Early Day Motions

FIREFIGHTERS' PENSION SCHEME

That this House is aware that the Government is currently consulting on a third year of pension contribution increases for firefighters despite the fact that their scheme is already amongst the highest for contributions paid in the public and private sectors; and believes this to be unfair on the UK

NATIONAL LIBRARIES DAY

That this House recognises that public library services are an essential part of communities across the country; welcomes the role they play in providing access to learning for millions of people and how they serve as a hub for local people; notes the importance of the professional expertise and ski

HAASS TALKS ON NORTHERN IRELAND

That this House notes the proposals tabled at the final plenary of the multi-party talks involving the political parties in Northern Ireland, chaired by Dr Richard Haass and Professor Meghan O'Sullivan; notes that these proposals form a basis for progress; further notes the mobilisation in Belfast,

BADGER CULL

That this House believes that the pilot badger culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset have decisively failed against the criteria set out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in guidance to Natural England for licensing of the culls, which stipulated that 70 per cent of the badge

SPARK ENERGY CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT

That this House condemns Spark Energy for charging consumers up to £390 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a bank

SSE CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT

That this House condemns SSE for charging consumers up to £80 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a bank account, s

SOUTHERN ELECTRIC CHARGES FOR NOT PAYING BY DIRECT DEBIT

That this House condemns Southern Electric for charging consumers up to £80 per annum for not paying their gas and electricity bills by direct debit; notes that 45 per cent of households do not pay their electricity bills by direct debit; further notes that one million British adults do not have a b

RBS BONUSES

That this House condemns the proposal by RBS to pay bonuses to some staff double their annual salaries without even agreeing it with its largest shareholder, the UK Government; believes that bonuses are given to people for doing the wrong things well, things that harm the economy; points out that th

DOG BREEDING AND PUPPY FARMING

That this House notes the recent storyline in the television programme, EastEnders, regarding dog breeding and welcomes the publicity given to this issue of great concern to animal welfare charities and compassionate owners; further notes that irresponsible dog breeding and industrial-scale puppy fa

TAKE HOME PAY FOR THE LOWER PAID

That this House notes recent informed opinion in the financial press regarding the negative effect of combined income tax and national insurance contributions on the take-home pay of employees in the UK; recognises that the lower paid in our society will benefit significantly as will the economy as

BANK OF ENGLAND AND DEVOLVED ADMINISTRATIONS (No. 2)

That this House notes that the Bank of England is responsible for monetary policy in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands; further notes that there are currently differing degrees of fiscal independence already in each of the nations of the sterling cur

NEWSNIGHT CYMRU

That this House notes that BBC Scotland broadcasts a Newsnight Scotland programme four nights a week to report on Scottish politics at both Westminster, Scottish Parliament and local government; and calls for the BBC immediately to commission a Newsnight Cymru programme on the same terms as Newsnigh

TERRORISM ACT AND PRESS FREEDOM

That this House notes the views of Frank La Rue, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, that the Terrorism Act and defence of national security must not be used as grounds for harassing journalists who investigate sensitive subjects such as hu

BASQUE PRISONERS

That this House welcomes the commitment of Basque nationalists to resolving their disputes with the Spanish state by peaceful means; notes that the Basque Political Prisoners' Collective, in its statement of 28 December 2013, undertook to take full responsibility for previous actions and accept the

PUBCO PROFIT MADE FROM SELLING-ON BEER

That this House notes that Punch Taverns, a standalone pubco which does not brew beer made, according to its own figures, an extraordinary £2.271 billion profit between 2002 and 2012 on selling beer to their own tied licensees; believes that this is a wholly unacceptable amount of profit for a compa

WATER COMPANIES AND TAX

That this House condemns Britain's big six water companies for avoiding paying their fair share of tax; notes that despite amassing £1.75 billion in combined profits, only £45 million was paid in tax last year by two out of the six companies with the other four paying no corporation tax at all; furt

YOUNG DRIVER SAFETY

That this House notes with grave concern that almost a quarter of the road crashes resulting in death or serious injury in 2012 involved a driver under 24 years and that young, newly-qualified drivers are disproportionately involved in crashes, particularly catastrophic crashes involving multiple p

BANKERS' BONUSES IN STATE-OWNED BANKS

That this House congratulates the Government on reducing bankers' bonuses from £11.6 billion in 2008 to £1.6 billion in 2013; welcomes the measures introduced by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills giving a role to shareholders in determining executive remuneration; calls on t

MARGARET ANN BULKLEY (AKA JAMES BARRY) AND WOMEN IN SCIENCE

That this House recognises and commends the contribution to science made by Margaret Ann Bulkley (aka James Barry); notes that in 1809, upon arrival in Scotland from Ireland, she adopted the name James Barry and chose to live as a man in order to be accepted as a student at the University of Edinbur

ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1984-85 MINERS' STRIKE

That this House notes that March 2014 marks the 30th anniversary of the start of the 1984-85 miners' strike; further notes that strike's devastating impact on coalfield communities throughout the UK, including those in the Lothians; commends the many thousands of people across the UK who showed soli

MOHAMMAD ASGHAR

That this House reiterates its opposition to the use of the death penalty under any circumstances; notes with concern the death sentence handed down to UK citizen Mohammad Asghar in Pakistan on charges of blasphemy; further notes that Mr Asghar has previously been diagnosed and treated for significa

PETE SEEGER

That this House notes with sadness the passing of American singer, folk-song collector and songwriter Pete Seeger aged 94, whose songs were designed to inspire social change and promote a greener and cleaner environment via performances and appearances at civil rights marches, labour, union and anti

NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY

That this House welcomes the Bite the Ballot campaign National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), supported by Asda Stores, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Centrepoint Parliament, Citizenship Foundation, London Youth, the National Union of Students, Rock the Vote, SB.TV, Teach F

THE OUTER HEBRIDES MOST SCENIC LANDSCAPE TOURIST DESTINATION

That this House congratulates the scenic Outer Hebrides for being listed favourite UK travel destination after the cities of London and Edinburgh in the biggest ever survey of UK's travel journalists; notes that Luskentyre Beach in the Isle of Harris in Na h-Eileanan an Iar was voted one of the best

WITHHOLDING OF PUBLIC RECORDS

That this House demands that more than a million files retained by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at the Hanslope Park communications centre be released to the National Archives; points out that these papers date back 150 years and take in, among other crucial historical events, British involve