That this House welcomes the 35th World Roma day on 8th April and sends greetings to seven million Roma, Gypsies and Travellers throughout Europe and the many others around the world whose forebears have struggled against centuries of exclusion and discrimination; celebrates the benefits of a rich and diverse cultural heritage; notes the proud record of public service of Roma, Gypsies and Travellers carrying out community work, working in schools and hospitals, working in or with the police and serving in the Army services; and urges the Government to seek the broad support required domestically and throughout Europe to promote social inclusion and ensure that Roma, Gypsies and Travellers may be treated as equal members of society and encouraged to play a full and active role as citizens.

That this House welcomes the 35th World Roma day on 8th April and sends greetings to seven million Roma, Gypsies and Travellers throughout Europe and the many others around the world whose forebears have struggled against centuries of exclusion and discrimination; celebrates the benefits of a rich and diverse cultural...

That this House expresses its sadness at the death of the Vicar of Christ, Pope John Paul II; offers its condolences to the Catholic people of the United Kingdom and beyond, particularly to the people of Poland; pays tribute to Pope John Paul II's immense and unique contribution to peace and justice in our world and his emphasis on the dignity and worth of every individual from conception to the grave; commends his witness in living a life of faith, dignity and courage when facing the evils of Naziism, communism and materialistic capitalism; recalls his determination to champion the weak and to remind the strong of their moral responsibility to the dispossessed; further recalls his support for the Solidarity movement in Poland and his par t in toppling communism in Eastern Europe; further recalls his reaching out to other faiths, particularly his gathering of all faith leaders in Assisi in 1987 to focus on what unites rather than what divides people of faith, and especially recalls his work towards reconciliation among the children of Abraham, culminating in his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000; concurs with the words of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor that Pope John Paul II turned the papacy into a moral voice not just for Christians, but for all people of goodwill across the world; further recalls with pride that in the Millennium year he proclaimed the former Speaker of this House, Thomas More, the Patron Saint of Politicians; and trusts that he may rest in peace.

That this House expresses its sadness at the death of the Vicar of Christ, Pope John Paul II; offers its condolences to the Catholic people of the United Kingdom and beyond, particularly to the people of Poland; pays tribute to Pope John Paul II's immense and unique contribution to peace...

That this House applauds the innovative, pioneering work undertaken by Hull City Council to ensure that all primary schools in Hull offer free healthy breakfasts, free healthy school lunches, free fruit and free after-school refreshments to all primary pupils; congratulates Hull City Council for making the provision of healthy food to all primary school pupils a main priority; notes that since the introduction of the free primary school meals policy the take-up rate of school meals in Hull's primary schools has significantly increased to nearly 70 per cent.; further congratulates Hull City Council, Hull Catering, schools, parents, pupils and all those involved in the effective delivery of this policy; believes that this policy is in tune with the Government's call to make the quality of school meals a priority and that this policy will greatly improve the life chances of children in Hull; further notes that Hull City Council is the first local authority to offer every primary school child free healthy school meals; and calls on all other councils to follow the example set by Hull City Council and ensure that all primary school children can have a healthy start to life.

That this House applauds the innovative, pioneering work undertaken by Hull City Council to ensure that all primary schools in Hull offer free healthy breakfasts, free healthy school lunches, free fruit and free after-school refreshments to all primary pupils; congratulates Hull City Council for making the provision of healthy food...

That this House welcomes the report of the Defence Select Committee into the exercise of Duty of Care in the Armed Services; urges the Ministry of Defence to study the evidence considered by the Committee and act upon its recommendations without delay; believes the Select Committee proposal to establish an Independent Military Complaints Commission could make a valuable contribution to providing a system of independent oversight; notes the ongoing study of the training regime undertaken by the Adult Learning Inspectorate and the Deepcut deaths review being undertaken by Nicholas Blake QC; further notes however that these investigations will not satisfy the demands of Deepcut and Beyond families who have drawn attention to further non-combat deaths at Deepcut and Catterick and in barracks throughout the United Kingdom and overseas and who are pressing for those responsible right up the chain of command to be held to account; calls for systematic change to prevent such deaths in the future; and believes that only an independent judicial inquiry is capable of satisfying those demands.

