International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination

HL Deb 02 February 2004 vol 656 cc86-7WA

Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

1. (a) Why the United Kingdom has not accepted the right of individual petition to the United Nations Committee for elimination of all forms of racial discrimination by all those within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom; and
2. (b) Which other major countries of the European Union are in a similar position. [HL873]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

The Government are reviewing all of the UK's international human rights commitments including the issue of whether to make a declaration allowing the right of individual petition under Article 14 of the International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). The very wide scope of the review, and the number of departments involved, have caused the review to take longer than expected. We will announce its outcomes to Parliament as soon as is reasonably possible.

We understand that 13 member states of the European Union have made a declaration under Article 14 of ICERD and that two—the United Kingdom and Greece—have not.