Early Day Motions are a way of indicating support in the British Parliament for particular policies. Bills can only be introduced by the government or by a few MPs who are selected in the ballot for Private Members Bills. Hence the EDMs are often on of the few ways MPs can collectively express their views on issues. Although in themselves they have no legislative force, EDMs can exert influence on policy formulation.

So far 3 EDMs have been tabled, each recieving signatures from all three major parties, and also support from the smaller welsh and northern irish parties.

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2003/4 Parliament

(3) EDM 138 Tabled by Barry Gardiner MP (Labour) on 27/11/03

That this House notes that the creditor countries of the Paris Club estimate that Iraq's sovereign debt amounts to more than US$21 thousand million and, mindful that IMF rules regard debt of twice annual export income as unsustainable for HIPC counties, whereas Iraq's debt represents 10 times that country's projected export income for 2004, concludes that Iraq's debt is unsustainable; further welcomes and supports Jubilee Iraq's proposals for debt cancellation; applauds Her Majesty's Government and the US Government's support for the more generous Evian approach to debt forgiveness; and urges the four largest of the 19 Paris Club creditor countries, namely France, Germany, Japan and Russia, who between them lay claim to US$13 thousand million of the debts lent to support Saddam Hussein, to remember the benefit they received under the United States Marshall Plan and to be equally generous in their approach to debt cancellation in Iraq

(37 signatures as of 10/12/03 - Check to see who has signed)

2002/3 Parliament

(2) EDM 1861 Iraqi Reparations: Harry Cohen MP (Labour) on 3/11/03

That this House notes with dismay that on 16th October the United Nations Compensation Commission paid out another $196,246,476.95 of Iraq's money to 26 governments and three international organisations for distribution to 1,395 claimants; further notes that this brings the amount disbursed to almost $18 billion, making it probably the biggest reparations operation since Versailles; further notes that under the USA Patriot Act the federal government has confiscated $1.7 billion of Iraqi assets in the US; regards these continued reparation payments, confiscation of assets and refusal fully to write-off Iraqi debt in current circumstances as deplorable; further notes that the US controlled Iraq Development Fund falls a long way short of being properly accountable; and calls on the Government to make its position clear in the face of this scandal.

(29 signatures)

(2) EDM1066 Cancellation of Iraq's Debt: Mark Field MP (Conservative) on 14/4/03

That this House notes that Saddam Hussein's regime accumulated almost $400bn of debt and reparations claims; believes that these are "odious" since the regime was oppressive and illegitimate; welcomes the Jubilee Iraq call for cancellation of these financial obligations so that the liberated Iraqi people are not made to pay the bill for the wars and oppression they suffered under Saddam; and would also encourage a reciprocal cancellation - by the future democratic government of Iraq - of debts owed to Iraq by other highly indebted poor countries; and urges Her Majesty's Government to use all its influence in The Coalition and with creditors to ensure that none of Saddam's financial obligations pass on to the soon-to-be-formed democratic government of Iraq, in line the with Prime Minister's promises to the Iraqi people of freedom and renewed prosperity.

(40 signatures)