Miss Widdicombeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government submitted their initial report to the United Nations due under article 18 of the 1979 convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.
§ Mr. EggarThe report has been completed and was submitted to the United Nations Secretary-General on 25 June 1987. Copies have been placed in the Library.
88W
Sub-category 30 June 1987 Maximum in last 12 months Minimum in last 12 months Lost or stolen 354,902 354,902 290,056 Obtained by deception1 377 604 377 Found or apparently abandoned 27,270 29,553 22,719 In the preparation of the report women's organisations were consulted, particularly through a seminar on the UN Convention and the reporting process held in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in February. This enabled the officials responsible for writing the report to take their view into account. The report acknowledges their activities and concerns. We shall be sending copies of the report to all those invited to the seminar and upon request, to other organisations which express an interest.
The fullness of the report underlines the seriousness with which we view our obligations under the convention. We shall continue to develop our policies in the light of these obligations.