That this House notes that in 2003 the Halifax is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and offers its congratulations for the contribution the Halifax has now made to Yorkshire and the United Kingdom for a century and a half, both as an employer and as an innovative provider of fundamental financial services to the people of the region and nationwide; notes that Halifax has provided an invaluable contribution to home ownership across the United Kingdom through its pre-eminence as a mortgage provider and its associated services, as well as its contribution to social housing as the biggest private firm involved in providing this vital resource; further notes the often overlooked role Halifax has played in nurturing share ownership amongst a mass market, with shares in HBOS, Halifax's holding company, maintaining a larger retail base than any other United Kingdom company; and wishes the company the best success in future years.

That this House notes that in 2003 the Halifax is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and offers its congratulations for the contribution the Halifax has now made to Yorkshire and the United Kingdom for a century and a half, both as an employer and as an innovative provider of fundamental financial...

That this House notes that Halifax plc has now donated a total of ??1 million over the last four years to the Halifax Education Action Zone, a figure that alone meets the Government's target of ??250,000 per zone per year from businesses and other partners and that a recent independent review of the Halifax Education Action Zone found that 'all the indications are that schools are more confident and more able to face challenges that they would previously have found dispiriting hurdles'; further notes that among the benefits to which the funding has contributed are the employment of extra teachers, the provision of a wide range of extra-curricular activities and a far greater access to information and communication technology for schools in the area; and further notes that this announcement shows the benefit of the Education Action Zone initiative in improving the education of the children of Halifax and in equipping them with the skills they will need in order to have fulfilling and successful working lives.

That this House notes that Halifax plc has now donated a total of ??1 million over the last four years to the Halifax Education Action Zone, a figure that alone meets the Government's target of ??250,000 per zone per year from businesses and other partners and that a recent independent...

That this House believes that the Halifax, Yorkshire's biggest financial company, must keep its headquarters in Halifax, the town whose name it takes; does not accept that all major financial centres in the UK should be located only in capital cities; notes that Leeds is a growing centre of financial excellence; and that if the headquarters are moved to Edinburgh this would be a major blow to the Yorkshire Region as a place in which to invest and locate.

That this House believes that the Halifax, Yorkshire's biggest financial company, must keep its headquarters in Halifax, the town whose name it takes; does not accept that all major financial centres in the UK should be located only in capital cities; notes that Leeds is a growing centre of financial...

That this House congratulates Halifax on their decision to drop charges for the use of their cash machines; urges them to implement their decision without delay; and calls on all the other banks urgently to follow their example.

That this House congratulates Halifax on their decision to drop charges for the use of their cash machines; urges them to implement their decision without delay; and calls on all the other banks urgently to follow their example.