§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government now intend to take to ratify the agreement establishing the Caribbean Development Bank.
§ Mr. FoleyAs hon. Members will be aware, the agreement was laid before Parliament on 18th November, 1969. In order to enable the United Kingdom to participate with full voting rights in an inaugural meeting of the Governors of the Bank which is expected to take place on 31st January, Her Majesty's Government intend to deposit the instrument of ratification before that date. However, in doing so they intend to declare that they will not be able to grant in the United Kingdom the immunities, exemptions and privileges specified in the Agreement until such time as appropriate legislation—which will be laid before Parliament in due course—shall have been enacted.