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EARLY DAY MOTIONS - Various
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Contact: Rachel Le Brocq Date: 28 Feb 2007 |
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(Early Day Motion (EDM) = A motion which is laid to bring attention to an issue, but not debated)
New EDMs
EDM 556 – Green Mortgages is sponsored by Colin Challen MP (Lab, Morley and Rothwell)
“That this House notes that on 1st June 2007 home improvement packs will be introduced which will include energy performance certificates; further notes that this is likely to encourage buyers and sellers of houses to wish to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and that to afford to be able to do so they may seek the assistance of their mortgage lender; further notes that, at present, of over 100 UK mortgage providers, only three lenders offer any kind of environmental mortgage; and therefore calls upon all mortgage providers to heed the request of the All Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group and the Department for Communities and Local Government to offer such products forthwith.”
The EDM, laid on 8 January 2007, has 69 signatures to date and can be viewed here
EDM 660 - New Business for Post Offices is sponsored by Albert Owen MP (Lab, Ynys Môn)
“That this House values the post office network and the key services it provides to rural and urban communities; acknowledges that the network has a social value as well as an economic role; is concerned by the scale of the Post Office closure plans; calls on banks and building societies to work with Post Office Ltd to introduce and expand financial services products such as ATMs across the network; and calls on Government Whitehall departments, the devolved administrations and local councils to use the network to deliver its services to generate additional income and enhance the role of Crown and sub-post offices.”
The EDM, laid on 17 January 2007, had 94 signatures to date and can be viewed here
EDM 909 - Bank Profits and Charges is sponsored by Mike Weir MP (SNP, Angus)
That this House notes the record profits made by Barclays Bank and the expectation that the other major banks are also to announce record profits; further notes that several banks intend to introduce charges on some bank accounts; believes that the nature of such charges, avoidance of which depends on having or holding relatively large sums in accounts would impact most on those on low incomes who have limited funds in their accounts at any one time and will especially hit pensioners and benefit recipients who now receive payments through banks; and calls upon the banks to abandon such plans and upon the Government to ensure that the replacement scheme for the Post Office Card Account allows free banking for those in receipt of pensions and benefits.
The EDM, laid on 20 February 2007, has 29 signatures to date and can be viewed here
EDM 915 - Mortgage Arrangement Fees is sponsored by Steve Webb MP, (Lib Dem, Northavon)
“That this House notes with concern the trend of increasing levels of arrangement fees associated with new mortgage products; further notes that high arrangement fees are being used to subsidise low headline interest rates so as to ensure that mortgage products appear in best buy tables, even where such mortgages are not the best buy once account is taken of the fees charged; further notes that in press advertisements the low headline interest rate is given considerable prominence whilst the high arrangement fee is given less prominence; further notes that these questionable promotional practices occur at a time of growing mortgage arrears, repossessions and repossession orders; is concerned that poorly advised homebuyers may be attracted by such low headline rates which may not be good value for money; is particularly concerned by the recent product advertised by the Halifax Bank which had an arrangement fee of £1,999; and calls on the financial services industry to ensure that all of the key elements of a mortgage deal are given equal prominence and to take other steps to ensure that homebuyers are not sold inappropriate mortgage products.”
The EDM, laid on 20 February 2007, has 39 signatures to date and can be viewed here
EDM 940 - Excessive Bank Profits is sponsored by John McDonnell MP (Lab, Glenrothes)
“That this House calls upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer to bring forward proposals for a windfall tax on the excessive profits of banks currently being declared and to use this tax revenue to tackle poverty amongst children and pensioners.”
The EDM, laid on 21 February 2007, has 19 signatures to date and can be viewed here
EDM 956 - Bank Accounts is sponsored by Colin Breed MP (Lib Dem, South East Cornwall)
“That this House deplores the practice of high street banks arbitrarily giving notice to customers to close their bank accounts for requesting an explanation of bank charges which have been levied; and calls upon the banks to cease this practice forthwith and comply with the banking code.”
The EDM, laid on 22 February 2007, has 28 signatures to date and can be viewed here
EDM 960 - First Direct Bank Charges is sponsored by Alan Meale MP (Lab, Mansfield)
“That this House is concerned that First Direct Bank, a subsidiary of HSBC, has decided to levy a charge of £10 per month per current account for all its customers' current accounts which do not have a minimum sum of £1,500 deposited each month, savings of the same amount or where customers do not have other services, such as mortgages and credit cards; and believes that such levies should not be imposed without the explicit agreement of its customers.”
The EDM, laid on 22 February 2007, has 27 signatures to date and can be viewed here
EXISTING EDMS
| EDM Title | EDM Number | Date Laid | Primary Sponsor | Number of Signatures |
| Bank Charges | 105 | 15/11/06 | Mike Hancock MP | 38 |
| Campaign to Protect Rural England against Land Banking | 494 | 13/12/06 | Greg Mulholland MP | 47 |
| Bank Charges No. (2) | 500 | 13/12/06 | Jim Sheridan MP | 90 |
