Martin Linton has signed EDM140. Motion reads: "That this House welcomes the decision by many supermarkets, local authorities and manufacturers not to sell or use eggs from caged hens; notes with concern that the criteria for the pilot stage of the Government's Healthier Food Mark does not exclude the use of conventional battery eggs; further notes that the production of conventional battery eggs is banned in the EU from 1 January 2012 and that the public sector continues to purchase eggs from production systems with low standards of animal welfare; and calls on the Government to prohibit the public procurement of eggs from caged hens and to buy instead eggs that meet higher animal welfare standards, including barn, free range and organic eggs."
February 2010 Archives
Given the success of the Government's breast cancer screening programme in reducing mortality in London by some 30 per cent. in the past 10 years, and given that breast cancer remains the UK's...
Martin Linton has signed EDM194. Motion reads: "That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production contributes 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and is currently the most significant driver of biodiversity loss worldwide; further notes that the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats into croplands for the production of animal feeds such as soy for intensive livestock farming is a cause of particular concern; recognises the associated impacts on small farmers and communities in developing countries who are often forced off their land; urges the Government to undertake an assessment of the scale and impact of this trend and the UK's role in it, and to gauge whether the UK's livestock industry has become overly dependent on soy-based animal feed which has such an unwelcome and unsustainable impact upon the environment; and calls on the Government to bring forward the measures necessary to reduce the UK's impact on global greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss from the livestock sector whilst avoiding the export of these impacts overseas and supporting a viable, sustainable and thriving UK farming industry."
Martin Linton has signed EDM383. Motion reads: "That this House is concerned that less than 20 per cent. of those eligible to vote with a learning disability voted in the last General Election; believes that in order to encourage more effective engagement of people with a learning disability in the democratic process, local authorities, political parties and central government should produce accessible material in relation to electoral matters; notes the work of Mencap's Get My Vote campaign to encourage political parties to produce easy to read manifestos and United Response's Every Vote Counts campaign to ensure that people with a learning disability are engaged in the democratic process; and calls on all prospective parliamentary candidates to make their election material easily accessible for people with a learning disability."
Martin Linton has signed EDM412. Motion reads: "That this House believes that politicians, retailers, publishers and distributors have a collective responsibility to protect children and young people from displays of sexually graphic material that they are not emotionally equipped to deal with; calls for an urgent review of existing guidelines drawn up between the Home Office and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents; further believes that such a review must consider the availability of sexually graphic publications to children and young people, the positioning of these publications on the shelves of retailers, the potential for concealing these publications in bags and consider the question of age-rating such publications; and further believes that failure to follow the revised guidelines could lead to calls for legislation covering all aspects of the availability and display of sexually graphic material to children and young people throughout the retail and publishing industries."
Martin Linton has signed EDM916. Motion reads: "That this House congratulates the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) on its excellent campaign Somebody Else's Child, running from 22 February 2010, to draw attention to private fostering, where a child who is under 16 (or under 18 if with a disability) lives with someone who is not a close relative (i.e. not a step-parent or grandparent, aunt, uncle, older brother or sister) for more than 28 days; notes the legal requirement for private fostering arrangements to be notified to the local authority where a child is living; commends the efforts by national and local government and the BAAF to increase understanding and awareness of private fostering and the importance of notification; recognises that children living in private fostering have a broad range of individual circumstances, from parents working away, parents suffering ill-health or young people who have had arguments at home or other family difficulties, and that these circumstances also include some children trafficked into the UK or within the UK for the purposes of domestic slavery or prostitution; and calls on local safeguarding children boards to continue to highlight private fostering as an important safeguarding issue."
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future funding of breast cancer research; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future funding of breast cancer research; and if he will make a statement.
Martin Linton has signed EDM647. Motion reads: "That this House welcomes the Prime Minister's assurance in his speech on Education as a global growth industry on 14 January 2010 that all students who came to the UK legitimately would be made welcome, because the Government was not prepared to put legitimate colleges out of business or set back efforts to expand educational trade; and calls on the Secretaries of State for the Home Department and for Business, Innovation and Skills to ensure that any recommendations for change to the student visa system made following the review which began in November 2009 support rather than damage existing legitimate courses and the properly accredited and registered schools and colleges offering them."
