§ John BarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action his Department has taken to promote fair trade accreditation at UK universities. [138388]
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§ Alan JohnsonThe Government are committed to encouraging responsible trade and encourages all organisations to consider whether their purchasing policies can be adjusted to benefit the poor in developing countries. Through the Department for International Development, the Government have provided £0.5million to support UK development awareness and education campaigns centred around Fairtrade over the past two years. Higher education institutions are however independent, autonomous bodies, entirely responsible for their own trading arrangements, and we cannot directly influence their trading choices.