Early Day Motions

SCHOOL ACADEMIES

That this House is grateful to the Committee of Public Accounts for its authoritative report on school academies, but regrets that it makes dismal reading for educationalists and taxpayers; especially notes that the Department for Children, Schools and Families has admitted that it does not yet know

SCHOOL ACADEMIES (No. 2)

That this House notes with alarm that school academies have been discovered awarding contracts to their sponsors; and calls on the Department for Children, Schools and Families to enforce existing procurement regulations and to recover any expenditure incurred where the regulations have been flouted

SCHOOL ACADEMIES (No. 3)

That this House supports the finding of the Committee of Public Accounts that academies are a costly means of tackling low attainment and that academy programmes should not be approved where less costly solutions would provide better value for money.

IMPROVING SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AFFECTED BY AIDS

That this House welcomes the Government's consultation process for its new strategy to tackle HIV and AIDS across the world; notes with concern the 15 million children orphaned by AIDS worldwide; calls on the Government in its new HIV and AIDS strategy (2008-2011) to continue to earmark at least 10

UK TRAIN MANUFACTURING

That this House welcomes the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport that in order to ease congestion 1,300 extra rail units will be introduced onto the UK rail network; notes that in addition the High Speed Train replacement programme is anticipated to see between 500 and 2,000 new veh

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER ON AGENCY WORKERS

That this House welcomes the open letter to the Prime Minister calling for equal treatment for agency workers, which has been signed by the general secretaries of 10 trade unions and many Labour hon. Members; notes that around one million agency workers have fewer rights at work over pay, pensions,

IRAN AND MR BLAIR

That this House condemns comments made by Mr Tony Blair attacking Iran in a speech in New York on 18th October; believes that his intervention is deeply unhelpful at a time when elements of the US Administration appear determined to pursue an attack against Iran; further believes that his expressed

BREASTFEEDING

That this House notes with concern that the UK has one of the lowest rate of breastfeeding in Europe; further notes that the Minister for Public Health is soon to make a decision on Commission Directive 2006/141/EC of 22nd December 2006 on Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula regarding the promotion

GOVERNMENT LEVY ON SCHOOL BALANCES

That this House notes that school balances have been charged in the past; expresses concern at Government proposals for a universal five per cent. levy on unspent balances to be imposed on schools in England; further notes that many schools prudently plan for the future and save for special projects

MEDIA FREEDOM IN CHINA

after `Olympics', insert `including in occupied Tibet'.

SITUATION IN KURDISTAN

That this House deplores the recent terrorist attacks in Turkey; supports mediation efforts with Iraq and Turkey about the Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan (PKK) attacks to encourage a comprehensive political solution to the problem of the PKK, which cannot be solved solely through military means; further

MOUNTAIN SPORTS

That this House notes the importance of mountaineering to the UK in terms of its status as an elite sport; further notes that mountaineering, rock-climbing and other mountain-related activities such as hill-walking enjoy high levels of participation across the country, hence making a major contribut

ENERGY SAVING WEEK CAMPAIGN

That this House congratulates the Energy Saving Trust for organising its 11th annual Energy Saving Week from 22nd to 28th October; recognises that energy efficiency is the cleanest, safest and cheapest way of reducing carbon dioxide emissions; applauds Café Direct and the Women's Institute, the Roya

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

That this House notes with regret that the Community Champions Fund (CCF), introduced by the former Department for Education and Skills to provide support for people with ideas for small-scale projects to help improve their communities, is likely not to continue beyond 2007-08; recognises the positi

GENESIS PAINT IT PINK CAMPAIGN

That this House supports the Genesis Appeal's `Paint it Pink' Campaign which runs throughout October and encourages people to paint one fingernail pink to signify the one in 10 women who will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives; praises its mission to create a future without breast ca

RED ARROWS AND THE OLYMPICS

leave out from `hearts' to end and insert `notes that neither the Government nor the London 2012 Organising Committee has any objection whatsoever to the involvement of the Red Arrows in the Opening Ceremony or any other celebrations associated with the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; rejects, th

YEAR 10 FOOTBALL TEAM, PENYRHEOL COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, GORSEINON

That this House congratulates the Year 10 football team from Penyrheol Comprehensive School in Gorseinon, Swansea for winning the school team of the year prize in The Daily Telegraph/Norwich Union School Sports Matters National Awards for finishing last season as Welsh 11-a-side champions; recognise

CENTRE FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS LIBRARY

That this House deplores the threatened closure of the Centre for Young Musicians Library, a major lending library of printed music, providing an essential and greatly valued service to school, and other, choirs, amateur orchestras and concert bands in all parts of the United Kingdom; notes that the

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FAREPAK VICTIMS

That this House believes that the Government must now intervene and offer a compensation package for the victims of the collapse of the Farepak savings scheme; notes that the Farepak victims have not received a single penny of compensation and are no closer to securing justice in this case; further

EU 20 PER CENT. RENEWABLES TARGET BY 2020

That this House welcomes the new EU target of 20 per cent. renewables as a proportion of total energy by 2020; believes that technological leadership by the EU is essential in the global fight against climate change and for improving energy security; notes that the United Kingdom currently delivers

EUROPEAN REFORM TREATY

That this House notes that the impartial European Scrutiny Committee concluded that the Reform Treaty is substantially equivalent to the original Constitutional Treaty; that the Government Manifesto promised a Referendum on the original treaty; that the Conservative Party voted against it in princip

BRISTOL OLD VIC THEATRE COMPANY

That this House is concerned for the future of the Bristol Old Vic theatre company; was surprised by the sudden decision to close the Theatre Royal Bristol, home of the Bristol Old Vic company, for refurbishment for 18 months from August; is disappointed at the absence of any firm plans to secure it

DANGERS OF CANNABIS

That this House recognises the recent increase in the supply of cannabis; notes that seizures of all forms of cannabis have risen by 42 per cent. to nearly 4,300 kilos in the first half of this year and that, according to the Forensic Science Service, 75 per cent. of cannabis seized is skunk; notes

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEME

That this House believes that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme should be amended to reflect the true cost to the lives of those injured in terrorist attacks in mainland Britain; notes that some victims of the 7th July 2005 bombings in London have yet to receive full compensation or have rec

CANADIAN COMMERCIAL SEAL HUNT

That this House notes that the UK Government has condemned the Canadian commercial seal hunt; believes that the hunt is cruel and unnecessary; resasserts the democratic right of independent observers from animal welfare groups to film the hunt in the interests of public scrutiny; is concerned that t