§ 41. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's Government will introduce legislation during the present session of Parliament to ratify the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
§ Mr. SimonIt is proposed to introduce the necessary legislation to enable these Conventions to be ratified. The legislation will be introduced as soon as 521 possible, but I can give no undertaking that that will be during the present Session.
§ Mr. BrockwayI thank the Under-Secretary for that reply, but as the International Red Cross Conference is to be held in New Delhi during the course of this year, and as the British delegate will be the only delegate from any nation of any considerable influence which will not have ratified these Conventions, is it not time to introduce a Bill during the present Session, because the whole House would give it very warm endorsement?
§ Mr. SimonI am not anxious to make any commitment, but I hear what the hon. Gentleman says and do undertake to draw it to the attention of my right hon. Friend on his return.
§ Dame Irene WardMay I be associated with the remarks from the other side of the House? May I ask my hon. and learned Friend if he will ensure that legislation is introduced this Session, as it seems to me that it should be? Could I have an answer?
§ Mr. SimonI really think that I answered my hon. Friend's supplementary in answering that of the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Brockway)——
§ Dame Irene WardIt was not good enough.
§ Mr. Simon—but I will draw also to the attention of my right hon. Friend what my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) says.
§ Mr. YoungerWill the Under-Secretary of State make sure that his right hon. Friend understands that there is considerable feeling on all sides of the House—and has been, indeed, for a number of years past—that it will be rather a humiliating situation if we cannot take the necessary action before this conference is held in October?