Early Day Motions

JOHN PILGER AND KOSOVO

That this House welcomes John Pilger's column for the New Statesman issue of 13th December, reminding readers of the devastating human cost of the so-termed 'humanitarian' invasion of Kosovo, led by NATO and the United States in the Spring of 1999, without any sanction of the United Nations Security

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (S.I., 2004, No. 3244)

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 (S.I., 2004, No. 3244), dated 7th December 2004, a copy of which was laid before this House on 9th December, be annulled.

PALACE OF WESTMINSTER POSTAL SERVICES

That this House congratulates the postal staff in the Palace of Westminster for their continued excellent service and loyal dedication; is alarmed that the House authorities are intending to privatise the post services and have already contracted out screening of mail entering Parliament to an Ameri

PALACE OF WESTMINSTER POSTAL SERVICES

BOVINE TB IN HEREFORDSHIRE

That this House notes with concern that bovine TB is threatening a growing number of farmers every year in Herefordshire and that further delay in action against bovine TB is unacceptable; further notes the failure of the Government to use existing powers within the Protection of Badgers Act 1992; a

DAIRY FARMING IN HEREFORDSHIRE

That this House notes with concern the recent Milk Development Council Report highlighting the drop in farmgate prices for milk while supermarket margins on milk have increased significantly; recognises the pressure this is putting on farmers in Herefordshire; is concerned that the average dairy far

AID AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN NORTHERN UGANDA

That this House congratulates Oxfam and Dame Helen Mirren for highlighting the humanitarian crisis in northern Uganda; acknowledges the vast human suffering in that region; deplores the crime against humanity that is the kidnap of children for training as child soldiers; condemns the barbarous pract

TOBACCO SMUGGLING

That this House notes with dismay that smuggling of tobacco products into the UK continues at such a seriously high level that 24 per cent. of cigarettes and 71 per cent. of hand-rolling tobacco smoked in the UK evades UK duty; further notes that the influx of illegal tobacco is threatening the jobs

SUPPORTING PEOPLE

That this House notes the overall five per cent. cut to the Supporting People budget for housing-related support for 2004-05 announced in December; understands that it now falls to each local authority to determine how the decrease will be passed on to service providers and ultimately to local peopl

STUDENT BURSARIES FOR TRAINEE MIDWIVES

That this House recognises the vital role that midwives play in the NHS; notes that many student midwives face financial problems during their training and that according to the Royal College of Midwives poll, around a fifth of midwives fail to complete their studies due to financial hardship, and t

STOLEN ARTEFACTS

That this House congratulates both the Italian Government on its decision to return the Ethiopian Obelisk to Axum and Glasgow City Council's Cultural Committee on its decision to repatriate Maori artefacts; notes that a special panel at Edinburgh University will shortly decide on whether to return s

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND

That this House congratulates the strong commitment of the Royal Agricultural Society of England to regenerate the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire, making it a centre of rural excellence and a hub for the dissemination of agricultural research and development, and a centre

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

That this House welcomes the seasonal good cheer and festive spirit engendered by domestic outdoor Christmas lights; notes with concern the provisions of clause 102 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill directed at the genuine problem of light pollution; and calls upon Her Majesty's Gover

RETURN OF RESIDENTS TO FALLUJAH

That this House condemns the decision taken by the interim Government of Iyad Allawi to take DNA samples, fingerprints and retina scans of the residents of Fallujah when they are allowed to return to their homes on Christmas Eve; regrets the decisions to insist that residents have to wear badges, an

TELEVISION COVERAGE OF CRICKET

That this House notes that the Management Board of the England and Wales Cricket Board will soon make a decision on a new television deal to replace the current arrangements, which run out at the conclusion of the Ashes series in 2005; regrets that since 2000 cricket test matches are no longer liste

INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS

That this House notes that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering moving its headquarters away from London; regrets that they may become the latest of a number of international sports headquarters to relocate away from the UK; and urges the Government to do everything within its powe

MINIMUM AGE OF SALE FOR TOBACCO

That this House asks the Government to give serious consideration to raising the minimum age of sales of tobacco from 16 to 18 years as part of its consultation process on the White Paper, Choosing Health.

MUTUAL SECTOR

That this House welcomes the publication of The All Party Parliamentary Building Societies and Financial Mutuals Group Short Inquiry into financial mutuals and the Mutuo Report 'Mutuals and their Communities: how one in three enjoy the mutual advantage'; notes that both these reports demonstrate tha

PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF THE RAILWAYS

That this House notes that since November 2003, passenger services have been operated in the public sector on South Eastern trains; further notes that since that time punctuality figures have improved in every quarter; further notes that in the Network Rail areas where maintenance contracts were fir

LONDON UNDERGROUND PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

That this House welcomes the decision of Network Rail to bring all maintenance work back in-house on the national network; notes that in the Network Rail areas where maintenance contracts were first brought in-house, delays caused by infrastructure failures have fallen between 36 per cent. and 50 pe

REGULATION OF MORECAMBE BAY COCKLE BEDS

That this House notes that, despite the horrific loss of life on 5th February, there are still large numbers of workers cockling on Morecambe Bay, many of whom appear to pay scant regard to health and safety; notes the dangers of Morecambe Bay to inexperienced fishermen and women; further notes that

R.J.MITCHELL SPITFIRE MEMORIAL

at end add "whilst warmly endorsing the outstanding work of "Solent Sky" in Southampton, formerly known as the RJ Mitchell Memorial Museum, in collecting and displaying fine examples of his Supermarine aircraft."

SMOKING IN PUBS

That this House believes that the person best placed to know how to run his pub and to assess how to accommodate and meet his customers' needs most appropriately is the local landlord; believes that a ban on smoking in pubs would be illiberal and would remove the right of millions of law-abiding peo

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE DRINKS INDUSTRY

That this House notes with approval that in 2004 the Portman Group has achieved 100 per cent. compliance with the adjudications of its Independent Complaints Panel on complaints concerning the irresponsible naming, packaging and promotion of alcoholic drinks, in every case leading to the removal of

INTIMIDATION OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES IN PALESTINE

That this House deplores the brutal beatings meted out to Dr Mustapha Barghouti and his colleagues at an Israeli checkpoint on 7th December; notes that Dr Barghouti is a presidential candidate for the forthcoming Palestinian elections; notes also that Israel has pledged to assist free and fair elect