Martin Linton has signed EDM687. Motion reads: "That this House welcomes the I'm backing the pub campaign by the British Beer and Pub Association, Society of Independent Brewers and supported by CAMRA, CBI, Visit Britain, British Hospitality Association, Local Government Association, Central Council of Physical Recreation and UK Music to promote British pubs and British beer; believes that pubs lie at the social heart of communities across the country, employ more than half a million people across the UK, and provides an important contribution to national income; recognises the social benefits of the responsible enjoyment of lower-strength drinks like beer; and notes that with more than 50 pubs closing every week it is vital that the Government, industry, local authorities and others work together to support a quintessentially British institution and Britain's national drink as part of efforts to enhance community life and promote economic recovery."
Martin Linton has signed EDM714. Motion reads: "That this House notes the imminent publication of the Adult Autism Strategy; further notes the importance of this Strategy for improving the lives of people with autism who routinely struggle to access the specialist services they need; commends the Government for agreeing to implement in full the recommendations made by the National Audit Office in its report Supporting people with autism through adulthood and by the Public Accounts Committee in its recent report on this subject; further notes that the Government has accepted the recommendations of both reports; and calls on the Government to fulfil its commitment and to ensure the delivery of an effective strategy and robust guidance that will result in significant change for people on the ground."
Martin Linton has signed EDM822. Motion reads: "That this House welcomes the Government's announcement that it accepts the recommendation made by the Competition Commission after its inquiry into UK grocery market supply practices that an independent, proactive grocery market ombudsman be created to monitor and enforce the Grocery Supply Code of Practice; notes that the Commission found that an ombudsman would ensure fair dealing between suppliers and supermarkets which was found to transfer excessive risk down the supply chain, such as retrospective unilateral changes to the terms of supply agreements, charges for loss or damage to goods after delivery and withholding payment without cause; further notes the Commission's finding that an ombudsman would protect the interests of consumers by promoting a supplier-supermarket relationship that encourages greater investment and innovation; and urges Her Majesty's Government to implement this remedy as quickly as possible."
Will this case speed up the release and return of Mr. Shaker Aamer, to whom the Foreign Secretary referred and whose family live in my constituency? Is there any intelligence material about the...
Will this case speed up the release and return of Mr. Shaker Aamer, to whom the Foreign Secretary referred and whose family live in my constituency? Is there any intelligence material about the...
Martin Linton has signed EDM618. Motion reads: "That this House expresses concern at the activities of so-called vulture funds, which seek to profit unfairly from the defaulted debts of heavily indebted poor countries; notes that the international community has already deemed many of these countries' debts unsustainable by agreeing to reduce or cancel them; further notes the actions of a minority of creditors who litigate to seek full repayment of defaulted debt by claiming payment via international trade and even aid transactions; is concerned at the use of UK courts for a high proportion of these cases; welcomes the work by the Jubilee Debt Campaign to highlight the activities of the vulture funds; and supports the provisions of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Private Members Bill being introduced by the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish to limit the activities of vulture funds."
Martin Linton has signed EDM688. Motion reads: "That this House welcomes the new standards for the management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) produced by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and the Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health; supports their universal implementation across all STI services to ensure consistent and high quality care for the management of STIs; notes that through proper implementation, significant cost savings may be realised through the prevention of re-infection and reductions in onward transmission; and congratulates the leading professional groups for endorsing the standards and demonstrating the leadership required to embrace the challenges that are facing the NHS."
I am more than happy to explain for the hon. Gentleman's sake. We have never had any MP elected on 6 per cent. in this country, but plenty of Members of the current House of Commons were elected...
If that is a virtue of the first-past-the-post system, it must be an even greater virtue of the alternative vote system, because small, extreme parties would need to have the support of a...
Indeed. As they were speaking earlier, I looked up many of the Members taking part in this evening's debate, and I found that, with some notable exceptions, very few of them have more than 50 per...
That is true. Although it would not have the same effect as a totally proportional system, AV would push elections in the direction of being more sensitive not just to the core voters of a...
