HL Deb 24 November 1966 vol 278 cc356-7

3.16 p.m.

BARONESS EMMET OF AMBERLEY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have ratified the United Nations Convention for the political rights of women; and, if not, why not, since the colonial difficulties no longer arise.]

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am glad to announce that as a result of their review of this question in the past year. Her Majesty's Government have decided that, with some reservations, the United Kingdom should accede to this Convention. This will be done in the near future.

BARONESS EMMET OF AMBERLEY

My Lords. I am most grateful to the noble Lord for his reply. As I was involved in this matter in 1952, it is rather nice to think that it is coming finally to a proper ending.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, before the noble Lord gets up, may I ask him what are the reservations?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, my noble friend may certainly ask, and I would refer her to the Statement on January 31 where they are mostly detailed. As I think the noble Lady knows, in the first place there were reservations about the position of certain dependent territories. Now most of those dependent territories are no longer dependent, and therefore the reservations relating to what remain of the dependent territories are fairly minor and we feel they can be accepted. In the case of the dependent territories another of the reservations will probably relate to the question of equal pay, but we have made some progress on this matter and also on the reservations relating to this country.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, could the noble Lord tell us when the Government are going to face up to equal pay.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I wish I could.