That this House expresses grave concern about the proposals drawn up by South Manchester Health Authority and approved by the North Western Regional Health Authority to reorganise hospital provision in South Manchester, involving the closure of Withington Hospital as a district general hospital; applauds the lobby of Parliament on 23rd November, organised by the Save Withington Hospital Campaign; calls for the reconsideration of the proposals forthwith, based on the counter-proposals put forward by the South Manchester Community Health Council; and asks the Secretary of State for Health not to approve any proposals until a proper consultation has been conducted in Manchester on these counter proposals.

That this House expresses grave concern about the proposals drawn up by South Manchester Health Authority and approved by the North Western Regional Health Authority to reorganise hospital provision in South Manchester, involving the closure of Withington Hospital as a district general hospital; applauds the lobby of Parliament on 23rd...

That this House welcomes the TUC Report 'Robbing the Victims'; notes that Section 22 of the Social Security Act 1989 has the effect of reducing the amounts paid out to victims of personal injury; believes that legal damages are being reduced to the benefits of insurers rather than victims, and that Section 22 is unjust, causes severe hardship to victims and encourages unsafe employment practices; and therefore calls upon the government to repeal Section 22 of the Act.

That this House welcomes the TUC Report 'Robbing the Victims'; notes that Section 22 of the Social Security Act 1989 has the effect of reducing the amounts paid out to victims of personal injury; believes that legal damages are being reduced to the benefits of insurers rather than victims, and...

That this House is deeply concerned about the decision of the Trustees of the Independent Living (1993) Fund to exclude people with terminal illnesses from payments from the Fund, thereby denying many people the choice of spending the last months of their life at home; notes that the decision affects all applications to the Fund, including those already received and processed; regrets that a number of people who submitted applications between 1st April and 15th June when the decision was announced will have their hopes dashed; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Social Security to increase the amount allocated to this Fund immediately in order that the Trustees can restore eligibility to the terminally ill and also avoid further restrictions on eligibility to the Fund from individuals who wish to continue to live independently in the community.

That this House is deeply concerned about the decision of the Trustees of the Independent Living (1993) Fund to exclude people with terminal illnesses from payments from the Fund, thereby denying many people the choice of spending the last months of their life at home; notes that the decision affects...

That this House expresses its deep concern at the potentially damaging effects on disabled people and carers of the proposal to introduce a Value Added Tax charge on domestic fuel; highlights the extra financial hardship that this may bring to disabled people and carers who are very high users of domestic fuel; and calls on the Government to ensure that all disabled people and carers are fully compensated for higher fuel bills through the social security system.

That this House expresses its deep concern at the potentially damaging effects on disabled people and carers of the proposal to introduce a Value Added Tax charge on domestic fuel; highlights the extra financial hardship that this may bring to disabled people and carers who are very high users of...

That this House welcomes the launch of the Louder Than Words Campaign, the RNID's Action for Access to Information for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People on 26th January; believes that deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people face great difficulties in securing the information they need and that society's failure to ensure that relevant information is accessible to Britain's seven and a half million deaf and hard of hearing people often denies deaf people the chance to make informed decisions or choices and can undermine their right to privacy; calls upon organisations and bodies to adopt the campaign's 10 point access charter and to implement its recommendations by installing assistive devices, utilising human aids to communication and providing leaflets and signed and subtitled videos; and calls upon Government Departments to work towards full implementation of the Charter.

That this House welcomes the launch of the Louder Than Words Campaign, the RNID's Action for Access to Information for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People on 26th January; believes that deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people face great difficulties in securing the information they need and that society's...

That this House is deeply concerned that, against the advise of the Social Security Avisory Committee, the Government intends to proceed with the Income Support (General) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations, to be debated on Wednesday, 9th December, that suspend hardship payments to people available for but not actively seeking work; believes the regulations will cause great hardship to groups of claimants who are denied benefit while a case is assessed and who subsequently show they have been actively seeking work; further believes the existing regulations and administrative arrangements are adequate to determine whether claimants are actively seeking work, and that it is unnecessary to remove this lower safety net to prevent people with no intention of working from claiming benefit; and calls for the Govenrment to withdraw the regulations.

