Parliament Website

School Furniture And Pupil Back Care

EDM number 2747 in 2005-06, proposed by Paul Burstow on 16/10/2006.

That this House expresses concern that around 10 per cent. of teenagers are reporting back pain troublesome enough to visit their general practitioner or a physical therapist with eight per cent. (up to three per class) reporting some disability from recurrent or chronic symptoms; notes that these complaints are being exacerbated in no small part by ill-fitting and lowest cost furniture within schools, lack of locker space resulting in heavy load-carrying and a lack of adequate exercise during the school day; further notes that these complaints affect the performance, self-esteem and relationships and participation in school and sporting activities of these young people and, if not corrected, will often develop into longer-term back problems; further notes that much of this furniture currently used in schools, if used in the workplace, would be deemed illegal under existing health and safety legislation; and so calls upon the Government to facilitate the introduction of furniture into schools that is adjustable, can cater for the wide variation in height in a given age group and is ergonomically sound and conducive to a good sitting posture.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
Paul Burstow16/10/2006Sutton and CheamLiberal DemocratProposed
Andrew George16/10/2006St IvesLiberal DemocratSeconded
Paul Keetch17/10/2006HerefordLiberal DemocratSeconded
Lynne Jones17/10/2006Birmingham, Selly OakLabourSeconded
Annette Brooke17/10/2006Mid Dorset and North PooleLiberal DemocratSeconded
Vincent Cable17/10/2006TwickenhamLiberal DemocratSeconded
Harry Cohen17/10/2006Leyton and WansteadLabourSigned
Phil Willis18/10/2006Harrogate and KnaresboroughLiberal DemocratSigned
Alan Simpson19/10/2006Nottingham SouthLabourSigned
John Hemming19/10/2006Birmingham, YardleyLiberal DemocratSigned
Mark Williams19/10/2006CeredigionLiberal DemocratSigned
Ann Cryer20/10/2006KeighleyLabourSigned
Betty Williams23/10/2006ConwyLabourSigned
John Leech23/10/2006Manchester, WithingtonLiberal DemocratSigned
Lady Hermon24/10/2006North DownUUPSigned
David Taylor24/10/2006North West LeicestershireLabourSigned
Bill Etherington24/10/2006Sunderland NorthLabourSigned
Jim Dobbin24/10/2006Heywood and MiddletonLabourSigned
Simon Hughes25/10/2006North Southwark and BermondseyLiberal DemocratSigned
William McCrea25/10/2006South AntrimDUPSigned
Derek Conway25/10/2006Old Bexley & SidcupConservativeSigned
Hywel Francis25/10/2006AberavonLabourSigned
Helen Goodman25/10/2006Bishop AucklandLabourSigned
Paul Rowen25/10/2006RochdaleLiberal DemocratSigned
Janet Dean26/10/2006BurtonLabourSigned
Ben Wallace30/10/2006Lancaster and WyreConservativeSigned
Ian Gibson02/11/2006Norwich NorthLabourSigned
Martin Horwood06/11/2006CheltenhamLiberal DemocratSigned

Download raw data as csv or xml.