I should like to present this petition on behalf of some of my constituents in Reading, East.

The petition states:

The Petition of persons resident in the Reading East parliamentary constituency,

Declares that they are concerned about the recommendations of the Badman Report, which suggests closer monitoring of home educators, including a compulsory annual registration scheme and right of access to people’s homes for local authority officials; further declares that the Petitioners believe the recommendations are based on a review that was extremely rushed, failed to give due consideration to the evidence, failed to ensure that the data it collected were sufficiently robust, and failed to take proper account of the existing legislative framework.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families either not to bring forward, or to withdraw, proposed legislative measures providing for tighter registration and monitoring of children educated at home in the absence of a thorough independent inquiry into the condition and future of elective home education in England; but instead to take the steps necessary to ensure that the existing Elective Home Education Guidelines for Local Authorities are properly implemented, learning from current best practice, in all local authorities in England.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

[P000700]

On behalf of my constituents in Gloucester, I should like to present this petition, which objects to the building of the 10-storey incinerator that has been proposed by Conservative-run Gloucestershire county council. It calls for the removal of incineration from the waste plan. The petition, and other associated petitions, have been signed by 1,160 of my constituents in Gloucester. I am delighted that three of Gloucestershire’s Members of Parliament are here to support it.

The petition states:

The Petition of residents of Gloucester and surrounding areas, and others,

Declares that the Petitioners believe that the County Council is proposing to build a large scale incinerator in or around Gloucester capable of burning 175,000 tonnes of waste, much of which could be imported from around the country.

Further declares that the Petitioners believe that other options have not been given sufficient consideration, and that local councillors should oppose incineration and should consider other more environmentally friendly options instead.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to call upon the City and County Councils to rule out incineration from Gloucestershire’s waste plan.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

[P000708]