Tuesday 18 January 2011

Things that concern you

Things that concern you
NOW TIME

Wednesday 19th January 2011: March on Parliament, assemble 4pm Picadilly
Protests and NUS day of action across the country

On Wednesday 19th January, MPs will debate the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance.

So many existing students would not have been able to study without EMA; now it has already been closed to new applicants and could soon be scrapped altogether.

Students have already begun protesting to defend EMA, with a day of action in December and determined demonstrations this week in cities from Leeds to Truro. And after MPs voted to raise tuition fees last term, university students are organising to put to the test the French slogan: “What Parliament does, the streets can undo”.

Starting with an NUS day of action and a fantastic London-wide rally on Tuesday, followed by a march on Parliament and nationwide protests on Wednesday: let’s remind the government’s education wreckers that our movement is more determined than ever in 2011.

by educationactivistnetwork
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136064176453230

http://righttowork.org.uk/2011/01/unite-to-save-ema/


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The entries below are from Parliament web site at this link;
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmedm/110117e01.htm
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1257 KETTLING 11:1:11
Katy Clark
John McDonnell
Caroline Lucas
Kelvin Hopkins
Lisa Nandy
Mrs Linda Riordan
* 22
Kate Hoey
That this House is concerned about the use of kettling as a police tactic against demonstrators in the United Kingdom; expresses serious concern that in recent demonstrations individuals, including minors, have been indiscriminately kettled by police for up to nine hours without food, appropriate facilities or access to medical assistance for those who require it and have been refused the right to leave; notes that a number of individuals have suffered very serious injuries, such as bleeding to the brain, as a result of police action during recent kettles; believes this kettling to be an infringement of the fundamental right to peaceful protest; and calls on the Government to take steps to stop this practice.
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1276 POVERTY RATES 13:1:11
Kate Green
Mr David Winnick
Caroline Lucas
Rosie Cooper
Mr Tom Clarke
Mr Andrew Love
* 43
Mr Dennis Skinner Jonathan Edwards Kelvin Hopkins
Dr William McCrea Graeme Morrice John McDonnell
Mr Alan Meale
That this House notes with concern the analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies that shows the Government's fiscal plans will increase poverty among children and working age adults on both an absolute and relative basis in 2012-13 and 2013-14; believes that the brunt of the Government's plans to eliminate the deficit in four years by cutting benefits and increasing value added tax is being borne by those on the lowest incomes; and calls on the Government to bring forward plans to ensure its child poverty targets are met and that absolute and relative poverty among children and adults will fall in each year of the Spending Review period.
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The following 2 pieces seem to contradict each other, the first 1246 calling for freedom of speech, the latter 1247, calling for a big brother control system. What do you think?

1246 ONLINE CENSORSHIP AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN TUNISIA 11:1:11
Mr Tom Watson
Sir Peter Bottomley
Albert Owen
Tom Blenkinsop
Martin Caton
Mr Alan Meale
* 16
Kelvin Hopkins Kate Hoey
That this House expresses its deep concern about the Tunisian government's repressive approach to online censorship and freedom of expression; notes that the Committee to Protect Journalists has clear evidence to suggest that the Tunisian authorities are responsible for an increasing number of large-scale phishing operations on its citizens and denial of service attacks in that country; further notes with concern that a number of leading journalists have had their Gmail, Facebook, Hotmail and Yahoo accounts hacked and online content to which the Tunisian authorities do not agree deleted; and calls on the Government to make representations to its Tunisian counterparts about the importance of online freedom of expression and greater media plurality.


1247 INTERCEPTION MODERNISATION PROGRAMME 11:1:11
Mr Tom Watson
Mark Durkan
Ms Margaret Ritchie
Albert Owen
Martin Caton
Mr Alan Meale
* 12
Kelvin Hopkins
That this House expresses its deep concern about the Government's proposal, contained within the Strategic Defence and Security Review, to develop an interception modernisation programme; notes that such a programme would include a proposal to store every email, webpage visit and telephone call made in the UK for an unspecified period; further notes that the Home Office has previously estimated that such a database would cost in the region of £2 billion to develop; believes that the development of an interception modernisation programme raises serious privacy, data storage and access concerns; and calls on the Government to issue a full public consultation on its proposals as soon as possible.
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1285 LEAGUE TABLES FOR FIVE YEAR OLDS 17:1:11
Caroline Lucas
John McDonnell
* 2
That this House opposes the Government's proposal to begin publishing school league performance tables for England's five year olds on a school by school basis; believes that such an unprecedented development puts both young children and their teachers, parents and carers under unwarranted stress that is distinctly unhelpful, especially for children at such a tender age; further believes such tables to be divisive and unnecessary; and calls on the Government to abandon its plans to expose young children and their schools to the pressures of the league table system.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The plight of your local firebrigade?
Support you local fire brigade
http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/support-your-local-fire-station/713


