Frank Cook MP - Parliament (Early Day Motions)

DISABILITY AND THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND

04.07.2007

Cook, Frank

That this House is concerned to learn of the present circumstances of a thirty-five year old bank manager employed by the Royal Bank of Scotland since August 2000 with a track record of exemplary competence who sustained a serious injury to his spinal cord in May 2005 necessitating absence from his work until March 2006 when through sheer determination and force of will, despite being categorised as an incomplete paraplegic, he returned to resume his duties only to be met by unreasonable expectations of senior management that he should return to his normal duties within eight weeks, to find his former deputy placed over him, effectively demoting him without warning or consultation, seeing her allowed to accuse him of being `just a distraction to the staff' and being denied a car parking space adjacent to the premises so causing him additional hardship; condemns heartily the insensitive stance adopted by the senior management of the bank towards a victim of such grievous circumstance and a loyal employee; and urges the Government to take note of such callous disregard and structure regulation to put a stop to such practices at the earliest date.

EDM 1553

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RIGHTS OF PRISON OFFICERS

23.05.2007

Cook, Frank

That this House reaffirms its strong support for the measures introduced by the Government that will outlaw the smoking of tobacco in public locations and workplaces throughout England and Wales from 1st July 2007; registers dismay at the current determination that there should be an exemption for prisoners that would allow them to smoke in their cells and request a smoking or non-smoking cell; is concerned that such a proposition is not only totally impractical in the circumstances prevalent in custodial establishments at this time but is also potentially injurious to prison staff due to the insidious consequences of passive smoking in overcrowded and under-resourced gaols; expresses serious disagreement with a trend that will afford an inmate under sentence more rights and liberties than are available to prison officers; is of the view that if an individual has transgressed to a degree that attracts a custodial sentence that individual should forfeit any freedom to inflict any form of injurious habit upon themselves, their neighbours or their keepers; and urges the Government to take action to ensure that all prison staff are guaranteed the same levels of protection available to every other worker in Wales and England from 1st July.

EDM 826
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VAT AND CHARITIES

05.02.2007

Cook, Frank

That this House takes careful note of the logic professed by successive governments over the past 25 years to the long-running fiscal sore of irrecoverable VAT and its consequential impact on the work of charities; notes with equal care that the common and oft-recited rebuttal to successive pleas for regulatory change has been to pray in aid the specious justification that `there are something like 250,000 charities and a general exemption for all of those would produce astronomic costs'; further notes with a measure of restrained anger and impatience that some charities such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and other search and rescue agencies, staffed as they are by well-trained and highly skilled volunteers, invariably operating in conditions that are by definition extremely hazardous, save lives frequently by the very act of putting their own in mortal danger; and calls upon the Government for this reason if for no other to take this previously neglected aspect into account as a component of a further review of this issue so as to redress the circumstances which can cost the RNLI the loss of their cash as well as their crews.

EDM 1873
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PROTOCOL 5 OF THE CONVENTION ON CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS

22.03.2006

Cook, Frank

That this House recognises the serious post-conflict humanitarian problems caused by explosive remnants of war (ERW) and is conscious of the need to minimise the risks and effects of ERW; notes the significant contribution made by the UK to date in post-conflict clearance of ERW but is deeply concerned that despite an assurance made by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces in April 2004 that the UK would aim to ratify Protocol 5 of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) by the end of 2004, the Protocol has still not been ratified; believes that the UK should be one of the first 20 nations to ratify Protocol 5 of the CCW to set an example to other state parties; and therefore calls upon the Government to ratify the Protocol at the earliest opportunity.

EDM 1042
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POLICE RESTRUCTURING REVIEW PROCESS

16.11.2005

Cook, Frank

That this House recognises the importance of ensuring that the police service is able to meet the challenge of delivering key protective services, including counter-terrorism; believes that proposals to create forces covering huge areas can only undermine seriously the principles of local accountability, consent and support which is central to the British police service; regards the process used so far to approve or reject options for changes as flawed in regard to the undue haste with which it is being conducted and the narrow band of criteria being employed, thereby leading to a lack of any meaningful consultation or proper assessment of operational, financial or governance issues; believes it to be totally unacceptable that in the North East of England and Wales only one option should be put forward for further consideration, thereby removing all element of public choice; and calls on the Government to ensure that it introduces change to the review structure in a manner which ensures that all parts of the country have the opportunity to consider a genuine choice of options and that any proposed new structures are assessed on their ability to deliver the full range of policing services effectively and efficiently and remain properly accountable to the communities they serve.

EDM 346
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BRITISH BIOFUELS

16.06.2005

Cook, Frank

That this House acknowledges the effective contribution that transport biofuels can make in tackling climate change, achieving Kyoto targets, reinforcing rural economies, and improving levels of fuel security for the UK; welcomes the announcement made by the Government in 2004, that it is considering seriously a renewable transport fuel obligation; and calls upon the Government to introduce as a matter of urgency such an obligation so as to promote rapidly an escalating increase in market share of transport biofuels by 2010.

EDM 852
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EDNETH GOTORA

08.03.2005

Cook, Frank

That this House is dismayed that the Government has resumed deportations to Zimbabwe despite increasing intimidation and brutality by ZANU-PF gangs; is alarmed that individuals who escaped with their lives should be reconsigned to threatening circumstances; notes that one such is Edneth Gotora whose husband was beaten to death by ZANU-PF thugs for no more than distributing leaflets, whilst her infant daughter was injured so badly that she died weeks later from injuries sustained during the attack; further notes that the culprits were apprehended but released immediately on bail whereupon they returned and abducted Edneth to a rehabilitation camp where she was raped and brutalised by the `commandant' and his henchmen such that she had to be hospitalised; further notes that, with assistance from an orderly, Edneth escaped and hid herself prior to making her way successfully to England; regrets that Edneth's plea for asylum was refused on the grounds that her husband was now dead and that she is now safe; is aware that a petition of 17,500 signatures is to be presented to the Home Office by the Reverend Sheila Maxey, Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reform Church; recognises that, while the Government pays lip service to the issues of domestic violence there is violence on a national scale in Zimbabwe, yet Edneth seems destined to be despatched to the same dangerous circumstances from which she escaped; and therefore calls upon the Home Secretary to exercise his discretion under the law to grant this much wronged lady the shelter she so desperately needs.

EDM 297
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NAAFI PRACTICE AT AKROTIRI

06.12.2004

Cook, Frank

That this House pays full tribute to the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute (NAAFI) for its diligent service to the needs of HM Armed Forces, through peace and conflict, on a not for profit basis since its formal establishment in January 1921 until its commercialisation in May 1997, when it was required to meet the welfare needs of British service personnel and their families, at the same time remaining profitable to contribute financially to service welfare funds; notes that NAAFI's declared aims commit the organisation to communicate openly and honestly, involving everyone and earning their trust, letting everyone know and understand that their individual contribution does make a difference and that teamwork is to do with joint achievement, working with colleagues and partners and treating them with respect; registers acute dismay that on the RAF base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, NAAFI should have preselected service families, offering them inducement in the form of cash value vouchers on condition that they support a campaign to introduce Sunday opening, so jeopardising the trading position of local dealers who have given outstanding and loyal service to the base since it was established; and therefore calls upon the Government to instruct NAAFI to conduct properly a plebiscite of all base families without any inducement to vote Yes to establish the true wishes of the serving personnel and their families and that this be done at the earliest date.

