That this House notes with concern Royal Mail's recent comments raising doubts on its ability to continue to deliver its Universal Service Obligation (USO); further notes that the least profitable routes are often those serving rural areas, such as the Lake District, and that any threat to end the USO could add strain to already under-resourced rural services and could be deeply damaging to remote communities and the rural economy; and therefore strongly calls on Ofcom to bring forward its planned review of end-to-end competition as a matter of urgency, so that fair competition can be achieved and the vital USO is retained.

That this House notes with concern Royal Mail's recent comments raising doubts on its ability to continue to deliver its Universal Service Obligation (USO); further notes that the least profitable routes are often those serving rural areas, such as the Lake District, and that any threat to end the USO...

That this House pays tribute to the lifesaving work undertaken every day by the North West Ambulance Service; notes that the geographical properties and often sparse population of Cumbria means that ambulances which are assigned for cover for South Lakeland patients are often drawn further south from their base due to the acute centres being located at Lancashire hospitals; further notes with concern that, although ambulance cover is commissioned according to demand by level of activity, this provision does not take into any consideration the geography, demography or risk to patient; and calls on the North West Clinical Commissioning Group to commission at least one additional ambulance for South Lakeland in order to guarantee that there is ambulance cover in South Lakeland at all times.

That this House pays tribute to the lifesaving work undertaken every day by the North West Ambulance Service; notes that the geographical properties and often sparse population of Cumbria means that ambulances which are assigned for cover for South Lakeland patients are often drawn further south from their base due...

That this House recognises that although the use of online banking has risen in recent years, there remains a very sizeable minority of people who rely solely on their local branch to do their banking; notes with concern the recent branch closure announcements by NatWest and Barclays in Sedbergh, which will result in the town being left without any bank branch and only one ATM, and the further announcement by NatWest that it will also be closing its Milnthorpe branch; regrets the detrimental effect that this will have on the local economy, including through the job losses this will incur, and the substantial disruption it will cause for local residents, in particular the elderly, vulnerable adults, and those who cannot drive; further notes that the NatWest customer charter states that it 'will make banking easier' and be there 'whenever you need help'; therefore strongly calls on NatWest and Barclays to fulfil their ethical duty to customers at a time when public trust in the sector is at an all-time low by working together to keep these branches open; and further calls on all UK banks to voluntarily recommit to retaining branches in towns where a closure would remove all banking services from the town.

That this House recognises that although the use of online banking has risen in recent years, there remains a very sizeable minority of people who rely solely on their local branch to do their banking; notes with concern the recent branch closure announcements by NatWest and Barclays in Sedbergh, which...

That this House recognises the tireless work over many years of the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed to bring much needed improvements to the A1; notes the Government's decision last year to undertake a feasibility study into considering improvements to the carriageway north of Newcastle; further notes the economic and safety benefits that this would bring; and calls on the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, as the Minister responsible for infrastructure spending, to include funding for the dualling of the A1 in the forthcoming Autumn Statement.

That this House recognises the tireless work over many years of the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed to bring much needed improvements to the A1; notes the Government's decision last year to undertake a feasibility study into considering improvements to the carriageway north of Newcastle; further notes the economic and...

That this House welcomes National Parks Week 2014, running from 28 July to 3 August; sees the UK's national parks as valuable assets to the UK which are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year from all corners of the globe, as well as local British people; celebrates the diverse and varying environments found in our national parks; notes that they are havens for wild flora and fauna, have breath-taking scenery, contain thousands of years of historical heritage and represent opportunities for education, exercise, cultural enrichment, physical and mental peace and spiritual activity and a home for thousands of businesses; further notes that businesses in the national parks make a significant contribution to the British economy and break new ground with environmentally sustainable business practices and technologies; and recognises the hard work that thousands of people undertake to make our national parks a success, including farmers, business people, local residents, national park authorities, tourists and environmentalists.

That this House welcomes National Parks Week 2014, running from 28 July to 3 August; sees the UK's national parks as valuable assets to the UK which are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year from all corners of the globe, as well as local British people; celebrates the diverse...

