FOOD SPECULATION

Early day motion 1015, tabled 16 November 2010 by Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 60 members.

That this House is concerned over recent food price volatility and inflation; expresses its sympathy with those affected by food price spikes in 2008 and 2010 especially some of the world's poorest people; notes reports this year by the World Bank, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food and the World Development Movement that show how deregulated speculation on commodity derivatives drives food price spikes and crashes with devastating consequences including malnutrition and starvation; and calls on the Government to support changes to the EU's Markets in Financial Instruments Directive to move over-the-counter derivatives trades onto centrally-cleared exchanges, and to impose position limits on market participants, so as to reduce price volatility and systemic risk.

Signatures by party: Labour 31, Liberal Democrat 18, DUP 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Alliance 1, Conservative 1, Green 1.