§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he added a qualifying statement to the United Nations convention on torture which the United Kingdom has recently ratified; if he will publish in the Official Report the text of the qualifying statement; and whether other countries added similar statements.
§ Mr. RentonThe following statement was made on signature of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The United Kingdom reserves the right to formulate, upon ratifying the Convention, any reservations or interpretative declarations which it might consider necessary.This was to reserve our position should we consider any such reservations or declarations necessary for technical or legal reasons on ratification.
Of the countries which have signed thus far, none has made similar statements.