HL Deb 12 March 1979 vol 399 cc356-7

2.39 p.m.

Lord BROCKWAY

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made by the United Nations committee at Geneva in preparing an international treaty against hostage-taking.

The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)

My Lords, considerable progress has been made. The text of a draft Convention will be submitted to the next United Nations General Assembly where it is hoped those points still outstanding will be settled. The text has been placed in the Library. We await the committee's report.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, I thank the Minister for the reply. Can he make clear whether endorsement by the General Assembly will be sufficient? Will it have to go to the Security Council? Will it have to be ratified by the separate Governments afterwards, and, if so, will Her Majesty's Government do their utmost to speed up the process?

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

Yes, indeed, my Lords; the normal process of ratification by the requisite number of Governments will, I presume, be a requirement of the General Assembly when it finalises the Convention. I can now give every assurance to my noble friend and to your Lordships that, as during the negotiations leading to this very useful draft Convention, the United Kingdom will, I hope, be in the van of those who will adopt and ratify the Convention.

Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONE

My Lords, does the noble Lord agree that it is daily becoming more important that hostage-taking and political offences of all kinds should be incorporated within the multilateral laws regarding extradition, and that nothing short of that is likely to prove effective?

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

I certainly agree entirely, my Lords. This is a new dimension of offences which have been growing for some time, and they are presenting increasing problems not merely to some countries, but to all. With regard to the point about extradition, the aim of the draft Convention and of the finalised Convention will be to make extradition or home prosecution the only two alternatives for signatory Governments.