Trade and Human Rights

HC Deb 22 July 1996 vol 282 cc35-6W

Mr. MacShane

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his policy towards discussion of the linkage between world trade and human rights in developing countries at the World Trade Organisation. [36784]

Mr. Nelson

The UK Government are firmly opposed to abuses of fundamental human rights such as forced labour and the exploitation of child labour, wherever this occurs. But we believe that these should be tackled within the appropriate UN framework, which is the International Labour Organisation, and not by the World Trade Organisation.