That this House congratulates the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the right hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen, and the Minister for Communities, the hon. Member for Stevenage, for their wholehearted support for the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill; notes that the Bill had the support of the Official Opposition and the Liberal Democrats; hopes that the Bill will pass through this House in this Session; and therefore calls on the Government to ensure that the Bill is brought before this House before the end of this Parliament and, if necessary, included in negotiations over wash-up arrangements.

That this House congratulates the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the right hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen, and the Minister for Communities, the hon. Member for Stevenage, for their wholehearted support for the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill; notes that the Bill had the support of...

That this House commends the work of the Gurkha Settlement Office in providing free and accurate advice to ex-Gurkhas; is concerned by reports of exploitation of ex-Gurkhas by unscrupulous agencies operating in Nepal; and encourages the Government to take urgent steps to ensure that ex-Gurkhas are fully prepared and equipped for life in the UK before leaving Nepal.

That this House commends the work of the Gurkha Settlement Office in providing free and accurate advice to ex-Gurkhas; is concerned by reports of exploitation of ex-Gurkhas by unscrupulous agencies operating in Nepal; and encourages the Government to take urgent steps to ensure that ex-Gurkhas are fully prepared and equipped...

That this House welcomes the report by the Royal College of Nursing into the value of specialist nurses; recognises that specialist nurses provide invaluable support for patients and their families during periods of care; notes that specialist nurses contribute to reducing referral times and length of hospital stays, reduce chances of complications following medical procedures, improve patient outcomes and experience, coordinate health and social care support, reduce rates of readmission, and assist unpaid carers to care more effectively; further notes that specialist nurses save the NHS money in the long term by improving the quality and efficiency of care; calls for specialist nursing provision to be available to all patients with a chronic or long term condition; and further calls for long-term funding for specialist nurses to be maintained and guaranteed in the face of financial constraint.

That this House welcomes the report by the Royal College of Nursing into the value of specialist nurses; recognises that specialist nurses provide invaluable support for patients and their families during periods of care; notes that specialist nurses contribute to reducing referral times and length of hospital stays, reduce chances...

That this House notes with concern evidence that the persecution of Christians is increasing around the world; welcomes the current initiative to highlight this in churches across the country on Maundy Thursday; and urges the Government to do all it can to raise and pursue concerns about human rights and religious liberty in overseas countries through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for International Development.

That this House notes with concern evidence that the persecution of Christians is increasing around the world; welcomes the current initiative to highlight this in churches across the country on Maundy Thursday; and urges the Government to do all it can to raise and pursue concerns about human rights and...

That this House recognises the enormous contribution by members of Her Majesty's armed services from each of the British Overseas Territories in wars and conflicts over the years, fighting for Queen, or King and Country; believes that the sacrifices of all these brave men and women should be fully acknowledged in a similar way to members of the Commonwealth of Nations, by granting representatives from Ascension Island, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos Islands, the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands the right to lay a wreath in their own right at the annual Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, each year on Remembrance Sunday; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to ensure that all the appropriate arrangements for this to happen are in place in time for Remembrance Sunday to be held on 14 November 2010.

That this House recognises the enormous contribution by members of Her Majesty's armed services from each of the British Overseas Territories in wars and conflicts over the years, fighting for Queen, or King and Country; believes that the sacrifices of all these brave men and women should be fully acknowledged...

That this House recognises the enormous contribution by members of Her Majesty's armed services from each of the Crown Dependencies in wars and conflicts over the years, fighting for Queen, or King and Country; believes that the sacrifices of all these brave men and women should be fully acknowledged in a similar way to members of the Commonwealth of Nations, by granting representatives from the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark the right to lay a wreath in their own right at the annual Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, each year on Remembrance Sunday; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to ensure that all the appropriate arrangements for this to happen are in place in time for Remembrance Sunday to be held on 14 November 2010.

That this House recognises the enormous contribution by members of Her Majesty's armed services from each of the Crown Dependencies in wars and conflicts over the years, fighting for Queen, or King and Country; believes that the sacrifices of all these brave men and women should be fully acknowledged in...

That this House is concerned at reports that growing numbers of returning officers are considering postponing the counting of votes cast on the day of the General Election until the day after polling; believes that in the 21st century it would be a regressive move not to announce constituency results as early as possible; further believes that public confidence in the results could be undermined by delays in the counting of ballot papers and that fewer voters would be able to watch the results being announced if this were done on a Friday afternoon; and calls on local authorities throughout the United Kingdom to ensure that all ballot papers are counted immediately after the close of polls on General Election night, as has been the practice in previous general elections.

That this House is concerned at reports that growing numbers of returning officers are considering postponing the counting of votes cast on the day of the General Election until the day after polling; believes that in the 21st century it would be a regressive move not to announce constituency results...

