§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has made and plans to make to countries which export goods to Britain manufactured using children or adults who are not paid a living wage;
(2) what plans he has to deal with the threat faced by the British textile and footwear industry from unfair competition from imports produced with cheap and exploited labour;
(3) what plans he has to determine which imports into Britain have been produced using forced child labour and to take steps to ban such imports.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 11 November 1991]: The Government urge all states who have ratified international instruments covering slavery, servitude, forced labour and similar institutions and practices to meet their obligations under those instruments, and also urges those states who have not done so to ratify at the earliest opportunity. This is carried out by the Government at all levels.
I am not aware of any specific cases which would justify making representations of the sort that the hon. Member mentions. Moreover, there would be severe practical difficulties in trying to identify goods which had been produced with allegedly forced or sweated labour, given the varied and complex channels of production and distribution in the textile and footwear industries. Customers can, of course, determine for themselves the acceptability of buying any particular product which may otherwise be lawfully supplied.
459WMore generally, it is highly doubtful whether social conditions can be improved by restricting trade; indeed, opening up trade is more likely to contribute to economic growth in the developing world, which is a prime objective of the current GATT Uruguay round negotiations, and thus help to improve social conditions in those countries. Labour costs do not of themselves create unfair competition. Where competition is genuinely unfair, appropriate trade policy measures will remain available. The export interests of UK industry, including the textile and footwear sector, which has a meritorious record in this respect, also have to be borne in mind in striking the final balance.