HL Deb 11 June 1984 vol 452 cc880-1

2.48 p.m.

Baroness Gardner of Parkes

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made towards ratification by the United Kingdom of the United Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)

My Lords, we hope to announce a decision on ratification before long.

Baroness Gardner of Parkes

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her very helpful reply. Is she aware of the very great interest in this convention on the part of individuals and non-governmental organizations, especially in the light of the World Conference of the United Nations Decade of Women to be held in Nairobi in 1985?

Baroness Young

Yes, my Lords. A number of individuals and NGOs have written to the Government. We are conscious of their wish to see the matter settled.

Lord Stewart of Fulham

My Lords, if this convention is ratified, will it mean that hereditary powers and titles will in future descend to the eldest child, irrespective of sex?

Baroness Young

My Lords. I cannot give an answer to that question, but I will write to the noble Lord on that particular point.

Baroness Lockwood

My Lords, in view of the fact that the noble Baroness the Minister led the British delegation to the Copenhagen Conference in 1980 when this convention was agreed, does she not share the concern that it is taking the British Government so long to ratify this convention? Would she not agree that the Answer which she has given today is very similar to previous Answers that have been given in both this House and in another place since December 1981? Can the noble Baroness assure us that "before long" does mean before the end of the decade conference in 1985?

Baroness Young

My Lords, as the noble Baroness will know, the convention is broad in scope and government departments have been considering its provisions in the light of our existing law and practice. Because we take our obligations under the convention seriously, this is time-consuming, but the process is at an advanced stage. Perhaps I might remind the noble Baroness, Lady Lockwood, that it took four years to ratify the International Convention on Human Rights after we had signed it.

Lord Diamond

My Lords, as the question asked of the noble Baroness by the noble Lord, Lord Stewart, is obviously of great interest to a vast number of Members of this House—probably more than half the membership of your Lordships' House—and not merely to the noble Lord, Lord Stewart, alone, is it not totally inadequate for the noble Baroness merely to promise to write to the noble Lord? Will she be good enough to arrange for a Question for Written Answer to be put down? If she has any difficulty, no doubt the noble Lord, Lord Stewart, and I would be happy to oblige.

Baroness Young

My Lords, I think that the noble Lord, Lord Diamond, has actually answered his own question.