HC Deb 16 February 1984 vol 54 cc275-6W
Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the International Labour Organisation conventions which have been signed by the United Kingdom but not ratified by the Hong Kong Government.

Mr. Luce

The United Kingdom Government are currently bound by 69 international labour conventions. The Hong Kong Government have made declarations on 66 of these conventions in the following form:

  1. (i) to apply the convention without modification (29 conventions);
  2. (ii) to apply the convention with modification (16 conventions);
  3. (iii) To reserve the Hong Kong Government's decision (21 conventions).

Of these 66 Declarations, 65 currently apply. The Hong Kong Government's declaration on the application of a convention concerning labour inspection superseded their earlier declaration on the application of another convention concerning labour inspectorates in non-metropolitan territories.

The Hong Kong Government have made no declaration on the application of the following three international labour conventions ratified by the United Kingdom:

  • No. 80 Final Articles Revision Convention, 1946.
  • No. 83 Labour Standards (non-metropolitan territories) Convention 1947.
  • No. 116 Final Articles Revision Convention 1961.

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state what international conventions on human rights have been signed by the United Kingdom but not ratified by the Hong Kong Government.

Mr. Luce

Of the International conventions relating to human rights to which the United Kingdom is a party, contained in the United Nations list of instruments on human rights, the following five have not been applied to Hong Kong.

  • The convention relating to the status of refugees of 1951.
  • The protocol of 1953 amending the slavery convention signed at Geneva on 25 September 1926.
  • The convention against discrimination in education of 1960.
  • The protocol of 1967 relating to the status of refugees.
  • The protocol of 1962 instituting a conciliation and good offices commission to be responsible for seeking a settlement of any disputes which may arise between states parties to the convention against discrimination in education.

All the others to which the United Kingdom is a party apply to Hong Kong, subject, in some cases, to certain reservations and declarations which were published on ratification.

Mr. Parry

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees which has been ratified by the United Kingdom is not observed in Hong Kong.

Mr. Luce

The 1951 United Nations convention and 1967 protocol relating to the status of refugees were not extended to Hong Kong. Nonetheless, the Hong Kong Government co-operate fully with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.