I am more than happy to explain for the hon. Gentleman's sake. We have never had any MP elected on 6 per cent. in this country, but plenty of Members of the current House of Commons were elected...
If that is a virtue of the first-past-the-post system, it must be an even greater virtue of the alternative vote system, because small, extreme parties would need to have the support of a...
Indeed. As they were speaking earlier, I looked up many of the Members taking part in this evening's debate, and I found that, with some notable exceptions, very few of them have more than 50 per...
That is true. Although it would not have the same effect as a totally proportional system, AV would push elections in the direction of being more sensitive not just to the core voters of a...
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Cambridge (David Howarth). I shall be considerably briefer than him, even if it means taking fewer interventions. I would like to give an...
I am enjoying listening to Conservative Members preaching proportionality to the rest of the Committee. As I understand it, they do not believe in proportionality. What the hon. Gentleman says is...
Of course, that could also be true under first past the post, but with one difference. I can think of a first-past-the-post election, although not in this country, in which somebody was elected...
I must resist that, because I fear that we are going to go down a side issue.
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Cambridge (David Howarth). I shall be considerably briefer than him, even if it means taking fewer interventions. I would like to give an...
I am enjoying listening to Conservative Members preaching proportionality to the rest of the Committee. As I understand it, they do not believe in proportionality. What the hon. Gentleman says is...
Of course, that could also be true under first past the post, but with one difference. I can think of a first-past-the-post election, although not in this country, in which somebody was elected...
I must resist that, because I fear that we are going to go down a side issue.
I know that my right hon. Friend has 65 per cent. of the first preference votes in Birkenhead, and I compliment him on that. Does he recognise that there are already millions of voters in...
I know that my right hon. Friend has 65 per cent. of the first preference votes in Birkenhead, and I compliment him on that. Does he recognise that there are already millions of voters in...
Surely, if there was a bias in the elections that have been mentioned, it was not in the voting system but in the second preferences of Liberal Democrat voters. The answer to that for the hon....
Surely, if there was a bias in the elections that have been mentioned, it was not in the voting system but in the second preferences of Liberal Democrat voters. The answer to that for the hon....
Martin Linton has signed EDM506. Motion reads: "That this House, acknowledging the role of accessible local bus services in the mobility of disabled people, recognises that the lack of audio visual information systems on buses makes those services difficult to use for many people; supports the Talking Buses campaign led by Guide Dogs and supported by 20 other national organisations; and calls on the Government to amend the Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations to require audible and visual information systems on all new buses, which would announce next stop and final destination information."
Martin Linton has signed EDM849. Motion reads: "That this House congratulates the Palestinian National Initiative MP Dr Mustafa Barghouthi on his recent nomination for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize; notes the invaluable role he plays in organising and encouraging Palestinian civil society in the fundamental principles of non-violence; acknowledges the tirelessness of his activities in the face of so many seemingly insurmountable obstacles that face all Palestinians living under Israeli occupation whether that be in the West Bank or imprisoned in Gaza; calls on the Government to take action to uphold the principles of international law at all times when exercising foreign policy in the Middle East; and welcomes and supports this Nobel nomination by Mairead Maguire."
My right hon. Friend will be pleased to know that I am applying for an ID card. I want to know the practical effect of abolishing the national identity register. Surely all the information that I...
My right hon. Friend will be pleased to know that I am applying for an ID card. I want to know the practical effect of abolishing the national identity register. Surely all the information that I...
Battersea MP Martin Linton has won a promise from Dogs minister Jim Fitzpatrick...
What steps he plans to take in response to Professor Sir Patrick Bateson's report on legislation on dangerous dogs.
My hon. Friend saw during his visit to Battersea that almost half of all the dogs that are admitted are Staffies or Bull-breed crosses. Most have to be put down even though they are of sound...
Battersea MP Martin Linton took his campaign for a station in Battersea High Street to the Commons last week when he put a question to rail minister Chris Mole. Battersea Station was closed after being bombed in an air-raid during the Second World War and it was never re-opened after the war. The station is on the West London Line between Clapham Junction and the newly-opened Imperial Wharf station in Fulham. Although little remains of the original Battersea Station, there is still enough room to build a new station on the railway embankments between Battersea High Street and Lombard...
