§ 3.13 p.m.
§ Lord AldingtonMy 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 whether they are bound by the undertaking in Article 13(3) of the United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966 "to have respect for the liberty of parents … to choose for their children, schools other than those established by public authorities …" and when this covenant was ratified by the United Kingdom.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)My Lords, the United Kingdom ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on 20th May 1976 and it entered into force for the United Kingdom on 20th August 1976. We entered no reservations on Article 13(3) and are therefore bound by it.
§ Lord AldingtonMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. Does she think that it was right for the Labour Government in 1966 to join with others to spell out that parents were at liberty to choose schools for their children, even schools which were not run by public authorities? Does the Minister think that it was also right for the Labour Government in 1976 to ratify that matter? Is it not extraordinary that the leaders of the Labour Party now propose, in flagrant breach of that view, to eliminate this liberty of parents to choose schools for their children?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, I entirely agree with what my noble friend said. I believe that the right of freedom to choose the education for one's child is very important.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyMy Lords, would the Minister agree that there is no breach of this undertaking if the Labour Party says that there should be no particular fiscal advantages to those pupils who go to independent schools? Would the Minister agree that Her Majesty's Government are also bound by the provisions of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says that education shall be directed to the full development of human personality? Is it not difficult to conceive how that can be achieved if there is a system of apartheid in our education provisions?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord McIntosh, would not expect me to agree with the second part of his question. To talk about education in those emotive terms helps neither the pupils nor the education system of this country.