TSUNAMI AND FREE TRADE CONCERNS

Early day motion 706, tabled 9 February 2005 by Parmjit Gill (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 32 members.

That this House notes the excellent effort on the part of the people of Leicester and the British public in general, together with the international community, to ameliorate the effects of the Asian tsunami; welcomes the proposed appointment of Bill Clinton at the UN to continue this effort; is concerned that of the $1 billion of aid pledged, some $900 million will have been paid back to the West by Sri Lanka and Indonesia alone, under current international trading conditions, according to Dr Daleep Mukarji of Christian Aid; believes this outlines the need to think more seriously about striking an equitable balance between free and fair trade and that it is only by addressing this structural element of world poverty that the Make Poverty History initiative will be truly realised; and calls on the Government to use its presidency of the G8 and the EU to take a leading role in this regard.

Signatures by party: Labour 15, Liberal Democrat 12, Plaid Cymru 2, Conservative 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, UUP 1.