'Early Day' Motions signed by Caroline

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Ethical Trading Standards And The London 2012 Olympics

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2969. Motion reads: "That this House is concerned about press reports that UK Olympians will be asked to wear sporting equipment produced by exploited child labour; is further concerned that successful Olympians will be presented with medals produced by multi-national company Rio Tinto who have locked out their entire workforce in Alma, Quebec without any serious consultation; and, therefore calls on the Government and the Olympics governing body to ensure that ethical trading standards will be maintained during a hopefully successful Olympics in the UK."

 

Retail Sector Slump

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2996. Motion reads: "That this House is concerned at the ever rising number of high street retailers who are entering administration in England and Wales; notes that since the beginning of 2012 the number of retailers entering administration has risen 15 per cent compared to the same time last year; further notes that the total number of businesses, including retailers, which went bust in England and Wales went up in 2011 after having fallen slightly in 2010; believes that these results show that the Government's plans to redress the loss in public sector employment through private sector employment is failing; and calls on the Government to re-evaluate schemes which would bring much needed support and stability to our high street and small retailers such as a temporary cut in VAT."

 

Local Universal Credit Delivery

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2990. Motion reads: "That this House notes that the Welfare Reform Act 2012 provides for the introduction of a universal credit to replace a range of existing means-tested benefits and tax credits for millions of people of working age, starting from 2013; records that 20,000 housing benefit staff currently handle such casework for local residents; shares the Communities and Local Government Select Committee's concerns outlined in its report, Localisation issues in welfare reform, HC 1406, published in October 2011 regarding the changes to delivery mechanisms particularly for housing costs; believes that it is important that claimants can speak in person to local housing staff to ask questions, resolve issues and assist in complex applications in order to avoid errors and verify all official personal documents face-to-face; and is convinced that local delivery and a continuing local authority role in benefit applications will be critical for the successful delivery of the universal credit."

 

VAT On Sports Nutrition Drinks

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2958. Motion reads: "That this House notes that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has permitted only six weeks for consultation on his proposal to impose Value Added Tax on many sports nutrition drinks and that those weeks included two bank holidays and the Easter recess, contrary to the Government's Code of Practice on Consultation which requires 12 weeks; observes that the impact assessment accompanying the consultation wrongly describes the 20 per cent VAT rate as a small increase in price; regrets that this move will push up prices for such products and damage small, specialist manufacturers, will have a negative impact upon jobs and growth, undermine consumer safety by driving customers to source products from less reputable overseas mail order and internet suppliers and, in the year of the London Olympics, send out the wrong messages about the importance of sport and exercise in improving public health; further observes that HM Revenue and Customs has also failed to take into account the reduced UK tax revenues associated with a switch to off-shore sourcing and the reduction in wider UK tax revenues from the sector as sales reduce, profits fall and employment is affected; considers the move to be bizarre when milkshakes, drinking chocolate and jaffa cakes continue to be zero-rated; and urges the Chancellor to think again."

 

Freedom Of Speech For Hon. Members

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2984. Motion reads: "That this House, noting the deeply disturbing use of the ancient offence of `scandalising a judge', considered obsolete since the end of the nineteenth century, by the Northern Ireland Attorney General against the former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the right hon. Member for Neath and Biteback Publishing, over a passage in his memoir describing an episode in 2005-06 leading up to the historic 2007 political settlement, calls on the Northern Ireland Attorney General to end this serious attack on free speech by withdrawing the proceedings for contempt; further asserts the fundamental right of hon. Members to express their views responsibly without fear of judicial censorship; and invites Mr Speaker to consider what action the House might take to defend its rights against such attacks."

 

80th Anniversary Of The Kinder Scout Trespass

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2973. Motion reads: "That this House notes the 80th anniversary of the Kinder Scout trespass on 24 April 2012; recognises the role the Kinder Scout trespass played in highlighting the issue of publicaccess to Britain's countryside; further recognises the role the Kinder Scout trespass had in providing a focus leading to the establishment of national parks and formalised access to open country; welcomes the progress made over the past 80 years in increasing people's access to the countryside; and praises the work of the Ramblers and othervoluntary organisations for their work in increasing and protecting people's right to access the countryside."

 

Local And Regional Newspapers (No. 2)

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2978. Motion reads: "That this House notes with sadness the decision by Johnston Press to move many long-established local newspapers from a daily publication to a weekly publication; condemns this unnecessary move and the implications it will have for the jobs of many journalists, printers, newspaper sellers and newspaper deliveries; praises the role local daily newspapers like the Halifax Courier and other titles in towns like Kettering, Northampton, Peterborough and Scarborough play in local democracy and in reporting the news on a daily basis; further notes the knock-on effect this will have on the local economies of the towns affected; urges Johnston Press to protect existing jobs at the newspaper titles affected and ensure that there are no compulsory job losses; further urges them to consult fully with the National Union of Journalists about their proposals; and hopes that local newspapers will continue to play an important role in the life of local communities for many years to come."

 

Aung San Suu Kyi

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2961. Motion reads: "That this House offers sincere congratulations to Nobel peaceprize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on theelectoral success of her party in the Burmese elections; encourages the National League of Democracy in its attempt to bring peace and stability; and offers the support of this House in the establishment of a truly democratic process in Burma."

 

Time For Action Campaign

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2977. Motion reads: "That this House recognises the importance of Action for ME's Time for Action campaign to educate policy makers, service providers and the public on myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a misunderstood disease which affects more than 250,000 people in the UK and leaves half of its sufferers unable to work; acknowledges a lack of understanding of ME that has resulted in many sufferers unable to access support; and welcomes the campaign's commitment to ending the ignorance, injustice and neglect of ME once and for all."

 

Shaker Aamer

2012/04/30 08:00

Caroline Lucas has signed EDM2955. Motion reads: "That this House welcomes the demonstration in Parliament Square held on 16 April 2012 by the Save Shaker Aamer campaign to highlight the fact that British resident Shaker Aamer has been imprisoned without trial or charge for over 10 yearsin Guantanamo; and calls for a new initiative by the Government to secure his release and his return to his British family in the UK, given the worrying concern that his health is now seriously deteriorating to the point that his lawyers havestated that he is gradually dying in Guantanamo."

 

Full record of motions proposed and signed by Caroline

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