Mr. SHIRLEY BENNasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay upon the Table the Papers wherein the Government declared their intention of ratifying the Hague Convention before finding out the will of Parliament?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI do not know to what papers the hon. Member refers. Thirteen Conventions and one Declaration were signed by the British Representatives at the Second Peace Conference. Of these, eight Conventions and the Declaration, which did not require fresh municipal legislation, were ratified by the King on the advice of his responsible Ministers. The remainder require legislation, for which a Bill will shortly be introduced, and they will not be ratified by the King till the measure has been passed by the House of Commons. Where legislation is required, the carrying out of an intention to ratify any particular Convention is, of course, dependent upon the passing of that legislation by the House of Commons.
Mr. SHIRLEY BENNasked if, in case His Majesty should not ratify the Convention signed at the Hague in 1907, owing to Parliament not passing the necessary legislation, the Declaration of London would fall to the ground?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe Declaration of London will not be ratified, as has been repeatedly stated, till after there has been an opportunity for discussing it in the House. Till that has taken place, it is not necessary to consider the point raised in the question.