That this House notes with concern the figures revealed by the National Audit Office showing that prisoner re-offending rates cost the taxpayer ??10 billion a year; applauds the positive impact of restorative justice programmes such as those run by the organisation Sycamore Tree, which have been shown to halve re-offending rates among participants; believes that at ??3,500 for a six-week programme for 20 inmates, Sycamore Tree's restorative justice course is excellent value for money, providing restitution and release for victims and a chance to reform for offenders; and calls on the Government to ensure that restorative justice programmes are available in every prison.

That this House notes with concern the figures revealed by the National Audit Office showing that prisoner re-offending rates cost the taxpayer ??10 billion a year; applauds the positive impact of restorative justice programmes such as those run by the organisation Sycamore Tree, which have been shown to halve re-offending...

That this House recognises the immense importance of the Armitt Museum in Ambleside and of its collection which includes works by Kurt Schwitters and Beatrix Potter, many Roman artifacts, 10,000 books and more than 25,000 photographs, including images by J.W. Brunskill and Herbert Bell; notes that the museum faces closure and recognises that there is a danger of the collection being broken up unless ??10,000 can be raised by the middle of March 2010; and calls on local authorities in Cumbria, the Arts Council and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to provide funding so that this museum and its internationally significant collection can be saved.

That this House recognises the immense importance of the Armitt Museum in Ambleside and of its collection which includes works by Kurt Schwitters and Beatrix Potter, many Roman artifacts, 10,000 books and more than 25,000 photographs, including images by J.W. Brunskill and Herbert Bell; notes that the museum faces closure...

That this House congratulates the communities of Kendal and South Lakes on their official designation as transition communities under the transition towns movement; notes that transition town status is awarded because of a commitment to tackle climate change through practical action by individuals, businesses, schools, public sector bodies and the wider community; and supports the transition towns movement more widely and pledges its support to transition communities as they seek to tackle climate change through concerted action.

That this House congratulates the communities of Kendal and South Lakes on their official designation as transition communities under the transition towns movement; notes that transition town status is awarded because of a commitment to tackle climate change through practical action by individuals, businesses, schools, public sector bodies and the...

That this House welcomes the decision not to levy value added tax (VAT) on the Everybody Hurts Sometimes charity single in aid of the victims of the Haiti disaster; recognises that British mountain rescue teams provide an unrivalled emergency service throughout the year and especially at times of an emergency such as the Grayrigg rail disaster, the Cumbrian floods and the recent extreme winter weather conditions; is perplexed that the Government was so quick to remove VAT from the Haiti single when it has spent the last four years avoiding a decision to refund VAT to mountain rescue teams who have to pay tax on crucial lifesaving equipment; and calls on the Government to correct this anomaly immediately and refund all VAT and vehicle excise duty paid by mountain rescue teams in England and Wales, amounting to only ??180,000 per year in total.

That this House welcomes the decision not to levy value added tax (VAT) on the Everybody Hurts Sometimes charity single in aid of the victims of the Haiti disaster; recognises that British mountain rescue teams provide an unrivalled emergency service throughout the year and especially at times of an emergency...

That this House recognises the importance of fire stations, especially those covering rural areas where it is even more important that fire crews are close to the communities that they serve; is deeply concerned by Cumbria County Council's plans to close down Arnside and Staveley fire stations; notes that these stations are regularly pencilled-in for closure at budget times; believes that the threat of closure should be lifted from Arnside and Staveley; and calls on Cumbria Fire Service to keep these stations open and to make a long-term commitment to both of them.

That this House recognises the importance of fire stations, especially those covering rural areas where it is even more important that fire crews are close to the communities that they serve; is deeply concerned by Cumbria County Council's plans to close down Arnside and Staveley fire stations; notes that these...

