That this House deplores attempts by the Secretary of State for Education to play party politics with the education of the children at The Ridings School; notes that, in spite of the anti-local authority rhetoric, the Secretary of State has broadly accepted the local education authority plan; congratulates the headteacher, OFSTED, the local education authority and the governors for working in partnership in the best interests of children at The Ridings; is appalled that on the very day the Secretary of State criticised Calderdale Council, the Government turned down an SRB bid of ??7 million aimed at helping the area where The Ridings is situated; and contrasts the Secretary of State's destructive approach to the very positive measures for failing schools proposed today by the Leader of the Opposition.

That this House deplores attempts by the Secretary of State for Education to play party politics with the education of the children at The Ridings School; notes that, in spite of the anti-local authority rhetoric, the Secretary of State has broadly accepted the local education authority plan; congratulates the headteacher,...

That this House is deeply concerned that if the private finance initiative to rebuild Halifax General Hospital goes ahead in Calderdale the reduction in beds from 834 to 500 will lead to a serious deterioration in services for the sick, more operations will be postponed, seriously ill patients will be discharged too early and many may not even be admitted to hospital; notes there is already pressure on existing beds, staff morale is at an all time low and Calderdale Healthcare Trust has not yet negotiated a pay rise for nurses; believes this situation can only worsen as the private company winning the private finance initiative contract will take over the running of domestic services, catering, laundry and linen, staff accommodation, portering and internal distribution, security, car parking and estates management; believes the only way the private company will make a profit is by cutting staff pay and offering worse conditions; condemns the Government's continued obsession with private finance initiative; and calls upon them to build the new Halifax General Hospital from public funds and retain the current number of beds.

That this House is deeply concerned that if the private finance initiative to rebuild Halifax General Hospital goes ahead in Calderdale the reduction in beds from 834 to 500 will lead to a serious deterioration in services for the sick, more operations will be postponed, seriously ill patients will be...

That this House deplores the fact that the High Commission for the People's Republic of Bangladesh has ignored repeated requests from Mr Amir Ali and his honourable Member, the Member for Halifax, concerning the plight of his family in Bangladesh; notes that Mr Ali's nephew, Toyab Ali, was murdered and other relatives were seriously injured by people known to the police; is concerned that the perpetrators of these crimes are not being apprehended and are continuing to threaten other members of Mr Ali's family; believes the Government must intervene in the interests of safety and justice; and therefore calls upon Her Majesty's Government to press this case with urgency upon the Government of Bangladesh.

That this House deplores the fact that the High Commission for the People's Republic of Bangladesh has ignored repeated requests from Mr Amir Ali and his honourable Member, the Member for Halifax, concerning the plight of his family in Bangladesh; notes that Mr Ali's nephew, Toyab Ali, was murdered and...

That this House supports International No Diet Day on 6th May, the purpose of which is to draw attention to the perils and futility of dieting, except for medical reasons such as stomach ulcers and diabetes, and to promote a healthier way of living; notes that dieting undermines people's emotional and physical well-being and is often the first step towards more serious eating disorders; condemns the pressure on women and girls, and increasingly on men and boys, to be unhealthily thin; is concerned that dieting has reached epidemic levels; notes that 90 per cent. of women will diet at some time in their lives, and at any given time 50 per cent. of women are dieting, including girls as young as eight and women as old as 75 years; regrets that Western women and girls are starving through dieting when in other parts of the world so many people are dying through starvation; believes that the tyranny of thinness encourages women to be valued on their looks alone and encourages the oppression of fat people as well as causing misinformation on healthy living and eating; realises that, while obesity may cause health risks to some people, the solution is not a simple one of losing weight because 96 per cent. of diets do not work, and dieting causes other problems, including low self-esteem, mood swings, depression, gall stones, lack of concentration, constipation and headaches; and therefore supports International No Diet Day for a better way of living and congratulates Mary Evans Young, Director of Diet Breakers, for her excellent book, Diet Breaking.

That this House supports International No Diet Day on 6th May, the purpose of which is to draw attention to the perils and futility of dieting, except for medical reasons such as stomach ulcers and diabetes, and to promote a healthier way of living; notes that dieting undermines people's emotional...