That this House welcomes the report of the Defence Select Committee into the exercise of Duty of Care in the Armed Services; urges the Ministry of Defence to study the evidence considered by the Committee and act upon its recommendations without delay; believes the Select Committee proposal to establish an...

That this House applauds the Deputy Prime Minister for attempting to address the urgent accommodation needs of the gypsy and traveller community and condemns the vile and deplorable Stamp on the Camps campaign launched by The Sun newspaper; welcomes the positive impact of the Human Rights Act in protecting the rights and well-being of all sections of the population, particularly minority groups vulnerable to discrimination; believes that the shortage of sites has had a negative impact on the social inclusion of gypsies and travellers, has caused inconvenience for the settled community and led to a deterioration in community relations; further believes that the cycle of forced eviction and unplanned relocation must be broken; denounces those exploiting community tensions to incite racial hatred against gypsies and travellers; further believes that local authorities failing to respond to the demonstrable accommodation needs of gypsies and travellers must be instructed to identify more and appropriate land for authorised sites within their area plans; and urges the Government to stand firm behind its commitment to action.

That this House applauds the Deputy Prime Minister for attempting to address the urgent accommodation needs of the gypsy and traveller community and condemns the vile and deplorable Stamp on the Camps campaign launched by The Sun newspaper; welcomes the positive impact of the Human Rights Act in protecting the...

That this House commends the 1st March 2005 judgement of the United States Supreme Court in Roper v Simmons finding application of the death penalty against children under 18 years of age to be cruel and unusual punishment within the meaning of the 8th Amendment and therefore unconstitutional; notes that the ruling, which takes 70 children off death row, builds upon recent decisions preventing execution of those with mental disabilities and minors under 16 years of age; notes the comments of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who stated that it was proper for the Supreme Court to acknowledge the overwhelming weight of international opinion; believes this recognition should strengthen the case for pursuing the objective of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, that is, a worldwide abolition of the death penalty; and urges the Government in its relations with the leaders of the United States to inject renewed vigour into its efforts to press for a complete end to this barbaric practice.

That this House commends the 1st March 2005 judgement of the United States Supreme Court in Roper v Simmons finding application of the death penalty against children under 18 years of age to be cruel and unusual punishment within the meaning of the 8th Amendment and therefore unconstitutional; notes that...

That this House pays tribute to Peter Benenson, the founder of Amnesty International, who died on 25th February; recognises his colossal contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide; fully concurs with the comments by Irene Khan, the current Secretary General of Amnesty International, that his life was a courageous testament to his visionary commitment to fight injustice around the world, that 'he brought light into the darkness of prisons, the horror of torture chambers and tragedy of death camps around the world' and that he was 'a man whose conscience shone in a cruel and terrifying world, who believed in the power of ordinary people to bring about extraordinary change and, by creating Amnesty International, he gave each of us the opportunity to make a difference'; and notes that Amnesty International is the world's largest independent human rights organisation, with over 1.8 million members and supporters committed to the upholding of human rights and the founding values set out by Peter Benenson.

That this House pays tribute to Peter Benenson, the founder of Amnesty International, who died on 25th February; recognises his colossal contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide; fully concurs with the comments by Irene Khan, the current Secretary General of Amnesty International, that his life was...

