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Company Law Reform Bill [Lords]

I wish to say at the outset that we in Plaid Cymru subscribe to the principles promoted by the Trade Justice Movement and the Corporate Responsibility Coalition. To echo the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Caton), we also believe that companies should adopt ethical and responsible corporate behaviour and that they should adhere to the three principles reported in the newspapers today. They should report on the social and environmental impacts of their activities. People overseas harmed by a UK company who are denied justice in their own country should have the right to take legal action in the UK. I was disappointed with the response that my hon. Friend the Member for Angus (Mr. Weir) received on that point from the Secretary of State earlier. My hon. Friend talked about globalisation and the Secretary of State responded that somehow as a Scottish nationalist my hon. Friend was not entitled to make internationalist points. My hon. Friend and I believe that the need for responsible behaviour by British companies overseas is a fundamental principle and would provide a clear signal to companies everywhere that globalisation does not give us the right to dump our problems overseas.