HL Deb 18 May 1998 vol 589 cc147-8WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will propose to the United Nations Human Rights Commission that documents submitted to the Commission be given the date on which they are first published, and not the date on which they were submitted. [HL1761]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)

No. We do not consider such a change would make any difference to the prompt circulation of documents. We have made clear to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights our concerns over the late publication of reports, and will continue to work for improvements in this area.