Anti-Personnel Landmines And The Co-Operative Bank Initiative

EDM number 146 in 1996-97, proposed by George Foulkes on 06/11/1996.

That this House notes the inhumane and destructive effects of the 110 million anti-personnel landmines currently laid in the world; further notes that at current rates of clearance it will take 1,100 years before they are all cleared from countries where they are a major blight on economic development and civilian safety; also notes that senior military figures such as Norman Schwarzkopf and Sir Peter de la Billiere have made clear that a ban on landmines would be militarily responsible; notes with pleasure the manifesto recently launched by the Co-operative Bank calling for an end to the financing of landmines; therefore calls for banks and financial institutions to agree that they will not in future finance or facilitate the manufacture, production, stockpiling and trade in any forms of anti-personnel landmines and their component parts and associated technology; urgest banking institutions to assist this goal through effective financial policing, involving the control of letters of credit and the monitoring of offshore and overseas branches and affiliates or parent companies; and urges Her Majesty's Government to support this embargo.

This motion has been signed by a total of 92 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.