That this House remembers the principles established in the Access to Justice Act 1999 that it is not enough for people to have rights but that they must be able to enforce these rights; notes with concern that the number of people assisted by Community Legal Service funds has dropped by nearly half the number of those funded in 2000; recognises that anticipated additional funding from local authorities meant to provide legal and advice services has not occurred, giving rise to a legal aid lottery which denies people access to justice; notes with alarm that two law centres in Humberside and Liverpool face closure because local authorities have reduced or stopped their funding; further notes that people are increasingly losing their right to seek independent legal advice; believes that this undermines Government objectives for regenerating deprived neighbourhoods, affects the most vulnerable and socially excluded members of society and ensures that such legal triumphs as Humberside's victory in winning redundancy payments for fishermen are unlikely now to be repeated; and calls on the Government to adopt a five-year plan to tackle disadvantage and which will secure funds to develop a national network of law centres and advice providers.

That this House remembers the principles established in the Access to Justice Act 1999 that it is not enough for people to have rights but that they must be able to enforce these rights; notes with concern that the number of people assisted by Community Legal Service funds has dropped...

That this House recognises the invaluable contribution made by House of Commons cleaners towards ensuring the smooth running of this House; is dismayed with the poor pay and working conditions of the cleaners who are paid a miserly ??4.85 per hour with only 12 days' paid holiday per annum, statutory sick pay only and no company pension; finds these employment terms and conditions shameful and totally unacceptable in 21st century Britain; wholeheartedly supports the claim made by the Transport and General Workers Union, who represent cleaners in the House, for better wages and improved working conditions; believes that the cleaners' claim should not be ignored or their work continued to be taken for granted; and urges the House authorities and the contractors that employ the cleaners to accept their claim for ??6.70 per hour, 20 days' paid holiday per annum, company sick pay and a company pension to ensure they receive a fair deal.

That this House recognises the invaluable contribution made by House of Commons cleaners towards ensuring the smooth running of this House; is dismayed with the poor pay and working conditions of the cleaners who are paid a miserly ??4.85 per hour with only 12 days' paid holiday per annum, statutory...

That this House welcomes the historic ruling of the House of Lords on 16th December, granting the appeal of nine individuals detained at HMP Belmarsh and elsewhere under Part IV of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; notes that the House of Lords has quashed the derogation under Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights; further notes the Declaration of the House of Lords that Part IV of the ATCSA 2001 is incompatible with the ECHR; further notes the resignation of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission special advocate, Ian McDonald QC; recalls the strong reservations on this Part expressed by the Joint Committee on Human Rights of both Houses and of the Privy Councillor Review Committee; further notes the concerns of domestic and international non-governmental organisations; believes that derogation from international human rights obligations is injurious to the standing of Britain in the world and causes profound damage to community relations domestically; further believes that detention without trial represents a breakdown of the rule of law and can only hinder protection of public safety and security; further believes that detainees must be promptly charged and brought before a court of law or released and returned to their families; and urges Her Majesty's Government to bring forward legislative changes to the Act in order to conform to the judgement of the House of Lords and respond to the concerns of the JCHR and Privy Councillor Review Committee.

That this House welcomes the historic ruling of the House of Lords on 16th December, granting the appeal of nine individuals detained at HMP Belmarsh and elsewhere under Part IV of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; notes that the House of Lords has quashed the derogation under Article...

That this House welcomes the decision of the House of Lords to confirm that the actions of the Home Office in carrying out pre-clearance screening of potential asylum seekers among passengers attempting to board flights at Prague Airport in July 2001 was unlawful and constituted a practice that was inherently and systematically discriminatory against members of the Czech Roma, a community with a long history of suffering and persecution; congratulates the human rights organisation, Liberty, for championing the cause of the six un-named Roma denied entry to the UK; and urges the Government to apologise to the victims and to reassure them of its abhorrence of all forms of racial discrimination against Gypsy and Roma peoples wherever it may occur.

That this House welcomes the decision of the House of Lords to confirm that the actions of the Home Office in carrying out pre-clearance screening of potential asylum seekers among passengers attempting to board flights at Prague Airport in July 2001 was unlawful and constituted a practice that was inherently...

