HC Deb 06 May 1994 vol 242 c674W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the reservations the United Kingdom has entered in respect of the European convention on human rights and the associated protocols and additions, since 1964.

Mr. Goodlad

The United Kingdom has entered the following reservations in respect of the application of protocol 1 to the European convention on human rights to certain territories for whose international relations the Government is responsible:

  1. 1. In view of certain provisions of the Education (Guernsey) Laws and of the Education Ordinance of Gibraltar, the principle affirmed in the second sentence of Article 2 is accepted by the United Kingdom only so far as it is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training, and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure in Guernsey and Gibraltar.
  2. 2. The principle affirmed in the second sentence of Article 2 is accepted by the United Kingdom only insofar as it does not affect the application of the following legal provisions:
  1. (i) the common law of Anguilla which permits the imposition by teachers of moderate and reasonable corporal punishment;
  2. (ii) Section 26 of the Education Act 1977 of the British Virgin Islands (which permits the administration of corporal punishment to a pupil only where no other punishment is considered suitable or effective and only by the principal or any teacher appointed in writing by him for that purpose);
  3. (iii) Section 30 of the Education Law 1983 of the Cayman Islands (which permits the administration of corporal punishment to a pupil only where no other punishment is considered suitable or effective and only by the principal or any teacher appointed in writing by him for that purpose);
  4. (iv) the common law of Montserrat which permits the imposition by teachers of moderate and reasonable corporal punishment;
  5. (v) the law of St. Helena, which permits the administration by teachers of reasonable corporal punishment; and Section 6 of the Children and Young Persons Ordinance 1965 of St. Helena (which states that the right of a teacher to administer such punishment is not affected by the provisions of that section which relate to the offence of cruelty to children);
  6. (vi) the law of St. Helena Dependencies, which permits the administration by teachers of reasonable corporal punishment; and Section 6 of the Children and Young Persons Ordinance 1965 of St. Helena (which states that the right of a teacher to administer such punishment is not affected by the provisions of that section which relate to the offence of cruelty to children);
  7. (vii) the common law of the Turks and Caicos Islands which permits the administration by teachers of reasonable corporal punishment; and Section 5 of the Juveniles Ordinance (Chapter 28) of the Turks and Caicos Islands (which states that the right of a teacher to administer such punishment is not affected by the provisions of that section which relate to the offence of cruelty to juveniles).

No other reservations have been entered by the United Kingdom in respect of the convention or its protocols since 1964.

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