EDM 218
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LANDMINE ACTION WEEK

29.11.2004

Cook, Frank

That this House is alarmed at the enormous number of landmines still to be cleared throughout the world; notes the significant contribution made by the UK to date towards the eradication of anti-personnel landmines; congratulates those musicians, non-governmental organisations and other campaigners who have kept this in the public mind; is deeply concerned that the UK is not doing enough to assist mine-affected countries to clear mines within their own territory; believes that the UK should be doing more to meet its own obligations under the Ottawa Treaty in order to set a better example to other states' parties; and therefore calls upon the Government to increase funding for mine action activities over the next five years and to channel funds directly to demining operators in order to do so.

EDM 1694
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NAAFI PRACTICE AT AKROTIRI

11.10.2004

Cook, Frank

That this House pays full tribute to the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute (NAAFI) for its diligent service to the needs of HM armed forces, through peace and conflict, on a not for profit basis since its formal establishment in January 1921 until its commercialisation in May 1997, when it was required to meet the welfare needs of British Service personnel and their families, at the same time remaining profitable to contribute financially to service welfare funds; simultaneously notes that NAAFI's declared aims commit the organisation to communicate openly and honestly, involving everyone and earning their trust letting everyone know and understand that their individual contribution does make a difference and that teamwork is to do with joint achievement, working with colleagues and partners and treating them with respect; consequently registers acute dismay that on the RAF base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, NAAFI should have preselected service families offering them inducement in the form of cash value vouchers on condition that they support a campaign to introduce Sunday opening, so jeopardising that trading position of local dealers who have given outstanding and loyal service to the base since its was established; and therefore calls upon the Government to instruct NAAFI to conduct properly a plebiscite of all base families without any inducement to vote Yes so to establish what are the true wishes of the serving personnel and their families and that this be done at the earliest date.

EDM 962
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CUTS IN NORTHERN RAIL SERVICES

31.03.2004

Cook, Frank

That this House is concerned that the Strategic Rail Authority has decided to scrap the direct Leeds-Carlisle-Glasgow rail service; notes the recent reductions in train services between Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and Hartlepool as well as reports of potential reductions in direct services between Newcastle and Saltburn (via Darlington); further expresses its concern about the potential long-term loss of rail workers' jobs in Newcastle upon Tyne, Middlesbrough, Darlington and Hartlepool that these service reductions are likely to bring about; and therefore calls for the maintenance of these services for the benefit of the public, environment and the economy of the North of England.

EDM 282
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RAF INFLIGHT REFUELLING FLEET

15.12.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House recognises the urgency of the need to upgrade as soon as ever possible the competence of the Royal Air Force to refuel inflight and at considerable distance the full range of its aircraft requiring such airborne support; appreciates fully the simultaneous advantages to be gained by ferrying additional supplies of aviation fuel to be safely stockpiled at locations closer to the central area of operational activity; realises consequently how essential it is that a newer and more capable airborne tanker fleet is acquired and brought into service at the earliest date; and calls therefore upon Her Majesty's Government to focus its assessment procedures on procuring as soon as possible the vehicle with the highest operational capability, the most reliable low risk front line service delivery competence, the widest choice and flexibility in terms of customisation, the best prospects for British industry and the brightest hopes for future growth potential, not just in the interest of national defence but also to the benefit of our national economy.

EDM 269
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LASIK EYE TREATMENT

10.12.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House recognises the real advances made in recent years in the field of ophthalmic surgery; acknowledges the remarkable gains made in this field by the development of fine laser application; appreciates fully that the adoption of these corrective measures is infinitely more to do with health and safety than with cosmetology; registers admiration for those medical practitioners who have taken the time and trouble to gain proper qualifications and experience before offering their service to their patients, but expresses grave concern that some agencies and individuals regard this field of activity as an opportunity for the Friday afternoon catch-crop approach to collect easy cash without exercising dutiful concern for the welfare of their clientele; and therefore urges Her Majesty's Government and the BMA together with the Royal College of Ophthalmology to introduce as a matter of urgency, specific measures requiring practitioners in this field to undertake approved programmes of formal training and accreditation, gain their qualification, acquire a licence to practise, register formally in an approved manner and submit themselves on a regular basis to a discipline of approved professional monitoring and review.

EDM 238
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RAF LOGISTIC RECORD

09.12.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House notes with considerable pride the RAF personnel manning the Tristars and VC10s that make up the UK inflight refuelling capability; recognises the very high level of navigational precision and tightly controlled schedules of attendance on the towline required to make their highly volatile cargo available to their many smaller sucklings; acknowledges that as these airborne tankers have the means to detect illumination lock-on by unfriendly radar but are without defence suites which might facilitate the adoption of evasive measures in the event of incoming attack, the aircrews can be forgiven for considering themselves on occasion to be little more than easy targets; in the light of this, admires hugely the cold courage displayed regularly and routinely in servicing as required not only the aircraft of their RAF colleagues but also those of their US and French carrier borne allies who have difficulty replenishing from US inflight refuellers; registers equal admiration for the C17 heavy transport teams that display courage and determination in the same unstinting measure; applauds the instances when the adoption of extraordinary measures have merited the award of the Queen's commendation to individuals for outstanding conduct during Operation VERITAS and Operation TELIC; expresses dismay that the Defence Council instruction referring to the award of Operational Service Medals in regard to these campaigns should be couched so far in terms that exclude these valiant logistic teams; and consequently calls on Her Majesty's Government to issue instructions to redress this regrettable situation at the earliest date.

EDM 1846
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CUTS IN NORTHERN RAIL SERVICES

30.10.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House condemns the decision of the Strategic Rail Authority to scrap the direct Leeds-Carlisle-Glasgow rail service; further expresses its opposition to recent reductions in train services between Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and Hartlepool and calls for those services to be reinstated; is further concerned about reports of potential reductions in direct services between Newcastle and Saltburn (via Darlington) and calls for the maintenance of those services for the benefit of the public, the environment and the economy of the North of England; and further expresses concern about the potential long-term loss of rail workers' jobs in Newcastle upon Tyne, Middlesbrough, Darlington and Hartlepool that these service reductions are likely to bring about.

EDM 1827
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ICE SKATING AT MARBLE ARCH

28.10.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that, in April, Westminster City Council approached the Teesside Company, Aria Ice Limited soliciting their participation in providing temporary ice skating facilities at Marble Arch throughout the winter festivities for the next five years; further notes that, whilst acting in conjunction with the Oxford Street Association and the Wilkes Group, Aria were accepted universally as the lead body for the planning, preparation and delivery of this project; further notes Aria's impressive initiative in establishing a special company, Aria (Marble Arch) Ltd, to engage formally the nominated architects for the project, in funding the professional approaches required for this flagship facility in taking the lead in arranging and conducting consultations with the 17 agencies from which essential approval had to be gained, and finally in securing acceptance of their terms and conditions of operation as evidenced in the agreed text issued by the Special Events Group of the City of Westminster in September; cannot understand therefore why, after conducting all the ground work and incurring considerable cost, the project should be withdrawn on the grounds of lack of time available, which was an assessment contested most vigorously by Aria; questions therefore whether the recent involvement of a friend of the Westminster City Planning Chair, Harvey Goldsmith, in demanding unsuccessfully a financial share in the project, has had any influence on this astonishing decision; and requests therefore that Her Majesty's Government investigate whether the procedures followed have been correct and proper and whether some corrective measures might be justified.