That this House recalls that side effects of the drug Thalidomide, prescribed for prevention of morning sickness in the 1960s and 1970s, caused nearly 500 babies to be born with a range of severe disabilities; pays tribute to the campaign by journalists, politicians and others that eventually resulted in the manufacturers having to increase their compensation offer tenfold; nevertheless recognises, however, that this could not take account of unforseen future problems arising from Thalidomide; notes that, as the surviving victims enter their 40s and 50s, many of them face a host of new problems as their bodies suffer from the wear and tear that the overuse of certain muscles has caused, dramatically restricting movement and pushing the cost of mobility up; believes that these people should now receive direct help from the state; and calls on the Government to introduce a financial assistance package to improve the lives of Thalidomide victims.

That this House recalls that side effects of the drug Thalidomide, prescribed for prevention of morning sickness in the 1960s and 1970s, caused nearly 500 babies to be born with a range of severe disabilities; pays tribute to the campaign by journalists, politicians and others that eventually resulted in the...

That this House notes the success of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 as the first step towards building a bottom up democracy; further notes the enthusiasm shown by local authorities across England in deciding to use the Act, with 100 councils having already used that process and a further 50 councils having stated their intention to do so at the next available opportunity, showing that nearly half of all councils wish to use the Act's process in the future; notes also the genuine cross-party support that the original Act commanded; and so supports the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill introduced in Session 2008-09 which would extend the 2007 Act by ensuring that the process of involvement established by the Act becomes an on-going process rather than a one-off event, by involving parish and town councils and their county associations in the process and by empowering citizens to petition their councils to use the Act if they are not already doing so.

That this House notes the success of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 as the first step towards building a bottom up democracy; further notes the enthusiasm shown by local authorities across England in deciding to use the Act, with 100 councils having already used that process and a further 50...

That this House welcomes the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 requiring the publication of local spending reports; believes that people have a right to know how their money is spent by public bodies; especially welcomes the assurances given by the formerMinister for Local Government, the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth, that the local spending reports will include all public agencies; further welcomes the former Minister's assurance that the purpose is to achieve a report that identifies how much will be spent in each area by the authorities; is therefore disappointed that thelocal spending reports published so fardo not adhere to the assurances given by the former Minister and so callsfor proper local spending reports to be published, which give effect to those assurances; welcomes the commitment by the Secretary of State to report to Parliament by the end of 2009 on the publication of future local spending reports; and calls upon the Secretary of State to ensure that his report is debated by this House and voted on.

That this House welcomes the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 requiring the publication of local spending reports; believes that people have a right to know how their money is spent by public bodies; especially welcomes the assurances given by the formerMinister for Local Government, the hon. Member for...

That this House salutes the service of members of the Territorial Army (TA); deplores the freezing of TA training; notes the adverse impact this will have on generic war fighting capability, morale, recruitment and retention; further notes that the measure conflicts with the Cottam Strategic Review of Reserves published in April 2009 which the Government accepted in full; and calls on the Government to reverse its decision immediately.

That this House salutes the service of members of the Territorial Army (TA); deplores the freezing of TA training; notes the adverse impact this will have on generic war fighting capability, morale, recruitment and retention; further notes that the measure conflicts with the Cottam Strategic Review of Reserves published in...

That this House recognises that over 45,500 women and around 300 men in the United Kingdom will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009; endorses Breast Cancer Campaign's Wear It Pink on 30 October 2009; notes the importance of the event in promoting awareness of breast cancer among the general public; encourages hon. Members to participate in the initiative to help raise funds for innovative world-class breast cancer research at centres of excellence throughout the UK; and congratulates Breast Cancer Campaign and all of its supporters for having raised over ??3.5 million in 2008 through Wear It Pink.

That this House recognises that over 45,500 women and around 300 men in the United Kingdom will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009; endorses Breast Cancer Campaign's Wear It Pink on 30 October 2009; notes the importance of the event in promoting awareness of breast cancer among the general...

That this House is concerned at reports that growing numbers of Returning Officers are considering postponing the counting of votes cast on the day of the General Election until the day after polling; believes that in the 21st century it would be a regressive move not to announce constituency results as early as possible; further believes that public confidence in the results could be undermined by delays in the counting of ballot papers and that fewer voters would be able to watch the results being announced if this were done on a Friday afternoon; and calls on local authorities throughout the United Kingdom to ensure that all ballot papers are counted immediately after the close of polls on General Election night, as has been the practice in previous General Elections.

That this House is concerned at reports that growing numbers of Returning Officers are considering postponing the counting of votes cast on the day of the General Election until the day after polling; believes that in the 21st century it would be a regressive move not to announce constituency results...

That this House notes the impact of increased charges by some water companies for surface water drainage on places of worship, scout and guide associations and community amateur sports clubs; is concerned that the new charging method based on site area is unaffordable for these groups; is further concerned that Ofwat is requiring companies to set out their charging structures by 2010; calls on the Government to use the forthcoming Flood and Water Management Bill to grant Ofwat the authority to allow water companies to charge for drainage in a way they consider to be fair and proportionate for these customers; and further calls on water companies to recognise the value of the voluntary sector and their corporate social responsibility to ensure that customers are protected from disproportionately large price increases.