That this House believes that directors of public service companies such as Yorkshire Water plc should not have any outside financial interests especially in chemical companies which are potentially amongst the biggest polluters; therefore welcomes the long overdue retirement of Sir Gordon Jones, Chairman of Yorkshire Water plc from Hickson International; and calls on his fellow director Mr Peter Flesher who is also managing director of Allied Colloids plc to resign from Yorkshire Water plc, and thus avoid any conflict of interest especially bearing in mind the massive pollution which Allied Colloids caused under his stewardship, in 1992.

That this House believes that directors of public service companies such as Yorkshire Water plc should not have any outside financial interests especially in chemical companies which are potentially amongst the biggest polluters; therefore welcomes the long overdue retirement of Sir Gordon Jones, Chairman of Yorkshire Water plc from Hickson...

That this House welcomes the initiative taken by the women who are taking part in the march to the House of Commons to celebrate the victory of 76 years ago when women first won the vote; and supports those who believe that women are entitled to the fullest extension of those rights until genuine equality with men, in all spheres of life, has been achieved.

That this House welcomes the initiative taken by the women who are taking part in the march to the House of Commons to celebrate the victory of 76 years ago when women first won the vote; and supports those who believe that women are entitled to the fullest extension of...

That this House is appalled at the survey by the Yorkshire and Humberside Low Pay Unit which shows nearly a fifth of vacancies in former wage council industries are offering pay at below the old minimum pay levels; notes that in Halifax 20 per cent. of vacancies were below the old minimum pay levels for example a hairdressing job paid ??2.88 per hour under wages council levels is now on offer for ??2 per hour and a hotel worker's job previously ??2.92 per hour now on offer at ??2.30 per hour; believes this level of low pay is a disgrace and likely to get worse, and is particularly bad in Yorkshire and Humberside where 160,000 full-time workers are being paid less than ??150 per week; and believes that when people work for a living they should be paid a living wage.

That this House is appalled at the survey by the Yorkshire and Humberside Low Pay Unit which shows nearly a fifth of vacancies in former wage council industries are offering pay at below the old minimum pay levels; notes that in Halifax 20 per cent. of vacancies were below the...

That this House is appalled to note that the Government has prevented a debate in opposition time on the National Health Service; notes that it has not initiated any debate on the National Health Service since 1991; and therefore concludes that this outrageous step has prevented the Secretary of State for Health being held accountable for the mounting crisis within this vital service.

That this House is appalled to note that the Government has prevented a debate in opposition time on the National Health Service; notes that it has not initiated any debate on the National Health Service since 1991; and therefore concludes that this outrageous step has prevented the Secretary of State...

That this House is appalled at the vote for the fascist Zhirinovsky in the Russian elections; believes Western Governments have a major responsibility for this dangerous situation by giving their unequivocal support to President Yeltsin's IMF inspired extreme economic 'shock therapy' and his anti-democratic attempts to suppress democratic opposition to this policy, including the abolition of, and subsequent destruction of, the former Russian Parliament; and therefore calls upon the Government to change its policy towards Russia by recognising that the imposition of extreme monetarism by undemocratic methods will never lead to a stable democracy.

That this House is appalled at the vote for the fascist Zhirinovsky in the Russian elections; believes Western Governments have a major responsibility for this dangerous situation by giving their unequivocal support to President Yeltsin's IMF inspired extreme economic 'shock therapy' and his anti-democratic attempts to suppress democratic opposition to...

