Employment Discrimination (Conventions)

HC Deb 17 February 1989 vol 147 cc432-3W

Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those international conventions on discrimination in employment on grounds of political beliefs which Her Majesty's Government(a) have and (b) have not ratified; whether he plans to give further effect to any provisions of those listed under (b); and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

The relevant international instruments are: the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions Nos. 111 (Discrimination: Employment and Occupation), 122 (Employment Policy) and 158 (Termination of Employment); the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 6; the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, article 23; the European Social Charter, article 1 and the European Convention on Human Rights.

The United Kingdom has ratified or accepted these instruments with the exception of ILO conventions Nos. 111 and 158. The Government have no plans to ratify ILO convention No. 111, for reasons already explained to the hon. Member on 10 February at column 720. Regarding convention No. 158, the Government believe that existing United Kingdom legislation, in conjunction with statutory codes of practice, gives employees sufficient protection against unfair dismissal and to be consulted on proposed redundancies, and the Government have no plans for ratification.