That this House notes the impact of increased charges by some water companies for surface water drainage on places of worship, scout and guide associations and community amateur sports clubs; is concerned that the new charging method based on site area is unaffordable for these groups; is further concerned that...

That this House congratulates the nine waterway organisations including the Inland Waterways Association, Royal Yachting Association and British Marine Federation that have joined together to promote inland waterways; notes that they recognise the importance waterways have for leisure, recreation, business and freight; further notes their call for a comprehensive overhaul of waterways legislation, for recognition across Government departments of inland waterways' importance, for the restoration of derelict waterways and for the construction of new waterways where there is a social, environmental or business case; and believes that the current review of Waterways for Tomorrow should identify clear key performance indicators and timescales for delivery and an appropriate funding strategy.

That this House congratulates the nine waterway organisations including the Inland Waterways Association, Royal Yachting Association and British Marine Federation that have joined together to promote inland waterways; notes that they recognise the importance waterways have for leisure, recreation, business and freight; further notes their call for a comprehensive overhaul...

That this House acknowledges and celebrates the hard work of the many home educators in Britain who teach their children to an exceptionally high standard; recognises the excellent value they represent to the Government; notes with concern the conflation of welfare concerns with education issues in Government statements on home education; further notes with concern the recommendations of the Badman Review which suggest closer monitoring of home educators, including a compulsory annual registration scheme and right of access to people's homes for local authority officials; and calls on the Government to focus on its own ability to fulfil the Every Child Matters objectives rather than undermine the independence and integrity of home educators by enforcing the Badman recommendations.

That this House acknowledges and celebrates the hard work of the many home educators in Britain who teach their children to an exceptionally high standard; recognises the excellent value they represent to the Government; notes with concern the conflation of welfare concerns with education issues in Government statements on home...

That this House notes the appointment of a new Secretary of State for Health; and calls on him to initiate an independent inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 into the failings of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

That this House notes the appointment of a new Secretary of State for Health; and calls on him to initiate an independent inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 into the failings of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

That this House recognises that community pharmacists are on the front line in providing vital services to NHS patients in a high-pressure environment; notes that under the Medicines Act 1968pharmacists who make an error while dispensing medicines are regularly tried for a criminal offence; is concerned that this discourages healthcare professionals who fear being criminalised from reporting dispensing errors; is further concerned that this limits opportunities to record mistakes and to learn from these errors; notes that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is currently undertaking a project to review medicines legislation; and calls on the Government to work with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain to ensure that amended legislation offers a more proportionate response with the flexibility to recognise a genuine single dispensing error.

That this House recognises that community pharmacists are on the front line in providing vital services to NHS patients in a high-pressure environment; notes that under the Medicines Act 1968pharmacists who make an error while dispensing medicines are regularly tried for a criminal offence; is concerned that this discourages healthcare...

That this House notes that 12 May is the 90th anniversary of Combat Stress, the leading charity specialising in the care of British veterans who have been profoundly traumatised by harrowing experiences during their service career and who are suffering from poor mental health as a result; congratulates the charity on the excellent work it has done for ex-servicemen and women throughout its history and particularly in the last few years with armed forces personnel who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan; and congratulates Combat Stress further on its highly successful campaign to have psychological wounding recognised as an occupational hazard of military service and addressed as effectively as the Government already addresses physical injury.

That this House notes that 12 May is the 90th anniversary of Combat Stress, the leading charity specialising in the care of British veterans who have been profoundly traumatised by harrowing experiences during their service career and who are suffering from poor mental health as a result; congratulates the charity...

That this House recognises that patients with pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscular dystrophy and other conditions require supplemental oxygen when travelling by air; is dismayed that the vast majority of airlines operating in the UK currently charge passengers requiring supplemental oxygen on flights; applauds the work of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, the British Lung Foundation and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign to end the unfair financial impact of what is effectively a tax on the disabled; calls on all airlines flying from or through UK airports to allow passengers requiring in-flight supplemental oxygen to either bring personal oxygen equipment on board and use it, subject to necessary security checks, or to have supplemental oxygen provided for them by the airline, in both cases without charge; welcomes the recent decision by British Airways, Emirates and Cathay Pacific to drop all charges; notes that as of 1 May 2009 airlines in the United States of America will have to allow passengers requiring supplemental oxygen to be able to use their own portable oxygen concentrator free of charge; and urges all airlines operating in the UK to follow suit.

That this House recognises that patients with pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscular dystrophy and other conditions require supplemental oxygen when travelling by air; is dismayed that the vast majority of airlines operating in the UK currently charge passengers requiring supplemental oxygen on flights; applauds the work of the...