§ 57. Major STEELasked the Minister of Labour what steps are taken to ensure that resolutions agreed to by the International Labour Office., and ratified by the British Government, should also be ratified and put into operation by the Governments of those countries whose representatives have agreed to them?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe Treaty of Versailles imposes no obligation on members of the International Labour Organisation to ratify draft conventions or accept recommendations adopted by the International Labour Conference, even if the Government delegates of the member have voted for the draft convention or recommendation, but it is 1819 provided that members shall, within a specified period, bring the recommendation or draft convention before the authority or authorities within whose competence the matter lies for the enactment of legislation or other action. It is possible for a State to ratify a given convention with the proviso that the ratification shall not take effect until other States have also ratified, and the Government is now considering what steps can best be taken, whether by this or other means, to secure that conventions ratified by this country shall also be ratified by the other States chiefly affected by their provisions.