That this House is deeply concerned that, against the advise of the Social Security Avisory Committee, the Government intends to proceed with the Income Support (General) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations, to be debated on Wednesday, 9th December, that suspend hardship payments to people available for but not actively seeking work;...

That this House notes with astonishment the Government's sudden announcement on 24th November to discontinue help to severely disabled people from the independent living fund 24 hours later; is concerned that substantial numbers of people were prevented from applying to the independent living fund before its discontinuation because of substantial delays in the processing of applicants for disability living allowance and attendance allowance; believes the blame for these delays to lie at the hands of the Department of Social Security; and calls for compensation for those claimants who would have been entitled to make a claim for help from the independent living fund.

That this House notes with astonishment the Government's sudden announcement on 24th November to discontinue help to severely disabled people from the independent living fund 24 hours later; is concerned that substantial numbers of people were prevented from applying to the independent living fund before its discontinuation because of substantial...

That this House expresses grave concern about the North Western Regional Health Authority's proposal to reorganise hospital provision in South Manchester, involving the closure of Withington Hospital as a district general hospital; regards the proposal as one that has less to do with any rational provision of health care in the district than with the rationing of resources needed to provide hospitals as close as possible to the communities they serve; calls for reconsideration of the proposal forthwith in a review that would take account of Manchester's needs as a whole for hospital provision; and asks the Secretary of State for Health to consult urgently with the City's elected representatives and certainly before any definitive decision is taken.

That this House expresses grave concern about the North Western Regional Health Authority's proposal to reorganise hospital provision in South Manchester, involving the closure of Withington Hospital as a district general hospital; regards the proposal as one that has less to do with any rational provision of health care in...

That this House condemns the damage to care in the community caused by the present rules of entitlement to the severe disability premium of income support, which exclude severely disabled people who live with close relatives; stresses that the care requirements of the severely disabled cannot be fully provided by close relatives, who are often unable to provide any care at all; notes that the current regulations not only cause disabled people and their carers to feel marginalised, but could increase the need to provide institutional care at great cost to the Exchequer; and calls on the Government to recognise the rights of severely disabled people living with close relatives, to care in the community by removing their exclusion from the premium.

That this House condemns the damage to care in the community caused by the present rules of entitlement to the severe disability premium of income support, which exclude severely disabled people who live with close relatives; stresses that the care requirements of the severely disabled cannot be fully provided by...

That this House believes that the current system of student financial support, including student loans and the non-entitlement to benefits, is causing significant student hardship and is discouraging people from entering higher education; and therefore calls upon the Secretary of State for Education to initiate immediately a thorough review of the financial arrangements for students.

That this House believes that the current system of student financial support, including student loans and the non-entitlement to benefits, is causing significant student hardship and is discouraging people from entering higher education; and therefore calls upon the Secretary of State for Education to initiate immediately a thorough review of...

That this House welcomes the Eighth Report of the Social Security Advisory Committee and in particular the chapter entitled Severe Disability Premium - a Longer-term Strategy; notes that the report recognises that the rules for eligibility for severe disability premium are confusing and its coverage is too restrictive; and therefore calls upon the Government to implement the Report's recommendations immediately, especially in respect of extending eligibility for the premium to all severely disabled people aged 75 years or over.

That this House welcomes the Eighth Report of the Social Security Advisory Committee and in particular the chapter entitled Severe Disability Premium - a Longer-term Strategy; notes that the report recognises that the rules for eligibility for severe disability premium are confusing and its coverage is too restrictive; and therefore...

That this House views with concern the failure of the Manchester Local Medical Committee to nominate medical members to the Medical Service Committee of the Manchester Family Health Services Authority because of the new general practitioner contracts; recognises that the FHSA cannot legally convene hearings without local medical committee nominees; considers this causes unnecessary and unacceptable anguish to complainants; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Health to intervene to resolve this problem as a matter of urgency.

