§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to encourage the adoption of the Draft Protocol to the Torture Convention at the 2002 Commission on Human Rights. [40016]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe UK supports the Draft Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture (OP/CAT) and believes it would make an important contribution to preventing and eradicating torture. We are continuing to work closely with EU partners and others to make the protocol a reality; the EU is in contact with the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Optional Protocol Working Group to discuss next steps, including promoting the Optional Protocol at the Commission on Human Rights.