§ 2.41 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SIMONMy Lords, I should like to put to the Lord Chancellor a Question of which I have given him private notice—namely, with reference to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which was prepared at Strasbourg and has been signed on behalf of this country, whether the statement which appears to have been made in another place to the effect that, in view of the signature, "there are no further legal steps to be taken because the signature is the ratification" is correct; and whether it is not the case that signature and subsequent ratification are, by the terms of the Convention, distinct steps and that ratification as well as signature is needed if the Convention is to be binding on this country, provided that not less than ten instruments of ratification are deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VIS-COUNT JOWITT)My Lords, it is perfectly correct that under the terms of the Convention ratification is required. The Convention comes into force after the deposit of ten ratifications. The statement made in another place was made in error. Having regard to the complications of this particular function, and the nature of the work which falls on the Foreign 272 Secretary, it is not surprising that on this occasion he made a slight mistake.
§ VISCOUNT SIMONMy Lords, I am obliged to the noble and learned Viscount for his reply. I can well under-stand the explanation, but it seems to me just as well to get the matter stated quite correctly by the highest authority.