§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will study the report sent to him by the hon. Member for Thurrock detailing the exploitation of child factory workers by the Medonna Company of Tirapur in Tamil Nadu whose products are imported into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement as to what powers he has to(a) prevent this exploitation and (b) prevent such imports.
§ Mr. Ian TaylorMy right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has received no such report.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what powers he has to prevent the importation of garments from third-world countries which have been produced wholly or in part by workers being paid low wages or by child labour; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will raise with European Union Ministers the need to halt imports of products into the European Union that have been produced by the extensive use of child labour in third-world countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThe Government work consistently to promote ratification and observance of international agreements to curb the use of child labour. However, the practice primarily reflects poverty. It is more likely to be ended by maintaining open international trade so as to strengthen the economies of the countries concerned rather than by imposing import bans which would anyway face severe legal and practical difficulties. As to wage levels, these vary around the world and give poorer countries a competitive advantage in international markets. It is hard to see how they would be helped by import bans which would deny them this benefit.