Early Day Motions

LAW RELATING TO UNMARRIED COUPLES

That this House believes that the law relating to unmarried couples is in urgent need of reform because there is little or no legal protection for cohabitants on relationship breakdown; and, while welcoming the introduction of civil partnerships for same-sex couples, calls on the Government to intro

CONTRACTING OUT THE SOCIAL FUND

That this House notes the Government's recent proposals on the Social Fund had an exceptionally short consultation period and no response has been published by the Government; further notes that the Welfare Reform Bill proposes to contract out social fund loans and to restrict availability to loans

INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

That this House supports the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch in hosting its International Parliamentary Conference on International Migration and Human Trafficking, from 2 to 7 February 2009 in the Palace of Westminster for 40 colleagues from Commonwealth and other Parliaments; note

ENERGY COMPANY PROFITS AND FUEL PRICES

That this House notes that in the last year Shell made £22 billion profits, the largest annual corporate profit in British history; further notes that Shell and BP are expected to make a windfall gain of £9 billion from being allocated free pollution permits under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme; fu

PROTECTION OF BACK GARDEN LAND

That this House welcomes the Government's review of the adverse impact of garden grabbing on local communities, through increased pollution, loss of biodiversity and the harm to the character of towns and villages; regrets that Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3) currently requires local authorit

REFORM OF COUNCIL HOUSING NEGATIVE SUBSIDY

That this House notes that, through the rents they pay, council tenants are net contributors to the Exchequer, paying more to the Treasury in negative subsidy than the Treasury pays out in subsidy; further notes that current estimates put the profit from rents to the Government in 2008-09 at £185 mi

FUNDING OF EALING RACIAL EQUALITY COUNCIL

That this House notes that Ealing Racial Equality Council has been a beacon in the field of race equality and community cohesion since 1964 and that its work over the past 40 years has been widely acknowledged by Select Committees and other Government reports as having made a significant contributio

EFFECTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT

That this House is deeply concerned by the latest figures on unemployment; notes that unemployment has a devastating effect not only on families, but in certain cases, whole communities that are involved in and affected by job cuts; is further concerned that a number of large employers have expresse

SAFEGUARDING ADULTS ALLIANCE

That this House welcomes the establishment of the Safeguarding Adults Alliance to campaign to put adult protection in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on a statutory footing; notes that over 700 organisations and individuals have come together in the Alliance; further notes that the Alliance incl

STATUTORY BASIS FOR ADULT PROTECTION

That this House notes with concern the findings of a University College London study into the prevalence of abuse by family carers of people with dementia that as many as half of carers reporting some abusive behaviour; further notes the finding of the UK Study of Abuse and Neglect of Older People 2

SRI LANKA AND THE COMMONWEALTH

That this House notes the Harare Commonwealth Declaration 1991, which states that members share a commitment to certain fundamental principles including respect for human rights; further notes with grave concern the deepening crisis in Sri Lanka; and calls on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Grou

CONFLICT IN GAZA

leave out `540 Israeli academics, artists and writers' and insert `almost 600 British Jews opposed to the invasion of Gaza and citing similar opinions by 540 Israeli academics, artists and writers, as well as 1,800 residents of Sderot and Gaza'.

FREE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR LONG-TERM CONDITIONS

at end add `, and notes the steps taken by the Scottish National Party-led Government in Scotland in this regard.'.

AUSTRALIA DAY

at end add ', and notes that the UK's friendly relationship has blossomed with Australian independence.'.

AUSTRALIA DAY

leave out from `nations' to end and insert `both of which look forward to further development of their joint interests.'.

NATIONALISATION OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TRANSPORT SERVICES

That this House believes it is in the national interest to bring back into public ownership the energy and water utilities, and the rail and bus companies; further believes that public investment should be directed into successful service sectors, the profits from which should be invested in manufac

ROYAL MAIL GROUP PROFITS AND POST OFFICE CLOSURES

That this House welcomes the news that all four businesses of the Royal Mail Group are in profit despite the ongoing recession; notes that the Royal Mail Group has made a year-to-date profit of £255 million; is aware that the Royal Mail Group is on track to deliver full year profits of nearly double

ALLEGATIONS OF WAR CRIMES IN GAZA

That this House calls on the British Government to propose a resolution to the United Nations Security Council calling on the Security Council to refer allegations of war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza to the International Criminal Court.

BRENDAN MAC LUA

That this House marks with sadness the passing on 13 January 2009 of Brendan Mac Lua, who was born in County Clare, Ireland and, in the words of the banner of The Irish Post newspaper that he co-founded and edited for many years, became the `Voice of the Irish in Britain'; pays tribute to the 73-yea

RAPE AS A WEAPON

That this House condemns the use of rape as a weapon; notes the rape capital of the world is the eastern Congo where in some areas three-quarters of women have been raped; further notes that in Darfur, raped women are scarred or branded, or occasionally have their ears cut off and that this is often

PERSONAL INFORMATION PROMISE

That this House welcomes the launch of the Personal Information Promise by the Information Commissioner; congratulates those organisations including Action for Children, Acxiom, Anglesey County Council, Astra Zeneca, Belfast City Council, British Gas, British Telecom, Callcredit UK, Dudley Primary C

EUROPEAN DATA PROTECTION DAY 2009

That this House notes and welcomes European Data Protection Day; recognises that incidents of card cloning and phishing increased by 182 per cent. in the second quarter of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007; further notes that phishing attacks cost $2.8 billion in 2006 compared to $137 milli

BBC PERSIAN TELEVISION SERVICE

That this House congratulates the BBC World Service on its successful launch of BBC Persian Television on 14 January 2009, bringing high-quality accurate and impartial news, information and analysis on television from a global perspective to audiences in Iran, Afghanistan and beyond; recognises that

SOUTH WEST REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY

That this House notes that around 35,000 responses from individuals and organisations have been submitted on the latest consultation on the South West Regional Spatial Strategy, and that this is the largest number ever received to such a consultation; further notes that the assumed growth rate of 3.

OLDER PEOPLE'S FOOD CHARTER

That this House endorses article 25(1) of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and recognises access to sufficient, affordable, safe and nutritious food as a human right; acknowledges the growing evidence that older people's access to food is more easily compromised than other sectors of society; is a