A Government minister has called on UK clothes retailers to "assume responsibility" for the conditions in which garments are manufactured in the poor world, as he visited victims of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh.
Alan Duncan announced £18 million in British funding for safety and skills training for Bangladeshi workers, and said that existing UK aid will be spent on the enforcement of building standards, while Britain will provide a team of experts to review the country's building inspection system.
More than 1,100 people were killed when the building collapsed
More than 1,100 people were killed when the Rana Plaza complex in Savar collapsed on 24 April, and around 2,500 more were rescued from the building, which housed many operations producing low-cost garments for Western companies.
Visiting survivors at Savar's Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, which is supported by UK aid, international development minister Alan Duncan said: "I have been incredibly moved by the courage of the people I have met today, many of whom lay trapped for days and sustained appalling injuries.
"The Rana Plaza factory collapse was devastating in its scale and, along with factory fires, must be taken as a wake-up call to all of us. Safety and standards must be made to catch up with the rapid growth in the garment sector, which is a massive success story and must not be allowed to go sour.
"The industry has been built from nothing in the past 30 years and now needs to be turned into a long-term development success, which means that urgent action is needed across the sector.
Alan Duncan said the government was prepared to commit more funds to aid Bangladesh
"Our own high street brands must assume responsibility for their products, from the store right back to the sewing machine, and the UK is ready to help make this happen."
Mr Duncan said that the Department for International Development was ready to commit funding towards initiatives that see buyers, manufacturers, workers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the government of Bangladesh work together to agree a set of common compliance standards to bring accountability to the supply chain, health and safety to workers and robustly enforced construction standards to the buildings in which they work.
He also toured the Babylon factory, which produces clothes for Tesco and other UK buyers, and raised the issue of garment workers' conditions at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Woman found alive in Bangladesh rubble 17 days after collapse
Reshma Begum(01 of23)
Bangladeshi army doctors and other officers sit beside as Reshma Begum, center, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building talks to the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum said Monday that she will never again work in a Bangladesh garment factory. Nearly three weeks after the Bangladesh garment-factory building collapsed, the search for the dead ended Monday at the site of the worst disaster in the history of the global garment industry. The death toll: 1,127. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
Reshma Begum(02 of23)
Reshma Begum, center, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building talks to the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum spoke to reporters Monday from the hospital where she is being treated. She told them she never expected to be rescued alive, and she vowed, "I will not work in a garment factory again." (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
Reshma Begum(03 of23)
Reshma Begum, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building speaks to the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum said Monday that she will never again work in a Bangladesh garment factory. Nearly three weeks after the Bangladesh garment-factory building collapsed, the search for the dead ended Monday at the site of the worst disaster in the history of the global garment industry. The death toll: 1,127. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
Reshma Begum(04 of23)
Reshma Begum, center, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building, sitting in a wheelchair, meets the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum said Monday that she will never again work in a Bangladesh garment factory. Nearly three weeks after a Bangladesh garment-factory building collapsed, the search for the dead ended Monday at the site of the worst disaster in the history of the global garment industry. The death toll: 1,127. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
Reshma Begum(05 of23)
Reshma Begum, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building, adjusts her shawl as she meets the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum said Monday that she will never again work in a Bangladesh garment factory. Nearly three weeks after the Bangladesh garment-factory building collapsed, the search for the dead ended Monday at the site of the worst disaster in the history of the global garment industry. The death toll: 1,127. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(06 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(07 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(08 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(09 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(10 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(11 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(12 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(13 of23)
Rescuers carry a survivor pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Saver, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed the woman buried for 17 days inside the wreckage of a garment factory building that collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Soldiers at the site said her name was Reshma and described her as being in remarkably good shape despite her ordeal. (AP Photo/Parvez Ahmad Rony) (credit:AP)
(14 of23)
In this image taken from a TV footage released by AP video, a woman survivor lies down on a hospital bed in Dhaka as she was rescued out of a collapsed building in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. The woman buried in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building for 17 days was rescued Friday, a miraculous moment set against a scene of unimaginable horror where the death toll is more than 1,000 and still rising. (AP Photo/Somoy TV via AP Video) BANGLADESH OUT (credit:AP)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(15 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(16 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(17 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(18 of23)
Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(19 of23)
Rescuers carry a survivor pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Saver, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed the woman buried for 17 days inside the wreckage of a garment factory building that collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Soldiers at the site said her name was Reshma and described her as being in remarkably good shape despite her ordeal. (AP Photo/Parvez Ahmad Rony) (credit:AP)
(20 of23)
Rescuers carry a survivor pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Saver, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed the woman buried for 17 days inside the wreckage of a garment factory building that collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Soldiers at the site said her name was Reshma and described her as being in remarkably good shape despite her ordeal. (AP Photo/Parvez Ahmad Rony) (credit:AP)