That this House notes with concern the impending changes in the taxation rules affecting operators of furnished holiday lets; believes that the changes will significantly reduce the ability of operators to make major or even minor capital investments in their businesses; further believes that holiday lets are a vital part of the tourism industry bringing significant income to the economy of areas such as the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales and are wholly distinct from second homes that often remain empty for most of the year; and calls on the Government to scrap its plans to disadvantage the holiday let sector through changes in the tax rules and instead to give its support to this important sector of Britain's tourism industry.

That this House notes with concern the impending changes in the taxation rules affecting operators of furnished holiday lets; believes that the changes will significantly reduce the ability of operators to make major or even minor capital investments in their businesses; further believes that holiday lets are a vital part...

That this House celebrates the work of the Bluebell Foundation set up in 2007 in South Cumbria; understands the trauma and devastating impact which follows the death of a child; praises the support and information provided by the Bluebell Foundation to families who have experienced the loss of a baby during pregnancy, at, or after birth; notes the closest children's hospice to South Cumbria is currently over an hour's drive away in Chorley; and calls for the creation of a children's hospice in South Lakeland to provide the best possible care for children and their families.

That this House celebrates the work of the Bluebell Foundation set up in 2007 in South Cumbria; understands the trauma and devastating impact which follows the death of a child; praises the support and information provided by the Bluebell Foundation to families who have experienced the loss of a baby...

That this House pays tribute to the outstanding work undertaken by mountain rescue teams during the recent snowstorms and subsequent cold snap; recognises the importance of their contribution in helping emergency services cope with the treacherous weather conditions by providing vehicle support to ambulance crews and rescuing vehicles stuck in the snow; notes that in some rural areas mountain rescue teams have been used to deliver essential supplies to farms and animal sanctuaries; is appalled that mountain rescue teams have to pay value added tax and vehicle excise duty on life-saving equipment which are exempt for other emergency services who do not have to pay taxes on equivalent equipment; is concerned that the Government has not yet announced an intention to exempt mountain rescue teams from these taxes despite indications from the European Commission that the United Kingdom could well be permitted to do so; and calls on the Government to announce such an exemption immediately and pay back the estimated ??200,000 it collected in value added tax during 2009.

That this House pays tribute to the outstanding work undertaken by mountain rescue teams during the recent snowstorms and subsequent cold snap; recognises the importance of their contribution in helping emergency services cope with the treacherous weather conditions by providing vehicle support to ambulance crews and rescuing vehicles stuck in...

That this House recognises the outstanding natural beauty of Cumbria and its role as one of Britain's leading tourist attractions; notes that Cumbria is home to two leading national parks, the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales; further notes that the county's tourism industry brings in an estimated ??1.3 billion per year in income; expresses concern that the official tourism body for Cumbria has a budget of only one million pounds a year compared to Visit Scotland with a budget of ??48 million, Visit London with a budget of over ??15 million and the Yorkshire Tourism Board with a budget of eight million pounds; and urges the Government to create a new deal for Cumbria Tourism by providing it with an annual budget of ??10 million to put it on a par with equivalent tourist boards across the country, to boost marketing in the UK and overseas and to protect and develop tourist information centres.

That this House recognises the outstanding natural beauty of Cumbria and its role as one of Britain's leading tourist attractions; notes that Cumbria is home to two leading national parks, the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales; further notes that the county's tourism industry brings in an estimated ??1.3 billion...

That this House is opposed to the planned mothballing of the Ambleside campus of the University of Cumbria from July 2010; notes that Ambleside is the only campus in the south of the county and that it has the longest history of all the university's campuses; is surprised that the university is making this decision given the excellent recruitment figures for Ambleside courses in recent years and the immense potential for what is the most attractive and picturesque location for any university in the UK; believes that the closure of the campus would be a massive blow to the town of Ambleside, to South Lakeland as a whole and especially to staff and students; and further calls on the university to withdraw its proposals and to ensure a vibrant future for the Ambleside campus and for the wider local community.

That this House is opposed to the planned mothballing of the Ambleside campus of the University of Cumbria from July 2010; notes that Ambleside is the only campus in the south of the county and that it has the longest history of all the university's campuses; is surprised that the...

