Help at hand for the slave weavers robbed of childhood: Harrods: Correction

An article on conditions in the Indian carpet industry (Independent, 2 January) referred to a new carpet said to have been supplied by Harrods.

We have been assured by Harrods that the store had no connection whatsoever with the carpet and that for some years Harrods has taken regular steps to ensure that the carpets sold to it by its suppliers are not made by child labour.

We accept these assurances and apologise unreservedly to Harrods for any embarrassment our article may have caused. We also accept that Harrods and its proprietors have long been devoted to children's charities at home and abroad and we have accordingly agreed to make donations to the Children's Emancipation Society in New Delhi, which works on behalf of child labourers, ChildLine, which works to eradicate child abuse in this country and the Karim Centre for Meningitis Research at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London, W6 in recognition of our error.