EDM 1820
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LANDMINE ERADICATION

27.10.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House applauds the efforts of all those who continue to tackle the appalling humanitarian and development problems caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance in more than 82 countries worldwide; applauds in particular those musicians such as Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Chrissie Hynde, Billy Bragg and other who have kept this issue in the public eye by organising Concerts for a Landmine Free World; commends Landmine Action and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines for the publication of the Landmine Monitor Report 2003; notes that 141 countries have now ratified the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel landmines; further notes that the Landmine Monitor finds it evident from current rates of progress that even greater increases in mine action funding will be needed in the future to cope fully with the global landmine problem and to enable Ottawa Treaty states parties to meet their 10-year deadline for mine clearance; calls on all states to join and implement the treaty without delay; and strongly believes that the Government should redouble its efforts to support the global campaign against this illegal and indiscriminate weapon.

EDM 1580
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FRANKLIN MINT

14.07.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House takes careful note of reports that the Franklin Mint has defended itself successfully in the American courts against the lawsuit brought against it by the Princess Diana Memorial Fund; further notes the restitution in terms of standing and reputation resulting from this judgement; takes full account of the mounting profits culled from the pseudo-memorabilia touted globally using the name and memory of the Princess of Wales; deprecates the parasitical efforts engaged by the Franklin Mint to exact further profit by its unjustifiable and avaricious move to claim a further £16 million in compensation; dismisses the Franklin Mint's expressed intention to pass the monies on to charities as a feeble attempt at self-justification which is every bit as plagiaristic as its pitifully pathetic products; and expresses the hope that all United Kingdom citizens having regard and respect for the life and memory of Princess Diana hold these sentiments at the forefront of their minds if ever tempted to patronise the Franklin Mint by making purchases that could enhance their profit margins still further.

EDM 1494
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OPHTHALMIC LASER TREATMENT

01.07.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House recognises the real advances gained in recent years in the field of ophthalmic surgery; acknowledges the remarkable gains made in this field of remedial treatment by the development of fine laser application; appreciates fully that the adoption of these corrective measures is infinitely more to do with health and safety than with cosmetology; registers admiration for those medical practitioners who have taken the time and trouble to gain proper qualifications and experience before offering their service to their patients, but expresses grave concern that some agencies and individuals regard this field of activity as an opportunity for the Friday afternoon catch-crop approach to collect easy cash without exercising proper and dutiful concern for the ongoing welfare of their clientele; and therefore urges Her Majesty's Government and the BMA together with the Royal College of Ophthalmology to introduce, as a matter of urgency, specific measures requiring practitioners in this field of treatment to undertake approved programmes of formal training and accreditation, gain their qualification, acquire a licence to practise, register formally in an approved manner and submit themselves to a discipline of approved professional monitoring and review.

EDM 1012
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MR MICK GAULT'S SPORTING RECORD

03.04.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House notes with considerable admiration that Mick Gault, having served his country dutifully in the Royal Air Force for 24 years, has maintained consistently since 1990 his position as Britain's top international pistol shooter, that he currently holds record scores in five distinct British and four Commonwealth shooting categories, that he is current champion in four Commonwealth, one British, one English and one Welsh discipline, that he has represented his country at three Commonwealth games i.e. Victoria, Kuala Lumpur and Manchester, honouring it in remarkable fashion by winning eight golds, one silver and two bronze, to which he has added two World Cup bronze medals; further notes that to date he is the most successful individual competitor in the history of the Commonwealth Games; notes also that he has achieved this in strict law abiding fashion by commuting great distances to train without infringing the current legislative restrictions in this country on target pistol shooting, that this has incurred enormous cost to both him and his family in terms of time, money, energy and commitment and that it has been done without personal public complaint; and therefore registers the opinion that such devotion to his duty, sport and country should be acknowledged formally and publicly by the award of an appropriate honour in the future list.

EDM 1010
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DWP RECORD STORAGE FACILITIES

03.04.2003

Cook, Frank

That this House registers the deepest dismay at Government proposals to privatise nationally the File Storage Facilities of the Department of Work and Pensions; notes that these facilities are located at more than 40 points throughout the country, that more than 900 staff would be affected directly by the implementation of such proposals and that these staff are almost exclusively of grades attracting salaries of £12,000 or less; notes, too, the strenuous efforts made by the Public and Commercial Services Union to make representations to the Ministry with regard to the potential threat to the security and safekeeping of the most sensitive records of millions of recipients of social benefits; is concerned that direct control of costs incurred should be offloaded to agencies with the prime concern of exacting profit from the function; and therefore urges Her Majesty's Government most urgently to take full and careful account of the case expressed by PCS with a view to ensuring that the task of preserving all records and the jobs involved in their safekeeping and control remain within the proper remit of the Civil Service where it properly belongs.

EDM 449
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THE BUDD REPORT

20.11.2001

Cook, Frank

That this House warmly welcomes the launch of the British Amusement and Catering Trade Association's campaign, Game On, which aims to defend the gaming machine industry against damaging recommendations contained in Sir Alan Budd's Gambling Review Report; understands that the latest Henley Centre industry model demonstrates that if all the recommendations of the Budd Report were enacted there would be a loss of up to 14,000 jobs in the industry and a fall in Government revenues of over £550 million; recognises the good work that the gaming industry does in creating employment and supporting family businesses and local communities up and down the country; and calls on the Government to dismiss recommendations based on so little evidence that impinge adversely on people's livelihoods without conducting proper, comprehensive research in the first instance.

EDM 429
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COMMONWEALTH GAMES PISTOL SHOOTING COMPETITION

15.11.2001

Cook, Frank

That this House commends most highly the organising agencies involved in the manifestly complex preparation for the staging of the XVII Commonwealth Games in Manchester; thanks most warmly Frances Done for her briefing given to honourable Members; and offers every good wish for continuing success in a very demanding task; recalls that at the last Commonwealth Games held three years ago in Kuala Lumpur, Micky Gault won four gold medals for England but was never celebrated in proper fashion in the media, presumably because his sport was that of pistol shooting; takes account of the fact the Mr Gault achieved this notable feat despite having to travel abroad to train because of Firearms Amendment legislation; notes that pistol shooters of England, Scotland and Wales are still inhibited by these legislative restrictions whereas competitors in the same disciplines living in Northern Ireland are not;further notes that in almost every other sport, home competitors will have the benefit of home advantage in terms of being able to train on British territory; and therefore calls upon the Home Secretary to grant a dispensation for British competitors in the Commonwealth Games to enable them to undertake properly supervised training sessions at the Bisley ranges until the end of the Games, thus making it more likely for the pistol shooting representatives from Wales, Scotland and England to bring true credit to the United Kingdom as they have done so frequently in the past.

