CHURCH COMMISSIONERS' INVESTMENT IN ARMS COMPANIES

EDM number 841 in 1998-99, proposed by Norman Baker on 16/07/1999.

That this House welcomes the Church Commissioners' decision that they will not hold shares in British Aerospace on ethical grounds, and that therefore if they receive any such shares as a result of the purchase of GEC's defence wing, Marconi Electronic Systems, they will dispose of them; notes the continuing investment by the Commissioners and the Church of England Central Board of Finance in GKN, a company with substantial defence interests; further notes that GKN has recently sold military equipment to Indonesia, and is participating in a large European arms deal with South Africa, which has been criticised by South Africa's Anglican Primate, Archbishop Ndungane, and all the South African churches; and calls on the Church Commissioners to end completely their investment in arms-exporting companies, sell their shares in GKN, and tighten up their ethical investment policy so as to exclude all arms-exporting companies.

This motion has been signed by a total of 25 MPs.