§ 1. Viscount SANDONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Opium Convention has been ratified by the Government; if not, why it has been delayed and when it will be ratified; whit Governments have deposited ratifications at the League of Nations; whether the Convention has yet taken effect; and whether the Central Board has been set up?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Austen Chamberlain)The British ratifications of the Opium Agreement and Dangerous Drags Convention, signed at Geneva on the 11th and 19th February, 1925, respectively, were deposited with the League of Nations on 17th February. So far as His Majesty's Government are aware, no foreign Power has yet ratified the Agreement or Convention. Under Article 36 of the Convention, the Con- 1182 vention will not come into force until it has been ratified by ten Powers, and under Article 19, the Central Board will be appointed within three months from the coming into force of the Convention. Under Article 14 of the Opium Agreement, the Agreement will come into force on the ninetieth day after the receipt by the Secretariat-General of the League of Nations of ratifications by two Powers.
§ Viscount SANDONWhat is the difficulty which is causing this matter to be held up?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINWhat is holding the matter up is the fact that other Powers have not deposited their ratifications. I do not think there is anything which we can do.