EDM 251
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UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE

24.01.2001

Cook, Frank

That this House believes that humanitarian mine action, embracing measures of disciplined clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance, support and rehabilitation for victims allied to freely accessible seminars on mine awareness and guidance on related advocacy for afflicted communities, is a vital element of any effective programme of development aid; notes that such a programme will save lives, promote peace, and rebuild communities, reduce poverty and enhance welfare by removing restrictions on access to arable land and other natural and mineral resources; and therefore calls upon Her Majesty's Government to improve both the level and the consistency of long-term funding made available to reliable British charities seeking to respond to the needs of communities so afflicted throughout the world.

1144
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NATO AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS

13.11.2000

Cook, Frank

That this House believes that the principle of allied strategy (paragraph 46 of the 1999 Strategic Concept) which asserts that nuclear weapons make a unique contribution to deterrence and 'remain essential to preserve peace', is incompatible with the decision by NATO member states at the May 2000 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to support an 'unequivocal' commitment to nuclear disarmament; and that therefore NATO strategy should be changed to remove any equivocation.

EDM 1143
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NATO'S ARMS CONTROL OPTIONS

13.11.2000

Cook, Frank

That this House looks forward to the publication on 14 to 15th December at the NATO Foreign Ministerial Meeting of the Alliance's new options paper on arms control and disarmament; and expects that amongst the options will be a plan for the implementation of all the decisions made by the members of the Alliance in the Non-Proliferation Treaty review and subsequently reaffirmed by NATO and at the United Nations

EDM 1010
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SELF-REGULATION OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

24.07.2000

Cook, Frank

That this House, bearing in mind the circumstances demonstrated by the recent cases of Dr Shipman and Messrs Ledward and Neale, registers grave concern at the failure and/or tardiness of the medical profession to police properly its membership; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to institute as a matter of urgency an independent body to receive and assess complaints related to all those professionals who exercise at whatever level the power of life and death over those individuals committed to their care.

EDM 1009
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FIRE SAFETY IN RETAIL OUTLETS

24.07.2000

Cook, Frank

That this House congratulates the B and Q chain of retail outlets for initiating in 1995 a £25 million programme of fitting sprinkler protection to their new and existing outlets; notes that this programme, which is 87 per cent. complete at this time, covers 6.6 million square feet and will use 80,700 sprinkler heads and over 280 km of pipework of various diametres; registers approval of this provision of protection and confidence for in-store teams and customers and inhibition of arson and terrorist attack; and advocates the early adoption of similar programmes with equal vigour by all large retail operators.

EDM 917
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CASE OF MATTHEW THORNTON

03.07.2000

Cook, Frank

That this House notes with dismay that Matthew Thornton of Billingham resisted a fixed fine penalty for not wearing a seat belt in a motor vehicle; that having been found not guilty he was awarded costs to be paid from central funds; that Teesside Magistrates Court would only take receipt of the invoice from Tilly Bailey & Irvine if it had been settled already; that Mr Thornton could not settle without borrowing the amount necessary; that the cost of borrowing would have exceeded the £20 fixed penalty; that the court taxation officer's duties would have required him to challenge the amount of time and travel costs claimed by the legal firm and possibly discount it in part leaving Mr Thornton to bear the differential; that this would have resulted in further unwarranted cost to Mr Thornton; and consequently calls upon the Government to examine as a matter of real urgency the circumstances where a citizen can be seriously penalised for being innocent and proving it.

EDM 784
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PENSION ADJUSTMENTS

24.05.2000

Cook, Frank

That this House, recognising that many of the nation's senior citizens experience serious difficulty in understanding fully the intricacies of the welfare benefit payment procedures, noting that many pensioners lose out in failing to make claims as required for benefits to which they may become entitled by virtue of increasing age, noting too that with the inevitable introduction of amendments to benefit conditions and the onset of advancing years, increasing numbers of the nation's elderly become even more confused in regard to these claims, therefore calls on the Government, when pensioners qualify initially for their national insurance pensions, to offer a service helping them to claim all other help available; and urges Her Majesty's Government to put to full use the advantages offered by today's information technology to institute a system of automatic triggering of the pensioner premium, the enhanced pensioner premium and the higher pensioner premium to individuals and couples so entitled as soon as they reach the qualifying age thus removing the prospect of them suffering loss by failing to register a claim.

EDM 656
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"I'LL BE DES" CAMPAIGN

18.04.2000

Cook, Frank

That this House commends highly the licensed trade, the footballing community and The Portman Group for the manner in which they have engaged jointly in working to reduce the toll of death and injury caused by driving in drink; commends further their combined efforts to promote the practice of designating a non-drinking driver through their national, I'll be Des, campaign; applauds particularly the 78 professional football clubs that have signed up to support the scheme to date, together with the many hundreds of pubs and clubs throughout the United Kingdom which have also engaged in support; and finally urges all other sporting clubs, both professional and amateur and licensees to join in forming a popular movement that can bring only good to society generally and its sporting associations particularly.

EDM 22
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ADVERSE CLINICAL INCIDENTS

17.11.1999

Cook, Frank

That this House applauds the degree of diligence displayed by the Health Committee in researching its forthcoming report Adverse Clinical Incidents; commends the membership which, under the chairmanship of the honourable Member for Wakefield, spent two days in Yorkshire actively interviewing more than 80 victims of seriously negligent medical care; registers grave concern at a system which permits doctors and surgeons to continue practising professionally, despite their having demonstrated repeatedly alarming levels of incompetence and ineptitude; notes with considerable anxiety that doctors and surgeons struck off in other countries have been allowed to return to this country and practise their negligence repeatedly on British patients, despite medical officials having been warned of their past record; condemns the hospital trust which sent one such surgeon on his way with £100,000 severance settlement, a clean reference and a sum of £57,000 for the purchase of his private consulting rooms; questions how a medical profession, which concerns itself with lack of funding, poor equipment and inadequate provision can protect and support colleagues so dangerous to patients placed in their care; calls upon the Secretary of State for Health to institute, at the earliest date, an effective means of monitoring the levels of efficacy in the performance of surgeons, physicians and practitioners in hospitals and clinics, both private and National Health Service throughout the United Kingdom; and furthermore to establish reliable international means of checking medical qualifications and performance records of all individuals seeking appointment or reappointment within the health services of this country.

