§ Mr. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 21 March,Official Report, column 192–93, to the hon. Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Sims), if he will detail the reasons why the United Kingdom has not yet ratified the United Nations convention on the rights of the child; and if he is now able to state when it is Her Majesty's Government's intention to do so.
Mr. HoggIn the reply of 21 March given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Sims) we announced the United Kingdom mainland position in respect of the convention. We are considering with the United Kingdom islands and dependent territories their positions and when these have been established we will ratify the convention.