That this House notes the substantial contribution made by further education colleges to improving the skills of over three million adults every year; further notes that colleges provide 200 million training days to young people and adults annually compared with 60 million provided by industry; welcomes the strong partnerships already developed by many colleges with their local firms; welcomes the drive by the Association of colleges to encourage improved links with industry; urges the Department for Education and Skills, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the Learning and Skills Council to implement proposals in the interim skills strategy which would give colleges greater ability to develop bespoke training and flexible qualifications with simplified assessment systems so that they can equip more individual learners and employers with the skills they need in the modern economy; and further urges the Treasury to consider what incentives might be provided to employers and learners to encourage them to engage in more lifelong learning.

That this House notes the substantial contribution made by further education colleges to improving the skills of over three million adults every year; further notes that colleges provide 200 million training days to young people and adults annually compared with 60 million provided by industry; welcomes the strong partnerships already...

That this House notes the latest report by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution on 'The Environmental Effects of Civil Aircraft in Flight'; further notes the Commission's concern over the inevitable growth of air transport which holds serious implications for local and regional pollution, stratospheric ozone reduction and climate change; further notes the report's recommendations that climate protection charges should be introduced with the EU and encouraged elsewhere, international aviation should be included in the emissions trading scheme as part of the Kyoto Protocol's envisaged implementation mechanisms, more environmentally benign methods of transport for short-haul flights should be encouraged, technological development to improve environmental performance in aviation must be promoted, and airport development should be restricted to optimise the use of available slots for long haul flights; and strongly urges the Government to incorporate these recommendations in its forthcoming Air Transport White Paper.

That this House notes the latest report by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution on 'The Environmental Effects of Civil Aircraft in Flight'; further notes the Commission's concern over the inevitable growth of air transport which holds serious implications for local and regional pollution, stratospheric ozone reduction and climate change;...

That this House notes the treaty establishing a European Atomic Energy Community, commonly known as Euratom, has not been substantially altered since it was first signed in 1957; further notes that the treaty combines the functions of promotion and regulation of the nuclear industry, contrary to modern and proper practice; further notes that the availability of discounted finance through Euratom is a distortion upon European electricity markets; further notes that, unlike a similar agreement on coal and steel, the Euratom agreement is never set to expire; further notes that decisions made under the Treaty are undemocratic, as they do not require codecision-making with the European Parliament; and therefore calls upon the United Kingdom representatives to the Convention on the future of Europe to support proposals that the Euratom Treaty is examined within the Convention and is substantially overhauled by the forthcoming European Inter-Governmental Conference.

That this House notes the treaty establishing a European Atomic Energy Community, commonly known as Euratom, has not been substantially altered since it was first signed in 1957; further notes that the treaty combines the functions of promotion and regulation of the nuclear industry, contrary to modern and proper practice;...

That this House expresses its serious concern that the Government proposes to pay from 2003 onwards ??150 million to ??200 million per year into a new nuclear liabilities fund as part of a plan to save the privatised nuclear generator British Energy from administration; notes that a substantial share of British Energy's liabilities arise directly from the future operation of the THORP reprocessing plant at Sellafield; further notes that spent nuclear fuel from British Energy's United Kingdom reactors can be stored instead of reprocessed in the THORP and that this would be at significantly less cost than reprocessing. that storage is already carried out at Sizewell B and elsewhere overseas, and that reprocessing increases the United Kingdom's plutonium stockpile and its associated costs; believes that the Government's proposals do not represent value for money for the taxpayer, as a large proportion of the liabilities are avoidable; and, therefore, calls upon the Government to re-examine and revise its offer to British Energy at the earliest opportunity.

That this House expresses its serious concern that the Government proposes to pay from 2003 onwards ??150 million to ??200 million per year into a new nuclear liabilities fund as part of a plan to save the privatised nuclear generator British Energy from administration; notes that a substantial share of...