That this House notes with concern that, at present, children's fancy dress costumes are classified as toys and, as such, are not necessarily fire-proofed or retardant; further notes that whilst fancy dress clothes have passed a flammability test and been awarded a CE mark this test, known as an EN71 test, was designed to test toys and not clothes, and is only suitable for toys which burn a lot slower than fancy dress clothes; further notes that the number of children admitted to hospital with injuries resulting from a fancy dress costume catching alight is increasing; further notes that this could be prevented by simply changing the classification of fancy dress clothing from toys to clothes; and calls on the Government to investigate this issue and to review classification criteria urgently to ensure that fancy dress clothing is properly classified and undergoes proper flammability testing to promote safety for children and adults alike and to significantly reduce the risk of accidents occurring.

That this House notes with concern that, at present, children's fancy dress costumes are classified as toys and, as such, are not necessarily fire-proofed or retardant; further notes that whilst fancy dress clothes have passed a flammability test and been awarded a CE mark this test, known as an EN71...

That this House is concerned for the safety of the travelling public by threats to reduce the number of station staff; notes that the platform train interface is a major risk on the railways; further notes that Passenger Focus supports proper staffing at stations and has called for obligatory staffing initiatives as part of the Government's franchise agreements with operators; is further concerned that numerous stations are already de-staffed and further cuts at railway and tube stations will increase platform train interface risks to passengers as well as stations becoming unwelcoming and inaccessible places; believes that rail passengers deserve, and are entitled to, safe staffed stations; and therefore calls on the UK and Scottish Governments and the Mayor of London to ensure that all rail operations guarantee a sufficient number of trained station staff to safely dispatch trains, protect the travelling public and maintain security at all stations.

That this House is concerned for the safety of the travelling public by threats to reduce the number of station staff; notes that the platform train interface is a major risk on the railways; further notes that Passenger Focus supports proper staffing at stations and has called for obligatory staffing...

That this House notes with concern that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that levels of work-related asthma could be ten times as prevalent as official figures would suggest; notes that for nearly a decade, bakers and flour confectioners, together with vehicle sprayers, have consistently been the occupations recording the highest number of newly-recorded cases each year; regrets that due to HSE funding cuts, regular inspections of small independent and craft bakeries do not take place; further notes the research of Professor Paul Cullinan of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London which suggests that incidence of unreported bakers' asthma is particularly high in supermarket scratch bakeries; believes that major employers like supermarkets have a responsibility to work with experts in occupational health and trade union representatives to develop best practice in limiting exposure to flour, enzymes and other dusts; and calls on the Government to reverse cuts to the HSE's budget so that regular inspections can take place to ensure that workers are properly protected.

That this House notes with concern that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that levels of work-related asthma could be ten times as prevalent as official figures would suggest; notes that for nearly a decade, bakers and flour confectioners, together with vehicle sprayers, have consistently been the occupations recording...

That this House notes the High Court judgment of 9 April 2014 (Refugee Action v Secretary of State for the Home Department) which states that the Government's assessment of the amount needed by asylum seekers to meet their essential living needs is flawed and further notes the Government's decision not to appeal this ruling; is concerned as stated in the judgment, that asylum support rates have not been increased since April 2011 and that the majority of those on asylum support receive just £5.23 a day to pay for essentials such as food, clothing and toiletries; further notes that asylum seekers spend an average of 18 months on this support and are almost never allowed to work; believes this is detrimental to the well-being of refugees including children; is particularly concerned that children aged 16 and 17 years are treated as adults for the purposes of asylum support making it difficult to participate fully in education; and calls on the Government to raise asylum support rates to at least 70 per cent of income support - the equivalent of £7.17 a day for most adult asylum seekers - and to increase this in line with inflation annually.

That this House notes the High Court judgment of 9 April 2014 (Refugee Action v Secretary of State for the Home Department) which states that the Government's assessment of the amount needed by asylum seekers to meet their essential living needs is flawed and further notes the Government's decision not...

That this House notes that since 2008 rail fares have risen three times faster than wages; is concerned that these increases have taken place while rail companies have been making substantial profits; further notes that hard-pressed rail passengers, on top of energy and water price rises, are due to face further fare increases in the New Year; and calls for urgent consideration of a freeze in rail fares and service improvements financed by a windfall tax on the profits of rail companies which would be part of a first phase of consideration of returning the railways to public ownership to ensure a better deal for both the taxpayer and fare-payer.