EDM 684
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BONA FIDES OF BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY CANDIDATES

25.05.1999

Cook, Frank

That this House notes with dismay that for the forthcoming Euro-elections, three candidates for the constituency of the North East of England, i.e., John Bowles, Alan Gould and Colin Smith, have given false addresses on their nomination papers; that to date there is no proof that the named individuals actually exist; that the British National Party seems determined to engage this ploy deliberately in order to secure the considerable benefits of the Representation of the People Act in the form of guaranteed broadcasting time on radio and television and free postal deliveries to households throughout the United Kingdom; that these benefits are provided at direct costs to the British taxpayer; condemns this abuse of electoral law as an outrage; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to act swiftly to close this loophole by requiring prompt, proper and verifiable checks of the bona fides of all candidates seeking support in government elections at whatever level

EDM 659
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BRITISH NUCLEAR TEST VETERANS RECOGNITION

18.05.1999

Cook, Frank

That this House calls to mind the 15,000 servicemen and women who so selflessly allowed themselves to be exposed to nuclear radiation and blast at the test sites in Australia and the South Pacific; acknowledges the awesome scale of their commitment to the Crown in that they did this willingly and knowingly; deplores the fact that many individuals engaged directly in these fearful duties have service record documents that omit or obfuscate such active involvement; but nevertheless urges the Prime Minister to initiate and institute a service award recognising specifically the readiness of these sterling individuals to place themselves in jeopardy not only in conflict but also in peace.

EDM 637
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REVIEW OF BRITISH NUCLEAR TEST VETERANS

12.05.1999

Cook, Frank

That this House applauds the decision of Her Majesty's Government to initiate in December 1997 a review of the causal factors related to the alleged Gulf War Syndrome and the physical state of the service personnel and civilians who allegedly suffer its ill effects; applauds the level of concern and degree of logic that led to this decision; expresses the hope that the results of this review will be published in the near future; and calls on the Secretary of State for Defence to apply the same measures of concern and logic to the equally pressing but longer running cause of the British nuclear test veterans.

EDM 532
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NEONATAL RESPONSE TO LATEX SENSITISATION

14.04.1999

Cook, Frank

That this House applauds the achievement of Jennifer Worth SRN,SCM, in securing first prize in Action Against Allergies annual essay competition with her hypothesis entitled Neonatal Sensitisation to Latex; commends highly this retired nurse on her most original rationale and very pertinent set of propositions; notes that she concedes freely that to date there is no scientific proof of her thesis; acknowledges that serious concern has been generated by, and research is being conducted into, the forms and levels of allergy thought to be attributable to adverse reactions to latex in adults generally and health service workers particularly; notes with some alarm that no such programmes of enquiry appear to be underway in the study of neonatal response to the same stimulus; and appeals to the Secretary of State for Health to promote as a matter of urgency epidemiological research in this field of enquiry so as to determine whether or not there is any rectifiable cause for concern in Jennifer Worth's postulation.

EDM 531
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SEARCH AND RESCUE RIBBON

14.04.1999

Cook, Frank

That this House pays generous tribute to the men and women who form the Search and Rescue Service in our armed forces; applauds the dedication and commitment these men and women display in undergoing their intensively demanding programme of training that makes them so proficient in their calling; marks with admiration the many incidents reported from time to time when these young people put their lives in serious peril in order to save individuals who have found themselves in grave danger on land or at sea; notes with some astonishment and dismay that such personnel do not qualify for any formal service honour; and consequently appeals to the Prime Minister to institute an appropriate recognition for the continuing courageous service rendered of a level at least equal to the standard campaign ribbon.

EDM 132
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MV DERBYSHIRE ENQUIRY

15.12.1998

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that the MV 'Derbyshire' an oil-bulk-ore carrier (OBO vessel) sank suddenly, dramatically and mysteriously in the South China Sea on the night of 9th September 1980 with the loss of 42 crew and two wives, since when a further 350 boats of almost identical design and construction have disappeared in similar circumstances, most of them quite inexplicably, causing deaths totalling 1634; and now that the sunken wreck of the MV 'Derbyshire' has been located with the help of the international maritime unions and visited twice by international inspection teams urges Her Majesty's Government to respond positively to the long-standing distress of the Derbyshire Families Association by ensuring the most rigorous and comprehensive scrutiny of all the evidence now available and the most careful consideration of the concerns of every single interested party with a view to establishing at an early date a much more dependable and lasting set of standards and specifications for this type of vessel to halt this distressing catalogue of tragedies and render less likely any prospect of further additions to this sad list.

EDM 1500
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DOUNREAY SAFETY PRACTICE

01.07.1998

Cook, Frank

That this House is dismayed that the Health and Safety Executive should have withheld from publication a damning report on the reprehensible state of safety measures at the Dounreay Nuclear complex; is angry that this withholding of information should be justified on 'legal reasons because of fears it might lead to cancellations of commercial contracts'; notes with incredulity that the report states that 'the hazard of criticality is not being afforded the respect it deserves'; finds most disturbing that appointed health and safety watchdogs should be prepared to prefer potential profits to public protection; and calls urgently on the Secretary of State to require forthwith from the Director General of the Health and Safety Executive, Jenny Bacon, a full explanation of the rationale for withholding information so crucial to the structure and practice of public health protection procedures.

EDM 1122
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JUBILEE 2000

23.03.1998

Cook, Frank

That this House is concerned at the heavy burden of unpayable debts borne by the poorest countries in the world; notes that each year these countries spend far more on servicing debt than on promoting education and health; accepts that responsibility for high debt levels rests with both lenders and borrowers; congratulates previous and present British governments on past positive approaches toward debt relief; welcomes the efforts of the wide range of organisations which make up the Jubilee 2000 Coalition in highlighting the need for debt cancellation; and calls on the Government to use its presidency of the G8 summit on 15th to 17th May to secure agreement for a one-off cancellation of the unpayable debts of the world's poorest countries by the year 2000 and internationally to press for the formulation of collective policies to ensure effective measures to prevent such high levels of debt building up again.

EDM 780
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NORTH SEA TAX TAKE

12.02.1998

Cook, Frank

That this House acknowledges the crucial importance to the UK economy of the offshore oil industry in that it provides direct employment for 30,000 and engages 300,000 indirectly in the United Kingdom, adds £16 billion per annum to the national economy, pays £3.5 billion per annum to the Exchequer, supports over 5,000 firms across the country providing more than 20 per cent of total current UK industrial investment, promotes huge export potential in terms of equipment and technology for applications in developing oil fields around the globe and is able to continue attracting the levels of investment necessary to maintain this momentum, despite relatively high operational costs and diminishing production fields, by virtue of the stable tax regime applied by Her Majesty's Government; and therefore urges the Treasury team to take all these factors into full account before they finalise their current review of the North Sea fiscal regime.

EDM 701
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INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RENEWABLE ENERGY INITIATIVE

27.01.1998

Cook, Frank

That this House congratulates the European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources, the Instituto Para La Diversificacion y el Ahorro de Energia, the Instituto Tecnologico do Canarias and the Instituto y de Energias Renovables on their initiative in convening the Inter-Parliamentary Meeting on the subject of Renewable Energy Resources in the European Union that was held in the Canarias from 16th to 18th January; commends the organisers and the participants who attended from the European and national parliaments on the positive and constructive nature of their final agreed declaration; welcomes this declaration as the first step in a long-term strategy to promote the widespread application of the best renewable energy technologies; and urges Her Majesty's Government to consider seriously the vigorous adoption of measures advocated in that document to ensure its widest distribution and application throughout the power generating industry, energy users, regional electricity corporations, the trade press and the public generally.

