Agenda item

Motion Submitted by the Green Party Group - Greater Manchester Pension Fund and Trafford's involvement: Arms, Human Rights and International Law

Meeting of Council, Wednesday, 20th November, 2024 7.00 pm (Item 42.)

This Council notes:

- That the UK is one of the world’s biggest defence equipment exporters, selling £86 billion of arms between 2010 and 2019.

- That the Saudi Arabian military is the biggest single purchaser of UK arms, despite being accused of war crimes in Yemen.

- The Governments of Sweden and Germany have banned the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia, whilst the UK government continues to permit such exports and has repeatedly failed to stop selling weapons to rule breaking regimes.

- That over half a billion pounds of council pension funds across the country have been invested in the arms trade, and more is supporting companies and states that breach international law and carry out human rights abuses.

- This all seems in contravention of this claim in the Responsible Investment Policy of GMPF: “Embedded within GMPF’s approach to investment lies its responsibility to respect human rights...”

- GMPF holdings end of year 2023 include:

BAE SYSTEMS 9,117,418

HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL 1,027,511

TEXTRON 5,431,648

RTX CORPORATION 540,768

RTX CORPORATION 20,830,718

CATERPILLAR 2,719,342

BOEING 844,205

LEONARDO 1,356,445

THALES 22,543,801

DASSAULT 4,668,445

RHEINMETALL 6,111,897

Total: 75,192,198

- That councils like Waltham Forrest, Islington, Liverpool City Council and Inverclyde Council have backed motions calling on pension funds to divest from the arms trade.

This Council resolves that the Leader should write to the GMPF asking them to submit a report to as soon as practically possible to:

- Name investments in companies who are (i) associated with breaches of international law or human rights abuses, (ii) part of the arms industry, or (iii) operate within ‘occupied territory’ as defined by International law.

- Outline the engagement history by the fund or its partners with these companies and sectors.

- Explain how the fund’s Responsible Investment Policy should be applied to these companies with a view to potential divestment.

- Outline the impact of potential divestment from this sector.

Minutes:

(Notes:

1. Councillor Evans raised a point of order under procedure rule 11.3 about the validity of the Motion that had been submitted and following the advice of the legal officer, the Mayor ruled that the Motion may proceed.

2. The title of the Motion was altered with the consent of the meeting.

3. Councillor Butt declared an interest as a Member of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, remained in the meeting during consideration of the matter but did not speak or vote thereon.)

The Motion, Greater Manchester Pension Fund: Arms, Human Rights and International Law, as set out on the Summons and subject to the altered title, was moved and seconded.

Following a debate on the matter, the Motion was put to the vote and a recorded vote was called for, the result of which was as follows:

Those in favour of the Motion: Councillors Acton, Adshead, Axford, Babar, Baskerville, Bennett, Brotherton, G. Carter, K. Carter, Coggins, Cordingley, Cosby, Deakin, Gilbert, Glenton, Hartley, Hassan, Haughey, Hirst, Hornby, Hynes, Jerrome, Jones, Leicester, Lloyd, Maitland, O’Sullivan, Patel, Parker, K. Procter, S. Procter, Ross, Slater, S. Taylor, Thomas, Thompson, Savary, Spencer, Welton, Western, Williams, Winstanley and Wright.

Those against the Motion: Councillors Duncan, Eckersley, Evans, Hancock, Holden and Zhi.

Those choosing to abstain: Councillors Brophy, Ennis, Frass, Lepori, Minnis and Newgrosh.

With the result of the vote being 43 in favour and 6 against, with 6 abstentions and the Mayor and Councillors Butt and Harding choosing not to cast a vote, the Motion was declared carried.

RESOLVED: That this Council notes: