Decisions of the Petitions Committee Tuesday 5 January 2016

The Committee considered all e-petitions which had reached over 100,000 signatures by Monday 4 January, and those over 10,000 which had received a government response on or by Friday 1 January.

Petitions which met these criteria after these dates will be considered at the Committee's next meeting on Tuesday 12 January.

Petition debates

• Block Donald J Trump from UK entry                                         

The Committee noted that an opposing petition with over 10,000 signatures had also been received: Don't ban Trump from the United Kingdom

The Committee decided to schedule a debate in Westminster Hall on the motion “That this House has considered e-petitions114003 and 114907 relating to the exclusion of Donald Trump from the UK" on Monday 18 January at 4.30pm.

Paul Flynn MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, will lead the debate.

Other decisions on petitions over 100,000 signatures

• Make fair transitional state pension arrangements for 1950's women
  

The Committee noted that the Backbench Business Committee had scheduled a debate on Thursday 7 January on the subject of this petition. The Committee agreed to inform petitioners about this debate. It also agreed to request that the petition be tagged (noted as relevant) to the debate to help ensure that MPs taking part were aware of the petition.

The Committee agreed to consider this petition again following the debate.

The Committee noted that the petitioners had given oral evidence on 16 December to the Work and Pensions Committee's inquiry into understanding the new state pension.

• Scrap plans forcing self employed & small business to do 4 tax returns yearly

The Committee agreed to write to the Treasury Committee to ask if it planned to look into this issue. The Committee would consider the petition again once it had received a response. 

Petitions with over 10,000 signatures with a government response

• Make the setting up of a traveller pitch without permission illegal
  

The Committee noted that there had been a debate in Westminster Hall on 10 June 2015 on “Gypsies and Travellers (Local Communities). 

The Committee agreed to write to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to ask for a more specific response to the proposal made by the petition.

• Arrest Tony Blair for war crimes in the middle east and misleading the public
  

The Committee noted the Government's response. 

• Reform the rules on filibustering or 'talking a bill to death'

The Committee noted that the Procedure Committee was holding an evidence session on Private Members' Bills on Wednesday 6 January. It agreed to inform petitioners about the Procedure Committee's work on this subject.

• Stop pay caps for agency nurses and pay freezes for NHS nurses

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• Reverse the decision to allow "thousands" of Syrian migrants into the UK

The Committee noted that the House of Commons had debated the refugee crisis and the Government's response extensively in September. It also noted that the Home Affairs Committee was conducting an inquiry into the migration crisis and that the Communities and Local Government Committee had questioned the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government about the issue.

Since this topic was already being considered by select committees, the Committee decided to take no further action.

• Make it illegal for MPs to own shares in a company with gov/nhs/police contracts

The Committee noted the Government's response

• Force close Retailers on Boxing day! Greed keeps many having to go to work!

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• Statutory regulate the profession of sports therapy, as recommended by the HPC

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• Keep the small claims track limit for personal injury claims at £1,000.00
  

The Committee noted the Government's response, which stated that a consultation was expected in early 2016 on this issue.

• Stop all benefits to illegal immigrants completely
  

The Committee noted that the Government's response stated that illegal immigrants and failed asylum seekers were not entitled to, and do not get, benefits from the UK's welfare system.

• Protect neighbourhood policing
  

The Committee noted the Government's response.

• Don't ban Trump from the United Kingdom

The Committee decided to schedule a debate on the petition issue (see petition debates above).

• Protect BBC music services from cuts during charter renewal

The Committee noted that the Culture, Media and Sport Committee was inquiring into the BBC Charter Review. It agreed to write to the Culture Media and Sport Committee to draw its attention to the petition.

• Abolish the TV licence

The Committee noted that the Culture, Media and Sport Committee was inquiring into the BBC Charter Review. It agreed to write to the Culture Media and Sport Committee to draw its attention to the petition.

Further information

• About Parliament: Select Committees

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