HC Deb 25 February 1998 vol 307 cc257-8W
24. Mr. Dobbin

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what are her Department's plans for promoting ethical trading; and if she will make a statement. [29635]

Clare Short

I am keen to do all I can to support the ethical trading movement which provides a channel through which the working conditions of poor people in the supply chains of UK importers can be improved.

In the UK, we have provided £500,000 to support the work of the Ethical Trading Initiative which includes many of the major UK retail chains and other private sector partners, NGOs and trade unions. They are working together on methods of monitoring the implementation of voluntary codes for ethical sourcing and on developing a positive engagement between importers and their suppliers. I am also promoting fairly traded goods. We are working with partners overseas on these issues and, as our ideas on ethical trading develop, I envisage this aspect of our work expanding.