§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Prime Minister further to his answer of 5 May,Official Report, column 922, how many treaties, since 1 January 1979, have been debated by the House in advance of their ratification by Her Majesty's Government, and what is this figure as a percentage of total treaties ratified.
§ The Prime MinisterHer Majesty's Government have ratified 243 treaties since 1 January 1979. These have been laid before both Houses in the normal way. They cover a wide variety of subjects and fall to the appropriate506W Government Department to administer. The information sought is not centrally recorded and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.