Martin Linton has signed EDM192. Motion reads: "That this House welcomes the Competition Commission's establishment of a strengthened Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) following its inquiry into the UK grocery market which found that supermarket practices which transfer excessive risk to suppliers, such as retrospective unilateral changes to the terms of supply agreements, charges for loss or damage to goods after delivery and withholding payment without cause could have an adverse effect on investment and innovation in the supply chain, and ultimately on consumers; notes the Commission's recommendation that for the GSCOP to be effective it must be monitored and enforced by an independent ombudsman; is disappointed that the supermarkets affected have failed to agree voluntary undertakings to establish an ombudsman which offers the opportunity for independent verification of their commitment to the principles of fair trading; believes that the current recession has increased pressure on suppliers; further notes that UK supermarkets continue to report healthy profits from their grocery business; recognises that fair treatment of primary producers is crucial to achieving UK commitments to eradicating poverty in the developing world and guaranteeing food security for the UK; and calls on the Government to act on the considered recommendation of the Commission to introduce the neccessary legislation to establish the proposed ombudsman to protect the interests of suppliers and consumers alike."
Martin Linton has signed EDM562. Motion reads: "That this House congratulates Tracy Worcester on her film, Pig Business, highlighting the adverse health, animal welfare, environmental and economic impact of industrial pig production; calls on retailers, food manufacturers and food service operators to support British pig farmers by not selling or using imported pigmeat produced to lower animal welfare standards than those that are required in the UK; further calls on the Government to take a lead in persuading the EU to adopt mandatory labelling of pigmeat as to farming method so that consumers can make informed choices; further calls on public sector bodies to procure only pigmeat that is free range or is produced to standards equivalent to those of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Freedom Food scheme; and further calls on the Government to ensure the proper enforcement of EU legislation on the welfare of pigs and to press other EU governments to do likewise."
Martin Linton has signed EDM682. Motion reads: "That this House notes that the survival of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is threatened by climate change as well as the commercial trade in polar bear products, such as fur skins; further notes that the United States has submitted a proposal to list the polar bear on Appendix I of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES); further notes that the polar bear satisfies the biological and trade criteria for inclusion in Appendix I; further notes that this listing is essential to ensure that commercial trade does not compound the threats posed to this species by loss of habitat; and urgently calls on the Government to support the US proposal to transfer the polar bear to CITES Appendix I."
Martin Linton has signed EDM782. Motion reads: "That this House recalls that the Mayor of London promised prior to his election that `it is important for the Mayor to take a public lead, so I will chair the Metropolitan Police Authority'; further recalls that he promised in his manifesto that `I will take personal responsibility,' and that `no offence will be too trivial to demand my attention' and that he claimed that `no challenge will be so big that I shrug my shoulders and pass the buck'; notes that on 27 January 2010 the Mayor broke all of these pledges to Londoners by resigning as the chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority; further notes with concern that the Mayor's draft budget contains a proposal to cut the number of police in the capital by 455 officers; further notes that the net effect of his four budgets will be that the Conservative Mayor will preside over a reduction in police numbers in the capital; is reminded that police numbers in the capital fell under the last Conservative Government; contrasts this policy with Labour's record in London; believes that the Conservative Mayor's election rhetoric on crime is not matched by adequate investment in the police service; further believes there are now serious questions over what the Mayor is delivering for the capital; and urges the Mayor to reverse his policy of squeezing the fight against crime at the expense of Londoners."
Government Backs Linton AV Amendment The Government announced today that it is to table...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to vote in favour of the endorsement of the report of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to vote in favour of the endorsement of the report of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to vote in favour of the endorsement of the report of the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza...
Martin Linton has seconded EDM658A1. Motion reads: "at end add `and also congratulates the Premier League for generously committing the funding for the Football League Trust to deliver these positive outcomes alongside their own Premier League Creating Chances community programme, an example of which is the recently renamed Fulham FC Foundation, which this week announced plans for a ground-breaking programme to address men's health issues in Lambeth.'."
