JOB LOSSES AT CADBURY

Early day motion 981, tabled 20 February 2008 by Dan Norris (Labour). Signed by 57 members.

That this House is alarmed at the proposal by Cadbury plc to close its Somerdale factory at Keynsham, Bristol, with a loss of more than 500 jobs and to reduce the workforce at Bourneville, West Midlands; notes that the work of both factories will be transferred to Poland where labour costs are only 18 per cent. of that of the UK; further notes that Cadbury's British operations are efficient and profitable and that the British workforce therefore faces the prospect of unemployment purely due to the desire to increase already large profits; and is concerned that the company's plans will lead to environmental harm because of the need to transport products from Poland to Britain, which constitutes more than 90 per cent. of the market for the products of the Keynsham and Bourneville factories.

Signatures by party: Labour 42, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 4, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.