That this House joins with the family and friends of Donal Mooney in celebrating his life and mourning his death; recognises his achievement as editor of the Irish Post and the Irish World and his work for the Irish community in Britain, particularly during the recent troubles; and notes that his affection for multi-cultural Britain was only exceeded by his love for his native land, Ireland.

That this House joins with the family and friends of Donal Mooney in celebrating his life and mourning his death; recognises his achievement as editor of the Irish Post and the Irish World and his work for the Irish community in Britain, particularly during the recent troubles; and notes that...

That this House notes the four-and-a-half year prison sentence given to Mr Leslie Skinner following his conviction for violent sexual offences committed while serving as a non-commissioned officer at Deepcut Army barracks in Surrey; further notes the conclusions drawn by the Surrey Police - that having previously identified that this offender may have had a propensity for young males, the Army posted him to Deepcut without carrying our any form of risk assessment, that this offender abused his position of authority to ensure that his victims acquiesced effectively, that victims had insufficient faith in the chain of command or the Army's investigative system to report the assaults at the time and that victims told the police that they feared reporting the incidents as such action might entail them being 'branded' as homosexual and place them at risk as targets by their peers and other NCOs; and urges the Government to ensure that army trainees are guaranteed the same quality of protection that young people in civilian establishments are promised by the passage of the Children Bill and that instructors seeking appointment in army training camps are subject to enhanced Criminal Record Bureau vetting.

That this House notes the four-and-a-half year prison sentence given to Mr Leslie Skinner following his conviction for violent sexual offences committed while serving as a non-commissioned officer at Deepcut Army barracks in Surrey; further notes the conclusions drawn by the Surrey Police - that having previously identified that this...

That this House notes that almost three years have now elapsed since the Home Secretary ordered the detention of a number of foreign nationals suspected of terrorism under Part IV of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, and that 12 men still remain interned in HMP Belmarsh; recalls the strong reservations expressed in the reports of the Newton Committee and of the Joint Committee on Human Rights; further notes the concerns of respected domestic and international non-governmental organisations; believes that derogation from international human rights obligations is injurious to Britain's standing in the international community and causes profound damage to community relations; further believes that detention without trial represents a breakdown of the rule of law and can only hinder protection of public safety and security; and urges Her Majesty's Government to find an acceptable alternative so that detainees can be tried before a court or released and re-united with their families without delay.

That this House notes that almost three years have now elapsed since the Home Secretary ordered the detention of a number of foreign nationals suspected of terrorism under Part IV of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, and that 12 men still remain interned in HMP Belmarsh; recalls the...

That this House welcomes the joint Declaration of the Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition and Cottenham Residents' Association; agrees that the shortage of traveller sites has had a negative impact on the social inclusion of gypsies and travellers, has caused inconvenience for the settled community and led to a deterioration in community relations; notes that this ground-breaking dialogue has been commended by the Commission for Racial Equality, Bishop Patrick O'Donaghue of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, Michael Evans, Bishop of East Anglia and the Right Reverend Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford; and urges the Government to strengthen this bridge-building initiative by a programme of action designed to facilitate the provision of a sufficient supply of sites so that gypsies and travellers have decent accommodation, thus eliminating honey pot and inappropriate site development and avoiding unauthorised encampments in places such as parks and other public places.

That this House welcomes the joint Declaration of the Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition and Cottenham Residents' Association; agrees that the shortage of traveller sites has had a negative impact on the social inclusion of gypsies and travellers, has caused inconvenience for the settled community and led to a...

That this House recalls that Western values are embodied in democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights; further recalls that these values are given effect by United Kingdom adherence to the European Convention of Fundamental Rights; notes that Article 2 - providing for protection of the right to life by law, and Article 3 - providing freedom from torture are non-derogable rights, even in time of war; consequently believes that there should be no immunity from prosecution for war crimes for any member of coalition forces in Iraq or individuals employed by them; urges the Government to support the independent investigation of all allegations of unlawful killings, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment; insists on the full co-operation of United Kingdom authorities with investigators and demands the full force of the law be used to prosecute perpetrators and those found to be responsible at all levels of the chain of command; and urges the Government to convey these views forcefully to the President of the United States and other coalition partners.

