HC Deb 13 February 1969 vol 777 cc1569-70

Q9. Mr. Thorpe asked the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government now plans to ratify the United Nations Convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination.

Mr. M. Stewart

I have been asked to reply.

I am glad to inform the House that Her Majesty's Government have decided that the United Kingdom shall ratify this Convention. The Instrument of Ratification will be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the very near future.

Mr. Thorpe

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that statement will give pleasure in many parts of the House, and will command widespread support? Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there is no foundation for the suggestion that the passage of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act infringes Article 5 of the Convention which says that every State shall ensure the right of a national to return to his own country, and indeed his own right of nationality?

Mr. Stewart

We are satisfied that the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts, both of them, do not infringe this Convention, and we shall make this point clear at the time of our ratification.

Mr. Whitaker

Does the ratification apply to territory of Rhodesia of which we are the legal Government, and what steps are the Government taking to see that it is correctly applied there?

Mr. Stewart

My hon. Friend knows that this is part of the general Rhodesian problem. At present Rhodesia in in the hands of an unlawful régime. We are not in a position to establish the human rights that we would wish to maintain in that country.

Mr. Evelyn King

Would the right hon. Gentleman tell us how many other Commonwealth countries have ratified or are ratifying this Convention?

Mr. Stewart

Not without notice.

Mr. Howie

Can we have an assurance that our ratification of this Convention will be binding on the Leader of the Opposition?

Mr. Stewart

I do not think that I can give that assurance.

Mr. Paget

Would my right hon. Friend tell us what effect ratification in these circumstances has? It does not make the Convention part of our domestic law. Does it make it part of anything else?

Mr. Stewart

The way these things work is as follows. In international gatherings, Conventions of this kind are drafted and argued about. They set up standards of conduct which some nations manage to attain while others are on their way. It is because these standards are set up that we and other countries then carefully examine our practices to see that we are in line with the civilised world. That is what it is all for.