That this House notes that currently most fresh meat produce is labelled to include its source of origin; expresses concern that a similar standard of labelling is not as strictly enforced in the case of ready meals which include processed meat; notes that it is permissible for meat and other products to be produced overseas, imported to the UK and processed then labelled as British; further notes that actual British meat is of a very high standard, and that British animal welfare standards are some of the best in the world; regrets that those purchasing products containing processed meat may be misled by incorrect labelling into purchasing an inferior product; calls on the Government to close this loophole; and further calls on supermarkets and other retailers to exceed the prescription of law by ensuring that only produce that has been produced in the United Kingdom is labelled as British.

That this House notes that currently most fresh meat produce is labelled to include its source of origin; expresses concern that a similar standard of labelling is not as strictly enforced in the case of ready meals which include processed meat; notes that it is permissible for meat and other...

That this House warmly welcomes the setting up of the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund by the Cumbria Community Foundation to support individuals, families and voluntary groups who have suffered in the flooding since 19 November 2009; recognises that this further demonstrates the wonderful community spirit and generosity of the people of Cumbria to help each other during such traumatic times; and urges people across the country to give to this worthy cause to help those devastated by the floods to rebuild their lives.

That this House warmly welcomes the setting up of the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund by the Cumbria Community Foundation to support individuals, families and voluntary groups who have suffered in the flooding since 19 November 2009; recognises that this further demonstrates the wonderful community spirit and generosity of the people...

That this House praises the Love Local campaign launched by the Westmorland Gazette aimed at supporting and promoting the local community; recognises that, given the economic climate, communities have a responsibility to work together by creating a vibrant sense of community and promoting local businesses; highlights the Love Local campaign as an excellent example of how to encourage independent retailers to promote themselves and become an integral part of the local community; and urges other communities to follow suit by adopting their own Love Local campaign to support smaller businesses and energise the local economy.

That this House praises the Love Local campaign launched by the Westmorland Gazette aimed at supporting and promoting the local community; recognises that, given the economic climate, communities have a responsibility to work together by creating a vibrant sense of community and promoting local businesses; highlights the Love Local campaign...

That this House pays tribute to the outstanding work done by mountain rescue teams during the recent floods in Cumbria; acknowledges the dedication and skills of mountain rescue volunteers; is appalled that mountain rescue teams have to pay value added tax and vehicle excise duty on life-saving equipment; notes that these taxes cost the volunteer mountain rescue teams up to ??200,000 a year; further notes that other emergency services do not have to pay taxes on equivalent equipment; is concerned that the Government has not yet announced an intention to exempt mountain rescue teams from these taxes despite indications from the European Commission that the UK could well be permitted to do so; and calls on the Government to announce such an exemption immediately.

That this House pays tribute to the outstanding work done by mountain rescue teams during the recent floods in Cumbria; acknowledges the dedication and skills of mountain rescue volunteers; is appalled that mountain rescue teams have to pay value added tax and vehicle excise duty on life-saving equipment; notes that...

That this House welcomes the publication of the Alzheimer's Society report Counting the cost: Care for people with dementia on hospital wards, which highlights unacceptable variations in dementia care provided in hospitals; notes that people with dementia over 65 years of age are currently using up to one quarter of hospital beds at any one time; further notes that people with dementia stay far longer in hospital than other people admitted for the same procedure; further notes that this is having a detrimental impact on the health of people with dementia as well as placing financial pressure on the NHS; further notes that over half of nurses responding to the Alzheimer's Society survey said they haven't received any work-based development or learning opportunities in dementia care; calls on the Government to provide strong leadership on workforce development, in particular by bringing together all the relevant bodies to reach agreement on the core competencies required in dementia care; and urges the Government to press on primary care trusts the need to implement the recommendations in the National Dementia Strategy for England on improved quality of care in general hospitals.

That this House welcomes the publication of the Alzheimer's Society report Counting the cost: Care for people with dementia on hospital wards, which highlights unacceptable variations in dementia care provided in hospitals; notes that people with dementia over 65 years of age are currently using up to one quarter of...