EDM 601
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REVIEW OF BRITISH NUCLEAR TEST VETERANS

16.12.1997

Cook, Frank

That this House approves the decision of Her Majesty's Government to initiate a review of the casual factors related to the alleged Gulf War Syndrome and the physical state of the service personnel and civilians who allegedly suffer its ill effects; applauds the level of concern and degree of logic that led to this decision; and calls on the Secretary of State for Defence to apply the same measures of concern and logic to the equally pressing but longer running cause of the British nuclear test veterans.

EDM 663
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TELE-SKI ON THE TEES

13.03.1997

Cook, Frank

That this House notes with some concern the proposals currently under consideration by the Teeside Development Corporation to establish a Tele-Ski facility on the Holmes/Horseshoe bend of the River Tees at Egglescliffe; notes too that this section of the river is a beautiful pastoral stretch improving environmentally at a steady rate as predicted by the promoters of the Teeside Barrage Bill, the noble Lord Dormand of Easington, and the honourable Member for Stockton North; notes further that this progressive improvement comes under direct threat of reversal if such proposals are approved; registers anxiety that the range of wildlife attracted so recently to the new enhanced state of water in this location will be seriously disturbed and possibly driven from the site permanently; acknowledges the grave level of opposition among local residents of Thornaby and Preston as testified by two substantial petitions and several hundred signed forms of objection gathered by concerned environmentalists; registers amazement that the sitting Member for Stockton South should go on record, as he has done, claiming that the adoption of these proposals will increase property values in the immediate vicinity; and in view of the foregoing calls upon the Secretary of State for the Environment to instruct the Teeside Development Corporation to refuse consent for this scheme at the earliest appropriate date.

EDM 510
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FUTURE UK ENERGY STRATEGY

11.02.1997

Cook, Frank

That this House recognises the growing international consensus with regard to the dangers of climate change caused by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, believes that in the light of the Secretary of State for the Environment's recent call for a significant cut in carbon emissions by the year 2010, the United Kingdom needs to act urgently to cut carbon emissions from energy generation by implementing policies to ensure the development of an environmentally sustainable energy system; further believes that the transition to such an approach would bring significant social and economic benefits to the United Kingdom in the form of increased employment, reduction of fuel poverty and the development of an internationally competitive sustainable energy industry; and calls upon the Government to adopt measures designed specifically to achieve as a minimum by the year 2010 the generation of 10 per cent. of the United Kingdom electricity supply by renewable energy systems, 10GW of combined heat and power nationally and a 30 per cent. improvement in building, commercial and industrial energy efficiency throughout the country in order to ensure that the United Kingdom can begin to establish itself the standards of environmental protection that it is calling upon others to achieve.

EDM 482
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ANNOUNCEMENT OF STOCKTON CITY CHALLENGE

04.02.1997

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that the Stockton City Challenge has been delayed by a planning inquiry for a period of several months and that a date has still not been set for its completion; notes too that, in this and other areas, economic regeneration and revitalisation are casualties as a result of such inordinate procrastination; and calls on the Secretary of State for the Environment to ensure that a decision is reached without further ado.

EDM 325
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POLICE CONDUCT AND THE CASE OF THOMAS HAMILTON

09.12.1996

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that Thomas Hamilton, the perpetrator of the hideously distressing slaughter committed in Dunblane on 13th March 1996 had enrolled in Lodge No. 1417 of the Masonic Order at Garrow Hill in 1977, had been granted his fi rearms certificate in 1979 and had stopped attending Lodge meetings in 1986, that the immediate resignation of a very senior police office on publication of the Cullen report raises the question of that officer's masonic membership, that such a senior officer of a provincial force would be unlikely not to be a Freemason, that the apparent deletion of all computer reference to Hamilton in the databanks of Central Scotland Police files for the period both before and after the incident demands clear explanation, that police confiscation of the membership records of gun clubs that had disowned Hamilton in dispute of his false claims requires justification, that their continued retention is both unwarranted and inexcusable and that in view of all the foregoing the range and character of the relationship between Thomas Hamilton and the police officer concerned would appear potentially suspect; and consequently requires Her Majesty's Government to institute at the earliest date the most urgent independent and exhaustive enquiry into these matters to ensure the open publication of the fullest report possible.

EDM 868
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MR RAGHBIR SINGH

10.05.1996

Cook, Frank

That this House deplores the remand in custody for more than a year of Mr Raghbir Singh, who is subject to deportation proceedings for unspecified reasons; notes that Mr Singh has lived lawfully in the United Kingdom since 1980, is married with two children, and has never been charged or convicted of any criminal offences; and calls upon the Home Office to produce evidence against Mr Singh in open court or to now discontinue deportation proceedings.

EDM 726
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AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ON LANDMINE BAN

16.04.1996

Cook, Frank

That this House notes with satisfaction reports of 3rd April 1996 from Associated Press, that fifteen former high-ranking US military officers, (fourteen generals and one admiral), led by retired US General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (Storm'n Norm'n of Gulf War fame), have committed themselves to support the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation in its efforts to 'achieve a total and permanent international ban on the production, stockpiling, sale and use of antipersonnel land mines'; notes too their expression that they 'view such a ban as not only humane, but also militarily responsible'; notes also that General Shalikashvili, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has recently registered views akin to these statements and has ordered strategists in the Pentagon to review the Department of Defense policy against such a ban; and urges counterparts in the United kingdom command structure to reflect on this transatlantic development and reconsider the British stance with a view to joining with the UK's American NATO partners in establishing a firm disciplined g lobal protocol to halt further proliferation of these hideous devices and make total world clearance before the end of the next century a serious and achieveable prospect.

EDM 706
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MOD POLICE AND ROF SECURITY

02.04.1996

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that 45 Ministry of Defence police officers are scheduled to be removed from the Royal Ordnance factories at Chorley, Nottingham and Radway Green and replaced by unarmed security guards; notes that the effect of this move will be to increase the cost to ROF of security provision by more than 20 per cent.; notes that the Nottingham factory alone contains at any one time several thousand firearms i n its small arms facility and that this stock of weapons could prove an irresistible lure to lawbreakers; believes that in the current climate of concern about gun club security and the heightened prospect of terrorist action such downgrading of provision is to say the least imprudent; and, in consequence, urges the Secretary of State for Defence to institute an investigation to review the advisability of such ill considered proposals.

EDM 687
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DHL (UK) AND BULL BARS

28.03.1996

Cook, Frank

That this House notes the actions of DHL (UK) in removing within a period of three weeks at a total cost of £60,000 some 500 bull bars from their corporate fleet of more than 700 vehicles; notes that this was done in pursuit of greater operational safety despite the fact that no DHL vehicle has previously been involved in any accident resulting in injury; believes that the adoption of such a policy by a company operating 40 service stations employing 2,600 staff, moving 31,000 consignments per day weighing in total 140 metric tonnes provides an example for all vehicle owners to emulate either as individual drivers or as fleet operators; and calls upon all concerned motorists to follow their example at the earliest date.

