OXFAM AND THE LISBON TREATY

Motion Text

That this House notes that in an e-mail sent to the hon. Member for Glasgow South West on 17th January Oxfam states that it `. . . has no stance on whether or not the EU Treaty is adopted . . . these issues are ouside our competence and mandate'; notes that Oxfam was cited by the Foreign Secretary in the Second Reading Debate of 21st January 2008 as an organisation supporting the development co-operation measures in the Treaty as part of an argument that Parliament should pass the European Union (Amendment) Bill; notes also that the e-mail goes on to state that `. . . on the Treaty . . . there are . . . a number of caveats and concerns, which we and other development NGOs have raised'; and believes that this clarification of the position of Oxfam should be declared when citing the support of this organisation in relation to EU development policy and Lisbon Treaty matters.