HC Deb 03 May 1898 vol 57 c181
MR. T. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General whether he can say if the assent of Her Majesty the Queen, on 8th April, 1856, to the signature by Lords Clarendon and Cowley of the Declaration of Paris, first proposed at the sitting of the Paris Conference on 8th April, 1856, and signed on 16th April, 1856, was conveyed by any, and, if so, by what document; and, if not, how it was conveyed; and whether the Declaration of Paris has ever been submitted to Her Majesty, or been ratified by Her Majesty, subsequently to its signature on 16th April, 1856?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir R. WEBSTER,) Isle of Wight

The draft of the Declaration of Paris was received by Her Majesty's Government on April 7th, 1856. The document was submitted to the Queen, and Her Majesty signified her approval to Lord Palmerston in writing on April 8th. There was no necessity to ratify the Declaration, which contains no ratification clause. It was laid before Parliament by command of Her Majesty.