EDM 493
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PROTECTION OF COMPENSATION

22.02.1996

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that rules governing recoupment of benefits received from compensation awarded as a result of an accident require such payment to be repaid when a personal injury claim is settled and that an amount equal to benefit paid in respect of injury or disease must be deducted from the compensation payment (whether or not it has been reduced because of contributory negligence), the deduction is made for what has been paid in benefits to the date of settlement, or for the first five years, whichever is sooner, and the compensator must pay the amount deducted to the Compensatory Recovery Unit of the DSS; notes that settlements less than £2,500 are exempt from these rules but in such cases one of half of the benefits may be deducted from loss of earnings, that there are many cases where recovery is made from compensation awarded for pain and suffering, and that claimants are often pressed by insurance companies to accept £2,500, an amount well below the value of their claim, rather than have it swallowed entirely by the repayment rules, and that the only ones to benefit from this are insurance houses who save many thousands of pounds in this way and neither injured party nor the Revenue gain anything; and urges Her Majesty's Government to introuce legislation so that no recoupment of benefits be made from compensation for pain and suffering or out of pocket expenses incurred as a result of an accident, account be taken of reduction for contributory negligence and the first £2,500 of all claims be exempt from the recoupment provisions.

EDM 169
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MOBILE PHONES

06.12.1995

Cook, Frank

That this House notes with considerable concern that the introduction of mobile telecommunications, whilst heralding the creation of a most welcome development, namely, the truly complete and portable office facility, has brought with it a number of very questionable characteristics and practices, such as, the marketing of devices as being totally secure when in fact such is not the case, the very wide disparity in form, terms and conditions of contract foisted upon an unsuspecting and gullible usership resultingin enormous variation in standing charges, costs per unit and release fees on termination of agreement, the so far unbridled practice of re-chipping analogue devices that have changed hands by fair means or foul, and the susceptibility of these same types of device to cloning and so rendering them open to abuse by others without the owner's knowledge and consent; and, so in a quest for disciplined countermeasures to this unsatisfactory state of affairs, notes the intention to establish a Registered Parliamentary Group on Mobile Phones to explore means and to press for measures by which this sector of the communications industry can be brought to proper order.

EDM 21
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ROAD TRAFFIC REDUCTION BILL

15.11.1995

Cook, Frank

That this House is concerned that increases in road traffic will cause more atmospheric pollution and emission of more greenhouse gases, as well as being damaging to communities and the countryside; notes the similar concerns expressed in the recent reports by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution and the House's own Transport Committee; and welcomes the introduction of the Road Traffic Reduction Bill in the last session of Parliament by a cross-party group of honourable Members, which would have required local authorities to draw up local traffic reduction plans in order to reduce traffic in their areas in ways that they consider appropriate to their circumstances, and which would have required the Secretary of State to draw up and implement a national road traffic reduction plan which would require the stabilisation of total traffic miles at 1990 levels by 2000, a reduction of total traffic miles by five per cent by 2005 and a reduction of 10 per cent by 2010.

EDM 1473
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CONDUCT OF THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FOR STOCKTON SOUTH

17.10.1995

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that the honourable Member of Stockton South on 19th July made an allegation in the Chamber of corruption, harrassment, suppression and cover up against Cleveland County Council, identifying two county officials by name as being guilty of these charges; notes that these offences were said to have taken place from April 1988 until Summer 1995; notes that at any time during that period these allegations could have been brought to the attention of the police but were not; notes that the decision to submit these accusations to the District Auditor for investigation was taken by Mr Bruce Stevenson, Chief County Executive, immediately following their presentation to the House; notes that the District Auditor published his findings on Tuesday 17th October concluding that there is no evidence to support the allegation of corruption; notes that the Chief Executive took prompt and appropriate action upon the information given to him and that the disciplinary procedures appeal and grievance followed proper procedures with no evidence of reports being suppressed; notes that the honourable Member for Stockton South has stated on Radio Cleveland that he had hoped to make a statement in the House that day, but had found that it was procedurally unacceptable; and therefore calls upon the honourable Member for Stockton South to register his withdrawal of his accusations in proper form and to offer an apology to each party that he has maligned in such unjustified fashion.

EDM 1413
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT (S.I., 1995, No. 1748)

13.07.1995

Cook, Frank

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Local Government Changes for England (Miscellaneous Provision) Regulations 1995 (S.I., 1995, No. 1748), dated 10th July 1995, a copy of which was laid before this House on 11th July, be annulled.

EDM 1412
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT (S.I., 1995, No. 1747)

13.07.1995

Cook, Frank

That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Cleveland (Further Provision) Order 1995 (S.I., 1995, No. 1747), dated 10th July 1995, a copy of which was laid before this House on 11th July, be annulled.

EDM 1100
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SIR JOHN BANHAM AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM

10.05.1995

Cook, Frank

That this House notes with concern that the recent statement from Sir John Banham, erstwhile Chairman of the Local Goverment Commission, that the Commission was specifically 'established for political reasons to deal with political problems' destroys effectively any remaining credibility the Commission may have had and confirms unquestionably that its real purpose has been the eradication of those Labour authorities who have been most successful in resisting Tory Government diktat; notes also that Banham's statement contradicts previous assurances from both himself and Government Ministers that the Commission's proceedings were independent of governmental or party political pressure and in so doing demonstrates clearly the manner in which this House has been consistently misled on matters of local government; and calls upon thoe honourable Members who have in the past supported the Commission in its procedures and proposals to now acknowledge publicly that Sir John's comments illustrate clearly how they have allowed themselves to be manipulated in a squalid and transparent conspiracy which had nothing to do with the establishment of more effective local government and everything to do with the cynical abuse of power aimed at destroying those authorites which the Tory Government had consistently failed to control through proper democratic process or the Tory Party had consistently failed to defeat through the ballot box.

EDM 957
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UNITED KINGDOM, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, WORLD BANK AND INTERNATIONAL AID;PROGRAMMES

04.04.1995

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that on average 13 per cent. of the United Kingdom's budget goes to the World Bank and the IMF, that a quarter of this £60m in 1993-94 is spent generally on structural adjustment programmes and that this is equivalent to £10 per year per United Kingdom taxpayer, that such a commitment should be monitored properly, that the United Kingdom is represented at the World Bank by a civil servant whose voting record is shrouded in secrecy and who does not report to parliament, and that IMF documentation is routinely withheld under the guise of 'confidential' even from honourable Members; and expresses the view that Her Majesty's Government should receive an annual report on the performance of the United Kingdom role at the IMF and the World Bank, that this detailed report should be published and subject to open debate in the House, that a Select Committee of this House should be empowered to monitor the efficacy of the United Kingdom's efforts at the IMF and the World Bank and to question the Executive Director responsible, and that following all major meetings of the two international monetary bodies, a statement should be made to the House subject to scrutiny and questioning by honourable Members.

EDM 903
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RECONSTITUTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW

27.03.1995

Cook, Frank

That this House welcomes the support from both the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Shadow Environment Secretary for the return of unitary status to those former county boroughs which lost that status as a result of the local government reorganisation of `shire' England in 1974; notes that, as a result of recommendations from the Local Government Commission and decisions of the Secretary of State, it is already intended that a significant number of those former boroughs should become unitary authorities; believes that, following the announcement of 2nd March by the Secretary of State for the Environment of proposals to reconstitute the Local Government Commission with a specific remit which includes re-examining the case for unitary status for other former county boroughs areas, the Commission should be asked to examine all such cases, namely Barrow in Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, Burton upon Trent, Canterbury, Carlisle, Chester, Eastbourne, Exeter, Gloucester, Great Yarmouth, Hastings, Ipswich, Lincoln, Northampton, Norwich, Oxford, Preston, Teesside, Warrington and Worcester; and accordingly urges the Secretary of State for the Environment to issue instructions to this effect to the reconstituted Local Government Commission without further delay.