(21 of23)
EDS NOTE ALTERNATIVE CROP OF DEL135 -- Rescuers carry a survivor pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Saver, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed the woman buried for 17 days inside the wreckage of a garment factory building that collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Soldiers at the site said her name was Reshma and described her as being in remarkably good shape despite her ordeal. (AP Photo/Parvez Ahmad Rony) (credit:AP)
(22 of23)
In this image taken from a TV footage released by AP video, rescuers carry a woman survivor out of a collapsed building in a right screen in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed a woman buried for 17 days inside a prayer room in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building. The amazing rescue took place Friday as the death toll from the disaster raced past 1,000, making it one of the worst industrial tragedies in history. (AP Photo/Somoy TV via AP Video) BANGLADESH OUT (credit:AP)
(23 of23)
In this image taken from a TV footage released by AP video, rescuers carry a woman survivor out of a collapsed building in a right screen in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed a woman buried for 17 days inside a prayer room in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building. The amazing rescue took place Friday as the death toll from the disaster raced past 1,000, making it one of the worst industrial tragedies in history. (AP Photo/Somoy TV via AP Video) BANGLADESH OUT (credit:AP)
Bangladesh Factory Collapse (UPDATED)
(01 of23)
Bangladeshi garment workers set fire to furniture from a police control room during a protest against the collapse of an eight-story building that housed several garment factories and poor working conditions of the employees, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took into custody five people in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, as rescue workers pulled out 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(02 of23)
Bangladeshi policemen walk after chasing garment workers protesting against the collapse of an eight-story building that housed several garment factories and their employees, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took into custody five people in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, as rescue workers pulled out 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(03 of23)
A Bangladeshi Muslim rescue worker prays on the rubble of a building that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh arrested two owners of a garment factory in a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, killing at least 324 people, as protests spread to a second city Saturday with hundreds of people throwing stones and setting fire to vehicles. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) (credit:AP)
(04 of23)
A girl cries for her missing mother at the site of the garment building factory that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took five people into custody in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building this week, as rescue workers pulled 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) (credit:AP)
(05 of23)
Women carry portraits of missing relatives at the site of the garment factory building that collapsed Wednesday, in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took five people into custody in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building this week, as rescue workers pulled 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes. (AP Photo/Ismail Ferdous) (credit:AP)
(06 of23)
A man watches while rescue workers search for survivors at a garment factory building that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took five people into custody in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building this week, as rescue workers pulled 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes.(AP Photo/Ismail Ferdous) (credit:AP)
(07 of23)
A Bangladeshi man holds a picture of a relative missing in a building that collapsed Wednesday hold pictures of loved ones at a makeshift morgue in a schoolyard in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh arrested two owners of a garment factory in a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, killing at least 324 people, as protests spread to a second city Saturday with hundreds of people throwing stones and setting fire to vehicles. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) (credit:AP)
(08 of23)
A Bangladeshi rescue worker directs others as they search in the rubble of a building that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh arrested two owners of a garment factory in a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, killing at least 324 people, as protests spread to a second city Saturday with hundreds of people throwing stones and setting fire to vehicles. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) (credit:AP)
(09 of23)
Relatives mourn a victim at the site where an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The building collapsed near Bangladesh's capital Wednesday morning, killing dozens of people and trapping many more in the rubble, officials said. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(10 of23)
People and rescuers gather after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(11 of23)
People and rescuers gather after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(12 of23)
Rescuers assist an injured woman after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(13 of23)
Rescue workers carry a victim's body after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(14 of23)
Rescue workers look for survivors after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(15 of23)
A man who was trapped in an collapsed eight-story building housing several garment factories is reccued in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(16 of23)
Rescue workers pull a woman out from the rubbles after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(17 of23)
Rescue workers and people look for survivors after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(18 of23)
Relatives mourn a victim at the site after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(19 of23)
Rescuers carry a woman after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(20 of23)
Rescue workers carry a young victim's body after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(21 of23)
Rescue workers use pieces of clothes to bring down a survivor after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The building collapsed near Bangladesh's capital Wednesday morning, killing dozens of people and trapping many more in the rubble, officials said. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(22 of23)
A man who was trapped in an eight-story building housing several garment factories is rescued after the structure collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The building collapsed near Bangladesh's capital Wednesday morning, killing dozens of people and trapping many more in the rubble, officials said. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(23 of23)
Rescue workers use clothes to bring down survivors and bodies after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The building collapsed near Bangladesh's capital Wednesday morning, killing dozens of people and trapping many more in the rubble, officials said. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)