That this House notes that Sellafield 2, otherwise known as THORP, is not wanted by the British public, 82,000 of whom objected by letter to the proposed 11-times increase in radioactive discharges into the atmosphere and 9-times increase into the sea, is not wanted because it is unsafe, with BNFL itself admitting that operating THORP will cause 'theoretical deaths', a fact confirmed by HMIP who estimate an additional 15 deaths in Europe for every year of discharge, is not wanted because by reprocessing nuclear waste THORP will make Britain he world's nuclear dustbin, is not wanted by the Irish and Manx governments, which formally opposed BNFL's licence application for increased discharges is not wanted by 109 local councils, who formally opposed BNFL's licence application for increased discharges, is not wanted by 109 local councils; who formally objected, is not wanted by Denmark and other Scandinavian countries, who will raise the issue at the Paris Commission meeting in Berlin, is not wanted for commercial reasons as overseas contracts are in jeopardy and the ??900 million decommissioning cost is an under-estimate, is not wanted on security grounds because THORP will produce 5.5 tonnes of civilian plutonium each year creating an excess described by the International Atomic Energy Agency as 'a major political and security problem worldwide', is not wanted by the present United Kingdom nuclear power stations, none of which can use MOX and in fact MOX is up to 8 times more expensive and creates more plutonium than it produces; and calls on the Environment Secretary for everyone's sake to order a wide-ranging public inquiry and not to commission THORP.

That this House notes that Sellafield 2, otherwise known as THORP, is not wanted by the British public, 82,000 of whom objected by letter to the proposed 11-times increase in radioactive discharges into the atmosphere and 9-times increase into the sea, is not wanted because it is unsafe, with BNFL...

That this House welcomes the occasion to recognise the record of the honourable Member for Garston who with his comrades, risked his life as a merchant seaman in convoys throughout the Battle of the Atlantic, and whose constituency includes the Garston docks, the main bunker supply depot for these convoys; and regrets however that those responsible for organising the recent commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic gave less than due recognition to his unique position as the honourable Member for a part of the Port of Liverpool which played such an important role in the battle, and as a veteran of that battle himself.

That this House welcomes the occasion to recognise the record of the honourable Member for Garston who with his comrades, risked his life as a merchant seaman in convoys throughout the Battle of the Atlantic, and whose constituency includes the Garston docks, the main bunker supply depot for these convoys;...

That this House notes that the East Timorese resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao, on trial in Dili, has denounced Indonesia's annexation of his country and rejected the court's right to try him; strongly condemns the decision of the court to silence the defendant after he had read only three pages of his 28-page defence; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to protest to the Indonesian Government in the strongest terms at this violation of the defendant's rights and to call for Xanana's immediate release.

That this House notes that the East Timorese resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao, on trial in Dili, has denounced Indonesia's annexation of his country and rejected the court's right to try him; strongly condemns the decision of the court to silence the defendant after he had read only three pages of...

That this House welcomes the First Report of the Select Committee on Members' Interests (HC 383) which explicitly criticises the Chancellor's failure to register a gift of ??19,000; is concerned that a donor of such a large sum of money could be a person who might seek to to exert influence over the Chancellor such as the chair of a privatised water company or a director of Threshers; and believes it is in the public interest for the Chancellor to instruct Central Office to name the donor.

That this House welcomes the First Report of the Select Committee on Members' Interests (HC 383) which explicitly criticises the Chancellor's failure to register a gift of ??19,000; is concerned that a donor of such a large sum of money could be a person who might seek to to exert...

That this House notes that the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary are meeting the President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, on 5th February; further notes Peru ranks first in the world for forced detention and disappeared persons, and 3,766 deaths due to political violence have occurred since President Fujimori was inaugurated in 1990; also notes his rule is increasingly militaristic with 86 of Peru's 183 provinces under a state of emergency and characterised by widespread and gross human rights violations, including death squads; recognises that all aid offered by Britain must be conditional upon improved human rights and must be directed towards development projects such as improved sewage which will alleviate the poverty and disease caused by policies forced on Peru by the World Bank and the IMF; further calls for an embargo on all military aid as it is used against innocent civilians and recommends aid to combat the drug situation is directed towards alternative crop development not military-led intervention which strengthens support for the terrorist opposition who also violate human rights and stand equally condemned; and calls upon the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to attend Amnesty International's meeting in the House on 10th February to hear Dr August Paz, a human rights lawyer.

That this House notes that the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary are meeting the President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, on 5th February; further notes Peru ranks first in the world for forced detention and disappeared persons, and 3,766 deaths due to political violence have occurred since President Fujimori was inaugurated...

That this House notes the rise of racism throughout Europe, including Britain, where there is a racist attack against a black person every 30 minutes; and thus condemns the visit to Britain by Jean-Marie Le Pen, the French Fascist Front National leader, who is trying to build a Euro-Fascist network; from 4th to 6th December and demands the visit is called off.

That this House notes the rise of racism throughout Europe, including Britain, where there is a racist attack against a black person every 30 minutes; and thus condemns the visit to Britain by Jean-Marie Le Pen, the French Fascist Front National leader, who is trying to build a Euro-Fascist network;...

That this House is appalled at the killing and wounding of hundreds of unarmed civilians in Dili, in occupied East Timor; is dismayed that on the day of this latest massacre the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told the honourable Member for Halifax that Britain has no plans for an arms embargo against Indonesia stating 'such an embargo would neither be appropriate nor effective'; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to immediately introduce an arms embargo to Indonesia and to call for the United Nations Security Council to be convened to discuss the latest tragedy in illegally-occupied East Timor.

That this House is appalled at the killing and wounding of hundreds of unarmed civilians in Dili, in occupied East Timor; is dismayed that on the day of this latest massacre the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told the honourable Member for Halifax that Britain has no plans for an arms...

That this House notes the recent report published by the Cancer Research Campaign showing evidence of a clear relationship between tobacco advertising and the likelihood of children starting to smoke; further notes that in New Zealand, Canada and Norway tobacco advertising bans have been followed by a substantial reduction in tobacco consumption; notes that a similar ban in the United Kingdom could be expected to save over 8,000 lives a year; and calls on the Government to support the European Commission Directive to ban all forms of tobacco advertising.

That this House notes the recent report published by the Cancer Research Campaign showing evidence of a clear relationship between tobacco advertising and the likelihood of children starting to smoke; further notes that in New Zealand, Canada and Norway tobacco advertising bans have been followed by a substantial reduction in...

That this House deplores the decision to make three workers from the National Homeworkers Unit redundant from the end of March; notes that just one worker, funded by the Cadbury Trust, will be left to campaign nationally for the rights of homeworkers; recognises the valuable work carried out by the unit which for the last five years has campaigned to improve the rights of homeworkers, the hidden workforce of one million people who carry out a multitude of tasks in their own homes; accepts that it had become impossible for Birmingham City Council to justify providing money for a national organisation when its own local government services were being put under increasing pressure; and calls upon the Government immediately to provide the necessary funds for this vital unit to continue to be fully staffed.

That this House deplores the decision to make three workers from the National Homeworkers Unit redundant from the end of March; notes that just one worker, funded by the Cadbury Trust, will be left to campaign nationally for the rights of homeworkers; recognises the valuable work carried out by the...

That this House recalls and endorses the seven resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly on East Timor passed between 1975 and 1982; endorses, in particular, Resolution 53/27 of 1980 which re-affirms the inalienable right of the people of East Timor to self-determination and independence and declares that the people of East Timor must be enabled freely to determine their own future within the framework of the United Nations; and calls on the British Government to support a United Nations-supervised act of free choice by the people of East Timor, following withdrawal of Indonesian military forces.

That this House recalls and endorses the seven resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly on East Timor passed between 1975 and 1982; endorses, in particular, Resolution 53/27 of 1980 which re-affirms the inalienable right of the people of East Timor to self-determination and independence and declares that the people...

That this House recognises that the Group of Seven summit in July presents another opportunity for the world's richest nations to build the political will and take the practical steps, including the cancellation of Third World debt, to stop 40,000 children dying every day from hunger and easily preventable disease; laments the fact that United Kingdom real spending on aid has decreased in real terms from ??1940 million in 1979 to ??1788 million in 1989; deplores the fact that the Government has no timetable for British aid to reach the United Nations target of 0.7 per cent. of gross national product; notes that the cost of preventing the famine in Ethiopia, the Sudan, Liberia, Mozambique and Angola is equal to the cost of two days of the Allies' Gulf war; and calls on the Government to make the relief of Third World hunger equal in importance with the relief of Kuwait.

That this House recognises that the Group of Seven summit in July presents another opportunity for the world's richest nations to build the political will and take the practical steps, including the cancellation of Third World debt, to stop 40,000 children dying every day from hunger and easily preventable disease;...