FAIRTRADE COFFEE CHALLENGE

Early day motion 1739, tabled 5 November 1998 by Angela Smith. Signed by 53 members.

That this House congratulates the Fairtrade Foundation for its work in protecting the basic rights of overseas workers who are producing goods for sale in the United Kingdom; welcomes the Co-operative Bank's Fairtrade Coffee Challenge which ensures that all their employees have the chance to drink Fairtrade marked coffee; further welcomes the decision by many leading British companies to take up this challenge; urges United Kingdom vending companies and contract catering companies to offer Fairtrade marked coffees as part of their range; calls on leading food multinationals to include independently verified Fairtrade products in their range; congratulates the House of Commons Catering Committee's decision to supply Fairtrade coffee; and supports the work of the Secretary of State for International Development in promoting the issue of fair trade.

Signatures by party: Labour 29, Labour/Co-operative 12, Liberal Democrat 8, UUP 2, Plaid Cymru 1, Unknown 1.