Government blocks Corporates Bill2 February 2004
Last Friday the Government 'talked out' our Performance of Companies and Government Departments (Reporting) Bill - an action we had anticipated due to leaks from civil servants within the Department of Trade and Industry.
Although our Bill was defeated, there was still a robust 38 minute debate putting our arguments in Hansard - Parliament's record of debates. Friends of the Earth was mentioned, as was the CORE Coalition of which we are a founding member
The Conservatives stated that they would be happy to allow the Bill through to Committee stage, as did the Liberal Democrats; alas the Government was not willing to go this far.
Mike O'Brien, Minister for Trade and Industry, talked out the Bill - the debate needed to be finished by 2.30 for the Bill to pass through to Committee, at this point however the Minister was still talking and thus the Bill was blocked.
What happens now?
Technically at this stage the Bill is not dead in the water and March 26 was named to continue the 'Second Reading' debate, although the chances of there being sufficient time for further debate on that day are extraordinarily slim.
During this week we will be tabling a parliamentary petition (Early Day Motion) which will express regret that the Bill was blocked, and challenge the Government to move as quickly as possible to introduce laws that require big companies to report on their environmental impacts.
We will need your help to:
- get as many MPs to sign as possible.
- persuade your MP to lobby the Government to stop blocking measures to require reporting, and instead to live up to their commitments to make companies report on their impacts.
Please visit this page next week to get all the details.
