Conduct Of Union Carbide Corporation

EDM number 67 in 1990-91, proposed by Toby Jessel on 13/11/1990.

That this House remembers that six years ago on 2nd-3rd December 1984, a cloud of highly toxic methyl isocyanate escaped from the Union Carbide Corporation plant in Bhopal, India, killing up to 3,700 people and injuring over 300,000; notes that: (a) recent medical evidence indicates that the people of Bhopal are increasingly suffering long-term ill-effects, and that methyl isocyanate is carcinogenic and mutagenic, (b) in accordance with internationally recognised legal standards, Union Carbide Corporation has a responsibility to pay adequate compensation to the families of those who suffered injury, death, or economic loss, (c) since then Union Carbide Corporation has been primarily concerned with minimising its accountability, (d) the February 1989 settlement of $470 million between Union Carbide Corporation and the former Indian Government has been rejected by the people of Bhopal and the V. P. Singh government as inadequate, and (e) according to a scientific report by the US National Toxic Campaign, Union Carbide Corporation continues to be a major discharger of toxic substances into the environment, and a major generator of hazardous waste; therefore supports the Indian Government's attempt to overturn the settlement so that all the issues of liability can be decided in an open court, or that Union Carbide Corporation be forced to pay more adequate compensation; and expresses amazement and concern that, in light of the Bhopal disaster, the company's conduct over the last six years and its continuing violation of environmental regulations, Union Carbide Corporation will be presenting a paper at a London conference on 14th November entitled Corporate Responsibility and How to Sustain Environmental Excellence.

This motion has been signed by a total of 42 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.