BONDED LABOUR

Early day motion 81, tabled 12 December 2000 by Eddie McGrady (Social Democratic and Labour Party). Signed by 127 members.

That this House is appalled by the United Nations estimate that some 20 million people are living in slavery around the world under the bonded labour system; expresses its concern over the repeated failures of governments like Pakistan, India and Nepal to take adequate measures to eradicate the use of bonded labour in their countries; calls on the British and Irish Governments to work with their European Union partners to sponsor a resolution at the next United Nations Commission on Human Rights condemning this practice; and urges the International Labour Organisation to ensure at its Conference in June 2001 that independent and comprehensive surveys into the extent of bonded labour are carried out in countries where it persists.

Signatures by party: Labour 81, Liberal Democrat 20, UUP 7, Labour/Co-operative 6, DUP 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Conservative 1, Independent 1, Scottish National Party 1, UKUP 1, Unknown 1.