That this House views with concern the failure of the Manchester Local Medical Committee to nominate medical members to the Medical Service Committee of the Manchester Family Health Services Authority because of the new general practitioner contracts; recognises that the FHSA cannot legally convene hearings without local medical committee nominees;...

That this House calls to public attention the Conservative Government's proposed restriction on the payment of the severe disability premium; notes this will lead to loss of help for a significant number of severely disabled adults who may in future wish to share accommodation with their families and claim the premium; condemns this mean-spirited penalty on caring which flies in the face of the move towards community care; and calls for Regulation 3 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 to remain unamended by Statutory Instrument.

That this House calls to public attention the Conservative Government's proposed restriction on the payment of the severe disability premium; notes this will lead to loss of help for a significant number of severely disabled adults who may in future wish to share accommodation with their families and claim the...

That this House strongly condemns the chronic underfunding of the South Manchester Health Authority which, over recent years, has led to the closure of hospital wards, hugely increased waiting lists and failure even to undertake essential repairs and maintenance to the authority's hospitals, which has now led to a decision to close Withington Hospital, including the Duchess of York Children's Hospital, the Maternity Hospital, and also possibly the Breast Screening Unit built with the help of charitable funds; demands the restoration of a health service in South Manchester which will reflect and meet the needs of local people in their own localities; and calls for an urgent statement from the Secretary of State for Health.

That this House strongly condemns the chronic underfunding of the South Manchester Health Authority which, over recent years, has led to the closure of hospital wards, hugely increased waiting lists and failure even to undertake essential repairs and maintenance to the authority's hospitals, which has now led to a decision...

That this House is deeply concerned by the decision of South Manchester Health Authority to close the maternity and gynaecology units at Withington Hospital, to run down all long stay beds for the elderly at Wythenshawe Hospital, and to reduce the number of long stay National Health Service beds for the elderly at Withington Hospital to 22; condemns the decision that, in the longer term, Withington General Hospital will be closed; notes that these decisions are based entirely on the financial crisis facing South Manchester Health Authority and will seriously undermine access to health care by elevating financial considerations above the care of patients in its area; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Health to review urgently these decisions both to ensure that sufficient funds are available to support both Withington Hospital and Wythenshawe Hospital and fully to meet the health needs of both communities.

That this House is deeply concerned by the decision of South Manchester Health Authority to close the maternity and gynaecology units at Withington Hospital, to run down all long stay beds for the elderly at Wythenshawe Hospital, and to reduce the number of long stay National Health Service beds for...

That this House deplores the statement made by Councillor Bullock, a Conservative councillor in Manchester, likening the release of Nelson Mandela from prison to the release of Myra Hindley, and the actions of Councillor Kershaw, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, who advised Councillor Bullock not to withdraw his appalling remarks; hopes that such disgusting sentiments are not indicative of any racism in the Conservative Party and/or support for apartheid in South Africa; and calls upon the Prime Minister, who welcomed the release of Nelson Mandela, to condemn these remarks and instruct the Chair of the Conservative Party to initiate an inquiry into the incident.

That this House deplores the statement made by Councillor Bullock, a Conservative councillor in Manchester, likening the release of Nelson Mandela from prison to the release of Myra Hindley, and the actions of Councillor Kershaw, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, who advised Councillor Bullock not to withdraw his appalling...

That this House, mindful of the need to ensure the necessary rail infrastructure and service provision is in place to enable the North of England to exploit to the full the benefits from the opening of the Channel Tunnel and the Single European Market, rejects the plan put forward by British Rail for the dispersal of traffic from the Channel Tunnel to the regions, given its total failure to meet the needs of the North in either passenger or freight terms; and urges the Government to review section 42 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 and instructs British Rail together with local authorities, the private sector and northern interests to develop realistic and achievable proposals which respond to the levels of anticipated demand in the North.

That this House, mindful of the need to ensure the necessary rail infrastructure and service provision is in place to enable the North of England to exploit to the full the benefits from the opening of the Channel Tunnel and the Single European Market, rejects the plan put forward by...