BANANA TRADE

Early day motion 251, tabled 27 January 1999 by Gordon Marsden (Labour). Signed by 95 members.

That this House recognises the crucial contribution made to the economies of the Windward Caribbean Islands by the production of bananas, recognised under the Lome Convention; deplores the attempts by American multinational banana producers to squeeze out the small scale Caribbean independent farmers who produce sweeter and superior bananas from the European market by pressuring the World Trade Organisation to that effect; is indignant at the heavy-handed tactics from the US Government threatening sanctions against British and other EU small businesses in support of this; applauds the British and French governments for resisting these pressures to date; and urges the British Government to continue its robust stance in defending the livelihoods of small scale banana producers in the Caribbean and Africa.

Signatures by party: Labour 78, Liberal Democrat 11, Conservative 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, UUP 2.