BRAZILIAN MAHOGONY PRODUCTS

Motion Text

That this House calls on the UK Government to seize immediately all Brazilian mahogany timber and timber products currently held in or destined for United Kingdom ports in the light of the Brazilian Government's decision to suspend all trade in and export of mahogany; also calls on importers to cease using Brazilian mahogany and for retailers to halt immediately the sale of all Brazilian mahogany products by removing it from their stores; notes the Brazilian Government's assessment that 80 per cent. of logging in the Amazon is illegal; and further notes the concerns expressed by the Department for International Development in 1999 that 'Mahogany logging has been implicated in serious social disruption of indigenous communities, including assassination, alcohol and drug-related problems, increased prostitution and the spread of diseases'.