SLAVERY IN COCOA PRODUCTION

Early day motion 1440, tabled 13 June 2002 by Baroness King of Bow (Labour). Signed by 124 members.

That this House deplores the use of slavery and forced labour in cocoa production; notes UNICEF figures of 10 to 15,000 children trafficked into the Cote d'Ivoire alone; further notes that cocoa producers in West Africa are often consigned to poverty as a result of low and fluctuating cocoa prices; further notes average annual United Kingdom consumption of seven kilos per head representing a market of ú4 billion; welcomes Government and industry initiatives to address the problem of child and forced labour; and calls upon them to make rapid progress in eliminating the worst labour practices in the production of chocolate.

Signatures by party: Labour 84, Liberal Democrat 19, Labour/Co-operative 10, Scottish National Party 4, UUP 3, Conservative 2, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.