Women (Discrimination) (Hansard, 7 July 1982)

§ 13. Miss Joan Lestor
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to have completed his consideration of whether the United Kingdom should ratify the United Nations convention on the elimination of discrimination against women.

§ Mr. Rifkind
We expect to be able to take a decision in respect of the United Kingdom soon. If it is confirmed that we can ratify in respect of the United Kingdom, it will then be necessary to consult the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the dependent territories to establish whether they would wish our ratification of the convention to apply to them.

§ Miss Lestor
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that that reply is similar to the one that was given in another place about five months ago? Is he further aware that we are now eight-tenths of the way through the United Nations decade for women and that 39 member States have already signed the convention? In view of the extensive discrimination against women that still exists in Britain, does the hon. Gentleman agree that it is of the utmost importance that it be signed as soon as possible?

§ Mr. Rifkind
The Government would like to make all due progress in the matter. The hon. Lady must appreciate that the original convention was drafted with some haste and that that has led to additional problems in our consideration of its terms for ratification purposes. Few European countries, indeed none of our Community partners, have yet felt able to ratify it.

§ Mr. Jessel
Since the hon. Lady succeeded in being elected to the House without Britain having ratified the convention, why should we now want to sign it?

§ Miss Lestor
Pathetic!

§ Mr. Rifkind
Irrespective of the hon. Lady's achievement in breaking through some of the traditional examples of discrimination, there is a school of thought that not all ladies have such complete freedom. That is what those who advanced the convention had in mind. We wish to take into account the legal implications of the convention for the United Kingdom before deciding whether ratification would be appropriate.