That this House notes that since 2008 rail fares have risen three times faster than wages; is concerned that these increases have taken place while rail companies have been making substantial profits; further notes that hard-pressed rail passengers, on top of energy and water price rises, are due to face...

That this House is concerned at the rapid increase in the number of rail workers engaged on zero hours contracts, with many workers being employed by a number of different employers; notes that much of Network Rail's (NR) infrastructure work is contracted to a profusion of contractors, sub-contractors and agencies; is alarmed that the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), the official railway safety body, has informed the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) that zero hours contracts used by many of these employers are not conducive to the development of a safe railway and that there are considerable risks arising from safety-critical staff working for more than one employer; is further concerned that should this practice continue a rail tragedy is waiting to happen; further notes that the great rail payroll rip-off study from RMT warns that the profusion of companies contracted to NR are also encouraging bogus self-employment resulting not only in the exploitation of workers but also in tax dodges; is further concerned that NR, despite being wholly publicly-funded, is presiding over these arrangements and is proposing to make even greater use of contractors to achieve efficiency savings; believes that rail infrastructure work is safer and more efficient when carried out in-house by directly employed staff; and calls on the Government to convene an urgent summit with ORR, NR, the rail unions and other stakeholders to give urgent attention to this issue.

That this House is concerned at the rapid increase in the number of rail workers engaged on zero hours contracts, with many workers being employed by a number of different employers; notes that much of Network Rail's (NR) infrastructure work is contracted to a profusion of contractors, sub-contractors and agencies;...

That this House is concerned about the Environment Agency's proposal to dispose by sale or letting lock-keepers' homes along the Thames; recognises the importance of lock-keepers being resident in homes adjacent to locks to maintain safety and prevent flooding on the river; notes that moving lock-keepers away from the locks may reduce response times from 15 minutes to up to two hours; fears for the welfare of the lock-keepers and their families; and calls on the Government to ask the Environment Agency to protect this unique part of the nation's river heritage and the tradition of lock-keepers living at the site of locks.

That this House is concerned about the Environment Agency's proposal to dispose by sale or letting lock-keepers' homes along the Thames; recognises the importance of lock-keepers being resident in homes adjacent to locks to maintain safety and prevent flooding on the river; notes that moving lock-keepers away from the locks...

That this House is concerned by the recommendation in the report by Sir Roy McNulty on the future of the rail industry, that nearly 1,000 station ticket offices should have their staff removed or reduced; notes that this figure amounts to approximately 40 per cent. of ticket offices in England and Wales; further notes that passenger groups and others have expressed alarm that if enacted stations would become dangerous, unwelcoming and inaccessible places; believes that rail passengers deserve, and are entitled to, safe, staffed stations; and therefore calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to reject these proposals.

That this House is concerned by the recommendation in the report by Sir Roy McNulty on the future of the rail industry, that nearly 1,000 station ticket offices should have their staff removed or reduced; notes that this figure amounts to approximately 40 per cent. of ticket offices in England...

That this House welcomes the equalisation of the state pension age for men and women, but notes with concern the Government's proposals to accelerate the timetable for doing so; recognises that 300,000 women born between December 1953 and October 1954 will have to work an additional 18 months or more of which 33,000 will have to work an extra two years; further recognises that these women have less than the 15 years of preparation time recommended by the Turner Commission before the changes take place; and calls on the Government to take these issues into account and revise the timetable in order to maintain the commitment given in the Coalition Agreement.

That this House welcomes the equalisation of the state pension age for men and women, but notes with concern the Government's proposals to accelerate the timetable for doing so; recognises that 300,000 women born between December 1953 and October 1954 will have to work an additional 18 months or more...

That this House notes with regret the decision of the Legal Services Commission to withdraw funding from the claimants in the Fetal Anti-Convulsant Litigation; further notes that the Legal Services Commission first tried to withdraw funding in 2008 but that the decision was reversed when faced with a judicial review; further notes that the withdrawal of this funding is likely to lead to the abandonment of the current action with the result that the claims will then fall outside the 10 year limitation rule; regrets that key evidence around this issue will then remain confidential; strongly regrets the lost opportunity for the parents and children to have the facts and responsibilities in the case decided in open court; and calls on the Government to urge the Legal Services Commission to reconsider its decision to withdraw legal aid funding.

That this House notes with regret the decision of the Legal Services Commission to withdraw funding from the claimants in the Fetal Anti-Convulsant Litigation; further notes that the Legal Services Commission first tried to withdraw funding in 2008 but that the decision was reversed when faced with a judicial review;...