FAIR, JUST AND FREE TRADE

Early day motion 857, tabled 25 October 2005 by Lord Howard of Lympne (Conservative). Signed by 107 members.

That this House believes that a fair and just world trading system is vital if poverty is to be eradicated; recognises the devastating effects that protectionist policies in developed countries, particularly the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and US farm subsidies, currently have on the ability of people in poor countries to trade their way out of poverty; recognises the failure of protectionist policies to reduce poverty; and believes that the British Government should champion the benefits of free trade and push the EU and US to scrap their immoral and hypocritical trade subsidies and tariffs, particularly in the agricultural sector, in order to secure a breakthrough in world trade talks in Hong Kong in December.

Signatures by party: Conservative 91, Liberal Democrat 8, DUP 5, Labour 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UUP 1.