EDM 844
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NICK LEESON, BARINGS AND COMPANY LAW

16.03.1995

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that Nick Leeson was engaged by Barings Securities (Futures) Ltd, a company registered in the Cayman Islands; that he acted on behalf of this company in Singapore as a trader; that under clause 100 sub para (a) of Barings' Articles of Association Leeson is 'indemnified and secured harmless out of the assets and funds of the Company against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by him in or about the conduct of the Company's business or affairs'; that Leeson stands charged publicly by his employers with responsibility for Barings collapse; that under the Companies Law, Barings carry responsibility for protecting an supporting their employee; that to date the company have patently failed to fulfil that obligation; that should Barings be permitted to neglect that corporate duty then no representative of any company of limited liability will ever again be able to feel properly protected and secure in their employment; and believes that the Bank of England in its supervisory capacity whilst undertaking its current investigation into these matters should together with the DTI take all the foregoing into full account and use its best endeavours to ensure that Mr Leeson is returned to this country to receive a full and fair hearing of all sides of the case and so dispel the growing public anxiety at the so called self regulatory systems of the banking and insurance institutions. (Relevant registered interest declared).

EDM 292
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SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CLEVELAND

15.12.1994

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that, despite assurances given by Ministers on three separate occasions that individual representations made to the Secretary of State for the Environment on the proposals for local government reorganisation in Cleveland, once an Implementation Order was laid, would be made available for inspection on request, the Secretary of State has reneged by refusing access to representations from individual members of the public and attempting to delay access to representations made by public bodies; notes, too, that similar undertakings were given to deposit in the Library a 'summary' of representations made and yet the five-paragraph document produced four days late gives no details whatsoever on the number of representations received or the balance of opinions expressed; notes further that it was only in a letter dated 14th December to the honourable Member for Stockton North that the Secretary of State eventually conceded that the majority of representations received by him were opposed to the proposals from the Local Government Commission; notes also the disparity between the total of 208 representations indicated in that letter and the total of more than 300 claimed by the Local Government Minister in his reply to the honourable Member for Langbaurgh on 20th April; notes finally that the Secretary of State, having denied the people of Cleveland the opportunity to express their views through a local referendum, now denies honourable and Right honourable Members access to representations and frustrates their legitimate efforts to obtain pertinent and accurate information; and condemns this behaviour as a clear demonstration of contempt for honourable and Right honourable Members of this House and the rights and views of local people.

EDM 242
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PRINCIPLE OF REFERENDA

12.12.1994

Cook, Frank

That this House notes the broad support across political parties for the basic principle that no changes in constitutional and governmental arrangements should be implemented without the support of the majority of the people directly affected as expressed through a referendum; notes the implications of this principle for future developments in the European Union, including the 1996 Inter-Governmental Conference, the proposed adoption of a single European currency, and for continuing negotiations, on the future government of Northern Ireland; expresses the belief that this principle should be followed in all forms of substantial governmental change, whether at international, national or local government level; and calls upon the Government to indicate its commitment to this principle by ensuring that any changes as a result of the current Local Government Review should only be implemented if they have the support of the majority of local people as expressed through a bona-fide local referendum.

EDM 134
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KIELDER WIND FARM

28.11.1994

Cook, Frank

That this House welcomes TriGen Windpower's proposals for a windfarm at Humble Hill, Kielder Forest, Northumberland, which offers significant economic benefits, namely its potential to establish the United Kingdom as a major manufacturer of wind turbine systems and to progress towards the convergence of the cost of wind energy and the cost of electricity generally, and regionally to create jobs in the construction and maintenance sectors; notes that the windfarm has as designed overcome potential visual problems, so that in the words of the Countryside Commission 'this development offers a favourable ratio between high output and moderate landscape impact'; observes that these economic and environmental benefits are in line with Government policy to encourage an internationally competitive British wind energy industry, help to restrain emissions of the global warming and acid rain pollutants and contribute to diverse, secure and sustainable energy supplies; and therefore urges the Department of Trade and Industry to support the Humble Hill windfarm project to the hilt.

EDM 126
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DENTAL PRACTITIONERS

24.11.1994

Cook, Frank

That this House congratulates dental practitioners for maintaining exemplary standards of professional care since the inception of the National Health Service; but notes with considerable concern that the consequences of the full implementation of Her Majesty's Government's proposals as laid out in the Green Paper, Improving NHS Dentistry, could well be the reduction in volume and throughput of general work causing immediate increases in waiting lists, all this resulting from possible adoption of the Government's preferred proposal for sessional payments, financial ruin of those dentists having a practice with high overheads and a heavy commitment to NHS clientele, widespread redundancies within ancillary staff f grades, reduction of general dental services to a bare minimum should the ring-fencing of dental funds be removed as seems likely, greatly increased pressures on dentists to adopt the course of action resisted by the vast majority of the profession to date, namely the accelerated move towards private practice, and further loss of morale throughout all grades of dental care workers, who, having coped remarkably well with the many changes introduced hitherto, are now faced with the onerous task of either introducing an invidious purchaser/provider model for remuneration or applying the untried, untested and patently flawed sessional payment scheme; and therefore urges Her Majesty's Government to allow a period of stability to elapse to permit the profession to cope more adequately with changes of the past and prepare more rationally for those of the future.

EDM 122
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NATIONAL STRATEGY ON CHILD SEX ABUSE

24.11.1994

Cook, Frank

That this House notes that the paper compiled by the Metropolitan Police over a period of three years in relation to the beliefs and practices of the organisation called The Children of God, also known as The Family of Love, states among other things that this sect 'advocates and promotes sexual freedom', that there is 'clear evidence that indicates sexual abuse has been systematically advocated and practised', that 'allegations of prostitution and child abuse have surfaced regularly' and that authorities have been 'unaware of the scale of sophistication and tactics employed by the sect'; notes too the letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health in answer to a question from the honourable Member for Stockton North, Official Report 3rd November, column 1271, which states 'selected officials received a copy' and that 'The paper has been read and concurs with the information which this Department already held on the group'; questions why, in the light of this prior awareness, more significant action had not been initiated on this grave matter by the Department and whether, in view of Scotland Yard's call for a 'national strategy to address the problem' the Minister intends to accept the responsibility for the formulation of such a policy; and finally enquires of the Home Secretary whether he will give to the House an unqualified assurance that the Obscene Publications Squad of the Serious and International Crimes Branch of New Scotland Yard will be allowed to continue operations with adequate staffing the resources available, for they conducted these investigations and their continued existence and efficiency is crucial to the success of any national plan adopted. (Relevant registered interest declared).

EDM 64
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CLEVELAND SMUGGLERS

21.11.1994