1250 LONDON FIRE AUTHORITY 11:1:11
John Cryer
John McDonnell [R]
Ian Lavery
Jim Dobbin
Mr Dennis Skinner
Albert Owen
* 14
Kelvin Hopkins

That this House notes with alarm the threat to sack all London firefighters made by Brian Coleman, the Chairman of the London Fire Authority; and further notes with concern Mr Coleman's threat to abolish the right of London Assembly Members to question him.


[R] Relevant interest declared

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1255 CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAUX CLOSURES 11:1:11
Mr Alan Meale
Sir Peter Bottomley
Andrew George
Mark Durkan
Ms Margaret Ritchie
Ian Lavery
* 29
Mr Mark Williams Kelvin Hopkins Mark Tami
That this House applauds the magnificent work carried out by local citizens advice bureaux, their staff and volunteers throughout the UK who unstintingly give support and free advice to those in need of their services; and believes that the current economic recession will greatly increase the requirement for such help and that any Government actions which may thwart such worthy endeavours would be in direct contradiction to the concept of a Big Society.
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Environmental impact from pollutants

1264 HONEY BEES 12:1:11
Jim Shannon
Mr Nigel Dodds
Mr Gregory Campbell
David Simpson
Kelvin Hopkins
Mark Durkan
* 19
Keith Vaz Katy Clark Dr William McCrea
Mark Tami John McDonnell Mr Alan Meale
That this House notes the rapid decline of the honey bee population in the United Kingdom and understands the tremendous adverse effect that this will have in pollination and subsequently food production; and urges the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ascertain the numbers of the honey bee population, consult those producing the new pesticide aimed at killing the varroa mite that has decimated the honey bees and set aside money to support projects which increase the honey bee population as a matter of urgency.


1267 IMPACT OF NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDES ON BEES AND OTHER INVERTEBRATES 13:1:11
Martin Caton
Mark Durkan
Sir Peter Bottomley
Stephen Williams
Glenda Jackson
Mr Mike Hancock
* 9
Jeremy Corbyn John McDonnell Mr Alan Meale
That this House is gravely concerned by the contents of a recently leaked memo from the the US Environment Protection Agency whose scientists warn that bees and other non-target invertebrates are at risk from a new neonicotinoid pesticide and that tests in the US approval process are insufficient to detect the environmental damage caused; acknowledges that these findings reflect the conclusions of a 2009 `Buglife' report that identified similar inadequacies in the European approval regime with regard to neonicotinoids; notes reports that bee populations have soared in four European countries that have banned these chemicals; and therefore calls on the Government to act urgently to suspend all existing approvals for products containing neonicotinoids and fipronil pending more exhaustive tests and the development of international methodologies for properly assessing the long-term effects of systemic pesticides on invertebrate populations.
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1286 TAX LIABILITY OF FOOTBALLERS 17:1:11
Jonathan Edwards
Mr Elfyn Llwyd
Hywel Williams
John McDonnell
Sir Peter Bottomley
* 5
That this House expresses deep concern at reports that 55 footballers in the United Kingdom are exploiting tax loopholes to avoid paying the appropriate level of tax on their earnings; notes that estimates of annual UK tax avoidance and evasion range from £42 billion from HM Revenue and Customs to £130 billion from the PCS union; believes that tax avoidance has a negative impact on the community by creating a lack of available funds for better community services and an increased tax burden for those who are paying their way legitimately; further notes that these footballers are heroes to many but are paid salaries and have additional earnings which are outside the realms of imagination for the overwhelming majority of their devoted fans and are disappointed that oft-expressed concern for fans is not replicated by their actions; expresses further concern that, according to a recent Christian Aid report, 25 UK football clubs are owned offshore; and calls on the UK Government to block this and other tax loopholes which are exploited by mega-rich individuals and companies which are against the principles of fair play and tax justice and to support non-profit football supporters groups in their aims to ensure community ownership of football clubs and financial transparency in the football business world.

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