Early Day Motion·EDM 1724

EU SUGAR REGIME

13 October 200446 Signatures

Primary sponsor

Ms Diane Abbott

LabourHackney North and Stoke Newington

Motion Text

That this House notes the recent proposal by the European Commission to overhaul the internal European Union sugar regime; supports these proposals in principle, but recognises the very serious effect they will have on the Caribbean; believes that the collapse of the sugar industry in a country like Jamaica will inevitably lead to high level of male unemployment, social alienation and disorder, and that the effects will reverberate in inner city communities in Britain; further notes that Jamaica and other Caribbean sugar producers are doing their best to restructure and modernise; and in the light of this asks the Government to give the Caribbean a larger period than currently proposed to adjust to the new regime.