UK Clothing Sector: Safety
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord Avebury
Viscount Younger of Leckie
I thank the noble Baroness for that. Indeed, it can be damaging for businesses. I know that many of them, including Primark, are already working extremely hard to help at the sharp end in Bangladesh in the aftermath of this terrible tragedy. Before I go on, can we not rejoice at the rescue of the seamstress a couple of days ago while remembering, of course, that 1,000 people died?
Many companies now have a corporate social responsibility department, and it is within that area that companies and businesses need to drive forward their responsibilities. From the Government’s perspective, in terms of reporting, we are bringing in from 1 October a mandatory report on human rights issues.
Lord Avebury
Will my noble friend consider asking the Bangladeshi authorities whether we could offer advice on ensuring that building regulations in Dhaka are fit for purpose and that inspectors police the enforcement of building regulations free of corruption?
Viscount Younger of Leckie
My noble friend makes a very important point. We welcome the statement by the Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary that Rana Plaza is “a turning point in Bangladesh’s history”. I know that the Bangladeshi Government have taken this dreadful tragedy extremely seriously. I understand that they have shut down 18 factories, some of which have reopened on the basis of rigorous safety certificates.