That this House commends the 1st March 2005 judgement of the United States Supreme Court in Roper v Simmons finding application of the death penalty against children under 18 years of age to be cruel and unusual punishment within the meaning of the 8th Amendment and therefore unconstitutional; notes that the ruling, which takes 70 children off death row, builds upon recent decisions preventing execution of those with mental disabilities and minors under 16 years of age; notes the comments of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who stated that it was proper for the Supreme Court to acknowledge the overwhelming weight of international opinion; believes this recognition should strengthen the case for pursuing the objective of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, that is, a worldwide abolition of the death penalty; and urges the Government in its relations with the leaders of the United States to inject renewed vigour into its efforts to press for a complete end to this barbaric practice.

That this House commends the 1st March 2005 judgement of the United States Supreme Court in Roper v Simmons finding application of the death penalty against children under 18 years of age to be cruel and unusual punishment within the meaning of the 8th Amendment and therefore unconstitutional; notes that...

That this House notes that Chantal McCorkle, a British citizen, was sentenced to 24 years and four months imprisonment in the United States for offences which might carry only a suspended sentence in the UK; further notes that the judge who sentenced her in 1999 expressed disquiet at the sentence that she felt obliged to give; further notes that recent cases of Blakely and Booker in the United States Supreme Court cast doubt on the sentencing guidelines then used and give grounds for an appeal; and urges the Government to support Chantal's lawyers and press the United States legal system to hear Chantal's appeal against sentence as expeditiously as possible and to ensure that no barriers are placed to Chantal's transfer to the UK to serve whatever remaining sentence she has after her appeal.

That this House notes that Chantal McCorkle, a British citizen, was sentenced to 24 years and four months imprisonment in the United States for offences which might carry only a suspended sentence in the UK; further notes that the judge who sentenced her in 1999 expressed disquiet at the sentence...

That this House notes the pressure exerted by the United States and biotech companies, especially through the GM dispute at the World Trade Organisation, to open European markets to GM products; is concerned this may lead to rushed decisions that deny consumer choice for GM-free food and leave farmers without compensation for GM contamination; further notes that EU law makes the drawing up of rules to avoid GM contamination the responsibility of national parliaments; and believes that before any further planting of genetically modified organisms, science-based rules for their release should be debated and approved by Parliament and the relevant national assemblies and that such rules should seek to prevent contamination of conventional and organic crops, preserve consumer choice and make GM consent holders liable for damage caused by their products.

That this House notes the pressure exerted by the United States and biotech companies, especially through the GM dispute at the World Trade Organisation, to open European markets to GM products; is concerned this may lead to rushed decisions that deny consumer choice for GM-free food and leave farmers without...

That this House congratulates Sir David King on the work he has done to raise the issue of global warming both at home and abroad; believes that the planet cannot afford another four years of inaction and denial from the US Administration; and calls on the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to do everything possible to get President Bush to accept the need to take climate change seriously and ensure the US plays its part internationally in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

That this House congratulates Sir David King on the work he has done to raise the issue of global warming both at home and abroad; believes that the planet cannot afford another four years of inaction and denial from the US Administration; and calls on the Prime Minister and Foreign...

That this House notes that the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) binds signatories not to transfer to any nation any agents, toxins, weapons and equipment of biological and toxin warfare and provides that any nation finding another signatory in breach of this undertaking may lodge a complaint to the Security Council; understands that the Riegle Report to the US Senate has published evidence that the US sold biological materials including Bacillus Anthracis, Clostridium Botulinum, Histoplasma capsulatum, Brucella, Melitensis and Clostridium Perfringens to various agencies of the Iraqi Government pursuant to export licenses issued by the US Department of Commerce, in quantities set out in the Report and at the time when the US was fully aware of the Iraqi biological warfare programme and that these exports have been fully documented and are also set out in the 23rd September 2002 edition of Newsweek and by Senator Robert Byrd in speeches in the Senate on 20th and 26th September 2002; requests the Government to exercise its power to report these sales to the Security Council of the United Nations in the light of its commitment in the April 2002 Green Paper, Strengthening Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention that, those at every level responsible for any breach of international law relating to the use of such weapons will be held personally accountable because compliance with the BTWC is an issue the international community cannot avoid; and urges the Prime Minister either to lodge the necessary complaint with the Security Council of the UN or change his stated policy after an appropriate public announcement and discussion.

That this House notes that the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) binds signatories not to transfer to any nation any agents, toxins, weapons and equipment of biological and toxin warfare and provides that any nation finding another signatory in breach of this undertaking may lodge a complaint to the...