportionate reductions in funding for adult lifelong learning; notes the public statements in support of the value of adult lifelong learning to individuals, society and the economy made by the Prime Minister and all Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills; considers that adult education provides a second chance for many who did not do well at school, as well as providing life-changing opportunities for the needs of some of the most disengaged people in society; further notes the general benefits of a diverse range of adult learning, which include significant positive effects on health, work-life balance, work-related hard and soft skills and social mobility, greater community engagement and encouragement of volunteering; further considers that adult learning makes a wider contribution to a wider skills agenda and to economic regeneration and has many direct economic benefits, such as moving people off benefits into work and reducing the burden on the state in many areas including health, social care and justice; and, while acknowledging the need to rebalance investment between government, employers and individuals and to make some reductions in expenditure, calls on the Government to recognise that any decisions about savings must ensure that opportunities for affordable adult education for the less well-off and disadvantaged are not irretrievably damaged and lost.

That this House expresses its concern over prospects of severe and disproportionate reductions in funding for adult lifelong learning; notes the public statements in support of the value of adult lifelong learning to individuals, society and the economy made by the Prime Minister and all Ministers in the Department for...

That this House shares the concern of the Royal College of Surgeons that NHS surgeons who have received enhanced clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau to treat child patients at their own NHS trust are being required by some other trusts to repeat the time-consuming Criminal Records Bureau checking process before being allowed to treat children at other hospitals, with consequent substantial delays in operations on children in need of specialist attention; and calls on the Secretary of State for Health to issue clear and binding instructions to trusts to end this practice immediately.

That this House shares the concern of the Royal College of Surgeons that NHS surgeons who have received enhanced clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau to treat child patients at their own NHS trust are being required by some other trusts to repeat the time-consuming Criminal Records Bureau checking process...

That this House recognises that an effective system of school inspection should be genuinely supportive of school improvement and as such requires the confidence of teachers and headteachers; notes that there are deep concerns in a number of schools about the new inspection framework and evaluation schedule and the interpretation of these by inspectors, particularly in relation to the limiting judgments for safeguarding and achievement; is seriously concerned about reports of inspectors making arbitrary judgments based on trivial issues which lead to schools unfairly being marked down or in some cases deemed to have failed; is also concerned that parents and the general public will be given an erroneous and misleading impression of school standards; and urges Her Majesty's Chief Inspector to revise the guidance to schools and inspectors to remedy these concerns.

That this House recognises that an effective system of school inspection should be genuinely supportive of school improvement and as such requires the confidence of teachers and headteachers; notes that there are deep concerns in a number of schools about the new inspection framework and evaluation schedule and the interpretation...

That this House is appalled that workers employed by Carlisle Group on the Eurostar trains contract are on poverty wages which are less than the London Living Wage; is dismayed that these cleaners are denied sick pay and pensions and there are constant complaints of bullying and harassment of staff and victimisation of trade union representatives; is deeply concerned that the Eurostar cleaners have complained that there is a racial undertone to the haranguing of the mainly black and ethnic minority workforce; believes these employment abuses are more akin to the Victorian age; notes that the cleaners have been pushed into taking strike action to fight for dignity at work and salutes their bravery and solidarity; demands Eurostar and Carlisle Group take urgent steps to reach a fair settlement with the cleaners; further notes that Eurostar is publicly owned and that many public authorities have successfully intervened to ensure a living wage is paid throughout their contract chains; and therefore calls on the Government to do all it can to bring about a just conclusion to this dispute.

That this House is appalled that workers employed by Carlisle Group on the Eurostar trains contract are on poverty wages which are less than the London Living Wage; is dismayed that these cleaners are denied sick pay and pensions and there are constant complaints of bullying and harassment of staff...

That this House recognises the importance of ensuring that deaf and hearing-impaired children are educated in British Sign Language (BSL); believes that for many deaf children, BSL will be their lifelong first language and that they have a right to have the national curriculum delivered to them in this language; recognises the outstanding qualities that Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children in Camden has to offer, as highlighted in Ofsted's latest inspection; notes that this is the only school in Greater London offering BSL/English bilingual education for deaf children of primary age and that it educates children from 16 different London boroughs; is concerned about Frank Barnes' ability to continue to deliver its unique education in London if the school is relocated; and calls for this excellent provision to continue in accordance with the wishes of the pupils, parents, Governors, staff and supporters of the school.

That this House recognises the importance of ensuring that deaf and hearing-impaired children are educated in British Sign Language (BSL); believes that for many deaf children, BSL will be their lifelong first language and that they have a right to have the national curriculum delivered to them in this language;...

That this House notes the European Commission proposals for a directive on cross-border health services, which in their current form would force the National Health Service to pay private health providers abroad for non-emergency treatment of United Kingdom citizens who are wealthy enough to pay the fees up front, to further develop an internal market by setting a tariff for all treatments and create a bureaucracy to advertise and facilitate the right of patients to seek private treatment abroad; further notes that the proposed directive's legal basis is under the internal market, and that it is explicitly based on encouraging competition between health providers and over-rides the consideration of cost versus medical need; further notes the support of Conservative and Liberal Democrat Members of the European Parliament for such a directive; believes that this directive would undermine the fundamental principles of the NHS, impose unnecessary burdens of cost and bureaucracy, over-rule clinical priorities and act to worsen health inequalities; supports the Unison campaign against the proposals; and urges the Government to veto any such directive.

That this House notes the European Commission proposals for a directive on cross-border health services, which in their current form would force the National Health Service to pay private health providers abroad for non-emergency treatment of United Kingdom citizens who are wealthy enough to pay the fees up front, to...

That this House welcomes the launch of Comprehensive Future, the campaign to modernise secondary school admission procedures; welcomes the Government's revised Code of Practice on School Admissions; further welcomes the publication of the Audit Commission/Ofsted Report, The Influence of School Place Planning on School Standards and Social Inclusion; notes the criticism of current admission procedures contained both in the June 2002 report from the Council of Tribunals and in the July 2002 report issued by the Schools Adjudicator; further notes the evidence of abuse of current procedures documented in research recently published by the London School of Economics; regrets that more children in England now face overt and covert selective admission procedures to secondary school than in 1997; recognises the impracticality of the 1998 Grammar School Ballot Regulations; further regrets the denial of parental choice intrinsic to admission systems in which schools select children; is aware of the growing body of evidence linking selective systems of secondary education to lower overall levels of pupil achievement and higher levels of social exclusion; and calls on the Government (a) to request Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools to conduct an inquiry into the relationship between selective admission procedures, pupil achievement and post-16 participation rates and (b) to request the Social Exclusion Unit to conduct a parallel inquiry into the relationship between the structures of secondary education and levels of social exclusion.

That this House welcomes the launch of Comprehensive Future, the campaign to modernise secondary school admission procedures; welcomes the Government's revised Code of Practice on School Admissions; further welcomes the publication of the Audit Commission/Ofsted Report, The Influence of School Place Planning on School Standards and Social Inclusion; notes the...

That this House deplores the possible destruction of the Somers Town street mural in Polygon Road, London NW1; believes that such an accomplished and much admired work of art should be preserved; congratulates the Evening Standard for highlighting the potential loss of a London feature; and calls upon the Secretary of State for National Heritage to intervene to save the mural.

That this House deplores the possible destruction of the Somers Town street mural in Polygon Road, London NW1; believes that such an accomplished and much admired work of art should be preserved; congratulates the Evening Standard for highlighting the potential loss of a London feature; and calls upon the Secretary...