That this House recalls that Western values are embodied in democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights; further recalls that these values are given effect by United Kingdom adherence to the European Convention of Fundamental Rights; notes that Article 2 - providing for protection of the right...

That this House notes the leading role which Britain played in the transatlantic slave trade and that millions of enslaved persons passed through the ports of Bristol, Liverpool and London; further notes that a large proportion of Britain's black community are descendants of enslaved Africans; recognises that slavery is a crime against humanity; notes that many people of all communities in Britain want to learn about the history of slavery; calls on the Government to make the teaching of the slave trade and plantation slavery, mandatory as part of the national curriculum; commends the national museums and galleries on Merseyside for promoting National Memorial Slavery Day; and further calls upon the Government to initiate a National Memorial Slavery Day so that people throughout the country will learn about and remember the horrors of slavery.

That this House notes the leading role which Britain played in the transatlantic slave trade and that millions of enslaved persons passed through the ports of Bristol, Liverpool and London; further notes that a large proportion of Britain's black community are descendants of enslaved Africans; recognises that slavery is a...

That this House supports the innovative proposals by the Labour Group at Hull City Council to provide free school meals, healthy snacks and fresh fruit to all primary school pupils and expand the number of breakfast clubs throughout Kingston upon Hull; notes with concern that a child in Kingston upon Hull is, on average, going to live six years fewer than a child in Kingston upon Thames and that a recent survey ranked Kingston upon Hull as the worst local authority area for obesity whilst Kingston upon Thames is the best; welcomes the fact that this scheme will ensure that all primary pupils are able to receive healthy food during the school day as well as promoting healthy eating; further notes that this measure will help improve school attainment and attendance, reduce health inequalities and increase the life changes of children in Kingston upon Hull; welcomes the widespread support for this measure; and urges all political parties at Hull City Council to endorse the introduction of this measure.

That this House supports the innovative proposals by the Labour Group at Hull City Council to provide free school meals, healthy snacks and fresh fruit to all primary school pupils and expand the number of breakfast clubs throughout Kingston upon Hull; notes with concern that a child in Kingston upon...

That this House notes that news stories, featured in the Daily Express in particular, concerning large numbers of Roma arriving in the UK from EU accession countries have been characterised by the Minister of State for Europe as a 'rancid hate campaign'; further notes that members of the National Union of Journalists at the Express have called upon the Press Complaints Commission to assist them in resisting the instructions of their editors and management to write such articles that they believe to be in breach of the NUJ code of conduct; deplores attempts to incite racial hatred against one of the poorest and more marginalised communities in Europe; and urges the Government to make clear its abhorrence and take measures to address this deep-seated prejudice.

That this House notes that news stories, featured in the Daily Express in particular, concerning large numbers of Roma arriving in the UK from EU accession countries have been characterised by the Minister of State for Europe as a 'rancid hate campaign'; further notes that members of the National Union...

That this House expresses its gratitude to Mr Raoul de Vaux OBE, landlord of the Red Lion public house in Whitehall, for his 14 years of loyal and dedicated service to honourable Members and House of Commons staff; wishes him a long and happy retirement; welcomes his wife, Jane de Vaux, as his replacement; is appalled that employers Spirit Group intend to pay her ??4,000 a year less than her husband although she will be doing to same job; and urges Spirit Group to end this blatant example of sex discrimination by paying Mrs de Vaux the appropriate rate for the job.

That this House expresses its gratitude to Mr Raoul de Vaux OBE, landlord of the Red Lion public house in Whitehall, for his 14 years of loyal and dedicated service to honourable Members and House of Commons staff; wishes him a long and happy retirement; welcomes his wife, Jane de...