FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT

Early day motion 930, tabled 21 February 2007 by Mark Lazarowicz (Labour). Signed by 136 members.

That this House recognises the value of Fairtrade in getting a better deal for poor people from trade; welcomes the fact that the number of producer organisations in developing countries now selling into UK markets has grown to more than 350; welcomes Fairtrade Fortnight from 26th February to 11th March, with the theme Change Today, Choose Fairtrade; notes the continued steady growth in both sales of products and consumer awareness and congratulates the 240 Fairtrade towns, villages, cities and boroughs, and more than 200 further communities running Fairtrade awareness campaigns; calls on all hon. Members to support their local events during the fortnight; further calls on the Government to mainstream procurement of Fairtrade products across all Government departments and public authorities and to move from using only tea and coffee to incorporation of the wider Fairtrade product range; and calls on the Government to identify mechanisms to increase availability of healthy Fairtrade produce in the education sector.

Signatures by party: Labour 91, Liberal Democrat 24, Conservative 14, DUP 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.